Well good evening gentlemen all-I am returned-tweeted and penitant-such was my excitement at rediscovering the strange voodoo of pix posting that I entirely forgot my manners -This faux-pas must be rectified forthwith !!-Leon,a double round for the company and I `d better have a livener as well please-top man-ah yes the Zeppelin was just gliding in when I passed the field so there will be beer and perishables need collecting once les douanes have been suitably distracted.....
Right-lets see if I can keep a whole 3 point plan together here:-phase 1-catch up on post,phase 2-some sort of light menu in keeping with my fine,phase 3-some more pix-----gonna be a tall order-better have a top up here please Leon-why Leon,you look strangely alluring tonight....oh-sorry Ruth,I didn`t realise you were helping out....whoops -fancy a little drinkie ??
ALAN-glad you enjoyed the pix-plenty more where they came from-here`s luck to the Toon today
ROB-Huntsville -meat & drink mate !! --also crazed streetcar attempts to murder president (Hmmmmmmm) -fine stuff !!-also this weeks jokes-consider the bar raised to a new high
ERIC-Lordy that thing is a brute-but good looking for all of that -The liveries on those South West Trains electrics was new to me as well-I must say I rather like them,nice and cheery-they seem to have 3 varients-red (possibly a touch gaudy-certainly eye-catching) ,white (which looked rather odd somehow-not a colour one sees on rolling stock very often) and blue (which,like TOM was my prefered choice)-all have the same multi-coloured ends
The S.D.R shot is the first of many-the Brunswick green with choc/cream coaches oozes dignity-have 2 different batches shot about ten years apart
TOM-I will join with PETE in hoping all went well today -nice piece on the Zephyr-noted the more or less random stock allocation to each train (in terms of ownership)-was this a fairly unusual practice..??- glad I`ve caught your imagination with the `Ideal` layout notion -yes,I deliberately didn`t postulate a scale cos it opens up the possibilities-anything from a significant chunk of the east coast corridor in `Z` to an sm32 welsh narrow gauge with radio controlled high-pressure live steam (have had some limited experience of this and it is BIG FUN-trust me.....)-anyhow-we shall take up the layout topic again
CM3-good day to you and a toast to your grand old warrior-we have only a handfull left over here and all terribly frail-happily they all seem to want for nothing,which is as it should be..........looks like a tough selection for the layout-go for one super-detailed station in `0` or western Maine in Z..??......Your translation for Capreol matches the one in my guidebook--I understand from my sis,who lives in Toronto,that the current heavy snowfall has caused many cancelled barbies--quiz is a puzzler-absolutely clueless......
DL-Hi mate-have a pint or two and catch up
PETE-Dont panic mate-the guest ales will be here soon -this week we have :-Reverend James,Tomos Watkin,Brains dark and Courage Directors............Guildford-ascot-I know no more about it-that was what it had on the destination boards-the only thing I can think of is the line out to Alton where it switches to the Mid-Hants-I have a memory of seeing a timetable there that had a 3-way shuttle in it .....S.D.R is a lovely little cider country branch-such a shame they lost Ashburton way back when.......nice pix of 532 -now there was a lad who could design a sweet looking engine -that 47 definately looks odd like that-Stratford shed always marched to a different drum-the `31`s come to mind....co-incidentally,Joe Brown,the great singer/guitarist from the skiffle era (and still playing) was a passed fireman at Stratford shed before the lure of fame won him over
Right-food-Hmmmmm-Leon-stock the fridge with bottles please and pass me a couple to be going on with-I dont want to think what I might find out there-also,turn up the juke box-there may be `noises`.......
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Well-that was all very unpleasant and surprisingly messy but the galley is now open-thought we might try some Southern European ideas,so how about the Greek platter:-moussaka with stuffed vine leaves,taramasalata & hummus with oven-fresh bread,-feta,olive&tomato salad
Right-back again-still with the food,how about something Italian-blue cheese cannelloni followed by seafood linguini provencale,followed by pan fried veal escalopes with shallots and brandy on a bed of rosti with fine beans,baby carrots and corn
or you can have a bar snack platter-a samosa,a couple of baby peppers stuffed with crab meat,short rack of pork ribs,prawn toasts and a couple of spring rolls-hot from the fryer
We also have the full normal pizza range available-I wouldn`t want the track gang becoming anxious
right -post this and try for pix-to quote Capt. Oates,I may be some time...................
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Will provide captions tomorrow-have a good day one and all-Leon-heres a handful for the juke-crank it up good and loud old son,it`s the weekend-lets rip this joint...1,2,123 &-
Good evening Leon I see that we had a bit o action today which is always a good thing,lots of wonderfull smell eminating from the galley as well. i think a Keith's oh and I don't know I think the linguini sounds good I shall sample it.
Pete- A couple more fine pictures again today sir,always good to see.I had thought the punishment for that driver was a tad harsh, but it was the times and he did almost run over the President. the workers would always fall in favour of the bosses back then.
Yes Scotia handles (I believe still does ) timber from Algonquin park . that whole subdivision is still more or less intact,no passenger trains other than that's the route ONR's Northlander travels on it's way up from Toronto,VIA's Canadain does use parts of that trackage as well.
Dan-Good to see if only for a moment. Good to hear that you are reading and keeping up
Tom-Loved the Zepher post lots o good info and hey a couple nice shots as well.
Nick-Wow a veritable cornicopia of shots and food,hopefully Tom lets the extra two shots pass muster otherwise more tweetings may happen hope not <uh oh > but hey it's his call I'm glad that you found some of my ramblings humourous I try. No Boris I'm not going on tour but thanks for offering to be my roadie
Hey Leon I think another round for the boys as always Nick's picks are top notch
Rob
Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Psst, Leon! I would like a number 5 with mashed potatoes and a cold Keith's, please!
A lot of interesting stuff today! Articles and photos!
68 days until Our 3rd Annual Rendezvous!!! Time flies!
Tom – Hope your visit to the doctor’s office today went well.I am glad they did not adopt German as the OH-FISH-UL language way back when. The grammar is way too complicated for me. All those an, auf, hinter, in, neben über unter, vor und zwischen. No, it’s too complicated.You are right about the F40’s. VIA’s F40’s look great. I am glad that you liked my cleaning job. As I mentioned yesterday, those trays did not look nice at all. Thanks for the article on California Zephyr! Most interesting stuff! Vista-Dome cars and everything! And a picture of the California Zephyr car at Amtrak’s station in Maricopa, AZ. The very same car in my photo below
CM3 – Never heard that explanation why CNW were running trains to the left. What I learned is what is described in this text from Wikipedia:“The CNW was known for running "left-hand main" on double track mainlines. In other words, traffic was routed by default to the track on the left rather than the track on the right. In the United States, most railroads followed the "right-hand main" operating practice, while "left-hand main" running was more common in countries where automobile traffic drove on the left as well. According to a display in the Lake Forest station, the reason for this was a combination of chance and inertia. When originally built as single-line trackage, the C&NW arbitrarily placed its stations on the left-hand side of the tracks (when headed inbound toward Chicago). Later, when a second track was added, it was placed on the side away from the stations so as not to force them to relocate. Since most passengers waiting at the stations were headed toward Chicago, the inbound track remained the one closest to the station platforms. The expense of reconfiguring signals and switches has prevented a conversion to right-hand operation ever since.” (With permission from Wikipedia).There are a lot of stuff carried on a locomotive. All the things you mentioned and more, like plugs for the train line. In the old country it happens quite often that one run over a moose and they are kind of big and heavy which many times will break the angle **** on the front of the locomotive. Then one need something to plug it in order to be able to continue. Rob – The locomotives that are replacing Class Dm3 is class IORE (iron ore), a twin unit locomotive developing 14,675 hp. Tractive effort 303,750 lbf and the weight is 793,800 lb, incl. ballast. Class IORE. (Published with permission from Wikipedia)I am glad you liked my job cleaning those trays. It was a tough job though, sorry you had to paint Awk’s tray black. Thanks for the story on the Trolley and Teddy Roosevelt! DL – Thanks for the drink!Pete – I don’t know about the 2-digit number on #1931. Have no clue. So class 90 has a panntograph, or are there two pantographs?Smart to paint the roofs silver. Will keep the temperature inside the loco down when the sun is shining. Thanks for the photos!Nick – I agree, those South West Trains look very nice in their liveries! A whole bunch of very nice photos! Is it your layout (4th from top)? Prince of Wales, where did you find that locomotive?
