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Devolution. Thread Noir

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, June 15, 2020 2:39 AM

This is how I feel about the Trains Forum and what it's become.

At least I have still have Classic, for now anyway.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, June 15, 2020 9:02 AM

Yeah, it's going to be an "abandoned line" all right if it keeps descending into petty nastyness, namecalling, and slanders.  It'll be like an old station on an abandoned line with a bunch of grumpy old farts sitting on the rotting platform complaining about how " 'effed-up" everything is.

A year or so ago if someone asked me how many moderators they have on the "Trains" Forum I'd have said "Too many!"  Now it seems like they've all taken "French leave."  No enforcement of standards.  Pitiful.

At least we still celebrate the joy of railroading over here.

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Posted by NP Eddie on Monday, June 15, 2020 11:27 AM

The first post has a picture of the Nebraska Zephyr--is that a home built CBQ dome car I spot?

Ed Burns

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Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 15, 2020 12:45 PM

NP Eddie

The first post has a picture of the Nebraska Zephyr--is that a home built CBQ dome car I spot?

Ed Burns

 

The window panel is straight, with no drop-down for the aisle or bathroom windows.  That and the flat dome glass angles make it one of the two homebuilts.

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, June 15, 2020 1:02 PM

Concur .. what rcdrye stated! Good eye. It's a sad sack remnant but I bet it would have been an exciting ride with its consist. 

Flintlock-- send you a reply, thank you for your support. 

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Posted by Penny Trains on Monday, June 15, 2020 6:17 PM

I only bother with "Steam & Preservation".  Wink

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 1:13 AM

NP Eddie
The first post has a picture of the Nebraska Zephyr--is that a home built CBQ dome car I spot?

Which now resides in Bellevue, Ohio. I couldn't really get a good photo due to the enclosure. At least she's under roof:

 CBnQ_Silver-Dome by Edmund, on Flickr

Amtrak has had their way with the purple & paisley interior treatment Ick!

 2006 photos 626 by Edmund, on Flickr

Yes, there are dents in the overhead from thick skulls!

 2006 photos 627 by Edmund, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 9:25 AM

Trying to think of something positive to add to this record of downright depression.

So, all right-- we still got the Hoboken Terminal.  True, no long distance, but it is in better shape than a long time, and it still sees diesels, electric MUs, a new light rail substituting for the old PSNJ elevated, and the old H&M now PATH.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 10:58 AM

David's right, as usual.  Hoboken Terminal's still there with most of its Lackawanna glory intact.

Here's a page with more than you want to know about it (An enteraining read nonetheless) and a nine page photo spread.  They sure don't build 'em like this anymore!  I've been there, it's a sight!

http://www.subwaynut.com/njt/hoboken_terminal/index.php  

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Posted by Penny Trains on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 6:35 PM

gmpullman
Amtrak has had their way with the purple & paisley interior treatment Ick!

Move over!  Ick!Ick!Ick!

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Miningman on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 8:30 PM

Yeah but.... we had this that went along with it all. Works for me!

( never see the likes of that again on Amtrak )

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 9:20 PM

gmpullman
Amtrak has had their way with the purple & paisley interior treatment 

Yeah, the "purple-paisley" 70's, I remember them well!

That car interior reminds me of the decor of the student center they built at Glassboro State College when I was there in the 1970's.  What did we students think about it?  Can't tell ya, it wouldn't be politically correct!  Whistling

On the other hand, the beer bar they built in the basement was O-K!

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Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 1:11 AM

Miningman
( never see the likes of that again on Amtrak )

You mean the steam heat connectors, right?

Won't see this much anymore, either —

 Amtrak_PSR by Edmund, on Flickr

You don't suppose she needs any help getting into an upper birth ? Whistling

Cheers, Ed

 

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 8:00 AM

As to the Amtrak purple and such, when I first saw it (in May of 1972), I was absolutely disgusted. Why would any railroad wanting passengers subject them to such "decor."

Johnny

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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 5:07 PM

Deggesty
As to the Amtrak purple and such, when I first saw it (in May of 1972), I was absolutely disgusted. Why would any railroad wanting passengers subject them to such "decor."

Frankly, I liked it... liked the hot-pants disco vibe, too.  Just as I've always liked the Chessie System scheme... aside from that ambiguous broken dish that would have worked better if the cat outline were a bit more stylized and the extraneous paw kept 'out of frame'.

What I'd been expecting was more of the Government-institutional, penny-pinching lightweight-train-of-the-future ersatz International-style 'postwar streamliner' design, built to a price.  For one brief and, in my book shining, moment, Amtrak went modern; what they did was really no more bilious than two generations of post-Civil War stuffy Pullman decor, and a great deal less depressing.

Of course it won't appeal to those looking at Cret or Dreyfus interiors reached with appropriate pomp and circumstance from exquisite terminals, with plenty of fresh flowers and subsidized gourmet eating.  (I am tempted to add that I'd much rather have 'attentive service' in the '70s than from one of the "Georges" -- reprehensible as it was to call people with their own name by a disparaging sobriquet, like 'boy' or 'miss' -- in the monopoly years, not for racist but perhaps regrettably for more-than-a-little sexist reasons...)

No, the ideas didn't 'wear well', and perhaps we should be thankful we were spared the '80s pseudo elegant equivalent, all in hunter green and that weird red color, which lacked even 'retro' fun.

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