Hi Tom and all.
I am late getting in this afternoon, but the sun is still up and the match as not started yet, although it probably will by the time I get finished.
I must say some thing about the great posts before I post my pics..
LARS Great to hear from you again from FloridaLooking forward to your report of the Superbowl. It is very easy indeed to believe this a real Bar and I am glad PHIL is enjoying the bar.
ROB Thanks for the info on the CNR formationand a few years ago I don't suppose there were many who thought the railways would be as profitable as they are today.
Great set of Classic Canadian railway posters.
ERIC I,m glad you liked the Encore by AL it was indeed great and we do miss him.
I will try to look up on The Coronation, I did think it was a Non-Stop run but that was still The Flying Scotsman.
Thanks for the great pics, that is a great shot of Durango. Have you any more details on that old 0-6-0 switcher,is it still in existance and in a museum.In the pic from the cab can you tell me what the signal showing the 2 greens signifies, I dont think they have signals that show that aspect in the UK.
JAMES Thanks for the pics. That is a great pic of the Chessie Diesels on the passenger service, have you any more details on the pic
DOUG Great to see you in.This brutal cold weather is indeed hard on our four footed friends but your horse and his friends are lucky to have you to look after them.
Enjoyed the pics of the Woodstock Groundhog day celebrations, it looks a great time, still I think it is a good job groundhogs aren't the size of Woodstock Willie. Has Punxsutawney still got a railroad station.
What a wonderful place the Sanfilippo Estate At Barrington Hills is.
TOM Hope it isn,t a tweetable offence to write posts during the adverts of a Superbowl. I have a DVD here mainly filmed from the cab of a Pendilino on its trip from Glasgow to London you will have to remind me to show you when you come over to Jeff City.
I have not spotted LARS yet at the game I think he will enjoy those great pictures of the Florida Diesel locos and trains.
Two great films at the Emporium this week, although I have not seen The Package it looks a good plot and the French Connection II was a good follow up to the classic first French Connection.Gene Hackmanis a great actor. Another good Stooges as well.
This weeks pics are of BR Standard locos on the Bluebell Railway at their Giants of Steam gala last October.
4-6-0 No 75027 at Kingscote the present northern termanus of the Bluebell.
75027 ready to depart Kingcote for the other terminus at Sheffield Park.
Standard 2-6-4 Tank uncouples and moves off from its train at Kingscote.
Classic style Pullman car and loco at Horsted Keynes.
These should enlarge.
A quick question. "Who says the camera can't lie". What is wrong with the loco in two of the picsPerhaps DL will know. I will give the answer tomorrow..
Well back to the game.
Pete.
pwolfe Great pics!!!
underworld
Good morning Tom and crew. I'll have a few light breakfasts and sit by myself in a corner, as I'm keeping my cold home from work today. Well, the Bears did pretty good considering that they never had a quarterback all year. Some of the games we won, our offense did not even score a single point! I kept saying throughout the season that our team, with anyone elses quarterback could win it all. I've got a few more beefs to take out on the punching bag in the Rats' Patoot room as well, like why the Superbowl isn't played at a stadium that accommodates at least 100,000 people? Just think of all the people who really wanted to see Prince at halftime, and couldn't. (That's sarcasm ... in case anyone was wondering). Oh well
Wonderful pix from Pete to be sure. That train set looks wonderfully shiny and new. Most impressive. Speaking of pix, here's are a few of a trainset we might not be seeing for awhile. The IRM's Nebraska Zephyr has temporarily moved to Avalon Rail in Wisconsin for "specialized restoration", where it will stay for a year or more. Bummer for us, because I'm guessing that the length of time it will be gone will be directly proportional to the funds collected to fix it, and that's a considerable amount. Bottom line is that I don't expect the train back in time for our 2008 Rendezvous, but who knows?
The Nebraska Zephyr cars were built for the Burlington Route in 1936 by Budd as one of two Twin Zephyrs between Chicago and the Twin Cities. In November of 1947, the train set was reassigned to Nebraska Zephyr service between Chicago and Lincoln, NB.
It was used in this service until retirement on February 28, 1968, making it the last articulated streamliner in regular service in the United States. It arrived at the Illinois Railway Museum later that year, and has been in use by the museum since then, usually pulled by Burlington 9911A, the sole-surviving EMD E5A unit.
Doctor's son: Hello, old man. What's the matter? You're looking glum.
Doctor: No wonder. I'm attending that wealthy Mr. Golddig, you know, and I've sent him the wrong medicine.
Son: Indeed! Is it a serious blunder?
Doctor: Very, very serious. The medicine I've sent him will cure him in two days.
Denali Star - from my personal collection
A smile to begin the week!
Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.
(A Yogi-ism!)
G'day Gents!
"Cold" is simply a word - one step outdoors this morning will define it quite well! At 3 (F) and just a bit of a breeze, the trek around the subdivision with Juneau the Wonder Husky was in quick step! <grin>
Monday - the day after - Super Bowl and attendant hype is OVER! So, no matter how your hopes turned out, why not either bask in the glory (or drown your sorrows!) with a hot cuppa Joe, some pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and a selection from our Menu Board for a <light> or <traditional> breakfast!! <yeah>
We'll be interested the "report" from Lars and his thoughts at "gameside" - hope they didn't get drenched during that rain "squall" - lasting throughout the entire game!! I think the weather people were just a tad to optimistic with their forecasting! <groan> However, I'm one of "those" who firmly believes - and prefers - football to be played outdoors, no matter what the weather.
So, the Colts put a hurtin' on Da Bears - OR - did they do it to themselves Loved the opening run back, however . . . At least I didn't lose any money!! <grin>
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
Doug at 1:49 PM yesterday: An interesting spate of "stuff" and my guess is the tour of that estate you mentioned will be more than worth the time ‘n costs to view it. Mid-week for us is "out" as my bride is working - but thanx for the invitation!
Thanx for the two visits AND Pix!
Pete at 6:51 PM yesterday: Appreciate your continued efforts at providing CLASSIC TRAINS Pix for us on Sundays! I have "no clue" regarding your question with anything "wrong" regarding the Pix of the steam locos . . .
Not to worry about being <tweeted> for Posting during "slack time" during the Super Bowl. Hadn't even thought about THAT!! Hmmmmmmmmm. Anyway, the <tweeeeter> most times is at "rest" on Sundays - not always - but most times! <grin> Anyone other than Moi take note that we haven't seen "silent Mike" ‘round here since he got "caught" with that editing "cover up" last week Hmmmmmmm. He did a commendable job squaring away the Rat's Patoot Room though . . .
Thanx for the Pix!
Doug at 6:43 AM today: Back with MORE Pix! Good to see ya this bright, shiny ‘n COLD Monday morning!
Yeah, real BUMMER man about all those poor souls who were deprived of experiencing all of the hoopla and assorted other "entertainment" before and at half-time of the Super Bowl. Great point!! I'm not thrilled with the outcome, but as you've seen me say several times over, I expected as much. My heart was in the right place as I cheered Da Bears on from the moment the game began ‘til it was evident that all was lost. <groan> Have to hand it to the Colts though, they really didn't let that 1st quarter get ‘em down and played the style of game that brought them to the "show." Chicago can hold it's collective heads HIGH - they ARE the NFC Champs and all that is needed is a quarterback for 2007-08 to get ‘em right back for another shot.
Glad to know you'll be around this day, but sorry it has to be because of a cold. Better watch it fella, you ain't getting' any YOUNGER! <grin>
Zephyr shots are ALWAYS welcome ‘round here!
COMMENT: Sundays are put aside for the Posting of Pix relating to CLASSIC TRAINS. Over time, we've "bent the criteria" to include toy ‘n model trains, as long as they somehow fit into the CLASSIC theme. Now it appears we've gotten into "just another day."
We have so few providing input these days that I'm seriously thinking of scrapping the idea. Far too much work in the preparation end of it for so very few participants. When I opened up this joint on April 12th, 2005, we were CLOSED on Sundays - period. Who doesn't enjoy a day off
Thinking of "folding" the Pix Posting into the ENCORE! Saturday - two for the price of one! I'll keep ya Posted should any changes be forthcoming . . .
Reminder: Ruth has the bar from 9 AM until Leon the Night Man comes in at 5 PM ‘til closing.
Boris, serve ‘em all of the "spiked" OJ they can handle!
Tom
Morning again Tom. I'll just gnaw on my light breakfasts from earlier today until it's time to partake of "medicinal" strength liquid libations. I have to agree with your overall assesment of yesterdays game. Can't help but wonder what the next season will bring though.
Glad you enjoyed your brisk walk with Juneau this morning. Personally, I ain't setting foot outside the house today! Love that Denali engine, but I was thinking more along the lines of a railroad that operated in warmer areas of the country, which you provided pix of yesterday ...