Eric
<personal foto>
This is ENCORE! Saturday - and - Photo Posting Day!
Remember: "Our" Place is CLOSED on Sundays.
Save new material for Mon-Fri!
G'day Gents!
This is the final day of Standard time in mid-continent USA as we're to move our watches ‘n clocks ahead one hour - BUT not ‘til 2 AM. So, Boris - it's your job to ensure that the timepieces at "Our" Place get changed at the proper time - go for it! <grin>
Saturday at the Tavern by the Tracks means breakfasts to order, freshly baked pastries ‘n coffee that doesn't quit!
Oh yeah - all went well at the Doc's yesterday . . . got another "pass" for the next 3 months. Keeping things under control is the idea, so "they" say . . .Thanx for the well wishes!
Comments from the Proprietor:
TWO CONTESTs UNDERWAY - Both CLOSED for entries!!
When will we reach Page 200
Bonus: Who will make that Post
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Participants:
(1) Rob sez Mar 15th (Lars)
(2) Pete sez Mar 19th (Rob)
(3) Allan sez Mar 15th (Pete)
(4) Eric sez Mar 1st (Lars)
(5) Mike sez Mar 12th (Tom)
(6) Lars sez Mar 21st (Tom)
(7) CM3 sez Mar 8th (Rob)
(8) Fergie sez Mar 21st (Tom)
(9) Jan sez Mar 23rd (Tom)
WHO will make the 4,000th reply at the bar AND when
(1) Pete sez Rob on Mar 22nd
(2) Rob sez Pete on Mar 16th
(3) Eric sez Allan on Mar 21st
(4) CM3 Shane sez Rob on Mar 13th
(5) Ron sez Rob on Mar 10th
(6) Allan sez Pete on Mar 15th
<Allan, I think you confused the CONTESTS - but, you're in BOTH now! >
Customer Acknowledgments (since my last narrative):
Friday - March 8th: <all times Central standard>
Page 194 - CM3 Shane <coalminer3> at 8:33 AM: I WON! i won! The prize wouldn't be a return trip to Capreol in the dead of winter, would it I think your translation is very close - but have it on good authority that it means Moose tongue stuck to trees . . .
I watched that piece about the WWI vet on Thursday evening's network news - very heart warming indeed. The guy is amazing, eh Good brew ‘n a faithful dog will "do it" every time. <grin> Oh, you didn't "catch" either Hmmmmmm.
"Google" this ‘n "Google" that - amazing how those kinds of things are now part of the lexicon - not mine however. I "Dog Pile" . . . <grin>
Really figured the rerailer "thing" was what Da Boyz were alluding to - just havin' some fun with it. Can imagine how difficult an evolution something like that would be. No fun ‘n of course dangerous . . . Dontachano to never leave home without a spare knuckler coupler <geesh>
I'll draw a "bye" on your "foolish end" question - for that one would require me to "Dog Pile" ‘n of course that's cheating . . .<uh oh&
Save NEW material for Mon-Fri!
(1) 1st Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous plaques (Toronto)
(2) Rendezvous I - Awards Nite at the St. George Arms pub 'n restaurant
<L-R: Ted - Rob - Tom>
(3) 2nd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous plaques (St. Louis)
(4) Rendezvous II - Gathering of the Clan
<L-R: Eric - Doug - Pete - Tom>; no black bag for Pete, BUT one for Eric!!>
(5) Rendezvous II - Aboard the southbound Texas Eagle
<L-R: Eric - Pete - Doug>
(6) ARR Glacier Discovery at Anchorage
<this is not the train we took to Denali & Fairbanks>
(9) Fergie 'n Tom, Halifax, Nova Scotia
(10) Fergie's first Command - Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia
(11) VIA Rail's Chaleur to Gaspé <on left> - Ocean to Halifax <on right> at Matapédia, Québec
(12) Branson <Missouri> Scenic Railway
Enjoy the weekend . . .
Tom
Hi Tom and all.
A cup of your ‘famous' coffee and a bacon sarnie please CINDY.
TOM Real glad the Doc has given you the thumbs up.
Very much enjoyed reading about the old California Zephyr and it is good that Amtrak keep the name and train alive today The route description was a good piece and it is good that a lot of the original equipment as survived especially those great Budd Cars. Great photo of the Zephyr passing the Alco in Colorado.
I have heard talk that Blue Peter is going to be restored to running condition again soon. The new A1 locomotive, that is very nearly ready, has a very similar appearance to Blue Peter, but with larger driving wheels.
Yes your present is here on the wall where the puter is with a photo from the Great Central Railway this month.
The unit in Nick's photo is a class 450,The 350s and 450s are part of the ‘Desiro UK' series built by Siemens and a very similar in appearance with a different paint scheme. The 350s work on the 25KV lines on the ex LMS lines from London Euston and lines around the Midlands and the class 450s are on the ex Southern lines out of London Waterloo on the 750V third-rail system. I believe that the 350s are fitted with pick up shoes and could be used on Southern Lines, I am not sure whether the 450s can be easily fitted with a pantograph perhaps DL could help. The class 450s are classified as Outer Suburban units there is a class 444 Desiro that is classified Express. I see one of them as been named ‘The Fab 444'.
Many thanks for today's photos; a great selection but the missing black bag is worrying. It was a great trip on the Texas Eagle.
Knowing my luck with puters that CD-Rom my bar tab will be doubled when it is re-played with my tab on it.
I noticed the sensor is playing ‘Guess the word' with us again.
NICK You will have to tell me more about the Tomos Watkin it is not an ale I have come across, the others I have sampled. Courage Directors is a surprising good drink, when it is on top form it can rival most.
I will see if I can find out more on the Guildford to Ascot train, perhaps it runs down the branch to Alton.
Yes Stratford shed was different which did not lose their style in diesel days. I recall them fitting a homemade 'Great Eastern' nameplate on one of their class 47s when names were banned by BR and the huge Union Jacks on the side of two 47s to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee, which I believe BR were not at all pleased but public opinion was so favorable the BR board agreed to keep them. It was not long after this that names were officially fitted and some different livers appeared on locomotives. I must say though those silver roofed locomotives nearly always looked in immaculate condition the only dirty ones were if they had been away from Stratford for a while in the early days.
A few years ago Joe Brown went to the Severn Valley Railway and tried his hand at firing a steam locomotive again, it was filmed for TV he had not lost the art of firing.
Many thanks for the photos. I see the car park behind the class 166 in the 2nd photo was the site of Guildford steam shed, which lasted to the end of Southern steam in 1967.
I see the units are taking over the Irish services, it will strange to see them when I go there again as I have not been for quite a few years.
ROB Glad you enjoyed the photos, the scanner is worried I have found a load of prints I will load up soon.
It is good that busy sub-division is still mostly still in use.
ERIC Many thanks for the photo of the California Zephyr dome car that was mentioned in Tom's post.
Interesting about the C&NW left -hand running, and many thanks for the photo of the class IORE electrics that are replacing the DM3s
Well what ho chaps !-hows yer days been then ?-understand ROBS neck of the woods has had serious ice storms blowing thru so we may not see him tonight..
