The photo on page 26 of November "Trains" and "Fundy Park"

[NP Eddie]

ALL:

I am moving this post to the General Discussion page. Page 26 of November "Trains" shows an eastbound passenger train with a Park car at Gull Lake,SK. About one week ago, I found two pictures of "Fundy Park" at that same location (also including the grain elevators). "Fundy Park's" train was rear ended by a CP mail and express train. Needless to say, "Fundy Park" was mangled beyond recognition. Rather ironic I say!

Ed Burns

 

[K. P. Harrier]

You post, NP Eddie, was quite difficult to understand, and I’m not sure I fully understand it still, BUT I saw something in it that sort of opened my eyes.

I think what you were saying is that the November 2018 TRAINS’ photo (Page 26) was a Park series dome car of unknown name, but such a car, a known named one, “Fundy Park,” was rear ended and destroyed at that very location at an unknown date.

Did I decipher your post correctly?

Now, about that something new that your post helped me to see:  In 1955 Union Pacific took delivery of ten “Astra Dome” TAIL cars that had blunt ends with slightly curved tail end edges, and numbered in the 9000 series.  Publicity photos show those NEW cars operating at the TAIL ENDS of the “City of Los Angeles” and “City of Portland” trains.  Within a year those new dome cars were all removed from the tail ends to a position about four or five cars forward from the tail end.  I’ve never understood why UP would order cars with slight curved square ends for tail end use and then quickly reposition their use.  UP may have realized those Astra Dome cars were structurally deficient because of their being made of aluminum instead of steal, and relocated them in consists to a safer position in the trains.

Interestingly, UP sold UP 7004 (a similar Astra Dome car used toward the front of “City” passenger trains) to Alaska Railroad in 1971 after Amtrak had rejected buying any because of their aluminum construction.  A friend and I actually saw UP 7004, 7008, 7013, and 7014 in transit one night in 1971.  It was miraculous that we happened onto those cars in transit up to Alaska!  The point, though, reference your post is that a number of years later 7004 mid-consist collapsed when an “Aurora” passenger train was rear ended by a freight train, I think in a blinding snow storm in dark, unsignaled territory.  That wreck proved the wisdom of UP in the 1955 relocating those aluminum tail cars to mid-train use!

So, thanks Eddie, for the information that allowed me to figure out the probable reason that those UP tail dome cars were reposition as discerned from the Saskatoon crash you post-mentioned.

[NP Eddie]

KP:

Sometimes my fingers (keyboard) think faster then my brain! Yes, I did find two or three wreck pictures from 1957, but cannot find them now, that the Fundy Park was rear ended by a following mail and express train at that exact location. The grain elevators and the track curving to the right are in both photos.

I am not surprized that AMTRAK did not want the alumium cars.

As information, the CBQ had a terrible rear end collision in 1946 on the triple track between Chicago US and Aurora. Both trains departed Chicago US at the same time. The first train had all heavyweight cars except for the "Silver Inn", a pre-war stainless steel diner. The first train stopped and the second one did not. The "Silver Inn" was twisted into a "U" shaped mess. The CBQ was critized for a number of things, including having two trains departing CUS at the same time. You may be able to access that report on the old ICC reports when that site comes back up.

As for me, I am retired NP,  BN, BNSF clerk from Minneapolis and a railfan. I got paid to be around trains!

Call me if you want and I am not crazy for giving out my cell phone number. I can probably answer any questions about the Twin Cities Terminal.

Ed Burns  1 763 234 9306

[rcdrye]

UP may also have found that setting up the cars for midtrain operation was actually better for passengers, since the lounge and the diner (also a dome) could be together.  CB&Q had already switched to blunt-end design with their 1952 order from Budd (except for Silver Lookout, built for the CZ to match the others).

Budd-built stainless steel equipment survived fairly well in some horrendous crashes.  One of the most notable was the "Colonial" wreck in 1983, where the long-haul coach was built for AT&SF in 1953.  Considering the force involved, the Amfleet cars did about as well as any rolling stock could have, with the bodies remaining in one piece, even if bent.  Look at photos (and some video) of the cleanup from NYC's Little Falls wreck of the "Lake Shore" in 1943 to see how heavyweights failed in wrecks.

[gmpullman]

This is probably what you remember: ^{_{scroll to Pg. 13.}}

http://canadianrailwayobservations.com/RESTRICTED/2015/March/THE%20CANADIAN%20Vol%201B%20FINAL.pdf

I came across these photos when my Rapido "Park" series dome arrived from a model railroad dealer and the car had been severely damaged in shipping.

Rapido replaced the car, of course. I suppose I could have renamed it "Fundy Park" but that was too morbid even for the likes of me...

Good Luck, Ed

[NP Eddie]

Yes that us the photograph I saw. The "Fundy Park" was nothing but scrap metal. What a shame! Does anyone know if people were killed or injured?

Ed Burns

Retired Clerk from Northtown.

[SD70Dude]

FYI, if anyone here ever wins the lottery this is still for sale:

https://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/news/2018/03/18/riding-mountain-park/

Prepare for lots of expensive work, it's still in the original steam-heated configuration.