Henry M. Flagler's memorial: The entire East coast of Florida, Trains We Rode by Beebe & Clegg
More perhaps, than any other part of the United States, excepting the Great Northwest empire of James Jerome Hill, it is possible and, indeed, almost mandatory to think of Florida in terms of the personality of a truly imperial railroad builder whose equally imperial whim was the organization of a vast geography as his pleasure dome and lasting monument. Henry Morrison Flagler, a partner in Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller who retired with an immense personal fortune in vigorous middle age and full possession not only of millions but the will to spend them grandly, was able before his death to claim Florida almost in its geographical, economic and social entirety as his own creation. Call it enterprise or call it megalomania, no Roman proconsul or magnifico of medieval Italy ever brought into being so grandiose a concept as railroading and its incidental and collateral expansion in Flagler's Florida. Other railroads, the Seaboard Air Lines, Atlantic Coast Line and smaller enterprises followed the pattern of expansion of Flagler's East Coast Railway. They built railroads and located cities, resorts and industries along their rights of way. They were successful, too, but not in the epic dimension of a Rockefeller partner, who with $200,000,000 in a time of hard money, undertook to make pleasure his business. Flagler's first hotel venture was the Ponce de Leon at St. Augustine, costing a then astronomical $1,250,000 and advertised as the finest resort hotel in the world. More investments followed in dizzying succession as Flagler, indifferent to considerations of profit or loss, began the realization of a vision that embraced all Florida as the playground of the nation with amenities of relaxation for every taste and purse. In 1893 he added a new dimension of splendor and costliness with the opening at Palm Beach of the incredible Royal Poinciana Hotel while the iron of the Florida East Coast was still sixty miles away at Fort Pierce. From then on resorts palatial and modest leapfrogged the railroad down the seacoast: Hobe Sound, Jupiter, Fort Lauderdale, Biscayne and Miami. At each the Florida East Coast served the resort; the resort peopled the Pullmans of the Florida East Coast. Such radiant success naturally suggested competition, most ambitious of which was that of Henry Bradley Plant whose Plant System of railroads and steamships serving the Florida west coast were to become the principal Florida elements of the Atlantic Coast Line. Florida endured cycles of recurrent boom and bust, but by the 1920s there arrived a prosperity that has hardly slackened to this day. Some of the most splendid name trains of the years of steam and steel converged from New York, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City and Cincinnati, most of them funneling through Jacksonville before again diverging to their disparate destinations. Of this splendid company come to mind such names as Miamian, Gulf Coast Limited, The Florida Special, Havana Special and East Coast Limited, all-Pullman trains, never, in their golden hour, defiled by coaches. In their wake, barreling through the night along the beaches and under silhouetted palms, pass the long tally of the names of luxury on the move: The Gulf Stream, Dixieland and Dixie Flyer, the Seaboard's all-Pullman Orange Blossom Special, Florida Sunbeam, Royal Palm, and Ponce de Leon, The Floridian, Seminole and City of Miami, The South Wind, Florida Arrow, Sunnyland, Southland Express, Pinellas Special, The Everglades, Royal Poinciana and Palmetto Limited and, at long last, The Champions and two trains that were named for the magnifico who started it all, The Henry M. Flagler and The Dixie Flagler. In the annals of transport, only two other railroaders have had trains named for them, and Commodore Vanderbilt and James J. Hill rated but one each. If other monuments than those which still bear his name everywhere south of Jacksonville are required for Henry Flagler, one might be the memory that in the most spacious years of Florida travel, a thousand Pullman cars were in service every night.
When the woman walks into the psychiatrist's office he can't but help notice she has a duck under her arm. A real, live duck, with a beak. But he's an experienced psychiatrist, he's seen some weird things in his time and he decides not to mention it until the patient does.
So he says, "How can I help you, Mrs Brown?"
And she replies, "Oh goodness, there's nothing wrong with me. I'm here on behalf of my husband. He thinks he's a duck."
Good Morning Barkeep and All Present; coffee, please (hot potatoes to put in my pockets - I'll bet our ‘steamed proprietor remembers those), round for the house, and $ for the jukebox.
How cold is it? Temperature is dropping here; it was five degrees when I got up and zero when I left the house this a.m. K9 splash and dash for certain.
Manny posts to look at
DL stopped by with general comments.
Rob contributed all kinds of advertising material; we can probably walk across the lake today.
Eric - Thanks for warbonnet picture and the ICE in DC. I remember seeing it there in '93. Look sharp in the picture and there's some vintage AMTK equipment as well.
Lars stopped by to spotlight the sports in the sportlight spotlight.
James - Thanks for the EL picture. One RS2 and one RS3. Also enjoyed the Chessie shot.
Barndad sent along a ton of material. The card of Punxy shows a classic BR&P station. Then we had the pictures of the estate. I have heard of the place, and envy you the opportunity to visit it. Last we had that most beautiful E5; IIRC, was that not the same engine and train set that appeared in "A League of Their Own?" Always good to hear from Lucius (one !@#$ of a wordsmith even though he was not that strong on research).
Pete - Thanks for sharing pictures.
Our ‘steamed proprietor sent CP and CN material as well as a fine set of movies. I have not seen "The Package." Also, how about those E units; ACL, FEC, and SAL. Many thanks, sir. The bear story reminded me of the Far Side cartyoion with the bears and the skull - some of you out there mey remember it.
I'll try and stop by again later.
"Bigamy is having one wife/husband too many. Monogamy is the same." - Oscar Wilde
Work safe
Good morning again Tom and CM3! Is it time for my medicine yet? Can't wait!
Shane is quite correct about the IRM Zephyr being used in the movie "A League of Their Own." It was also used in "The Babe", and more recently "Flags of Our Fathers". By the way, the 20th Century outing is scheduled for March 31st, which is a Saturday!
Here's a little more stuff relevant to the Florida East Coast Railway:
Aloof and conservative elegance was the hallmark of the all-Pullman Florida Special which in 1927 cut the running time between New York and Palm Beach-Miami to approximately twenty-four hours. Much of The Special's cachet of distinction derived from its two all-room Pullmans which came down over the New Haven from Boston in the Colonial Express and one of which, together with its New York counterpart, was cut out at West Palm Beach by the Florida East Coast night switcher and rolled across the Flagler Trestle to Pam Beach itself where they were spotted on the palm-fringed private car track of the Royal Poinciana Hotel. Essentially The Florida Special was a Florida East Coast train and showcase for that superbly aristocratic carrier, and its public cars bore the proud legend Flagler System on their name boards. By far the larger portion of its sailing list descended from the green cars at the Palm Beach stop where a red carpet (vide supra) was laid out much in the same manner, albeit in abated dimension, as was rated by The Twentieth Century Limited in New York. Rich but not gaudy was the livery of The Florida Special.
Not only was The Florida Special the only train of its time other then The Twentieth Century for whose passengers a red carpet was spread, it was the first aboard which strolling bands of minstrels made music in the club car with Aloha melodies on string guitars.
The feature was later copied by the competition together with personable hostesses, first-run moving pictures and ballad singers, but The Special furnished its music unobtrusively behind potted palms like the fiddlers at the Ritz Carlton in Madison Avenue at Forty-sixth Street. Fresh pompano on the northbound menus and The Miami Daily Herald under every stateroom door were taken for granted.
If dancing to the strains of a stringed orchestra of Hawaiian youths may seem frivolous in the light of the austere and eminently solvent clientele of The Florida Special, it should be remembered that back in 1888 when the train was placed in service by Henry Morrison Flagler himself had commissioned the circulation of the sheet music of "The Florida Special March" and that by the twenties or early Scott Fitzgerald age of New York society, the era of the great tea dance was already recognized. Largely, of course, the dancing was accomplished for the benefit of publicity photographs if only because, by the time the Special rolled over the Atlantic Coast Line tracks, one of the fastest roadbeds in the world, it wasn't altogether practicable.
Just minutes before the church services started the towns people were sitting in their pews and talking. Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church. Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate. Soon everyone had exited the church except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God's ultimate enemy was in his presence. So Satan walked up to the old man and said, "Don't you know who I am?"The man replied, "Yep, sure do.""Aren't you afraid of me?" Satan asked."Nope, sure ain't" said the man." Don't you realize I can kill you with a word?" asked Satan." Don't doubt it for a minute," returned the old man, in an even tone."Did you know that I could cause you profound, horrifying, physical agony forever?"" Yep," was the calm reply."And you're still not afraid?" asked Satan." Nope."More than a little perturbed, Satan asked, "Well, why aren't you afraid of me?"The man calmly replied, "Been married to your sister for 45 years."
NOW ARRIVING ON TRACK #1
Railroads from Yesteryear #22
Florida East Coast Railway
FEC route map
St. Augustine, Florida
Hi and a round for the house Tom
I'll just hang these pictures in that clean-as-a-whistle rat's patoot vvvvvvrrrrrrroooom
Florida East Coast
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/prints/pr09204.jpg
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/reference/rc09823.jpg
St. Louis Union Station
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/mo/mo0900/mo0954/photos/098710pv.jpg
http://hometown.aol.com/majordanh/images/wabash%20leaving%20st.%20louis%20union%20station.jpg
Chicago
http://www.wabash-railroad.com/images/Trains/WB8T124L.jpg
West Virginia
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/nw3343.jpg
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/F1/NS3329.JPG
http://content.lib.washington.edu/transportation/image/156.jpg
Stockholm tram
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/183610244_2fea300810_b.jpg
X-2000 and Arlanda Express
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/64/169636800_80c40b18e4_b.jpg
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/RCSPC-CHRISTY-Y304A-366.jpg
Glasgow
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns413.jpeg
King Edward's Coronation at Toledo, in the US for the New York World's Fair
http://66.213.36.5/images/ldrive/archive/series90/468ea18b.jpg
Some people claim there's a Dutchess to blame
http://irocknroll.com/JimmyBuffett.html
Flying Scotsmans
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/371777477_67cbb9ddb8_b.jpg
White Pass & Yukon
http://content.lib.washington.edu/hegg/image/93770312002_481.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/ppmsc/02000/02064v.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/64/218097018_a6b961bace_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/77/202222015_66ff196319_b.jpg
New Jersey
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/37169212_79e929484a_b.jpg
Super Chief
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/20/73072357_8e19b66055_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/73070036_9d6fee087b_o.jpg
Mike
Hi Tom and gang! I believe it's time to order some whiskey to help chase this cold away, and buy a round for the house of course!