So Leon-any steamy gossip to brighten the evening----REALLY --with---and---AND---no-thats not nice,really-no wonder shes walking so strangely-----and she said go really gentle and he thought she said go really mental--oooooooooooow....
still-twisters not the game for everybody I guess.....................
Right-beer,and lots of it please-get a round in for the usual suspects over there and a port & brandy for that sweet young thing at the end of the counter who has got Boris catching peanuts in his mouth-I just hope she isn`t from social services.....
Right-posts-and its ROB first up-hows it goin up there big fella ??-Huntsville stuff worth another mention-for the next cycle of S.o.B line operation all those traffic flows will be invaluable -top man --seems the time lag saved me from a second tweeting-unearthed the original book of rules compiled by our founders and apparently,and I quote " shoulde an otherwise upstanding member,havinge the goode opinion of his fellowes commit two tweetins upon sucessive days,he shalle be required to use the poole roome door and order only mixed drinks for the following two sennights"-this was dated 1768 and signed by Ezekial Weber & Nathaniel Austin...brutal times,evidently......................
ERIC-glad you liked the pix -nice one from you of that modern power-would love to feel one of those roll by -thanks also for the C&NW stuff-had always wondered but never bothered to find out. To answer your questions,yes that is my layout-the reason its there is cos thats the bit I`m re-wiring at the moment -happily progress is being made-Prince of Wales is one of 3 identical 2ft gauge 2-6-2 tanks working the delightful Vale of Rheidol line between Aberystwyth,on Cardigan bay ,up to Devils Bridge.--I have better shots of this engine-the light was wrong here,will find them-is a very elegant and suprisingly massive loco..2.4 metres wide,running on 60cm track....
TOM-An extraordinary award of the Mentor star medal for most unexpected question of the year-----R.E Brit electric stock,fine details of--a total left-field,wildcard query .....As to pix tweeting-I am with the rule of 6-had intended to delete a couple,according to which looked best but started suffering visible airframe damage and severly reduced control function and it went the way of the captions....A fine trawl through the `s log-The USS "Our Place" away team on various deployments...I can just see ROB as mr spock.....enough already .......
PETE-nice explanation for TOM-I had to read it several times but thats down to me-had a vision of you explaining this to the guys in real life-with all the different accents-very quickly turned into something like Groucho`s "Sanity Claus" sketch....Tomos Watkin-havn`t tried it myself but our bass man likes a drop of it-he also favours Newcastle brown,which it looks like-will quiz him further... Didcot pic also interesting for the background-looks a bit different now....seems odd seeing Lion without Stanley Holloway enjoying his early morning snifter in the car behind...fine movie -liking the cavalcade pix v.much-that Midland single is just something else--dont know what it is about singles-they just seem to glide,inside or outside pistons........
Right-thats me caught up-gonna go and post captions now then get ready for steak night (assuming the walls dont start closing in again)
back in a bit
Hey-why not have some other pix instead-you can enjoy them whilst you are eating your steaks-which reminds me.........it`s saturday and its meat night at the bar on the ballast-please order early........
O.K-starters:-
steak tartare
clam chowder
wild mushroom souffle omelette
game pie wedge with port & cranberry reduction
And for mains:-
Top of the bill we have..(drumroll)....the... M.C.G.platter-(thats the mentor coronary group)--
which is-an 8oz sirloin steak,a 6oz pork loin steak,6oz gammon steak,2x2oz lamb chops,2x2oz sausages,2x grilled kidneys,2xfried eggs,mushrooms,tomatoes,onion rings and large fries-serves 4-or 1 pembrokeshire farmer
or-more realistically-12oz sirloin,with a choice of sauces,mushrooms,toms & onion rings with a baked spud and a salad bowl
or perhaps noisettes of lamb,pan fried in garlic & ginger,served on a bed of sauteed spuds,dressed with steamed ,striped zuccini and fine beans & garnished with reform sauce
we might consider the sausage platter....a plate sized yorkshire pudding containing a cumberland ring,four other specialty sausages,as available,black & white pudding,crispy back bacon and flash-fried mushrooms,all drenched in onion gravy and served with creamy turnip & potato mash and baby carrots & peas...
for the more adventurous amongst us,I can entirely recommend Jamaican goat curry with red beans,rice & peas,fried plantains and all the trimmings(inc rum & reggae)...........
and for ERIC-we always have the welsh black fillet-a lovely cut to work with-nicely close grained....whoops,sorry-er--ah yes,-how about--3 1 inch thick slices,pan-fried with shallots,on a bed of taglilietele(!) tricolore with the secret sauce-I cant tell you whats in it,but it is VERY rich
Hhhhhhhhhhm--I begin to think I should head for bed-gotta practice tomorrow and would be as well to look half-way focused/concious-take care chaps-Leon-another round for the chaps before I disappear into the galley-speak soon
Good evening Leon,wow been a long day for me,so I think guiness and well what the heck I'll try the coronary plaet minus the kideny's though, perhaps two additional sausages.As Nick said one heck of a storm, didn't get the ice ( thank god ) only a measily two feet of snowSposed to stop a midnight which is good cause it started yesterday at midnightTom you'd love it here at the moment.
Tom-great pictures from rendezvous and meeting' s with friends past. Speacially liked Fergie's first command .I'm sure that Fergie was the terror of the high seas with that one
Good to hear that you got a 90 day pass from the sawbone's,stay away from Nick's "clogger" speacial and you should,be fine,ooooh me digestive tract
I aim to please as far as twisted humour goes,figure most of you appriciate it One question though or comment it's good that Pete appeared in those pictures without the black bag as posting pictures of it on line now may create royalty payments now that it's a movie star.
Pete-Great photo's sir keep em comming.Yes that subdivision is still a busy route carring both people and products. Heavy natural resource shipments as well.
Eric-great gravy sir that IORE class is huge, I liek it I like it no problem with the painting of Awk's tray it gave Boris something to do,and as you know keeping his hands busy means less breakage of things around the bar.
Nick-Wow the food was wonderfull,bit high on the stuff that will kill you but hey who wants to leave a pretty corpse anyway
Why do I have reports on my desk of a disturbance earlier tonight,from several bystanders reguarding CEDNT ( co-ed naked twister ) involving H&H Copperkettle,Boris and his dolls,and most of the Can-am track gangs !( I didn't realize you could hide spike mauls there ) Actually don't answer that, as a favour Inspector Clueless made it all go away....this time <uh oh >
Fabulous that you were able to store the info on teh Huntsville sub for future refernce By the way thanks for the concern I'm far enough away from the lake to have missed most of the storm,how did your sister fare in the big smoke
How did you get a copy of those original rules,tough times was an understatement then, ole Nathaniel wrote about all sorts of tough punishments that teh puneshments Tom hands out with tweetings pale by comparasi, lots of whips chains and hot pokers if you know what I mean. What Boris , no you may not go play Master and servent with Helga just go feed the critters < sheesh>
Hey again Leon another guiness please. here's a few more pictures from teh missing role
A leased SD38 at Battlecreek.
More views of GT equipment at Battlecreek
Ready power lined up at Battlecreek
More from Batttlecreeks ready tracks.
A three -pack of Cn GP40-2W's at Bayview JCT Ontario
Amtrak train at Bayview JCT Ontario Toronto bound
Enjoy
Hello again Leon another round of Guiness's please. Here's another re-do from teh old thread dec of 2006 to be exact one of our theme days from way back when. page 440 great reading from most members that day worth a look again
CLASSIC STEAM #37 BOAT TRAINS IN NORTHERN ONTARIO
Well , to round out today's theme of classic boat trains, here's my small piece to the larger story in the railroad world. Canada had several boat train operations,most were based around railway barges ferrying freight cars and passenegers accross straits or harbours as in the operations across the Detroit River or on some of the earlier CPR and BC rail operations to and from Vancouver Island. My home province has had some interesting rail and water operations as well, in the passenger end of the spectrum there are two or three that I can find some ready info on. I'm sure that there were more.
