Kids don't show up? Well that's a shame. We have our hot-and-cold years here depending on the local kid demographic, seems like it's always changing, but we've got a good reputation so someone always shows up.
We don't go overboard on the Halloween decorations, just lights, pumpkins, and some "Jolly Roger" flags, no over-the-top stuff that even gives ME the willies, we don't want to scare anyone off.
Now next year I might just break out some of the O gauge stock from the "Chugger Barn" and put together a front lawn "Halloween Train" for everyone's enjoyment!
MiningmanNo street lights?
The city's revenge for the residents protesting the plan to turn the street into a semi-major thoroughfare. The other side of the street is part of the greater Cleveland Metroparks system. Doesn't matter if we turn the lights on or not, we have our own lamp post. The kids just don't show up.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
A note on the NYNH&H Mack Railbuses. I spent a day in one on an NRHS fantrip. Ir rode OK. I believe it used PCC B3 trucks and motors. Definitely not 4-wheel if my memory is correct.
Penny and Firelock --No street lights? Wolves in bird cages? What the? Geez, I live in a sub polar climate, it was -4 and snowing Halloween night and plenty of snow on the ground and I live in a village, not a town. However, we have street lights everywhere (alas no sidewalks) and the Fire Trucks were patrolling all the streets handing out hot chocolate. I'm certain the parents out with the kiddies drank far more hot chocolate than the kids did. Has not stopped snowing since and a huge dumping overnight Sunday/Monday, have 3 feet on the ground now. Cold too -12.
When people talk about global warming the locals look at then and giggle. Situation normal!
There's no street lights on my street either. Don't people have outside lights for their homes and turn them on? That's what we do.
On Halloween the whole street's lit up. The only people with no lights on are the ones who aren't home or have run out of candy, kind of a "Don't bother coming to this one kids!" signal.
One year we were going to be out of town on Halloween, so I set the outside light timer to come on at 9:30. Trick-or-treating ends at 9:00 where we live.
Kids are just plain scared to come up our street. Seven houses. No streetlights. Dark woods on one side of the street. And my neighbor has a pair of wolves in a big cage out back. Trick-or-treat isn't for the faint of heart on my block!
Chattanooga Chew is a great play on the popular tune during the Big Band era. I had forgotten about Railroad Mills.
There was a fireman on the Atlantic Coast Line who worked passenger trains out of Tampa in the 60s who smoked Home Run cigarettes. No doubt a "play" on baseball, much like Lucky Strike must have been.
Halloween may be over for another year, but what the hay, this is fun. Isn't this what The World's Greatest Hobby is all about to begin with?
I don't remember any railroad-themed chewing tobacco--was it a regional thing? but I do remember Railroad Mills snuff--I sold quite a bit of that, along with other brands.
Johnny
Not bad Firelock. That would cost me more than 300 bucks up here. I give 5 items each, throw in a pair of Kerrs taffy and 2 Hubba Bubba gum and it's all good. As it is it costs just over a hundred bucks.
Cheap-as* are those folks who block the walkway to the door with garbage cans and turn out the lights. One of my coordinators and one instructor does does that and is rather proud of it... makes me ill and I lose my respect. Told them straight to their face too, but they don't care.
My last ever venture out there was a buddy and me got all dressed up in drag, a real 'some like it hot' thing. Our moms thought we were priceless. Maybe 12 yrs old, ... now don't analyze. We had fun. Did pirate, soldier multiple times, NHL referee, can't remember them all.
Why are those small candy packages called "fun?" I'll tell you Johnny, it's a lot more marketable than calling them "cheap-ass!"
Now WE, on the other hand, give out full-size candy bars on Halloween. You should see the kids faces light up! Not just that, you should see their MOM'S faces light up! Makes you wonder just how much of those full-size bars the kids are going to get!
Wayne
Since Kalmbach is a diversified company and publishes several magazines besides the ones that are rail orientated when will the premiere issue of Classic Candy Bars be introduced to it's family tree?
Yum yum, I'm lookin' forward to it already!
Item: Once upon a time there were several commercial products that used railroad names on them. This included chewing tobacco for example. Am sure there's more. Any takers?
I expect you can find them all oer the country, but I know you can find extra-small packages of candy here--it is possible to get three malted milk balls in one wrapper--and one Snicker (1/2 half of a "fun" package). I have examples of other candies wrapped in what seems to be "half-fun" wrappers. Does anyone know why these small packages are called "fun"?
We don't get even a single trick-or-treater. So I ate their candy!
My Cadbury thread is being highjacked!
You got one of each of these at my house on Halloween. Wunderbar and Caramilk are Cadburys, Maynard's is a division of Cadburys. Smarties are Nestle and I believe not available in the USA but are the others? Hershey's has the rights to Cadbury items in the States. Folks say it's not even close to the same.
You might need a bowlful of all of these Tuesday night. Good luck and may your definition of the best man or woman win.
Overmod Note I referenced these on Wednesday. Thanks for finding the detail on them! These did not "fail" so much as suffer from politics: they were ordered by one New Haven administration, and so 'deprioritized' by the next one...... But for mandated service, something very economical was indicated, and the New Haven gets credit for thinking to acquire what looked at that brief point in time like relatively good new equipment for this.