Look at all the activity! Great material Tom and fantastic URLs from friend Mike! Let's keep it rolling!
In his classic treatment of surface travel in the grand manner "Some Classic Train," Arthur Dubin compares The Florida Special to The Twentieth Century Limited on the grounds that, of all the great name trains, The Special more often went in multiple sections than any other excepting only the Central's No. 25 and 26. He might well have extended his comparison to include other aspects of this most favored and desirable of varnish runs. It was the special pride and joy of its owning Atlantic Coast Line and Florida East Coast; its clientele was a very special classification of the elect to whom the best of everything, while entirely accustomed, was none too good; it commanded the best and newest of Pullman equipment as it came from the car shops and its sailing list, had there been one as was maintained for The Century, would have bristled with names that made news in every category of distinction. Like The Century, too, the Florida Special attracted members of the private car club who could easily have ridden their own varnish equipment but found the company congenial and the atmosphere of The Special as mannered and unobtrusive as that of a gentleman's club. There were indeed Hawaiian type guitar players in the observation lounges at dinner time, but in the diner one might encounter headliners of the conservative establishment, monocled banker Jules Bach who purchased old masters from Lord Joseph Duveen on a scale comparable to that of Andrew Mellon, Evalyn Walsh McLean, inevitably wearing the Hope Diamond and Star of the East, Cissie Patterson, publisher of the Washington Times Herald who demanded that her stateroom be smothered in fresh cut flowers which were renewed at strategic intervals, Bernard Baruch, Gene Tunney, Mrs. Harrison Williams or Ogden Mills. The cars that met The Special at West Palm Beach were the Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Hispanos of assured privilege and when the Pullmans ground to a halt at Miami their patrons in predominant measure headed for Alfred Barton's Surf Club in Collins Avenue. Embarking or descending from The Special, its aloof clientele trod a crimson carpet whose only counterpart of American usage was that of The Century. It was that kind of train.
For a stateroom passenger aboard The Florida Special in 1931, Frank Crowninshield's Vanity Fair and Town & Country to read en route.
Having jeweled the East Coast of Florida with a string of superb resort hotels that, in effect, turned the Palmetto State into a feudal domain of the railroad that connected them, Henry Flagler conceived the idea of one more monument to his genius for spending money profitably in the form of an extension of the Florida East Coast over the water to Key West and a foreshortened steamship connection with Cuba. It was an engineering feat that captured public imagination and the phrase "the main line that goes out to sea" had a pioneer ring about it. It also cost the lives of more than a score of construction workers and more Standard Oil money than it was ever to pay back, a matter of supreme indifference to Flagler who, when an awed secretary brought him the news that Standard had just been fined $29,000,000 in an anti-trust suit, nodded absently. "Do you happen to have those Whitehall plumbing bills handy?" he asked. The Key West extension was completed in 1912, a year before Flagler's death and lasted until it was so badly wrecked by a hurricane in 1936 that it was abandoned as a railroad right of way and a motor road laid over it. F.E.C. trains such as The Havana Special pulled up to pierside in Key West and discharged passengers directly aboard ferries bound for Havana itself.
A pregnant woman from Chicago gets in a car accident and falls into a coma. When she wakes up, she sees she's no longer pregnant and she asks the doctor about her baby.
The doctor replies, "Ma'am you've had twins! a boy and a girl. Your brother from Indianapolis came in and named them."
The woman thinks to herself, "No, not my brother ... he's an idiot!"
She asks him, "Well, what's the girl's name?"
"Denise."
"Wow, that's not a bad name, I like it! What's the boy's name?"
"Denephew."
Back with a few ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
Doug at 8:43 AM today: That's quite a piece on Henry Flagler's railroads in Florida. Quite the empire builder, eh No, not THAT one! Honestly never knew much about the man until recently. Once Lars headed south, I began checking out the railroads down thataway and came across this guy's legacy. Most impressive to say the least!
CM3 at 10:03 AM today: Acknowledging your acknowledgments! Thanx for the quarters ‘n round!
Somewhere ‘round this place there's a "Far Side" cartoon book and I KNOW that bear ‘n skull you refer to! Wasn't really a laughing matter back then. <grim>
Doug at 10:49 AM today: Great Pix and narratives on the Florida Special! And the beat goes on . . .
Mike at 12:48 PM today: He lives! The return of "silent Mike" from the depths of the Rat's Patoot Room. Thought perhaps the "beasts" lurking in the nooks ‘n crannies of the place entrapped you!
Wonderful spate of URLs from our resident URLMeisterMonsterMike! As usual, something for all!
Doug at 12:54 PM today: The whiskey is on the house! Appreciate all the activity regarding the Florida Special (and . . . awful jokes!!)
I'm "fresh out" as what I've provided over the weekend 'n today should be more than enough, especially when added to what you've come up with. Great effort!
Ruth, give 'em a drink on the house and Boris, ring the chimes!
Hi again Tom and gang! Whiskey on the house? How can I refuse? Here's some more stuff on these Florida railways, and I'll apologize in advance for another groan-0-meter bustin' joke!
The west coast traffic of the Atlantic Coast Line in the twentieth century was largely the railroad's heritage from the efforts of Henry Bradley Plant to develop on the state's western littoral a resort and transportation empire similar to the glittering success of Flagler's Florida East Coast. Plant, consumed with jealousy of Flagler imagined himself in social competition with the superb and aloof Standard Oil partner and, once encountering Flagler at Delmonico's, enquired snidely "Friend Flagler, just where is this place you call Palm Beach?" "Just follow the crowd, Friend Plant, just follow the crowd," Flagler told him. Regardless of the less elegant status of the West Coast resorts, the A.C.L. ran handsome seasonal trains to serve them, its diners continuing in their décor the theme of Spanish moss and palm trees the patrons were enjoying through the window.
Below, The Gulf Limited rolls towards St. Petersburg with seventeen cars on the drawbar of a superbly maintained Pacific whose silver cylinder heads, smokebox candlesticks and ornate bell cradle symbolize railroading in the very grand manner of its happiest hour.
The transition in railroad styles which saw the shift, largely accomplished in the 1920s, away from the designation of name trains as "Specials" in favor of "Limiteds" is aptly illustrated by the disappearance from the Atlantic Coast Line's timecards late in the twenties of The Pinellas Special and the listing in its place of The Gulf Coast Limited. The Limited like The Special before it, was the ranking train on the west coast run, but the steel-sheathed Pullmans and observations of the early twenties were replaced by Pullman Standard equipment. The customary assortment of sleepers out of New York was, interestingly, supplemented by a Montreal Pullman which went all the way through St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday during the winter months.
Named for the Pinellas Peninsula which separates Tampa Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, the "Sunshine City" of St. Petersburg was the terminal of the Atlantic Coast Line's Pinellas Special when this photograph was taken in 1920 at a time when Florida was enjoying one of the most spectacular of its several hysterical real estate booms which, inevitably, ended in dismal bust. St. Petersburg, The Coast Line's promotional literature was quick to point out, has sixty miles of paved city streets and the motorist of the period could "travel to any town in Pinellas County without leaving the brick highway." "St. Petersburg," it added reassuringly, "while many a tourist resort, is an eminently clean town hygienically, and a place where the visitor may sojourn with every comfort." The Gold Coast route from Pam Beach to Miami envisioned by Henry Flagler was barely getting under way at this time and West Coast spas such as Sarasota, Tampa and Tarpon Springs which, like St. Petersburg were Coast Line territory, still had delusions of grandeur in the elegance sweepstakes, although the world of fashion had already indicated that the East Coast of the state would be its chosen parade in winter months.
Florida East Coast dining cars which were incorporated into the consists of trains such as The Flamingo and The Seminole for the run south of Jacksonville were light and cheery of décor with murals depicting scenes of historic interest to the Florida-bound vacationist. Until the new leisure and universal wealth made seasonal tourism a mass production business, diner crews knew many of the Palm Beach regulars from one year to the next and F.E.C. travel approximated a familial status.
With eighteen Standard cars on its drawbar as it takes water at West Palm Beach to take its big 4-8-4 to Miami, the combined Royal Palm-Dixie Flyer has no room for head-end revenue cars, and mail and express are handled by the Florida East Coast in separate trains during the winter season.
A married man left from work early one Friday afternoon. Instead of going home, however, he squandered the weekend (and his paycheck) partying with the boys.
When he finally returned home on Sunday night, he ran into a barrage of epithets from his wife. After a couple of hours of nagging and berating, his wife asked "How would you like it if you didn't see me for a couple of days?!?"
"That would suit me just fine!!" the man said.
Monday went by, and the man didn't see his wife.
Tuesday went by with the same result.
Wednesday went by with the same result.
Thursday, the swelling went down a bit and he could see her a little, just out of the corner of his left eye.
A pint of Bitter please LEON and a round on this cold Mid-Mo day.
What can I say but what excellent posts and pics on the railroads, history and the growth of Florida, mainly the work of Henry Morrison Flagler, from DOUG and TOM, a to you both. I am sure LARS and PHIL will enjoy reading them as much as I did.