The first one I will touch on operated for a good 50 years in my own backyard right from my hometown. The interurban railway The Niagara St Catharines & Toronto operated boat train of a fashion.As disscussed before the NS&T operated interurban and street railway operations in the Niagara peninsula from the late 1880's to 1959,electric freight operations continued on until 1961.From the mid 1890's to 1953 you could ride the Niagara interurban from Port Colbourne on Lake Erie down to Port Dalhousie on Lake Ontario ( St Catharines ) picking up the car in any of the communities along the line,Merriton , Thorold , Niagara Falls, etc and ride down to Lakeside Park which was along the lakeside it operated a full theme park and picnic areas, grandstand etc.In 1895 the Steamer Dalhousie City was chartered to bring people accross the lake from Toronto Island for summer excursions, soon this became a thriving cross lake service, eventually adding a second ship the Northumberland ( both owned by GT ) for years this was the thing to do on those hot muggy summer days, it also was a quick way to Toronto as the QEW was not yet built and it was faster taking the radial car-steamer route than a passenger train. By 1952 the NS&T owned Lakeside Park had burned down and became a run down mess and the cross lake services were ended.By this point as well the QEW and car ownership was a going concern and the two steamers were soon put to pasture, Dalhousie City actually burned at it's dock in 1949.
The Dalhousie City at Port Dalhousie meeting the interurban cars at Lakeside Park
The second smaller operation was also tied in with one of Ontario's larger radial electric railway's. The London and Port Stanley RR operated frieght and passengers from the early 1900's to 1960 from Port Stanley to London. They also handled alot of coal traffic which was brought into them accross Lake Erie from Ashtibula.A lessor known run but it soldierd on until, the end, even after CN dieselized the L&PS hoppers of heating and locomotive coal were still brought in by car ferry. Once the CN fully dieselized in the eaarly 1960's and newer electrical and natural gas heating lines were built in the cities served the needed heating coal shipments ceased, what little was still consumed came via insterstate - 401 highway trucks.
The final batch of boat trains I'll chat about is the GT/CN cottage country boat trains some vestiges of still exist today ( the boats not the trains ).For years cottagers and summer tourists to the Muskoka area of Ontario had to make the trip via train as hwy11 was still just a dream, what was built of it was generally unpassable and incomplete.CN's Bala subdivision provided the needed lifeline of goods and services to the near north and also brought in the tourists that built the cottages and the towns on the areas famous and picturesque lakes.The towns of Bracebridge ,Gravenhurst and Huntsville were all struggling to servive in the early part of the century, the farm land was poor but the timber stands mines and just the plain beautifull air and lakes was a major drawing card for people. The Muskoka River and it's three large land locked lakes Lake Muskoka , Lake Joeseph and Lake Rosseau were all deep navigable bodies of water and the Muskoka Navigation Company operated opto 20 steamers ( iron hull wood superstructures ) carrying people and goods. Naturally a partnership was formed with first the CnoR then the CN after the takeover to bring the supplies to the docks then onto the ships. From this arrangement many resorts and towns sprung up in what is still today one of the most sought after vacation areas in Ontario, the only difference now is that you can drive to them, not so in the earlier part of the century.
In the heyday of the operations 1910-1940 vacationers from Southern Ontario of the Northeastern US could depat on on of seven daily trains from Toronto to the Muskoka Wharf at Gravenhurst( lake Muskoka ) or to Bala Park Wharf at Bracebridge ( Muskoka river / Lake Joe ) or conect to the CPR station right in Bala ( Lake Rosseau ) from these wharfs the train stations were located right on the docks, they could board one of the Muskoka Navigation companies steamers for cruises up and down the lakes to the various resorts or campgrounds. These trains and ships also carried mail all the Muskoka fleets ships carried Royal mail service and had the "RMS" designations.
Evening arrivals on these trains ( 6-7 hour trip 4 by car now )could board their steamers and sleep in a stateroom, or those who came on the later trains could sleep in the sleeping car that CN would leave on the dock plateforms.At the dockside the passengers were greeted by the Muskoka fleet ships RMS Seguin ( still exists today ) Sagamo,Islander,Cherekee,Medora,or Waome.This network of steamer connections offered twice daily access to the more than 80 resorts on the three lakes,and conveyed the groceries and mail and supplies for those that lived along these water ways.
The docksides changed as the car became the new mode of transport and hwy11 reached the Muskokas. By 1940 the docks and stations at lake Joesph and at Bala Park were closed with only the Muskoka wharf at Gravenhurst still operating. By 1950 only the Seguin and the Sagamo were still steaming on the lakes.As the new govt safety regs that were brought in after the Noronic fire in Toronto harbour the year before forced the rest of the fleet out of operation.The 1950 season saw the final cancellation of the Royal mail Contract for the steamers as well. 1952 saw the last season of boat trains to the Muskoka Wharf as well.The 1954 season was the last ship season on the lakes as well with both ships going into storage.
THE HAPPPY ENDING
In 1965 both the Seguin and The Sagamo were bought by the town of Gravenhurst and the freinds of the Muskoka Fleet came into being. The plan was to turn the Seguin into a floating museum of the lake fleets and the Sagamo which was the fleet fla
Leon, let's see, I would like the welsh black fillet, 3 1 inch thick slices, pan-fried with shallots, on a bed of taglilietele (whatever that is) tricolore with the secret sauce. And a cold Tui, please!
I am kind of lucky tonite. Leon was still awake and the kitchen is up and running. Maybe Nick is here?
Tom – Glad to hear the good news from the doc! I agree with you! I don’t understand why English isn’t the official language. I just don’t get it. To become a citizen you have to prove that you understand and can write and read English. So why the heck do they provide ballots in Spanish when it comes to voting? You have to be a citizen to vote. I went to a Train Expo today and they had a set of 12 Zephyr cars! Just $2,000! No, I didn’t buy it. The only thing I bought was The Official Guide of the Railways from April 1954. All the time tables you can ask for. USA, Canada, Mexico Central America. Just $20. It is strange that one is not allowed to use the correct name for something sitting on every locomotive. That is all I am going to say. A nice mix of good photos! My black bag is much smaller than Pete’s and I don’t pour any soda pop into it. Only camera accessories! How did you manage to take the bag from Pete? Pete – Great trip on the Texas Eagle? I thought you spent most of the time on that train draining your black bag? The black bag is being drained. Texas Eagle, May 2007.Thanks for the info on class 90! Only one pantograph? I prefer two. You never know when things will go wrong and you have to use the other pantograph instead. If you have two, that is. Nice photos fromthe Didcot Railway Centre! Including the Titfield Thunderbolt!! Nick – Glad to learn that your re-wiring job is making good progress! So Prince of Wales is a narrow auge locomotive, 600 mm. 2.4 m wide is a lot for 600 mm gauge. This loco (below) is also a 600 mm gauge locomotive but not that wide.Rob – I am glad if I can help keeping Boris busy! Nice photos! Even Amtrak is in one of them! I am trying to recall where Battlecreek is at. It looks like the freight train in the pictures from Bayview Jct is the same in both pictures. Do you remember if that is correct? Interesting reading about the boat trains! In the photo from Lakeside Park one can see a lot of buses beside the interurban cars. Trying to take over the business? I am glad they managed to refit Seguin and make it operational again!
A mix of photos.Grand Canyon 1992. Narrow gauge (891 mm) steam locomotive. The island of Gotland, Sweden.The same train. Waiting for the cars, mostly tank cars, from a local refinery.
Reminder: "Our" Place is CLOSED on SUNDAY.
