Thank you Classic Trains for sharing the video for subscriber. The following video of NYCRR including a clip of the legendary PRR vs NYC "racing" outside Chicago. (Starting from 03:03)
Watch it in the original page: http://ctr.trains.com/railroad-reference/great-passenger-trains/2013/05/nyc-video
Reader could see how fast the "race" actually was from this video. The Broadway Ltd was on the lead and the 20th Century was "chasing" at 70mph approx... This is what made travelling on steam powered trains special and unforgettable. The true value of steam locomotive can't be quantified!
Jones 3D Modeling Club https://www.youtube.com/Jones3DModelingClub
Jones1945Reader could see how fast the race actually was from this video. The Broadway Ltd was on the lead and the 20th Century was "chasing" at 70mph approx...
That ain't no race. Look at the stack, and the position of the reverser on the Baker gear. There was a LOT of reserve power available if the engineer cared to use it. Looks to me as if he's being canny and adjusting his speed to that of the Broadway, getting the most efficiency out of comparable timing... be interesting to see what is on the PRR head end.
Jones1945Reader could see how fast the "race" actually was from this video.
I happened to be watching this DVD just the other day.
The best part of the scene (not shown in the preview) is when the whole dining car crew on the Century has their faces pressed to the windows of the diner watching the Broadway from the Century.
Worth the price of admission
Reflections of The NYC is an excellent DVD to own.
Regards, Ed
gmpullman I happened to be watching this DVD just the other day. The best part of the scene (not shown in the preview) is when the whole dining car crew on the Century has their faces pressed to the windows of the diner watching the Broadway from the Century. Worth the price of admission Reflections of The NYC is an excellent DVD to own. Regards, Ed
wow! Thank you for telling me that, I think I am gonna get a copy of this.
Overmod ... be interesting to see what is on the PRR head end.
... be interesting to see what is on the PRR head end.
In the video, the New York Central Niagara #6000 was still using original headlight and looks rather new and clean, so I bet It was recorded around 1946-1947. If it was recorded before 1948, the consist of the Broadway Ltd was the 1938 Loewy version hauled by T1s, S2 turbine #6200 or single streamlined K4s followed by
Class M70 mail car,
Class B70 baggage car,
City series -18 roomettes Pullman car (3rd and 4th car),
Harbor series -2 Double Bedrooms, Shower Bath, Bar Lounge,
Dining car 4504,
Imperial series 4 Compartment,4 Double Bedroom 2 Drawing room car,
County series 13 Bedroom car,
View series 2 Master room,1 Double Bedroom,Buffet Lounge Observation.
There's a great story about the "race" between the Broadway and the Century, I'm sure I've told it before but there's no harms in telling it again. Keep in mind the PRR and the NYC in public statements said they were never racing, didn't condone racing, and train crews were forbidden to race.
Anyway, one day there was a New York Central official riding east on the Century. Leaving Englewood station he looked out the windo and saw the Broadway. Soon the Broadway started moving ahead of the Century, then he felt a surge of power as the Century gained on the Broadway. As both trains were see-sawing back and forth trying to get the lead on each other he saw the Centurys head conductor coming down the isle.
"Conductor! Step this way please!"
"Yes sir!"
"Conductor, are we racing the Broadway?"
"Uh, sir, um, well, uh, you know..."
"I see." One more look out the window at the Broadway and...
"Get word to the engineer. If he loses he's fired!"
Races were not only between two great roads such as the New York Central and the Pennsylvania. South of Meridian, Mississippi, the NO&NE and M&O tracks were parallel for a few miles, and if trains of both roads left Meridan about the same time, the engineers would race even though they had different destinations (New Orleans and Mobile).
Johnny
DPM once commented about the race north out of Washington Union Station between PRR GG1's and B&O President Pacifics.
And, up in New Jersey back around the time of the First World War the North Jersey Rapid Transit interurban line paralelled the Erie for a few miles, which seemed to always lead to a impromptu race between the two, to the absolute delight of the passengers on both trains I might add.
In Northern Ontario the steam powered Temiskaming and Northern Ontario, later the ONR, would frequently find themselves being challenged by the Nippising Central, an Interurban of all things, between Cobalt and New Liskeard, some 7 miles. This included a stop in Haileybury for both of them. Their trackage paralleled easily within sight of each other, including 2 flyover bridges for the Interurban and a crossing at grade just before New Liskeard.
This became so frequent that the towns had to pass an ordinance against this, considering it reckless behaviour. Which of course it was but, hey you have a schedule to keep. Changes were eventually made by the roads themselves to circumvent this.
The Temiskaming and Northern Ontario ( T&NO, but not to be confused with the Texas and New Orleans) eventually bought the Nippising Central, primarily because it already had a charter to lay track in Quebec to Rouyn-Noranda, which the T&NO needed to access the mines and smelters there from its branch at Kirkland Lake, thus negating the need to go through all the hoopla of an interprovincial charter.
I have seen prints of the famous races.
The T&NO tore up the Nippising Central track almost right away but the line into Rouyn-Noranda is very much active and is one of the few remaining lifelines for the ONR.
I remember being on a Concord bound Bart train that left the MacArthur station the same time as a Richmond bound train and the automated controls were staging an impromptu race... (This was back in 1974 when the Concord trains were just running between MacArthur and Concord).
The May or June 1968 issue of trains had an article of a South Shore Interurban catching up with and then passing the the IC's Panama Limited. Being electric MU's, the South Shore train had much better acceleration.
The description of the movement of the journals on the Panama as the South Shore train passed it was quite interesting.
I'm ever grateful to Mike for the following addition to my post.
I sure wish they'd end Mikes exile, the place ain't the same without him!
Firelock76 "Conductor! Step this way please!" "Yes sir!" "Conductor, are we racing the Broadway?" "Uh, sir, um, well, uh, you know..." "I see." One more look out the window at the Broadway and... "Get word to the engineer. If he loses he's fired!"
If it wasn't a joke, he must got fired But the good news for NYC was the Century still carry more passenger than Broadway (until early-1950s)
Thank you everyone for the input!
That steam engine race was cool!
I wonder how you say "Hey man, wanna drag?" in Slovakian?
It was really spicy. I think steam locomotive is our common language which can still bringing people together.
Firelock76I wonder how you say "Hey man, wanna drag?" in Slovakian?
tovariš želi povleči?
Overmod Firelock76 I wonder how you say "Hey man, wanna drag?" in Slovakian? tovariš želi povleči?
Firelock76 I wonder how you say "Hey man, wanna drag?" in Slovakian?
Overmod, if anyone knew I just knew you would!
Firelock76Overmod, if anyone knew I just knew you would!
I'm not saying I do; I only dated women who spoke Slovenian, didn't study it. But I suspect if you said it, Slovak engineers would grin and yank harder on their throttles...
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