DOUG Hope your cold gets better soon, although it is great to see you at the bar in the week again Glad you liked the pics.I wonder what form the specialized restoration of The Nebraskan Zephyr will take and I wonder if the Zephyr will be going on the main line when it the restoration is complete. Silver Pilot is a classic loco.
Thanks for the jokes.
MIKE Another great set of links and a great job of the Rat's Patoot Room.
I have not seen to many photos of the street side of St Louis Union Station I will have to have a good look at the building when I am there. The pic of Glasgow station is a bit different from the Central one in Scotland. The loco in the pic of the LMS Coronation at Toledo is having the streamline casing re-fitted at the present. In the Flying Scotsmans both locos still surviveNO1 at the NRM at York and 4498 is running with its BR number, 60007, at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway after a recent overhaul. 4498 is named after its designer Sir Nigel Gresley.
Other great pics as well and thanks for Margaritaville on the link to Jimmy Buffitt.
CM3 Glad you liked the pics and Oscar Wilde was a wise man.
ERIC In my last pic from Sunday showing the front of loco No 80154,it shows the headcode that was used by the Southern Railway of Britain to donate the route a train was taking. The white discs (lamps were used at night) were replaced by the numbers on the front of the EMUs DL and you was talking about.
The SR was unique in the way the headcode was used as the other regions used the headcode to denote what type of train it was, also the Southern had two additional lamp brackets, on ether side of the smokebox that locos on the other regions did not have.
Apparently there was 30 different combinations that the Southern could use, of course there were a lot more routes than 30 so the same code was used for different trains in different areas. The code displayed by 80154 was known as No 13 and it could apply to 11 different trains although there would be only one train with this code on a certain route. Therefore two trains with the same headcode would not be going to different places past the same signal box.I bet the signalmen were glad when the numbers were introduced.
The code shown on 80154 means the train was an Oxted to and from Brighton via East Grinstead ( Low Level) and Lewes, which was an authuntic code for the Bluebell line as the train would have run on the section of the Bluebell that is preserved.
TOM I will see if DL comes in to give him a chance at my question if I may.
It will be good to read LARS report of the Superbowl it was a shame the weather was so rotten for the game. What a great way it would have been to go to the match on one of those Pullmans mentoned in the posts today.
I thought today was a great one at the bar.Thanks again and let me get another round in.
Pete
Super cold again for tomorrow....high of 9....wind chill of -22!!! Supposed to be a balmy 19 on Wednesday!!!!!
Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Leon, good to see you again! You have had two days off, that must have been nice! No, no, no cobbler tonight. You know what happened last time. But I would like a Sugar Cured Ham Sandwich and coffee! Thank you!
A lot of activities here at the bar this Monday! And a lot of good stuff to read and nice pictures to view!
Tom – I am glad you liked the way I polished the brass rail! Of course it is the northern Europe work ethic coming thru. As you already have figured out, that is one of few ways to stay warm around the Arctic circle. If I had tried to polish the rail here in Phoenix today it would have looked much different. We had 82° F here today! Not 40 below like in Minnesota! Brrr.More good movies at the Mentor Village Emporium Theatre! I have not seen any of them but I have heard a lot about them!Thanks for the pictures of the different paint schemes for the Streamliners to Florida! Reading Doug’s post I wondered about Florida East Coast Railway and here you gave me a map right away + a lot of more info! Thank you Sir!!At least I can say I have been to some of those railroad stations, like Osceola, by train.I am trying to forget yesterdays Super Bowl! I don’t know what the Bears tried to do? James – Flagstaff is about 50-60 miles from Grand Canyon. Next time you have to ride the train from Williams to Grand Canyon! A nice train ride!Nice pictures of soem good looking diesels!Doug – I am glad you didn’t see Willie’s shadow! The spring can’t come soon enough! I am sure your horse agree!I must say that Willie is a good size Groundhog! Where is Punxsutawney at? I bet the Groundhog breakfast was a good one.The Victorian Palace reminds me in a way about the House on the Rock in southwest Wisconsin! There is a big building in connection to the House and it is full of organs of different kinds. From small ones to gigantic ones! But the Victorian Palace is certainly a much more Classic place.Too bad if we will miss the Nebraska Zephyr! A real Classic train!!Thanks for the Henry M. Flagler’s history! Did he really have a thousand Pullman cars in service? That is amazing! I like the red carpet for the passengers! That is class!Florida Special was obviously a special train. Too bad it is too late to ride those trains today! A map of West Palm Beach from yesteryear! I can’t help adding a picture from the same place below. Pete – I tried to find more info on that 0-6-0 switcher but didn’t find anything, yet. I am sure there is info somewhere though. The signal aspect showing 2 greens means Slow Clear, in this case max 40 km/h which is lowered to 30 km/h just beyond that particular signal. Nice pictures from Kingscote! I am surprised that the semaphores are mounted so low! Is that normal? Nice Pullman cars!It seems like a complicated system Southern Railway used to donate the route the train was taking. I am sure the sigb\nal men were happy the day they changed to numbers. I am also sure tyhey sent trains the wrong way a few times! Thanks for the info!CM3 – You better come to Phoenix and you can skip putting hot potatoes on your pockets! 83° F for Tuesday! Mike – Wow, Lots and lots of url’s., includig nice mucis!! Among othersI like the picture from St. Louis Union Station on the track side. I also like the streetcar from Stockholm. Route 7. I actually woked as a streetcar conductor on that route several times in the early 60’s. Pictures for everyone!!
Eric
Good morning Tom and friends. I'll have a few light breakfast while I take another day off from work because of this lousy cold.
Good to see Pete, and in answer to your question, the only time the Zephyr hits the main line is for something extra special, like when it was supposed to be at Union Station in Chicago for filming "Flags of Our Fathers". The "special maintenace" needed mostly is because of our accident, which played havoc with the trucks and other structural damage. Look for a bill of about two milion smackeroos.
Eric, Punxsutawney is located in west-central Pennsylvania, about 330 miles from me. I know that because I'm thinking about going next year.
Here is some more stuff to read with your morning paper:
Canadian Trolley Oddities by Andrew Merrilees Railroad Mag. Nov 1943
Every railfan has heard of freak locomotives, but relatively few are familiar with odd streetcars or unusual uses to which trolleys have been put. Up here in Canada we have many such cases.
Suppose we begin with Montreal's prison cars. These were two grim-looking, all-steel, jet-black vehicles which brought prisoners from the local jail to the courthouse and took them back. Both bore the crest of the city of Montreal and the word Prison on both side. Almost every day at noon, one of these "Black Marias" could be seen waiting on a special track outside the courthouse on the Champ de Mars while the court was in session. After a time, guards and their glum-faced captives would emerge from a private door and enter to car for the journey up St. Lawrence Boulevard to Bordeaux Prison, a huge stone structure shaped like an asterisk. These cars had well-upholstered seats for the guards but hard wooden ones for the "passengers." They were replaced in 1927 by rubber-tired vans.
Montreal, like some cities in the U.S.A., also had funeral cars. These had special sliding panels which could be opened from the outside to remove the casket. Trolley hearses, like prison cars, were painted a somber black. For years an electric hearse was used in almost every internment in Hawthorne Vale Cemetery, which was then well outside the city limits. You see, in those days highways were not well paved, and few people wanted to ride on them, even to funerals.
French-Canadian children shriek with laughter when the rotary comes down the street in Levis, Que. This is one of the most tortuous trolley lines in the Maple Leaf Dominion
Both Ottawa and Quebec had mail cars at some time during their period of operations. However, these were not the ordinary mail cars such as used to run along the streets of many cities in the States around the turn of the century. For the Ottawa cars, taking advantage of their mail contract, had the words Royal Mail painted on their sides; and under Canadian law any vehicle so lettered had the right of way over others. The Ottawa Electric found this privilege very useful. In fact, the company painted Royal Mail even on equipment that was not used for mail delivery, in order to take full advantage of its position.
Until very recently a trolley car bore the British royal coat-of-arms and the names Duke and Duchess of Cornwell and York. Any passenger inquiring the reason for the embellishments would be told proudly that he was riding in the very same car that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwell and York (later King George V and Queen Mary) had occupied on their official visit to the Dominion in 1901.
This may have been the only time that visiting royalty used a Canadian streetcar, and for that reason the names and crest were carried on the vehicle until the day it was burned at the Rockcliffe carhouse fire in 1937. The car was fitted up with upholstered easy chairs and potted palms for the royal occupancy, but the luxuries were removed later and regulation seats were installed for public service.
Ottawa also had some other curious double-truck cars which were made of two single-truck car bodies spliced together on one underframe. This trick was imitated in some other Canadian cities, but not with marked success. And now, in considering Canadian car curiosities, we might mention two lines belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.
Deep in the French-populated eastern side of Montreal is a large tract of church-owned land on which is situated St. Jean de Dieu Hospital, the largest insane asylum in Quebec Provence. The sisters who run this institution aim to maintain themselves and the hospital as much as possible on revenue derived from produce grown an their many acres of farm land. This area is, to all intents and purposes, a world apart. It is surrounded by a high iron fence. English is rarely spoken there.
Until a few years ago, Sunday visitors to St. Jean de Dieu could see one of the few church-owned railways in North America. This line traversed the entire length of the grounds. It was used for hauling steam railway coal cars from the rail connections on the river front to the hospital boiler house, as well as farm produce from field to barn. St. Jean de Dieu also still has an extensive narrow-gage electric railway running through the wide passageways in its buildings, the electric locomotives of which bear the names of various saints. For many years this railroad has carried passengers, dishes, laundry, and other loads.