Yeah, Sunday ‘n we're CLOSED. Just ‘in" to tidy up a bit ‘n get ready to take Boris ‘n Leon for a romp over at Can-Am Gorge. Gotta check out the cabin, one of the Rangers dropped by to report sightings of a Grizzly family. Boris will luv that! <yikes>
I see we had some activity after a long, slow morning ‘n early afternoon . . . . so let's get to the catch-ups whilst I have the time!
Saturday - March 8th: <all times Central standard>
Page 194 - Pete <pwolfe> at 2:16 PM: Our mid-Missouri Resident Brit in the U.S. has been heard from with a fine Saturday offering.
Thanx for the details regarding the class "450" Shudda looked closer at the train board identification - the "450" shows up quite well. At any rate, I'm learning!
Spate of six fotos all in good shape - appreciate the effort!
My bet is the Amtrak version of the California Zephyr <equipment ‘n route of "back in the day"> is a far cry from the real thing. Just carrying over the name doesn't "do it" as far as I'm concerned. I expect we'll thoroughly enjoy our round-trip aboard the Empire Builder - but it's Amtrak ‘n not the Great Northern of old. ‘Nuf said, eh
Enjoyed eavesdropping your comments . . . . also, you need to pay-down on that tab. <yikes>
Thanx for the visit, chat, fotos ‘n ROUND!
Page 194 - Nick <nickinwestwales> at 7:24 PM ‘n 9:03 PM: Not to forget us, the Londoner in Wales came back with a twofer to entertain ‘n feed us on Saturday!
I'd soon be a goner if I consumed food ala Nick's menu selections. That "belly" of mine would be down to my toes ‘n my Doc would go bezerk! <grin> Since I've lost about 15-20 pounds since Rendezvous II, I'm trying my level best to not let things get carried away . . . but must admit the "urge' is there when perusing those menus!
Didn't know great-great, etc. Grandpa Ezekial could sign his name . . . bet he was under the influence. So now we know, "I wonder, wonder WHO - Who wrote the book of . . . ">
I've come a long way since first viewing Brit train fotos, Mate! Now I'm "almost" competent enuf to discern a Blue Peter from a hernia to a "350" to a "450." <make of that what you will!>
Ahhhh, the name Stanley Holloway conjures up some remembrances of fine entertainment via the live stage, movies ‘n CDs. Saw him on Broadway way, way back when the first run of "My Fair Lady" hit New York City like a whirlwind. That role was made for him - Eliza's father, the dustman. Yeah, can still hear him . . .
Interesting story behind my getting tickets to that play. I knew a guy who worked at the old U.S.O. in Times Square. He would help out the guys in uniform who helped him. If you dropped a "forty pounder" on him, he'd get you the up close rows <center> seats at the most popular of the Broadway plays. A "forty pounder" was a 40 oz "jug" of Canadian Club, VO or any other of the 'spirits' to his liking. Being assigned to a ship, we used to pull into Canadian, Carribean 'n other foreign ports where the purchase of liquor was a "steal." We were permitted a gallon each <Imperial measurement, of course>. So a "jug" would run me about 5 bucks 'n in return I'd get the greatest seats for the plays. The gals thought I . . . but that's 'nother tale - probably for Rendezvous III.
As always, enjoyed your visits, chat menus ‘n ROUNDS!
Page 195 - Rob <trolleyboy> at 9:49 PM ‘n 9:57 PM ‘n 10:33 PM: A trifecta from our Resident Snowbound Ontario Connection!
Monster storms roared through the U.S. eastern mid-section ‘n up through where you are. Lucky ducks! <grin> Youbetcha I'd luv it - snow dumps are grrrrrrrrrrrrreat! Of course when power goes out, people can't use the highways for emergencies ‘n the ice takes hold - welllllllll, that's ‘nother side of it. But for the sheer joy of a winter landscape - I'm packed ‘n ready to go!
"Our" Place is CLOSED on SUNDAYs
Starting TODAY at the Mentor Village Emporium Theatre!
. . . March 9th thru 15th: ENCORE PRESENTATION of Oh! Mr. Porter (1937) Starring: Will Hay, Moore Marriott, Sebastian Smith & Graham Moffitt - and - Wings (1927) Starring: Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Richard Arlen & Gary Cooper. SHORT: The Three Stooges - Beer Barrel Polecats (1946)
<Note: Oh! Mr. Porter first shown on Monday, January 30th thru February 4th, 2006>
Oh! Mr. Porter (1937)
PLOT SUMMARY: William Porter is working as a lowly wheel tapper on the English Railways until, through the influence of his downtrodden brother-in-law (who happens to be managing director of the railway company), he is offered the position of station master at the isolated station at Buggleskelly in Northern Ireland. Rather a poisoned chalice, as station masters as Buggleskelly have a reputation for going mad and not lasting all that long... Once in Buggleskelly, he hears the story of One-eyed-Joe (the phantom miller), meets his two station hands (the wily Harbottle and good-for-nothing Albert) and somehow has his train stolen by the Phantom Miller... Featuring some of the most inspired lines of pre-war cinema ("next trains gone","I'm their centre forward","If I can't be Gladstone, I'm not playing","You're wasting your time, everything around here is either too old or won't work - and you're both!"...watch how Porter sniffs and bumbles through life!
William Porter is working as a lowly wheel tapper on the English Railways until, through the influence of his downtrodden brother-in-law (who happens to be managing director of the railway company), he is offered the position of station master at the isolated station at Buggleskelly in Northern Ireland. Rather a poisoned chalice, as station masters as Buggleskelly have a reputation for going mad and not lasting all that long... Once in Buggleskelly, he hears the story of One-eyed-Joe (the phantom miller), meets his two station hands (the wily Harbottle and good-for-nothing Albert) and somehow has his train stolen by the Phantom Miller... Featuring some of the most inspired lines of pre-war cinema ("next trains gone","I'm their centre forward","If I can't be Gladstone, I'm not playing","You're wasting your time, everything around here is either too old or won't work - and you're both!"...watch how Porter sniffs and bumbles through life!
<from: imdb.com>
Wings (1927)
PLOT SUMMARY: WINGS was the first film ever made that graphically captured the emotional combination of freedom and fear of flying in combat. Director William Wellman drew on his years in an elite flying squadron and pushed the cinematic technology of the day to its limit when he created this film's timeless aerial sequences. The story revolves around two young men, of different classes, who have both fallen for the same young woman before they head off to combat. Richard Arlen and Charles Rogers are well paired as they fight it out over both Clara Bow and enemy soil, and Gary Cooper makes a memorable cameo appearance, which launched his career. The emotional current created by the three stars is as intense as the film's special effects, and the result adequately reflects the lasting brutality of war. This drama won the very first Academy Award for Best Picture.
WINGS was the first film ever made that graphically captured the emotional combination of freedom and fear of flying in combat. Director William Wellman drew on his years in an elite flying squadron and pushed the cinematic technology of the day to its limit when he created this film's timeless aerial sequences. The story revolves around two young men, of different classes, who have both fallen for the same young woman before they head off to combat. Richard Arlen and Charles Rogers are well paired as they fight it out over both Clara Bow and enemy soil, and Gary Cooper makes a memorable cameo appearance, which launched his career. The emotional current created by the three stars is as intense as the film's special effects, and the result adequately reflects the lasting brutality of war. This drama won the very first Academy Award for Best Picture.
<from: rottentomatoes.com>
SHORT: The Three Stooges - Beer Barrel Polecats (1946)
PLOT SUMMARY: It is the middle of Prohibition and the Stooges are unable to buy beer. They decide to make their own and produce 185 bottles of beer. The boys are soon arrested for bootlegging. The warden finds out Curly has smuggled a keg of beer into the prison and the boys are sentenced to a long stretch. The Stooges are finally released after 40 years, but when Curly asks for a bottle of beer, he is thrown back into the warden's care by Moe and Larry.
