B&O Cincinnatian - Steam Operation

[BaltACD]

Starting a Westbound train in the Howard Street tunnel is nothing more than releasing the brakes.  The Belt Line electrification ran from the power house at Baileys (which was also the Baltimore coach yard) to Waverly which was about 2.5 mile East of Mount Royal Station.  Only Eastbound steam trains got Electric (helpers) - on at Baily and off on the fly at Waverly.  Tunnel had 3 tracks - East & West bound tracks for passenger trains, and a gauntlet track for freight trains.  The gauntlet track ran down the center of the tunnel and gave the highest clearance.  When the gauntlet track was in use the passenger tracks could not be used.

[daveklepper]

YOu may be correct, and possibly it would depend on the train and the proximity in time to other movements.   The danger in doing what you mention is the possibility of need to stop and then start the train in the tunnel.

[BaltACD]

My belief is that the electrics were only used on Eastbound movements - Westbounds were allowed to operate with steam as the move was down grade and steam would not be 'working the train'.

[daveklepper]

All passenger and freight trains through the Mount Royal Tunnel were hauled by electric locomotives without the steam locomotives being detached, they stayed with the train.   I rode both ways between NY (bus via Ferry to and from Jersey City) and Washington in 1945.

So the Pacific stayed with t he train.

[BaltACD]

From it's origination in 1947 to it's change of route in 1950, The Cincinnatian and its streamlined steam locomotives originated from Mount Royal Station in Baltimore.  Mount Royal is on the North (TT East) of the Howard Street Tunnel; the tunnel that was the original main line electification project in the US account there being a ascending grade through the tunnel which caused steam engine to be worked for their power to move the train and thus gassing crew and/or passengers.

I have never seen any mention of The Cincinnatian's being handled behind the electric motors, either in moving the train from the coach yard at Baileys to it's originating station at Mount Royal, or when the train was arriving from Cincinnati at the conclusion of it's run.  Did the Cincinnatian work steam during it's Eastward trip from Camden Station to Mount Royal Station?