Another outdoor asylum railway is operated at Villa Mastai, a few miles east of Quebec, in connection with a church-owned institution of that name situated near Montmorency Falls.
Turn to a third Canadian electric railway with a religious background. Although not owned by the church, this pike probably has the distinction of being the only such line blessed by a Roman Catholic cardinal. Upon its opening from Quebec to the shrine at Ste. Anne de Beaupre on August 15th, 1889, the Quebec, Montmorency & Charlevoix Railway and all its belongings were blessed by the Cardinal of Quebec. This carrier is now operated by the Quebec Railway, Light and Power Company and does a big summer-tourist business.
How many readers have visited Ottawa and observed that not one streetcar in the Canadian capital carries the digit 7 in its number? If you did so, and asked Ottawa citizens the reason for this, they probably told you that they hadn't noticed it themselves.
The truth is, there has never been at any time in Ottawa a streetcar bearing the number 7. Why? Because Thomas Ahearn, owner and projector of the Ottawa Electric Railway, just didn't like that number and so he forbade it to be used on his cars. When Ahearn and Soper of Ottawa electrified Quebec street railways in 1897 they carried on the superstitious practice of omitting sevens, and for a time it was perpetuated in Quebec as well as in the capital. The custom has been followed in Ottawa up to this day.
Mr. Ahearn also had a foible about changing the numbers of streetcars that got into an accident. Thus, when car 38 killed two children about the turn of the century its number was promptly changed to 58, and so on.
End of part I
A man is at his lawyer's funeral and is surprised by the turnout for this one man. He turns to the people around him. "Why are you all at this man's funeral?" A man turns towards him and says, "We're all clients." "And you ALL came to pay your respects? How touching." "No, we came to make sure he was dead."
A cloudy winter's day here in mid-continent USA, but warmer! Temps are about 14 (F) and supposed to get near the freezing mark by afternoon. A light snow on the ground, just enough to make things look "right" for this time of year. Sure wish we'd get "that" snow we're overdue for . . .
Coffee's fresh ‘n hot, pastries are ready for the pickin' from The Mentor Village Bakery and our Menu Board selections for <light> ‘n <traditional> breakfasts need only to be ordered! Whatchwaitinfer
Monday was definitely a reminder and a clear example of how one guy CAN and DOES make a difference at this bar. Contrary to what I've seen in Emails and here in the Ether that "one guy" shouldn't make the difference regarding whether we "sink or swim." Just check the "stuff" from yesterday. There was a time when we had quite a few "one guys" - but we're down to "if ‘n when" and it was nice to see the activity on Monday.
Doug at 4:44 PM yesterday: A continuation of the "unofficial" Theme for Monday - Florida's Passenger Railways - a sure fire winner! Lots of good stuff for our crew to pick up on.
Those open ended heavyweight observation cars are terrific to travel in. Had the pleasure some years ago on a trip from St. Louis to Kansas City. The car was a "hybrid" in that it was a heavyweight frame but "smoothsides" in design. That's about as "technical" as it gets! Anyway, that particular train also had a dome car and it was one of those rail experiences I'll not forget.
Nice Pix - Thanx!
Pete at 7:09 PM yesterday: Another "typical" inclusive Post from the Wolfman! Glad you enjoyed the "stuff" and "evidence" that one guy DOES make a difference - as we've discussed from time to time. Without guys like you ‘n Doug ‘n Eric ‘n . . . . well . . . . <groan>
Eric at 12:57 AM today: Also glad to learn that you too appreciated the wealth of info provided yesterday. Mr. Flagler certainly made his mark in Florida railroading, and I dare say, world railroading. I've read through all of the material - twice - just to ensure that it "sunk in." Lots ‘n lots of terrific history . . . .
Always a pleasure to have you aboard and thanx for that Pix of X2000 in Florida!
Doug at 7:45 AM today: GREAT to have you back with us during the work week - just too bad it's under the cirucmstances of not feeling well. Best to be at home though, no point in chancing things getting worse. PLUS we enjoy having you with us! Canadian Trolley Oddities . . . interesting name. Are you speaking of trolleyboy Rob
I'll save that "light reading" for a bit later on . . .
Finally, in the "WHO CARES " Dept." Why would anyone go into a bar where all the guys know one another and freely interact. Order nothing - greet no one - contribute zilch, zero, zip - and begin talking to one's self
Plenty of other Threads to pile up the "points" in Posts other than ours.
G'day Cap'n Tom & fellow travelers at the bar!
What's to say other than "I've been to a Super Bowl" <grin> What a day and night. Just a fantastic experience all around and with a friend like Phil to take care of all the details, all we needed to do was enjoy it all. We did!
Ruth, let me have one of those number 3s from the menu board, a steaming mug of Joe with one of those "splashes" you give to BK and I'll be ready to begin with my "report."
First would just like to mention that I think Cap'n Tom's idea of folding the Sunday pix day into Saturday and the Encores is a great idea. I'm all for it! Makes much more sense. Just close the joint on Sundays - totally. Go back to sliding messages through the mail slots and so forth. Who cares about those who are using our bar to rack up "points" for themselves But more importantly, it IS a lot of work to prepare those "things" for Sunday and Tom is absolutely correct. We've fallen way, way down in terms of participants. I say GO FOR IT, mate!
Second thing is to offer my condolences to our friend Doug in Chicago-land. It hurts fella, I know THAT. My Mets caved in during the playoffs to the Cardinals (actually, the Birds beat ‘em soundly and fairly!) and my Jints looked like sandlot football for the 2nd half of the season. So all I can offer is "Wait ‘til next year!" The cry of the old Brooklyn Dodgers!! <groan>
Third thing is to say that the stuff provided on Saturday, Sunday and Monday was terrific and those who put it all together should be thanked! So - THANK YOU!
Now to my "report" of the trip to the Super Bowl.
It was a dark and stormy night . . . . . No, actually, it was an overcast morning as we headed up the highway to Miami. There was a full day ahead of us as Phil warned us "This would be our Longest Day!" Hmmmmm, sound familiar Anyway, we checked into a hotel where we'd spend the night. Haven't the foggiest how he arranged that, but he did. Hotels in Miami simply aren't that easy to come by. However, Phil is a "connected" kind of guy and still has all sorts of "markers" he uses for payback. So, we were set for the night. Then we attended an afternoon cocktail party in a company suite that rivaled something straight out of Hollywood. There was more food & drink there than a Navy could've handled along with a bevy of fantastic looking babes. <ooooops> Sorry if that offends anyone! <grin> Yes, the Mrs. was right by my side throughout! She must have had that extraordinary perception many wives have when it comes to "Should I let him go with Phil - ALONE - or should I go too??" Anyway, it was a grand time and I met up with a couple of guys who sailed with me way back when. Was kind of like a reunion of sorts for those of us who remember when this country really had a Merchant Marine!
The Dolphin's stadium was jammed when we got there and it was raining rather lightly. First thing the women mentioned was their hair. Phil commented that he GUARANTEED it wouldn't get wet nor would we. I don't think anyone really took him seriously. Anyway, we proceeded to an elevator and the next thing you know, we were heading to a PRIVATE SUITE, all glassed in and as comfortable as one could imagine. TVs on the walls and a great view of the field. A bar (of course) and food just waiting to be eaten. Good Grief Charlie Brown! Was this a first for us Youbetchaboots!
So, as the rains intensified, we were as snug as bugs in a rug, just taking it all in. Before too long, it became apparent that THIS IS the way to live! Then again, reality always lurks "back there" sort of as a reminder to remain grounded. This too shall pass!
I'd say that at any one time there were perhaps a minimum of two dozen people in that suite with so many coming and going that it was hard to keep track of them. Honestly was surprised that so many could've cared less about the spectacle taking place below them on the field. Phil and I watched the game and so did a couple of other "merchies" - but the others, well - who knows (and who cares!). It was perhaps the absolute best experience I've ever had at a sporting event, bar none! Just one of those "You gotta see it to believe it!" experiences in life. I'm forever in Phil's debt for this, although he says he really doesn't want our ‘first born.' <grin>
No point in dropping "names" of those we were introduced to, but I will say that I met more former and active NFL players & coaches than I could possible remember along with a score of other people who "move & shake" the places they came from. Just an amazing assortment of people. Had no idea we'd be treated to such a full day of fantasy land.
That night we went to dinner! Can you believe it The Mrs. and I didn't think we could've consumed another thing, but there we were, ordering from a menu in a fine restaurant. We picked up the tab much to the chagrin of Phil, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do, huh
Off to beddy-bye and we were "out" by midnight, and I mean OUT. Put the bride on a plane yesterday bound for Newark and she'll fly back to Marathon on Friday. Looks like we'll stay at least one more full week after that, then pack up and skedaddle. Was concerned about getting her off given the cancellations of some flights in the NYC area due to the severe cold. She's gonna be mighty unhappy with those temperatures! But, there's no stopping the Mrs. when she's got her "head set" on doing something. So, one of the boys will pick her up and she'll be fine.
The stadium, as you guys know, is one of those multi-purpose jobs where baseball and soccer is also played. I understand some rennovations have taken place to include the construction of additional seating, super large screen TVs in the end zones and of course the luxury suites for the fortunate few. Not a bad place to watch a game, especially given the history of those great Dolphin teams and so forth. I personally prefer Giants Stadium! Wonder why
The game
Good morning again Tom and friends. Too late for the 3rd light breakfast? Sure is good to see that Lars survived having too much fun. What an incredible story, and thanks for sharing it with us! Sounds to me like the party is still going on too! Just amazing. Thanks for the condolances on the poor performance of the Bears, but it turned-out pretty much the way we expected it to in light of the fact we have so little talent in the quarterback position.