Note I referenced these on Wednesday. Thanks for finding the detail on them!
These did not "fail" so much as suffer from politics: they were ordered by one New Haven administration, and so 'deprioritized' by the next one...... But for mandated service, something very economical was indicated, and the New Haven gets credit for thinking to acquire what looked at that brief point in time like relatively good new equipment for this.
I am glad you like those pics, Overmod . I read about their brief history and note the new administration of New Haven sold most of them without putting them in service (except one?). As you might remember I am a fan of ACF Motorailer, I think these Mack FCD Rail Bus were a simplified and economical version of Motorailer, a much better option than using 3-car consists towed by 2000hp diesel or switcher for mandated services. Look at those deeply cushioned seats, I believe patrons would have loved these railbuses.
Evans Auto-Railer:
Jones 3D Modeling Club https://www.youtube.com/Jones3DModelingClub
Overmod-- Read that section on marketing in the Cadbury book. That was some fairly advanced thinking, kind of like Madison Ave concepts much later in the 60's.
Seems they did gangbusters during the Depression and took every advantage and utilized some smart concepts.
Jones1945Speaking of railcars, this was not a successful example, but at least they were not built upon a HSFV. Mack FCD Rail Bus.
These did not "fail" so much as suffer from politics: they were ordered by one New Haven administration, and so 'deprioritized' by the next one, even before they were delivered, that no real use was made of them. (To be fair to MacGinnis, I think union crew requirements turned out to be part of the issue with actual FCD profitability; the things made sense only when run with one man like a road bus.)
It could be argued that most railbuses, anywhere, weren't much of an effective solution in the United States, as 'real' buses were in general a much preferable alternative for a range of reasons. Even the Evans Auto-Railer never found a particularly workable niche. Perhaps the local service the FCDs were intended to continue (think of them as doodlebugs on an even smaller scale) would have become expediently cancelled much more quickly had contemporary legislation permitted. But for mandated service, something very economical was indicated, and the New Haven gets credit for thinking to acquire what looked at that brief point in time like relatively good new equipment for this.
Gads, it's much more than just a shudder to even consider what the fate of Flying Scotsman would have been had she not retuned to her home rails in Great Britian.
Item: I watched her depart Dallas, over the Katy of all roads, on her US tour. I loaned my color negatives to a California railfan and they never came home. I even was even able to photograph Mr. Pegler on the platform at Dallas Union Terminal!
Had 4472 become stranded in North America, at best remaining on Canadian soil wouldn't been such a bad second in the mighty British Empire, what lad?
Miningman Nodding donkeys, that's hilarious! From our friend Mike who continues to amaze with stuff no one can find. https://youtu.be/MZDqZ_LCZEw
Nodding donkeys, that's hilarious!
From our friend Mike who continues to amaze with stuff no one can find.
https://youtu.be/MZDqZ_LCZEw
Thank you for posting the link, Vince. Nice video of Cadbury "chocolate train" in color!
Overmod There was a very important difference between the 'American' Leyland bus and the Aerotrain: the suspension. The Aerotrain as first built had truly pathetic primary suspension and compliance, with the idea -- it worked pretty well on over-the-road GM coaches -- of secondary air-bag suspension (promising good isolation, an absence of spring-rate harmonic effects, and inherent load-leveling for lightweight trains, among other things). Unfortunately, all the aspects that have made air suspension so well loved in luxury automobiles over the years were present in a train that was expected to negotiate typical pathetic '50s track without all that expensive lining, surfacing, joint build-up, and so forth. Let alone negotiate it at Zephyr or Hiawatha speeds.
There was a very important difference between the 'American' Leyland bus and the Aerotrain: the suspension. The Aerotrain as first built had truly pathetic primary suspension and compliance, with the idea -- it worked pretty well on over-the-road GM coaches -- of secondary air-bag suspension (promising good isolation, an absence of spring-rate harmonic effects, and inherent load-leveling for lightweight trains, among other things). Unfortunately, all the aspects that have made air suspension so well loved in luxury automobiles over the years were present in a train that was expected to negotiate typical pathetic '50s track without all that expensive lining, surfacing, joint build-up, and so forth. Let alone negotiate it at Zephyr or Hiawatha speeds.
There is a close up pic of the suspension of GM Aerotrain in this pdf file:
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/historical-brochures/Innovation_and_Technology/Here_Comes_Tomorrow.pdf
Looks like GM did carefully design the suspension system but it didn't work out. Ironically, riding quality was supposed to be one of the main selling points of GM Aerotrain. It was probably the last attempt to lure patrons back from airlines and coaches but failed miserably.
Speaking of railcars, this was not a successful example, but at least they were not built upon a HSFV. Mack FCD Rail Bus.
https://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article10755544.ece/ALTERNATES/s1227b/Cadbury-railway-system-1.jpg
Jones1945I once suspect such idea was inspired by the Aerotrain of GM. But at least the Aerotrain was constructed by new material not used buses.