It is the middle of Prohibition and the Stooges are unable to buy beer. They decide to make their own and produce 185 bottles of beer. The boys are soon arrested for bootlegging. The warden finds out Curly has smuggled a keg of beer into the prison and the boys are sentenced to a long stretch. The Stooges are finally released after 40 years, but when Curly asks for a bottle of beer, he is thrown back into the warden's care by Moe and Larry.
<from: threestooges.net>
Enjoy the weekend! Tom
Good evening folks just hanging out in my office trying to make sence of the bills for the kitchen by teh looks of it I think nick's been letting Copperkettle write up the orders, that or pay for them because I see there is an entry from the Mentor grocer and butcher for payment recieved in gold dubloons.
Eric-neat pictures early this morning sir , love those old side entry coaches. I aggree with Tom though If I ordered that much late at night I'm sure I'd have such gastrointestinal distress that Boris wouldn't even want to be around me<uh oh >
Yes that was the same freight train you can see it taking the switch to head up the Dundas sub towards Brantford,they have now tripple tracked the junction as it funnels that many trains through in a day.
Tom-A couple interesting movie pics for the week.Both look very intriging Yes I have snow well up past the patoot here at the moment with more on the way for Tuesday,I'd love to ship someto you cause we ain't got anyplace to put it at the moment,you would loose Boris and Leon in it. Hopefully the Boyz behaved themselves in the gorge with you this afternoon.
I read throught the boat trains Tuesday when I dug that post up last night , an absolute ton of good stuff there,tis to bad that we can't do the themed Tuesdays anymore they were something else. But still water under the bridge and miles of track behind us, we still are pound for pound the best info sorce on these forums bar none
The only thing I can figure is that the formatting goes haywire somehow when the wide pages happen 9 out of 10 reposts seem fine just those occational ones seem to cause difficulties.
<Wikimedia foto>
A smile to begin the week!
When asked about insurance, he offered, "I don't know what the best type is. But I know none is bad."
<A Yogi-ism!>
And all of a sudden Monday rolled ‘round again! <geesh> Don't despair, the coffee ‘n pastries are fresh! Breakfasts are all set to "go" - so order up ‘n jump start your day with us!
Snow cover should disappear before noon today as the warm-up is upon us. Poor Juneau, he's not to be denied - as he'll "use" the remaining batches of white to turn ‘em yellow for as often as he can. <grin>
Comments from the Proprietor
When will we reach Page 200 Bonus: Who will make that Post
Wednesday is a MONTHIVERSARY - anyone wanna take a guess at what it is
A week from today is St. Patrick's Day - the galley ‘n bar will be GREEN that day! Live entertainment from Nick's band(s) . . . the tent will be "up" in the outback, so be prepared to don your best Irish apparel, practice your brogue, ‘n party with us!
There's a <tweeting> long pending completion at the bar! Hmmmmmm
Sunday - March 9th: <all times Central daylite>
Page 195 - Rob <trolleyboy> at 8:46 PM: A Sunday visit, but moreso for working than pleasure. Such is life for the working class, eh
Ordering supplies ‘n provisions is the duty ‘n responsibility of the Bar Chandler. Best do some checking to see what's goin
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house; and $ for the jukebox. Interesting weather over the weekend. I'm sure many of you saw the "bumper car" videos from Charleston on the Weather Channel over the weekend. We got about 5" worth of "scattered clouds" on Saturday night, but most of it evaporated yesterday much to the chagrin of the K9 Korps. Our friends in Ohio got hammered, and when we talked with the Lake Erie Division last night, they were still getting pounded. The New England Division, when contacted had lots rain.
Rob - You are right, the knuckle always breaks at the far end of the train. I remember the story about Pittsfield and TR (no, Awk, I was NOT there). A friend of mine's father was there, however, so that's how I heard about it yrs ago. The road is still there (not the street railway, but the highway). Thanks for the rerun of the boat trains and the shots from Battle Creek. An SD38 is not something you see very day.
Pete stopped by with comments. Nice pictures of the Rocket and the Midland 4-2-2.
Nick was in with menu cards, observations and a batch of pictures. "Prince of Wales" was a good one.
Eric - I know what you mean about German. Back in the day when I was in school, we were required to have "working knowledge" of two languages in addition to English. And we had to pass proficiency exams as well. So, we spent a lot of time studying German - translation was the worst part as the word order was bizarre in some situations. Yes, Frostbite, we did play, "Find the verb," as one you did that you could untangle the rest of the passage.
As I mentioned, there's all sorts of folklore and "reasons" for the CNW doing what it did. The electric you sent along is another beast reminiscent of the ones on the BM&LP. Also thanks for including the pictures of vintage equipment and other scenes from the "old country." BTW, you got a good deal on the ORG. It covers a year b4 everything when down the tubes.
OSP was by with some fine information about the original Zephyr. I especially liked the color shot of the D&RGW. Also liked the eclectic (no Boris, not electric) collection of pictures. Good choice of movies as well. "Wings" ran on Turner Movie Classics last month. "Beer Barrel Polecats" is a fine Stooges pick as well.
Look at the Lehigh Valley RDC - IIRC, they ran between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton. Good choice - I'm ready to leave right now. The Morning Sun books on the LV have pictures of the RDC in service - for the life of me, I can't remember which volume has them.
E-mail rec'd, will reply later.
Work safe
I see our Resident WVA Connection has kicked off the AM slot . . . We're heading for a warm-up while you're still in the 'white' . . . <envy>
Now Arriving on Track #1
Patron's Pix - Number Five
Explanation: This series features fotos from the guys who have entertained us over years on the Original Thread and here at the Reborn "Our" Place . . . As long as these fotos "live" in the Ether, why not have ‘em redone right here Many fotos have disappeared from view from deliberate or inadvertent removal, expiration of storage on "host photo sites" or reasons unknown. A case in point are ALL fotos stored on RailImages . . . recently gone, gone, gone-zo! <sad> That translates to a loss of pretty much everything trolleyboy Rob 'n Moi provided back in those early times . . . The first Customer fotos appeared on Page 17 of the Original Thread.
Many fotos have disappeared from view from deliberate or inadvertent removal, expiration of storage on "host photo sites" or reasons unknown. A case in point are ALL fotos stored on RailImages . . . recently gone, gone, gone-zo! <sad> That translates to a loss of pretty much everything trolleyboy Rob 'n Moi provided back in those early times . . .
The first Customer fotos appeared on Page 17 of the Original Thread.
Posted by Trainnut484 Russell on 02 July 2005, Page 39 of the Original Thread:
#1 here's an incentive to come to KC Union Station soon . . . Part of historic rails display coming soon to Union Station.
here's an incentive to come to KC Union Station soon . . . Part of historic rails display coming soon to Union Station.
Posted by Trainnut484 Russell on 04 July 2005, Page 40 of the Original Thread:
#2 I had a great time yesterday (Sunday) at the Midland RR (Baldwin City). Got to meet Dan-earlydiesels in person. Thanks Dan for your hospitality. Also pass along thanks to Ernie and the other members of the crew working that day. The MKT RS3M looked great.
I had a great time yesterday (Sunday) at the Midland RR (Baldwin City). Got to meet Dan-earlydiesels in person. Thanks Dan for your hospitality. Also pass along thanks to Ernie and the other members of the crew working that day. The MKT RS3M looked great.
#3 Can you believe its been almost 30 years (29 exactly) that the railroads celebrated the nation's centennial? Here's a reminder
Can you believe its been almost 30 years (29 exactly) that the railroads celebrated the nation's centennial? Here's a reminder
Posted by Trainnut484 Russell on 05 July 2005, Page 40 of the Original Thread:
#4 Dan, I have another picture of Ernie at the helm. The name of the guy standing on the steps has escaped my mind. I do know that he made engineer that Sunday morning. Pass along a congrats from me.
Dan, I have another picture of Ernie at the helm. The name of the guy standing on the steps has escaped my mind. I do know that he made engineer that Sunday morning. Pass along a congrats from me.
