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Classic Train questions (50 years or older) Locked

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Classic Train questions (50 years or older)
Posted by passengerfan on Saturday, September 20, 2008 7:09 AM

Start with a simple question Name the first streamlined train to enter service? And the route of this train?

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by diningcar on Saturday, September 20, 2008 10:27 AM
Al, please define streamlined in the context for which you are seeking responses.
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Posted by wanswheel on Saturday, September 20, 2008 4:54 PM

A dummy dives into the google

UP City of Salina, Kansas City to Salina, January 31, 1935?

CBQ Pioneer Zephyr, Kansas City to Lincoln, November 11, 1934?

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Posted by passengerfan on Saturday, September 20, 2008 6:02 PM

Your question Wanswheel the CB&Q Pioneer Zephyr was correct.

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by wanswheel on Saturday, September 20, 2008 10:02 PM

Who was the first U.S. President to ride on a train? 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Sunday, September 21, 2008 6:44 AM
 wanswheel wrote:

Who was the first U.S. President to ride on a train? 

That would have been Andrew Jackson.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by wanswheel on Sunday, September 21, 2008 5:03 PM
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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 6:47 AM

Where is the Pioneer Zephyr displayed today?

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by route_rock on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 1:31 PM

That would be Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

 

Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train

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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 7:06 PM
Your question Route Rock?
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Posted by passengerfan on Thursday, September 25, 2008 10:23 AM

If nobody else wants to ask a question I have another.

Name the last new Burlington Zephyr to enter service that was not a replacement Zephyr?

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Posted by jrbernier on Thursday, September 25, 2008 4:39 PM

Kansas City Zephyr/American Royal Zephyr - uses the same basic equipment(ARZ added sleepers for the overnight run).

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

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Posted by passengerfan on Thursday, September 25, 2008 6:13 PM
 jrbernier wrote:

Kansas City Zephyr/American Royal Zephyr - uses the same basic equipment(ARZ added sleepers for the overnight run).

Jim

Absolutely Correct. Your question

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by route_rock on Friday, September 26, 2008 5:52 PM
 Sorry fellas got busy. And I cant think of one! When I do I will be back ;)

Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train

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Posted by passengerfan on Saturday, September 27, 2008 12:21 PM

Name the short lived Rock Island streamliner between Kansas City and Denver?

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, September 27, 2008 7:27 PM

The Denver Rocket was inaugurated in 1937 and was discontinued in 1938. It had three cars--Baggage Dinette "Dream Lake," Coach "Mesa Verde," and Observation "Centennial."

 What year did the Southern discontinue operating observation cars and most of its lounge cars?

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Posted by passengerfan on Saturday, September 27, 2008 8:00 PM
 Deggesty wrote:

The Denver Rocket was inaugurated in 1937 and was discontinued in 1938. It had three cars--Baggage Dinette "Dream Lake," Coach "Mesa Verde," and Observation "Centennial."

 What year did the Southern discontinue operating observation cars and most of its lounge cars?

I believe the Southern discontinued their Observations and many of there lounge cars in 1958. Although some of the Sleeper Lounge Observations were converted to eleven bedroom cars in 1958.

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Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, September 28, 2008 9:31 PM

Passengerfan is close, but not quite at the cigar.

Yes, the Southern's 5 bedrom observations were converted to 11 bedroom cars--and the L&N continued operating its that had been on the Crescent, using them on the rear of the Gulf Wind until the mid-sixties.

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Posted by wanswheel on Saturday, October 11, 2008 2:03 AM
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Posted by al-in-chgo on Saturday, October 11, 2008 3:16 AM
 wanswheel wrote:

Name That Tune

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHe0YSciQao

Why, isn't that George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue

You guys are great!  I wish we had you on the History Quiz during this empty time.

My question:  what company built the Pioneer Zephyr, and in so doing made a name for itself?

 

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Posted by passengerfan on Saturday, October 11, 2008 6:15 AM

Al,

That would be the Budd Company who up to that time had little luck in the RR business. The Budd Company went on to introduce disc brakes to the RR industry, the first gallery commuter cars and far and away the best dome cars for viewing. They also produced the most Dome cars. And produced the Santa Fe Hi - Levels which were the forerunners of todays Superliners. I could go on but it is 4:00 AM here.

Al - in - Stockton 

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Saturday, October 11, 2008 11:25 PM

Absolutely right, West Coast Al.  The company (or perhaps better said, its workers) developed a new kind of welding technique called "shot welding."  It was used to fabricate the then-new streamliners of the 1940s.  The company also fabricated the Metroliner and provided the plans for Amfleet II (most of which was not, however, made by Budd--they begged off the contract in the 1970's).  Apparently the company built a lot of RT, too; I know they did a series of L cars in the seventies in Chicago and also the PATCO cars about that time.  -  a.s.

PS:  Dude, you get to ask a question if you like. 

 

al-in-chgo
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Posted by passengerfan on Sunday, October 12, 2008 10:00 AM

Name the Builder, RR and the four car electric trains that ran between Chicago and Milwaukee?

Al - in - Stockton  

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Posted by Randy Stahl on Sunday, October 12, 2008 10:18 AM
St Louis car company built the Electroliners for the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee RR in 1941. In the 20s there were 4 railroads offering dining car service between Kenosha and Milwaukee, name the railroads .
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Posted by passengerfan on Sunday, October 12, 2008 10:48 AM

 Randy Stahl wrote:
St Louis car company built the Electroliners for the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee RR in 1941. In the 20s there were 4 railroads offering dining car service between Kenosha and Milwaukee, name the railroads .

Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee, Chicago Northwestern, Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific and I don't know the fourth.

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by Randy Stahl on Sunday, October 12, 2008 5:10 PM
Yep , thats three of the four .
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Posted by al-in-chgo on Sunday, October 12, 2008 6:17 PM

 Randy Stahl wrote:
Yep , thats three of the four .

Does the track the fourth line used still exist? - a.s.

 

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Posted by Randy Stahl on Sunday, October 12, 2008 8:22 PM

The track between Kenosha and Racine was removed on Sept 13th 1947 and the Racine Milwaukee segment was removed around December 31st , 1947.

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Sunday, October 12, 2008 9:42 PM

Was it a different interurban rwy. company, one perhaps based in Milwaukee?  - a.s.

 

al-in-chgo
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Posted by Randy Stahl on Sunday, October 12, 2008 9:57 PM

Correct , TMER&L . The Milwaukee electric railway and light company . They built 2 articulated dining cars to run between Kenosha and Milwaukee . Pity there really wasn't enough time to enjoy a meal . They tried running thru trains from Kenosha to Watertown Wis but discovered that there simply weren't many people traveling between those two cities. The two diners sat for a few years until the outbreak of WW2 and were rebuilt into coaches for service throughout the system and after the war they were really no longer needed as traffic went away . They were scrapped in the late 40s.

Incidently, the owners of the railway at the time of abandonement was KMCL (Kenosha motor coach lines) An affiliate of westland greyhound. The satisfying part is that after the rail lines were torn out , no one rode the buses either....

This was a rare instance of two interurban companys competing for buisness between the same 3 cities on parellel routes. Of course the CNS&M lasted until 1963.

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