There was a very important difference between the 'American' Leyland bus and the Aerotrain: the suspension. The Aerotrain as first built had truly pathetic primary suspension and compliance, with the idea -- it worked pretty well on over-the-road GM coaches -- of secondary air-bag suspension (promising good isolation, an absence of spring-rate harmonic effects, and inherent load-leveling for lightweight trains, among other things). UNfortunately, all the aspects that have made air suspension so well loved in luxury automobiles over the years were present in a train that was expected to negotiate typical pathetic '50s track without all that expensive lining, surfacing, joint build-up, and so forth. Let alone negotiate it at Zephyr or Hiawatha speeds.
The Leyland we got here was a legitimate 100mph vehicle, with the suspension sophistication to allow that on decent 'permanent way'. One of the reasons I'd like to see it restored would be to run it, say, on the new rebuilt track north of New Haven toward Springfield, to see if the default level of new construction 'as built' by one of the up-from-the-ground track-building machines would support the Wickens predictions of vehicle dynamics performance. (And yes, I have given some thought to active weight-transfer management in operation as a way to get around certain ... aspects ... of four-wheel relatively short-wheelbase vehicle construction, especially with unexpectedly high polar moments of inertia at times...)
It was SAID that the last car "improved" by EMD and added to the Aerotrain got rid of the ride issues. Perhaps someone (hint, hint!) can find what was actually involved with the improvement, and also find objective reporting, perhaps with recorded data, as to how much better the improvement proved to be.
One trip in a Pacer I recall was from Bristol Temple Meads to Weston super Mare. It was a two car Class 142, but sadly it was connecting with a seven car HST from Paddington. This wouldn't have been a problem except that about half the passengers from Paddington caught the Pacer. So my experience was similar to peak hour on an LT tube train with the added dynamics of the Pacer. After a few stations i got a seat and the experience reverted to normal, at least for a Pacer.
There have been similar four wheel "railbuses" built and tested in the UK every ten years, from the mid 1930s onward, with varying degrees of success, and definitely preceded the GM Aerotrain. It is surprising how similar these railbuses looked from generation to generation, although being rejected each time (except for the last). BR did build a locomotive hauled coach, on a 64 ft underframe using Leyland bus panels which was analgous to the Aerotrain in some ways.
The Pacers were the only railbuses built in large quantities in the UK.
Peter
From our friend Mike who continues to amaze with stuff no one can find. If you enjoy British rail at all here are vintage scenes around the Bournville plant and station at what appears to be 'near' the end of steam operations. In addition to No 1 there are others, notably a saddletank steam and a siderod Diesel. Also some mainline Diesel powered trains at the Bournvile station. Did the Brits not know how to handle their coal fuelling? Good grief, some pretty chunky coal in there as well. Well everything works so not too bad but perhaps they could get some expertise from the CPR and ring over to the Dominion.
Overmod ...even though it has been aptly if a bit witchily described as a product of "a joint venture between Leyland and BR to combine the worst features of rail and bus" it is still a valuable artifact of how things were looked at toward the end of the Carter Administration...
...even though it has been aptly if a bit witchily described as a product of "a joint venture between Leyland and BR to combine the worst features of rail and bus" it is still a valuable artifact of how things were looked at toward the end of the Carter Administration...
lol. I once suspect such idea was inspired by the Aerotrain of GM. But at least the Aerotrain was constructed by new material not used buses. I am a big friend of betterment cars but the 'Pacer' aka "nodding donkeys" is probably the last thing I want to ride on it again. Remember the good old days when the UK wouldn't set the bar too low:
Overmod Every time I see 'Repton', I think of the most advanced steam locomotive at Steamtown, the 'one that got away'. Why couldn't you Britannophiles in Canada have taken it and restored it so we who appreciate sophistication in small packages could have it around easily?
Every time I see 'Repton', I think of the most advanced steam locomotive at Steamtown, the 'one that got away'. Why couldn't you Britannophiles in Canada have taken it and restored it so we who appreciate sophistication in small packages could have it around easily?
I never knew this, but it seems we did just that. And then sold it back to England
Repton ran in Nova Scotia after Steamtown sold it:
http://trainweb.org/sandlrwy/cbsr.html
A shame that DEVCO's tourist railway ended up just like all their other ventures.
But maybe it's just as well that Repton went back across the pond, we don't have a great track record of looking after British locomotives over here. The CRHA neglected and damaged 'Dominion of Canada', which ended up having to go back home in order to get a proper cosmetic restoration.
And I shudder to think of what could have happened to 'Flying Scotsman' had Sir William McAlpine not stepped in.
Meanwhile Repton is back in steam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sWT7dCsAIo
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
We'll probably lose the Leyland high-speed railbus in much the same way, for the same general reasons. Hard to believe all the places that thing has gone, or that no one at Amtrak or Leyland either could remember how the Budd-Michelines shunted signals relatively reliably with poor weighted contact... it was a kind of Eighties cover of the NH Mack FCDs, and about as worthwhile, but it was an early attempt at using the Wickens/HSFV research gainfully, and even though it has been aptly if a bit witchily described as product of "a joint venture between Leyland and BR to combine the worst features of rail and bus" it is still a valuable artifact of how things were looked at toward the end of the Carter Administration...
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