Interesting Events along the CASO Part V The last of the good years.

[Miningman]

1). November 8, 1946 - The NYC yard engine derailed two cars of corn right on the L&PS just north of Talbot Street in the L&PS yards.
November 8, 1946 - Second diesel went into operation on the CASO
November 12, 1946 - NYC Diesels are speedy, engine No. 1600 pulled 62 loads.

2). December 27, 1946 - An unusual shipment of streamlined streetcars en route from a factory in the east to Chicago was seen in a westbound NYC freight. They were bright green and yellow. NYC 5366, a large passenger engine hauled the freight train with the streetcars.  ( anyone know what these are and who for? )

3). May 26, 1947 - The 20th Century Limited through St Thomas due to wreck in the United States
June 3, 1947 - A Circus Train goes over the CASO

4). September 2, 1947 - The General Motors "Train of Tomorrow" runs over the TH&B and the NYC from Buffalo to Toronto.

5). February 3, 1948 - Railway Express agency special over the CASO. The Railway Express Agency have very new refrigerator cars that are painted gray, green, red and blue. The train was hauled through St Thomas by NYC 5217.

6). May 6, 1948 - Thirty-three NYC passenger trains are now drawn by Diesels.
May 13, 1948 - The whistle jams on an NYC steam engine ( probably upset at the Diesels)

7). June 17, 1948 - Unusual combination of locomotives for two diesels were combined with a steam engines on train MC-1. The Diesels were NYC 1623 and 1622 and the steam engine was NYC 5276.

8). July 22, 1948 - A strange case of consecutive numbers on doubleheaders over the NYC 5366 and 5367, NYC 5360 and 5370 on the Empire State Express.

9). September 24, 1948 - A US election campaign special came over the CASO with Governor Earl Warren and party in a 15 car passenger train.
   October 18, 1948 - Governor Dewey election campaign train came through St Thomas on the CASO.  The Governor Dewey campaign special came through smoothly. Two engines pulled 17 passenger cars.

10). January 14, 1949 - The General Motors "Train of Tomorrow" is to move Detroit to Black Rock (Buffalo), New York.
       January 18, 1949 - The train of Tomorrow at St Thomas

11). August 9, 1949 - NYC to build a track pan at Ford's Creek. The NYC is now 25% hauled by Diesels in a change started three years ago.

12). October 6, 1950 - Due to a wreck on the NYC in the United states four trains were routed through Canada including the 20th Century limited.

          October 17, 1950 -  The NYC ran a twenty-one car dead head train from Detroit to Buffalo that included seven dining cars

 

13). December 13, 1950 - More of the NYC 5400 type engines are appearing on the Canada Division. Most of the type have the disc driving wheels. Last Sunday NYC 5344 with disc wheels went east, while NYC 5449 was also observed. More of this type of power is routed this way. NYC 5366 just came out of the shops ready for International Service.

 

14).  February 25, 1951 - NYC 1291 is back in service. It is on the work train duty. No. 1291 was formerly engine No. 881 and is one of the oldest engines on the entire system.

 

15). March 14, 1951 - NYC 1290 & 1291 double headed took the St. Clair Branch train to Oil City on the NYC

          April 3, 1951 - St Clair Branch Railway. On Monday a doubleheader was operated, NYC 1290 and No. 1291 pulled thirty cars.  ( I did a write up on 1290, whitelined a few days before the last NYC steam was done in Cincinnati ..also Classic Trains Photo of the Day just after July 4th last year)

 

16).  September 6, 1951 - A train load of US Army General Patton tanks passed through St Thomas

 

17). September 11, 1951 - Two engines bound for the scrap heap passed through St Thomas. Engines MCRR 7914 and MCRR 7930.

 

18). March 3, 1952 - Wolverine now carries direct roomette car to San Francisco

 

19). June 27, 1952 - Historic locomotive NYC 999 stops at St. Thomas on way to Jackson, Michigan 

 

20).  June 16, 1953 - Last 'official' steam powered passenger train on the CASO with locomotive 5434.

[Miningman]

http://casostation.ca/history/canada-southern-railway/

 Includes one image pf 999 in 1950 at the station and one original image from way back 

[MidlandMike]

I wonder why they built a track pan in 1949, when they were replacing steam as fast as they could.

[Miningman]

They were using Hudsons at high speed on the racetrack, some with long distance coast to coast tenders. Many surplus Hudsons came North due to Dieselization.. they had about 4 years left before they were retired. Not sure if they knew that or not. They were shopped and serviced out of St Thomas and there are good accounts of many many Hudsons receiving total outshopping there as late as 1952. 

Even though the 'official' last run of a passenger Hudson was in '53 I have seen photos in '55 of a Hudson with a passenger train out on the road near St Thomas.  That was the max date.. nothing past '55 in terms of Hudsons on the CASO. 

Of course this is the part where I say " Why would they not save one, recently outshopped, for display in St Thomas as a tribute to the Line, the shop forces, the 'face of the NYC" and the incredible effort put forth during WWII".

I know why but I don't understand the thinking.