Yep, Tom, I specifically chose a Canadian juice piece today in hopes of flushing our boy Rob from his hiding place. Hope it works! Speaking of which ..here's part II
No work today! Loud were the laments of French-Canadian operators and shop workers when the Haute-Ville car barn of the Levis County burned to the ground in February, 1921.
Now a few words about Toronto, the capital of Ontario, our richest province. It is not generally known that the streetcar system of this city is not standard gage but the outlandish width of 4 feet 10 7/8 inches. To discover the reason for this we go back to the year 1861. Toronto at that time was known as "Muddy York" on account of the poor condition of its unpaved streets. Huge ruts ran along the middle of each thoroughfare, and wagons had to follow these ruts or run the risk of getting hopelessly mired.
With this in mind, Alexander Easton, projector of the Toronto horsecar lines, strongly advised against the use of standard gage (4 feet 8 ½ inches). Instead, he recommended 4 fett 10 7/8 inches - the distance between the wheels of an old English cart. This gage, he argued, would not oblige wagon traffic to run with one wheel in a rut and the other in the mud, eventually forming a new rut just inside one of the rails. City officials foolishly agreed, and the line was laid to this gage, providing a permanent pair of iron-railed ruts for the use of vehicular traffic as well as for the railway.
As you might have expected, complications arose. In course of time suburban branches of the same freak gage were built from Toronto to Mimico and Scarboro, while a standard gage interurban linked Toronto with Newmarket and Sutton. In 1904 all three of these suburban and interurban lines came under the same management and one of the odd-gage lines was converted to standard. To transfer cars from one division to another the Toronto & York Radial Railway had to get permission from the Toronto Railway Company, owners of the city transit system, to run its cars in the dead if night, slowly along the grooves of the freak-gage city track for five or six miles to the terminus of the other division.
In 1920, when the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario took over operation of the three T&YR divisions, it changed the remaining odd-gage Port Credit line to standard. Seven years later the City of Toronto acquired these lines and at once began changing them back to the peculiar gage, in order to make them conform to the municipal system. This meant no more freight revenue from hauling steam-railway freight cars over the lines - except for about three miles in Aurora, where a three-rail arrangement was set up and a standard-gage freight motor was stationed to haul cars to and from industries and a nearby steam railway interchange. The Metropolitan Division was converted from standard to freak-gage at a cost of $28,000 - only to be abandoned less than two years later!
The foregoing is a record of reversing the usually accepted procedure of standardization. But now we come to something that happened the right way.
The rule of the road in Saint John, New Brunswick, as well as in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C., was changed from left to right in 1921. This necessitated rebuilding the door arrangements of all the streetcars and interurbans in those cities. The cars in question originally had been built for "keeping to the left," in accordance with the English practice.
For those with a bent for history, here are a few facts about the start of "juice" railways in Canada. The country's first electric car ran in Windsor, Ont. - opposite Detroit, Mich. - in October, 1886. This car operated under the Van Depoele system, a system which was introduced in St. Catherines, Ont., in September, 1887, when several similar cars began operation there.
These primitive cars were only 16 feet long. Single motors were located where the front vestibule would otherwise be, and were connected by chain and sprocket to the wheels and axles. The cars frequently went off the track, deep into the mud. All the make passengers thereupon would have to get out and lift the car back onto the track. The men also had to get out and lift a car off the tracks to let a fire engine pass, later shoving it back on the track again.
Since these cars could not be reversed, turntables were provided at each end of the line to turn the cars. Another reason for this practice was that the trolley connections were not removable from the wire, as they are today. In winter these cars, like most horse and early electric cars in Canadian cities, were provided with pea straw on the floor to keep the passengers' feet warm. Needless to say, most of the cars were open-vestibuled. Both motormen and conductor were exposed to the elements. It was nothing to see one of these light four-wheelers jerked off the rails and parked beside a tavern while passengers and crew got liquid fortification against the cold Canadian winter.
Religious fervor of the Ontario pioneers was shown by the fact that not until 1895 did traction companies in Ontario secure the right to operate Sunday. Until then the trolley car was probably too new and enjoyable a thing to find a place among the approved Sabbath activities for young people of the Victorian Era. Even today some Ontario companies adhere to ancient laws that prohibit them from ringing gongs, blowing whistles, or making other unnecessary noise while passing churches during service. In one case, as condition of the sale of a piece of church property to the railway it was provided that the company should agree to coast its cars through the property past the edifice at certain hours on Sunday.
Until about 1925, both single and double-truck open motor cars were a common sight in Canadian cities and towns, operating either singly or hauling open trailers.
During this year the Ontario Railway and municipal boards prohibited the use of open cars in regular service, and they began to disappear rapidly thereafter. Today not a single open car is left in service in the whole Dominion. The last line to use them was the Niagra Gorge Route, operating a popular scenic line in the vicinity of Niagra Falls. A rock slide interrupted this service in 1935, and it was not resumed.
Probably the only interurban that ever replaced a bus line is the Montreal & Southern Counties, a subsidiary of Canadian National.
End of part II
Things to know
Hello Tom, quick beer for me please.
Various things have prevented me calling by recently, but hope to have a chance to reveiw the recent posts soon enough - one thing I did not is Pete's question on the engine pics - Pete I can't see the pics at the mo so I can't guess - so you may want to reveal all to the anxious visitors (inc myself)
Regards to all
DL
Howdy again Tom and gang. I'll have hot-spiced grog please, and buy a round for whoever is here. It's been snowing lightly in Woodstock all day, but the accumulation is only 3 or so inches. Here's a picture taken February 16, 1936. The temperature is 18-below and wind gusts of 40 mph. The C&NW's northbound moves after a 5-day stoppage.
And now, here is the final installment of my juice article.
How many rail lines do you know of that have supplanted bus companies? Canada has at least one, the Montreal & Southern Counties Railway. This is an electric subsidiary of the Canadian National. Prior to 1909 a rather primitive bus service operated between Montreal and the town of St. Lambert, on the opposite shore of the St. Lawrence River. The busses were solid-tired, shaky vehicles which did not provide comfortable service. In addition, they aroused the wrath of Montreal's City Council for "unnecessarily battering the pavement and despoiling it with dropping oil." Permission was given for an electric railway to supplant the buses, using the Victoria Bridge to cross the St. Lawrence River into St. Lambert. This line is running today - perhaps the only interurban that ever replaced bus service! But instead of stopping at St. Lambert, the M&SC continues fifty miles beyond, to Granby, Que.
Several winters ago this same railway demonstrated once again its superiority over bus competition. It hauled several stalled busses, trucks and highway plows into Montreal on M&SC flat cars, having picked them up where they had stalled in snowdrifts on the highway between St. Cesaire and Abbotsford. Fortunately for the busses, the interurban line paralleled the highway at this point. Winter in old Quebec is severe, and most people are wise enough to use rail transportation.
Various flimsy pretexts doomed most of Canada's interurban railways, until today there are a bare half-dozen left. These six, we confidently expect, will continue running at least "for the duration."
Heavy steel interurban 453 wheels out of the Quebec Railway, Light & Power Company's St. Paul Terminal.
Two physicians board a flight out of Seattle. One sits in the window seat, the other in the middle seat. Just before take-off, an attorney sits in the seat by the aisle. The lawyer kicks off his shoes, wiggle his toes, and starts to settle in, when the physician in the window seat says, "I think I'll get up and get a coke." "No problem," says the attorney, "I'm by the aisle. I'll get it for you." While he's gone, one of the physicians picks up the attorney's shoe and spits in it. When he returns with the coke, the other physician says, "That looks good, I think I'll have one too." Again, the attorney obligingly fetches the drink. While he's gone, the other physician picks up the other shoe and spits in it. The lawyer comes back and they all sit back and enjoy the flight. As the plane is landing, however, the attorney slips his feet into his shoes and realizes immediately what has happened. "How long must this go on?" he asks the physicians. "This fighting between our professions? This hatred? This animosity? This spitting in shoes and urinating in cokes?"
Ruth, serve 'em up whatever they'd like and Boris ring the bell!
An outstanding contribution from the Larsman. An unbelievable adventure fer sure, fer sure which has most probably garnered the envy of all! What an experience. Thanx for sharing some of the insights with us.
Enjoyed the book cover!
Good seeing Doug here for two successive week days - almost like a retired guy, eh
Those Canadian Trolley Oddities are most interesting. Found some things in 'em that brought back a memory or two, but not necessarily connected with the story.
For example, there was mention of a place I know in Quebec Province called Levis (pronounced levee). It is situated pretty much across the St. Lawrence Seaway south of Quebec City.
It used to be a wonderful stop on VIA Rail's "Ocean" heading east to the Maritimes. The train used to spend about 20-30 minutes there and it was always at night - probably around 10:30 PM if memory serves. Anyway, you could sit up in the dome and look out at the lights from Quebec City and it was one of the most scenic of sights to take in - all for the price of a ticket aboard the train in Easterly Class (bedroom). There was a ferry connection for those traveling to 'n from Quebec City. Ahhhh, those were the days! I say that because CN, the owner of the right of way, sold off that portion several years ago to the locals who turned it all into condo's. No more rail stops there. <frown>
Now the train stops in further to the south - too far from the Seaway and the great "show" put on by Quebec City, the ramparts, et al. Sad.
