B&O Sentinel and Timesaver Services:

[Train-O]

Can anyone, please, tell me if B&O's Sentinel and Timesaver services were similar.

I only know that the 'Sentinel' was started before the 'Timesaver.'

Thank you,

Ralph

[Port Road]

Ralph,

 

I believe the Sentinel service revolved around merchandise freight and LCL traffic in box cars (painted in a special Sentinel Service paint scheme). Timesaver service included trailer-on-flat-car, what B&O called TOFCEE (with two E's). I don't know more than that and certainly am no expert on the matter. It's an interesting question!

Jeff

[B&O1952]

Ralph, I'll give it a shot. The Timesaver service was promoted as a fast less than carload service, and the Sentinel Service was a promotion for efficient scheduled carload service using the "new" teletype system. In the B&O Color guide to freight and passenger equipment by Craig T. Bossler, he features two nice color shots taken at the York Pa fair in 1951 of the new Sentinel Service boxcar in silver and blue, and the new Timesaver Service boxcar in blue and orange. Both had been recently painted with markings for being painted at Mt Clare in August of 1951, probably for exhibition. That is also about the time when both services started.

       -Stan

[Stourbridge Lion]

Jeff - Welcome to trains.com!

[Train-O]

Thank you Gentlemen, for your answers.

It is interesting to know all about railroading, not only for general information,  but for modeling, as well.

Ralph 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Based on the above posts, I would think that Timesaver Service was B&O's operation during what could be called the last big push for LCL customers in the postwar period.  NYC's Pacemaker Freights were similar and other roads promoted similar service, often with the fancy paint job for boxcars dedicated to the service.

[Train-O]

Thank you Paul,

I tend to agree with you.

I may be wrong, but I get the impression that both Sentinel (mid/late 40's, into the 50's) and Timesaver (early to late 50's), were somewhat similar services, with just a slight variance between them.

Ralph

[Willie K]

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society site seems to indicate that Sentinel Service was operational in 1946 and Time-Saver in 1947.

They show  a "Sentinel Service Operating Manual - 1946" and another publication, "B&O Time-Saver Service Information Booklet 1947-1960s."  

http://www.borhs.org/Shopping/Freight_Operations.html 

Willie