For anyone who is a passenger train information collector than the latest issue alone is worth a years subscription. To the editors of Classic trains I tip my hat for a sensational issue. THX
Al -in - Stockton
I feel strongly that the past 6-8 have been solid home runs. The last one on the N&W Y6b's final days was nothing short of awesome. The very first magazine of CT that I purchased was the edition in 2005 (?) on the New York Central Hudsons. I fell in love with the magazine from that point on and have missed only one...the mail one. I'll probably send away before long to get it.
Apart from the interesting narratives, the exceptional photo archives available to Kalmbach are most impressive and expressive. I can't seem to get enough of it.
-Crandell
passengerfan wrote: For anyone who is a passenger train information collector than the latest issue alone is worth a years subscription. To the editors of Classic trains I tip my hat for a sensational issue. THXAl -in - Stockton
I agree! That issue answered all kinds of questions about Pullman cars I've been meaning to ask, especially the pre-World War II models. Sections and a drawing room, eh?
al
Maybe it's just coincidence, but my issue of the (latest) CLASSIC TRAINS showed up the same day as the June TRAINS.
What is the French term: embarrassment of riches? - al
Mr. Zimmermans article on the Pullman trains I personally found most interesting as one who was fortunate enough to ride two of the three he mentioned. And I too found everything about the Super Chief Super. I never had the opportunity to ride the Panama Limited, but did experience the Twentieth Century Limited although the train was no longer operated by Pullman. I did experience the City of Los Angeles which at the time was all Pullman. The Broadway was a little threadbare when I rode that train and it was still a superb train.
Al - in - Stockton
One of the BEST issues!
Alex
My father worked as a railroad postal clerk up until 1965 at Atlanta's Terminal station and I remember the free trips he could take through the railroad riding the Pullman coach and sleepers. when did Classic Trains come out with the issue on moving mail by rail? That would be a nice compliment to this months issue.
Jim
The Pullman issue was just great for me. One time in my business travels I spent five successive nights in sleepers: Boston-NY, NY-Hickory NC, Charlotte-New Orleans, New Orleans-Shreveport, Shreveport-St. Louis. Then I wished I had had time to return to Boston by train but used TWA. All were roomettes, except on the Piedmont, coach Charlotte-Atlanta and step-up to double bedroom (was available), Altanta - New Orleans (via West Point and Mobile). Railroads: NYNH&H (to GCT). PRR-Southern, Southern-A&WP-WP&L-GM&O, KCS, KCS-MP (via Little Rock). The catenary was still up in Charlotte for the Piedmont and Northern interurban, and the streamliners and PCC's still in the basement terminal of the IT in St. Louis, and I rode three of the four remaining PCC lines in St. Louis, inlcuding Hodemont, nearly all PRW. Also, the trackless trolley in Shreveport. If I remember, all sleepers on this trip were lightweights. In 1968 or 1969, forget which, I spent one out every five nights through the year in sleeping cars, counting the CN ferry to and from Newfoundland. Last two rides in section sleepers, on the "Newfy Bullet", in uppers.
First Pullman trip for me was at age six in the summer of 1938 on a camp train sleeper on the back of the State of Maine express from Grand Central Terminal to Concord, New Hampshire. Lower birth in 12&1, heavyweight. Through most of its history, the State of Maine, basically a New York - Portland, ME, train, had through sleepers to Concord, reversing direction with a connecting train at Ayer or Lowell, as well as through sleepers to Bangor. During WWII the same equipment made a reverse move, including the connection from Concord, as the "Day Express" with the sleepers sold as parlor space. But the overnight State of Maine always ran via Providence and what became the main line of the Providence and Worcester, while the Day Express ran directly down the Thames River line from Worcester to New London, bypassing Providence. Rode that too, coach.
And yes I did ride the Super Chief, the Broadway as all Pullman, as Penn Central, and as Amtrak versions, the all Pullman Panama, and the Panama with Magnolia Star attached. Of course the Super Chief was always tops, but the Panama and the Broadway were also terrific in their all Pullman days. So was the 20th Century, the one time I did ride it when all-Pullman in 1958.
Only in retrospect did I realize that my rail travel options were actually enhanced by my status as a pass carrying (SP) railroad brat who was limited to travel on trains which passes were good on....these were the secondary trains, or worse. In the day, especially in the late '40s and early '50s, this meant we would travel, for example, on # 5 and 6, the Argonaut, instead of # 1 and 2, the Sunset Limited, or, on the Overland route, we rode # 23 and 24, The Gold Coast, while paying customers rode # 27 and 28, The San Francisco Overland, or # 101 and 102, The City of San Francisco, "the fastest thing on wheels between Chicago and San Fransicso", at one time, at least! But Wait! There's more! "Order now and......"(wrong commercial). I can't remember when we lost them, but in earlier years we rode on Pullman passes on these secondary trains. And, "in the grand manner" they ran...full dining cars, often a first class lounge, sometimes even an open platform observation car. And yes, little kids were served in the grand manner as well, I can still recall the dignity of a "proper" pour of my White Rock Ginger Ale....this kid was authorized two a day when on the road costing....$.25, a whole weeks allowance, but I got "travel pay" when on the road. Those new fangled streamliners got all the attention, but those who travelled in modernized hevyweights, enjoyed pretty much the same comforts as those on the streamliners. Then came the real bonus of the entire issue, when I spotted a photo of SP # 3264, one of two locos assigned to our local freight, the "King City Turn", on the SP Coast Line. There were a number of occasions when the crew of the local would invite me, and even a buddy or two on occasion, up into the cab while they switched the Atascadero leads...a 30 to 45 minute job, simply beyond cool. AA
I've been scouring B&N and Borders for the latest issue (probably should subscribe) and finally found a copy at Fry's... Well worth the effort looking for it.
Hi,
It seems that the bi-monthly Garden Railways is more readily available in a larger number of newspaper retailes that Classic Trains in the UK.
I have been reading the other magazine for a couple of years now but have only had one issue (the last) of Classic Trains. I found it a most interesting read.
Today my local guy got me a copy of the latest issue - Summer 2008 -so I look forward to some good bedtime reading.
Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad
https://www.buckfast.org.uk/
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)
In Australia we get Classic Trains at most newsagents, at least in city centres.
I have Dubin's two Classic Trains books which cover the car types and floor plans, but I've never seen the perspective drawings of compartment types before.
I do wish they wouldn't give a standard plan for a 10+6 and then illustrate one with the roomettes at each end, a sort of 6+6+4.
It is a good summary for modellers in the latest issue, though. I mainly have Amtrak era stock so 10+6 are pretty much it apart from the odd slumbercoach. I have a couple of heavyweights but not a real train.
M636C
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