Those Conrail freight schedules in Multimodal are an outstanding reference, not only for the train symbols, but also as an overview of the operations, blocking, yard sorts, etc.
Thanks for reminding me of the resource. Now, the fun part will begin, checking schedules vs performance!
Ed
Don:I forgot about the multimodal site. I do have a couple of Conrail printed schedules - the very first one and another from 1996. Those are fascinating to look at and see how the railroads were run.
Time to go to the basement and take a look at those train sheets.
I should have realized the ELMI symbol....forgot all about the Milwaukee Rd.
TV53 - that would have been an interesting site on the Kankakee Belt Line, particularly setting off at Momence. I have old MoPac dispatcher sheets - perhaps I can figure that swap out.
TV53 was the precursor of TVLA. Have you tried downloading Conrail train schedules from Multimodalways web site? They have lots of them the cover day one to the end.
http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/rrs/CR/CR.html
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
My hubby remembers seeing those in the news when they would derail on the 15 degree curve on the connection track from the old NYC aka Conrail to the Santa Fe. The railroads for years have wanted to broaden out that curve but the families won't sell to them. There is a old joke around here that when Dominos pizza still had their It's free if not there in 30 mins guantree whenever a connection train showed up the old Dominos pizza lost their shirts around here. Why at the time there was no overpass and no back way to get to the houses on the south side of the connection track. So if the train was delayed for a crew or lord help them derailed free pizza in the trailer park.
They no longer run anything longer than 60 feet thru that curve except locomotives all the long cars go thru Chicago for interchange they kept jumping the tracks here.
ELMI = Elkhart, IN to Bensenville, IL (MILW). Departing Elkhart, the train had blocks for the SOO Line & MILW. The SOO traffic was set-out at Blue Island for the IHB (which delivered it to the SOO Line).
As of 1984, TV-52 is listed as Streator (ATSF) to Chicago (47th St.). It came off the ATSF as their 352 (from Kansas City) and set-out traffic at 47th St. for TV-8 and TV-12.
TV-53 was shown as North Bergen, NJ to Streator, IL (ATSF). Leaving North Bergen, the train handled traffic for Momence (MP) - Streator (ATSF) - Toledo - Chicago. The Chicago block was setout at Selkirk for connection to TV-9. MP, Streator, and Toledo blocks were also picked up at Selkirk. Houston & Dallas blocks for the MP were setout at Momence, IL. At Streator, the train was interchanged to the ATSF, becoming their 288 (destined for L.A.).
That would have been a weird routing for Marion, Indiana - west to Porter, then to IHB.
Not to say it wasnt routed that way, but seems a bit odd.
It makes sense that the TV52/53 were going to Santa Fe...that was the routing for the Elkhart - Streator trains back in the day (also today).
I was editing my prior post but you might not see it.
Pretty sure the "MI" is Marion, Indiana.
I think 53 and 52 were the River Line trains that turned into TVLA and probably TVNY respectively when run-through service with Santa Fe was started. Don Oltmann and others know much more than I do about this.
Looking primarily for the MI in ELMI. The EL did symbolize Elkhart. This was a westerbound which ran Elkhart to Porter, then on the Porter Branch to the IHB at Gibson. From there it could have diverged in several paths to different yards or railroads.
The TV train was an intermodal, as were other designated TVs. I have Conrail Freight Schedules book (2nd ed) but neither is listed.
I think EL was Elkhart.
TV = "Trailer Van" as I always understood it. Intermodal before stack and ISO marine container trains. Weren't 53 and 52 the River Line trains that later became TVLA in conjunction with Santa Fe (and I think TVNY eastbound) with numbers when they ran in multiple sections?
I'll bet the "MI" is Marion, Indiana.
The TV symbols were the intermodals, as I recall.
From what I've seen, CR used two letter station symbols (as UP uses three). The trains from Syracuse to Massena and return were SYMS and MSSY, or something like that.
Looks like you're looking at something in the Chicago/northern Indiana area - someone from there will likely recognize that symbol.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Picked up several years of Conrail "Station Record of Train Movement" records over the weekend (tower records) and there are a couple of symbols I cannot identify.
ELMI
TV52
TV53
These are from late 70s thru mid 80s.
Any ideas of what these train symbols were? I think I have a photo of the TV53 as it seems to be the only intermodal on the Porter Branch (Porter In to IHB).
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