Posted by barndad Doug on 14 July 2005, Page 47 of the Original Thread:
#5 Another club I belong to is the 20th Century Railroad Club. . . . The 51 foot extention to our steam shop, now looks like this . . . Our new rails were supposed to be installed last weekend, but as you can see, they're not there!
Another club I belong to is the 20th Century Railroad Club. . . . The 51 foot extention to our steam shop, now looks like this . . . Our new rails were supposed to be installed last weekend, but as you can see, they're not there!
Posted by barndad Doug on 18 July 2005, Page 50 of the Original Thread:
#6 I spent my saturday prepping journal boxes for painting, and just moving things around for our new construction, which now looks like this! . . . We still don't have our new track, but it's coming!
I spent my saturday prepping journal boxes for painting, and just moving things around for our new construction, which now looks like this! . . . We still don't have our new track, but it's coming!
Enjoy!
Morning Ruth is there any of the BK speacial blend left If so I need a large hit of it and a number three if you don't mind.As always the change is yours Boris once you're done shovelling and stacking firewood go ahead and treat the critters,you can have the large jar of PPF because you have been good ( for you ) at keeping the shed clean ( relative term)That is if you can get frostbite out of the frozen birdbath<uh oh >Oh lets see I put on a new batch of donuts from the mosheen,spike helped though which is handy cause we can sell six donuts scewered on a spike
Tom-Yes having to redo all the stuff I had on railimages is going to be a pain in the patootI'll get "roundtuit" eventually Still you managed to find some good old stuff for today.Oddly enough I have not seen either Doug or Russell around at all on the forums , at least they are gone gone and not still viisting other areas. too bad they were both guys after my own heart at least where restorations and operations of old railway equipment was concerned.
Great advice as always on the cutting and pasting of the old posts , and your right the extra margines are hard to spot.Hope you haven't eaten any of that yellow snow No Boris he wasn't talking about slushies from a slushie machine
Got your email sobering thought to be sure .I would surmise that this months aniversary on the twelth would be 35 months and the bah is turning three in april that's likely why the extra "stuff" has been ordered. we'll have to check with the chandler I think he's getting too much help with the ordering <uh oh >
Cm3-Yes that Sd38 was a rare bird,I kind of figured that you would get a charge out of the TR story. No Awk no one was hooked upto the trolley wire,yes I know your great aunt perched on one an singed her tailfeathers,Boris come over here and lend a shoulder will you <sheesh>
I wonder how many times in a railroaders carreer that they have to wonder back with the ole spare knuckle in a driving snow or rain storm.
Hey Tom want to come north with Juneau here's my front yard as of last night and today,the tree in the snowbank is seven feet tall. Ought to make Eric feel right at home.
Good day again Ruth I think I could use a top up on the BK blast, here's some extra cash for a round for da boyz Some reading for the lunch time crowd
CLASSIC JUICE # 30 The Cornwall Street Railway The city of Cornwall Ontario lies just 25 miles from the Quebec Boarder and sits on the shores of the St Lawrence River.The town was founded in 1780 by UEL.s but saw little growth until 1843 when the Cornwall Canal was built and allowed ships to bypass a set of rapids on the ST Lawrence. The first steam Railway reached Cornwall 7 years later in 1850 thus spawned the industrial age in this once small farming town. In order to meet the needs of local transportation the town council passed a speacial bylaw in 1885 granting operating rights for a street railway.On July 7, 1896 six single truck arched roofed cars were purchased from Preston Car ad Coach and the Cornwall Electric Street Railway began operating up and down the streets of Cornwall . In 1898 the railways name was officially changed to the Cornwall Street Railway , Light and Power Company.To reflect the extended scope of the company ( owned the power houses for the city and outlying areas as well )Cornwall was the first town in Ontario to own it's own electric lighting plant. After the initial purchase of equipment the little company never purchased new cars again, they purchased replacements from twenty different cities in the US and Canada. These cities included Green Bay , Ottawa, Williamsport , Windsor, Fort Worth , Fort Wayne and New York City. By 1935 the entire line was operating with single truck Birney saftey cars with double ended control stands. The line also went to one man crews in the early 20's on their street cars. The system started out with two routes, Pitt street, and Second street ( the second street line was the heaviest travelled ), a third route was built in 1934, the Belt Line as it was called was one of the last street car lines built in North America. It was three miles long, and provided crucial acccess to several industrial sites at the edge of the city. they ferried the workers to the plants and operated electric locomotives to switch theindustries as well. When the war broke out in 1939 the CSR wa carrying 1 million passengers a year by the end of the war in 1945 that passenger count had tripled to 3.3 million riders a year. In addition, the CSR's freight division handled 20,000 freight cars, all impressive numbers when you concider that Cornwall at the time had a poulation of about 25,000 people !It's even more interesting when you concider that the CSR was essentilaly a single track system with a couple of passing sidings which limited the length of frieght train movements during daylight hours. The Cornwall Street Railway, as it was locally known, had a fleet of 5 steeple cab locomotives with which it served all the local industries. They interchanged freight cars with CN, cars were spotted at night at the various industries around town. As was the case with the passenger equipment the freight motors were also second hand, having come from the NS&T,The Kansas City Kaw Valley and Western,The Windsor Essex and Northshore,and the Chatham Wallaceburg & Lake Erie.They were all of standard type however as they were all class B or C baldwin Westinghouse Locomotives. By the end of the war, the CSR built a new three mile long frieght route in order to remove the freight trains from the streets of the city. New track was laid, and new overhead was installed. Also for the first time the CSR began operating buses, the first new transit equipmenet the city had bought since the turn of the century. The busses they decided were to be used to feed the three streetcar routes instead of building new streetcar lines. Despite the new track and overhead the CSR decided to phase out the streetcar operation, on july 27 1949, the last car ran in Cornwall. They were replaced by fifteen trolley busses of the early Brill design. A sixteenth was purchased in 1951. Cornwall thus became the smallest city in North america to operate trolley coaches !The trolley coaches were retired in 1970 replaced by standard deisel busse. The frieght operations continued to operate under wires until 1971, the last such frieght operation in Canada. Today the only remainders of the CSR electrification are two of the frieght motors. #16 is stuffed and mounted in a central park in the city facing the St lawrence River. The other 4 were sold to the Illinois terminal. In 1974 #17 was purcahsed from the IT by the Halton County Radial Railway Museum and restored as Lake Erie and Northern 335 our museum's gate guardian for the time being as the locomotive had it's copper stripped by some enterprising JO while it was waiting to be delivered to us in a CPR freight yard.
A couple shots of Cornwall equipment.Rob
Hi guys-a quick round for the house please Leon-just enjoying a brief respite from 24 hours of force 10 winds with all the trimmings with another 24 at force 11 yet to come-thats also pushing in behind a 7+metre spring tide-could add another 2 metres to it this far upriver-plus huge volumes of field water run-off and we could be busy bailing out the bottom of the village tomorrow-quite a few places down there get their feet wet at anything above about 7.5 metres-will check back after it settles a bit..............
TTFN
P.S-just found a pic of the area in question-tide is at about 1 metre here
A pint of Bathams please RUTH.
NICK Glad you understood the info to Tom on the units. I was going to go into the HALs and HAPS, PULs and PANs, VEPs and VEGgies and the other strange titles the Southern Region used on their EMU fleet, but I thought better of it. I wonder if the new units are known as 4 or 5 DES.
It is good you are enjoying the photos from Rocket 150, I wonder if something as large as that cavalcade and the one at Shildon will ever happed again. I wonder whether the older engines could be steamed again without a lot of work and not having to replace major items, like the boiler
I have not been through Didcot for a while now, is the Power Station no longer there. At one time it provided the line through Oxford with a lot of traffic with coal from the Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire coalfields. Talking of Didcot, I seem to recall that they were going to build a replica of a Broad Gauge ‘Single' I wonder how that project is coming along. It must have been a wonderful sight to have seen a Midland Spinner traveling at over 60MPH with a train of crimson coaches in tow. I was lucky enough to have a ride behind the ex Great Northern Stirling single No1 when it was on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough for a short while in the 1980s.