I'm sure Rob will enjoy your efforts with that great three-parter - but trying to flush him out doesn't seem to have worked. Guess he's about as gone as gone can be these times. Expect only to see him, occasionally at that - late at night. But, that's better than not at all, eh
Nice selection of "funnies" for us too . . . .
I noted that DL popped in for a "quickie." Must be a busy lad these days - but one has to do what one has to do in order to keep the bills paid!
Can't believe the turn in temps where I am. My guess it has reached the mnid-40s(F) today - all remnants of snow are gone. Juneau and I sat outside on our stone wall, just watching the world pass by. Hardly winter - but earlier this AM, it was. Go figger!
See ya in the morning . . ..
Well LEON, not only fine posts by DOUG but a offer of a round so a pint of Winters ale please.
ERIC Great pic of the X2000 at Palm Beach.
It must have been a hard job to have been in a busy signal box, like one of those at Clapham Junction, on the Southern in steam days, and indeed before the modern signalling, came in. I wonder if one of the signalmen has ever written an account of his days in a busy SR signalbox.
The reason I can think of for the semaphore signals being so low, was to give a good sighting of them below the canopy of the station buildings,this being a mainly single track line with passing loops at the stations even a non-stopping train would be travelling at fairly slow speed to pick up the single line token so there wasn't the need to see the signal at a far distance.
On some of the main lines with higher speeds a signal that was obstructed by a bridge or station canopy would often have a two signal arms on a tall post worked by the same wire, so the top signal could be seen at a far distance and the lower signal for an easy view if the train was pulled up at it.
Today with the colour lights( and some were used with semaphore signals ) a banner repeating signal is placed before the obstruction to the signal, giving an indication to the driver of the aspect of the signal he is approaching.
Thanks for the info on the signal in your pic from the cab. I would be intersted to know what other aspects the signal like that could show and their meanings.
LARS There I was watching the Superbowl and feeling sorry that you was getting wet watching the game, and all the time you was in a Private Suite .Many thanks for sharing the great account of your day at The Superbowl,what truely great memories. The only thing that could have been better was if the Giants had been playing.
I see that in Week 9 of next season the Giants are away to the Miami Dolphins in London England, perhaps we could get an Our Place trip up to go to it, although I doubt if the tip jar would cover the trip..
DOUG I think if the Bears quarterback had been on the same form you have been at the bar the last couple of days, the result Sunday could have been different .
The price the Zephyr renovation is going to cost shows how expensive restoring old equipment is nowadays.
That Railroad Magazine must have been a great magazine in its day. Mike had a link to a cover of one recently.I am sure ROB will enjoy those great trolley stories I certainly did.There are some railfans in the UK who would probably get them selves 'nabbed' to get a ride in one of the Prison cars although I think not too many would be as keen on the Funeral ones.
That was indeed a strange tale of the track gauge in Toronto, although in York England there is a side street that has stone blocks set in to the cobble stones for the wheels of carts still.
I wonder what year the St Jean De Dieu narrow gauge railway closed, perhaps Rob will know.
The pic of the kids in front of the rotary snowplow is a bit scary though. I can't imagine what the Health & safety would say today.
My favorite is the image of the St Catherines 4- Wheel trolley lifted off the rails and parked by the pub while the passengers and crew were inside having a drink.
DL Hope you are able to be back with us soon, sorry you could not see the pic but it showed BR Standard tank No 80154 at the Bluebell.No 80154 not longer exists, the loco in the pic is actually no 80151. I am not sure why they have changed the locos identity but I think 80154 was the last loco built at Brighton Works.
TOM I am not too sure about changing a locos identity as above. I wonder if this happens to preserved locomotives in North America.
What a difference round here with the weather from yesterday from bitter cold to quite reasonable. Don,t tell Juneau, but the weather people are saying we may get a sizeable amount of snow when the very cold front finally moves away.
We have had two great day
Just a cup of coffee Leon! I have to leave in a few minutes! Thank you, keep the change!
Because of what is going on outside now I'll make this a quick one.
Doug – Thanks for the info on Punxsutawney! What a name! And thanks for the story on Canadian streetcars! As a former streetcar conductor I love streetcars! Smart to paint the words Royal Mail on the sides and get the right of way! Interesting to read about Toronto’s streetcars! Strange gage though and strange reason to have it! Most interesting to read about all those Canadian Trolley Oddities!Never let an attorney fetch your coke!Tom – Believe it or not, but right now, as I am typing this, the police helicopter is again circling over our house and there is a police car parked outside with all the lights flashing. Now I can hear that they are using a PA-system, talking to somebody on the ground from the helicopter! I did not hear what they said though. I still don’t know what happened last time, almost a week and a half ago. This is a crazy world! Lars – You better not tell Ruth about those babes you met in Miami! You certainly had a Super Super Bowl!!! It really sounds like the way to live!! Maybe I’ll try it when I win the Powerball Jackpot! It shouldn’t be long. Thanks for the complete report!!! And the book cover! DL – We are looking forward to your next visit!Pete – Thanks for the resonse to my question about those low semaphore signals! I’ll try to put together something about the different signal aspects used in Sweden. I have not forgotten the promised pictures of the roundhouses! I just have to find them. It will be a short post tonight. The helicopter is still flying around over the house, they have checked our backyard at least three times, and the police car still has all the lights on. I have to check what is going on.
Wednesday's Witticism
Save the whales, collect the whole set.
Back to the frigid digits as we're near the single ones here in mid-continent USA this AM! Supposed to reach the low 20s (F) during the day. Time for a hot mug of coffee, pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and a <light> or <traditional> breakfast from our Menu Board!
Hard as we tried, no luck in luring trolleyboy Rob out of his barn. Even with his Toronto Maple Leafs here in St. Louis to take on the Blues - which they did by winning 2 to 1 on just 16 shots - no Rob. <geesh> Guess he's no longer our full-time part-time Bar Chandler . . . gotta begin looking for an assistant. Also, we're without a full-time part-time Chief Chef as well, now that Nick has joined the Permanent Legion of the Lost! <geesh>
Have an appointment to keep this AM, so I best get straight to work here!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS!
Pete at 7:53 PM yesterday: Good to see ya, Mate! We should be thinking about our Amtrak trip, eh Let's start the Emails . . . Perhaps while you're here, we can head over to the University for a "recon" on the RR library . . . The time is rapidly approaching to put together the final itinerary for the Rendezvous. Speaking of which, I'll be sending an Email to all involved with the motel location ‘n reservations.
Can't make comment on the changing of a loco's ID, but perhaps others know . . .
Yes, Juneau is WAITING for the white stuff. As you undoubtedly recall, he's made for it!
Interested in being our Assistant full-time part-time Bar Chandler
All it takes is the commitment to be ‘round here during times when we have meal service (Thurs - Fri - Sat) and of course keep the stocks "up," which includes our reefer and tank cars over on the private siding. You draw your pay from our upstairs bath tub, 2nd door on the left . . .
Eric at 1:12 AM today: Not again!! You definitely are living in a dangerous place fer sure, fer sure. But, I'm not telling you something you don't already know. Gunshots - police helos - sirens - flashing lights - loudspeakers blaring, what next I shudder to think . . . Take care, Mate!!
A request: When you WIN the Powerball, perhaps you could find it within yourself to fund our private train! You know - the all dome, Budd streamliner that some of us simply <drool> over just at the thought! <GRIN>
Mike at 7:12 AM today: Looks like "Not-so-silent Mike" has reappeared with a rare narrative 'n URL extravaganza to continue with the FEC 'n Flager "stuff." Way to go! I'll save it for my return . . . Thanx!
Well, that was indeed a rather short round of "talk" - so I'm off to face the day!
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house
Silent Mike in rare typing mode to transcribe this gem from 59 years ago. I was a baby then. Time flies.
Flagler System Motive Power by David P. Morgan (Railroad Magazine, January 1948)
If you're tired of cold weather and freight hogs decorated with Coffin feedwater heaters, domes built to carry sand for a Mallet and not a 2-8-4, and Pennsy banshee whistles, then pack your grip and climb aboard the Florida Special to the land of waving palms and eternal sunshine. Not only that, brother, you'll be in the home country of some of the finest 4-8-2s that American Locomotive ever assembled. Big jobs, with graceful boilers on 73-inch drivers, Worthington feedwater heaters, and long, trim 12-wheel tanks. All this plus a guarantee of no soot, no cinders.
The Line? Florida East Coast. The prime mover? 400-series Mountains. Together, they're the perfect cure for all the railfan's winter season blues. For there is no greater sight in railroading than one of these handsome dual-service Alcos wheeling a fruit block north along FEC's double-tracked speedway at sixty-five per, under an impressive exhaust of oil smoke and shattering sound. Wet, sticky snow may spoil your chances of capturing a Pere Marquette Mike on film in the yards at Grand Rapids, but that won't prevent you from getting a clear print of a husky Flagler 0-8-0, shuffling cars in the sun-drenched garden at New Smyrna Beach. Diesels? Yes, FEC has a bountiful supply of them. But in the winter season you'll find plenty of varnish trade still geared to the flashing rods of reciprocating steam power. And Electro-Motive hasn't yet captured the freight traffic.
If you have the pioneer urge to be another Jim Hill (or should one say, another Henry M. Flagler?), you might be able to ride the hack of a way freight over the road's brand new 29-mile cutoff, connecting Ft. Pierce with the shores of inland Lake Okeechobee.
Everyone is familiar with the system's bold fight to send its line across the ocean to Key West, a plan executed only after a terrific expenditure in lives and cash. Still surprisingly few know much about an equally fascinating branch of FEC lore, its motive power. The supreme and amusing fact about the Flagler System prime movers is that of the existing engines, built originally for FEC, most are now working for somebody else. You'll find them thundering up through the Feather River Canyon out on the Western Pacific and rolling passenger traffic on the West Point Route. Still others are turning in mileage for the Cotton Belt, and can be seen easing into the Union Station in Dallas with the Morning Star. Across in Georgia, FEC Pacifics are to be found working freight and passenger traffic over the iron of such lines as the Atlantic & St. Andrews Bay, Georgia & Florida, and what was once the independent AB&C--now the Coast Line's Western Division.
Travel down into Old Mexico, and you can focus your Graflex on FEC hogs now working for the National Railways. Fourteen 400-series 4-8-2s went to the NdeM in 1945 alone. Replaced by Diesels in the United States, they're doing much to revamp Mexico's rail network.
Naturally, the Flagler System would like to be operating with a traffic level that required the use of all these engines. If the fabulous Florida boom had never exploded, such might be the case in 1948. But the magic bubble of fortune was pricked, and "The St. Augustine Route" found itself in the unhappy position of being loaded with brand-new motive power--much of it unpaid for--with only a trickle of traffic to support it. Hence, the depression years found FEC selling almost-new locomotives to a score of roads, both domestic and foreign. Introduction of Diesel power crowded more of the 4-8-2s off its books.
The road's current roster represents a well-balanced fleet of steam and Deisel power. It includes two extremely graceful old Pacifics, a single 0-6-0, fifteen Mikes, and twenty-five 0-8-0 yard goats. The popular dual-service 4-8-2 comes in three series of varying dimensions: seven of the light 300-series; seventeen of the 73-inch drivered 400s; and twenty-one of the heavy, husky 800-series.
Twenty-one 2000 horsepower Electro-Motive passenger deisels carry the FEC's tropical color scheme of red and yellow hues. They are made up to A-B-A 6000-horsepower combinations when necessary, to handle the heavier trains that run with twenty cars. When FEC first purchased Diesels, it pooled its units with the Coast Line in through Washington-Miami Champion service. This resulted in Flagler locomotives parading into the nation's Capital and ACL purple-silver power plants easing across downtown streets of Greater Miami. Now each system restricts even the Diesel's long-winded jaunts, and all power is changed during a stop at Jacksonville.
A traffic problem, more or less peculiar to the Florida East Coast, has made the road's neat timetable look more like an enlarged Blue Island folder of the Rock Island's comprehensive Windy City suburban service.
Even the schedule of the Chicago streamliner, hottest daily scheduled train over FEC's 346-mile main line, looks more like the timecard of semi-weekly CNR local. The reason for this type of service (City of Miami, Dixie Flagler and Southwind all make sixteen regular stops down the coast) is simple: each of these intermediate stations does a thriving tourist trade.
The southbound Gulf Stream usually carries racefans for Daytona, folks who want to see the greyhounds sprint at Hollywood, and perhaps a few passengers for the super-exclusive Boca Raton Hotel. To make all these stops, and still keep time, was a problem that brought the Diesels in force. In this motive power, FEC found a prime mover that could accelerate rapidly, maintain high speeds for short distances, and then make the next inevitable resort stop. Some of the Diesels are running up better than 20,000 miles a month. All are shopped at Miami's Buena Vista roundhouse.
Even though Flagler steam power is rather standardized for a road its size, the careful observer will find enough re-builds among almost any class to keep his camera busy. Numbers 819-822, for example, have been equipped with bundle-type feedwater heaters, giving them a sharp similarity to New York Central Mohawks. Another of the series, Number 803, has been equipped with Timken roller bearings on the rear delta trailer and on all tender axles. This big 4-8-2 is now known as the Holy Roller.
But you'd better hurry on down, or by the time you get here FEC may have done a vanishing act, along with the AB&C. With the St. Augustine Route now in process of reorganization, two groups are fighting for control--the connecting Coast Line, and the duPont Estate. Florida East Coast proudly advertises itself as "A Florida Industry and Institution," and the local Brotherhoods and most Floridians want to keep it just that.
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Coast Line points out that greater economy of operation would be achieved by the merger. And naturally ACL would like to enter Miami on its own rails, right along with its jazzed-up rival, Seaboard Air Line.
For the present, Florida East Coast remains one of the South's finest railroads. Its motive power is exclusively oil-burning. it operates a fleet of reclining seat, modern coaches, both streamlined and heavyweight. And it has just finished laying new 112-pound rail down its double-tracked main line, which is protected by automatic color block signals.
But head south, yourself, and view this A-1 carrier firsthand. The road that went out to sea and failed, has done pretty well on the land.
4-8-2
http://photoswest.org/photos/00011626/00011631.jpg
4-6-2
http://photoswest.org/photos/00011626/00011628.jpg
Flagler Station
http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2006120209080929873.jpg
http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2006120209165217498.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/pan/6a03000/6a03100/6a03127r.jpg
DPM
http://rlhs.org/rrhistry/rrh188/jacklin.html
Good Morning Barkeep and All Present; coffee, please; hot bricks for the boots; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. 17 degrees this a.m.; 15 degrees warmer than it was all day yesterday. We have lotsa snow on the ground, thought not as much as the Northern Division does up around Buffalo - gotta love it when area towns make the Weather Channel. First, my apologies for not stopping by yesterday, but I have had the cold from !@##$; not doing that great today, but had things that had to be done for classes tomorrow.
I will try and post more later today, but am not sure if I will be able to do so. I do have one question, How are we going to get LLL (Lap of Luxury Lars) back now that he's "been to the mountaintop?"
work safe
Just back from round one of my appointments and found a delivery waiting for me out back . . . check this out:
The invoice shows a return address of Miami, Florida - Attn: Elena. Is made out to LoveDomes Lars c/o "Our" Place, Mentor Village, Can-Am County, etc.
Couldn't help but see the note attached to the bar (marble top with what appears to be the finest teak wood finish!)
We'll never forget our time together at the pre-Super Bowl party and afterwards. Now we KNOW what "Love Domes" really means, as you have one of the finest - domes - we've EVER seen! Hope you enjoy this token of our appreciation and each time you "visit" it, think of us! /signed/ Elena & the girls!
Now WHAT in the world
Do you suppose the Larsman has developed a following
Does his "Mrs." KNOW
How will this effect Ruth, with whom the Larsman is surely "smitten"
How does this play out now with him being in the Keys and "her" back in NYC
And, what of the fancy-schmancy bar
These and other questions are sure to create fodder for discussion 'til we receive clarification from the Larsman! <oooooooh>
Good to see this AM, CM3 and sorry that you are also suffering from the ravages of winter sub-freezing temps, et al. Dedication to duty is what keeps you with us, eh
Well, perhaps . . . we Do appreciate the quarters 'n the round. Hope you'll be back with us in full form before week's end. Have a steaming mug of Joe with a "splash" - guaranteed to knock the "bugs" outta ya! <grin>
Later!
Time for our OPTIONAL Toy 'n Model Trains Day!
Some scenes from my Can-Am HO layout and the Can-Am Trainroom . . .
Enjoy!
NO RUTH HONESTLY I don't know anything about that ornate bar or what LARS as been up to in Florida. What's that you say you thought I was in on it and you have put the English beer through the COOLER. I'll just have a look in the unrefridgerated reefer and see what is there.
Look what I found .
You wont give me the bottle opener.BORIS whip the top off with your teeth and OK you can sniff the empty bottle.
Well TOM as you can see the "little gift" as caused no little consternation at the bar. I wondered why VITO THE HIT's cousin's sandwich van was outside the Mills Lumber Yard. I only hope LARS calls in soon and puts things right, and what the track gang will make of it I shudder to think.
I'll have a go at Assistant Bar Chandeler while ROB is having the computer or power supply troubles, but I thought the upstaries bath tub was still impounded by Inspector Clueless
It seems as though the Our Place regulars are being attacked by this cold bug that is around at the present, first DOUG and now CM3, also the bride has caught it, I suppose its me next, anyway I am hoping for a quick recovery for all..
As you say the Rendezvous it getting closer and we will have to fit in an Amtrak before then.
Great to see the pics of the Can-Am . The pic of the Domes crossing the Can-AM Gorge is brilliant.
ERIC Looking forward to the roundhouse pics and the Swedish signalling details .
I am notting having much luck on finding the stops the LNER Coronation made. I guess the train only ran for 2 years but I thought it would be a lot easier to find out details of the train.
Anyway Keep Safe.
MIKE Great post on the Motive Power of the Flagler System.Great links as well. It is good to see that the Over-Sea Railway is commemorated by that 1999 plaque.
I found the last link on David P.Morgan very interesting. I had heard of him before in Trains Magazine.It was good that the Kalmbach people kept faith with the magazine during the lean times of the 1950s and finally making a profit in 1962. I would love to hear more of the discussion between Mr Morgan and Mr Beebe. I have tried to find out more on the Railroad Magazine but have had no luck on the net, apart from some pics of some covers of the mag..
A model of the first of the British Railway Standard locomotives. No 70000 'Britannia' with a white roof it carried when on a Royal Train duty
Well LEON I am glad to see you, with the mood RUTH is in, so another Bathams and a round please.
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