Great selection from our on Saturday night, even members of the track gang could not master all of the M.C.G. Platter.
Just seen your post about that terrible weather over there. I do hope your village escapes any floods. It seems as though this year has been real bad in the strength of the winds you have had in Britain.
ROB That is quite a lot of snow you had real glad you did not get the ice.
Seems we had quite the night at the bar, we seem to be in Inspector Clueless's good books at the moment, but no doubt we will have to repay the favor soon..I will have to pay more attention to the stuff BORIS and friends seem to be ordering, I think he has learnt to do my signature(well thats my excuse)
Many thanks for the photos from Battlecreek; the leased SD 38 looks fresh from overhaul and a great photo of the Amtrak train.
I remember the ‘Boat Train' theme day we had, it was very successful I recall. Many thanks for the reminder with your post. I guess the coal fired RMS Seguin will be in use this season.
YES I very much enjoyed Doug and Russell's company at the bar as well. I wonder if they have the occasional peek through the windows at the bar.
The Cornwall Street Railway must have popular with railfans with their use of equipment from different places. I see in the photos the freight motors are of two different types, I guess they had to get the second hand motors that were available at the time.
What a shame #17 had the copper stolen before it could be delivered to your museum.
ERIC I wonder if I was having the beer on the Texas Eagle in Tom's photo before or after I found the soda pop in the bag.
I think the Eurostar and the Pendelino units do have two pantographs.
Many thanks for the great selection of photos; I noticed just how neat and tidy the workshop with No 5 was, a lot different to the BR steam sheds at the end of British steam.
CM3 Glad you enjoyed the photos of the early locomotives, it is hard to believe though, that they were still building ‘Singles' at the turn of the 20th century.
I missed ‘Wings' on TCM; I will have to look out to see if they show it again.
TOM Glad you enjoyed the photos,when I think about it does not seem it was nearly 28 years since it took place.
Leon-another quick round please-still waiting the storm but must be close-ears are popping from the pressure drop-gonna be go find your roof in the morning time is my guess...Right-lets throw some pics at yer-interest was shown in the great war stuff-therefore
}/img -well,the cars on the left are hudson bogie opens-as used in france -the covered van is from the R.N.A.D depot at Trecwn-near me,they have sliding roof door to lower the mines in...on the right we have Katie-I suspect she comes from a good military family-she earns her daily bread pulling disinterested casual visitors around a small fraction of the former armaments works at Pembrey
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/img -another two hudsons with an original 2 ton slate wagon -not many of them left....
}/img- a selection of former R.N.A.D vans(complete with sliding roofs) at the Welsh Highland Rly (64) yard at Portmadoc
Good evening Leon I see its famine day at the feast or famine bar n grill, no worries we still are plugging along which is a good thing.Right Leon I think just a guinness for me this evening thank-you.
Pete-I see you made it in in the usual afternoon hole as always a great sum up of all that happens here in the "joint"I ahve a sneaking suspicion that niether Doug or Russell pop in eevn to look through the glass,but we can always hold out that hope,who knows what next month shall bring.
Yes I'm indeed glad that we did not get the ice as well as the snow ( hefting the snow was bad enough )
The Segwuin will indeed be back in servcie this season again, first weekend in May the Wenonah generally starts up a week or two earlier, we will as always take at least one dinner cruise on her, it's a yearly ritual,I ahd hopped we could have taken in a cruise during rendezvous one but it was a bit early that year and a bit out of the range of the rendezvous.It would have been worth it though.Loved today's photo's as well
Nick-Hope you've got the hip waders ready Brantford has already warned the folks near the Grand river that this spring may cause more overflow headaches than unsual. Keep your head high and the hatches batted down my friend.
An intersting spat of photo's as well, that little locomotive looks like it would barely pull itself let alone anything else,neat stuff though. As I said above keep yourselves safe
Howdy again Mr Leon back for another round of Guinness pour for Nick as well sounds like he will need it with the night he's gonna have.Here's another oldy but goody from a WP themed theme day abck from the good old.Who knows maybe it will flush our friend Dave back out of teh bushes it did a year or so ago
CLASSIC JUICE # 27 WP's ELECTRIC LINES Well good day again gents another round of Blue I think Tom please. I haven't much info on the WP, however after such info packed pieces as Dave and yourself put forth I'll just add this little bit on WP's electric lines. I know that these are in no way complete. Perhaps our local West Coast connections can fill in the more interesting meat that I leave out as I know there will be much. In the days of steam most Railroads viewed the electric interurbans as interlopers that competed for customer traffic and were to be beaten down at all costs. The WP thought differently and purchased two local lines and continued to operate them as electric lines years after many such railways had faded into history. Indeed the Sacarmento Northern and the Tidewater Southern fed needed traffic to their WP parent, and were a help as opposed to a hinderence. When the Wp's last steam power was being phased out the SN steeple cabs still fed freight to it's parent from the electric lines industrial spurs. Built primarily as a passenger line the SN ran interurban cars for three decades between the communities of its region. Indeed in 1941 when the SN ran it's last interurban passenger cars it bosted then the longest interurban run in the country an approx 200 mile round trip. Boarding one of the SN's cars at the Trans Bay Terminal in San Francisco, a passenger would cross the Bay Bridge into Oakland and then out into the dry Oakland Hills Region and down into the San Ramon valley. At Pittsburg Ca,the car ferry Ramon carried the cars across the Sacramento River. Beyond there the interurban cars sped across the delta lands on trestles and levees toward it's namesake city of Sacramento then continued north through the Sacremento valley to it's terminus in Chico. The SN began scrapping it's steeple cabs in the mid 50's and aquired it's own roster of diesel locomotive replacements, painted in WP company colours but still lettered for the SN. Gradulaly several segments of trackage were retired and the SN became a collection of spurs reached via trackage rights over other railways. The section between Marysville and Yuba City remained electrified until 1965. The other WP electric line was the Tidewater Southern. it evolved into the diesel world more completly than it's sister the SN and remained intact.WP bought the 46 mile line in 1917 gaining it's conection at Stockton via Modesto and Turlock. This small lines days of electrification fell victim to the depression in 1932 when the passenger service and electric service ended. The WP kept the line open for it's wine and fruit trade however, revenue the line still subsides on today.
Leon, a ham sandwich will be just fine. A cold Keith's, please!
The Monday came and went! A beautiful day here in the desert!
Tom – The annual subscription for the Official Guide of the Railways was just $28 in 1954. I am glad I bought it, I am finding a lot of information in it. Very interesting. I don’t have the Official Railway Equipment Register though. I’ll try to get hold of a copy. Honestly, I can eat any time of the day, even big meals. No, I thought two grand for the Zephyr cars was kind of steep. I need that money to buy me a laptop next month. The Bikini Team is welcome anytime. Never heard of “Oh! Mr. Porter” before. But I wouldn’t mind taking a trip to the Emporium to see it! I saw Wings once on TV many, many years ago. By all means a good movie! The Stooges are always fun!Wednesday is the 35th Monthiversary?! Our Place is getting old! Nice mix of photos! I love the Kansas City Southern’s paint scheme! Very colorful! Same about Santa Fe’s locos in Centennial livery!Email received, thank you!Rob – As I mentioned to Tom, no problems to eat late or very early. Did that quite often as an engineer. But the last number of years i tried to avoid it. I thought it was the same freight train in both pictures. I guess you didn’t see the Amtrak train when you took the first picture? A lot of snow! I am glad it doesn’t look like that outside our house! Thanks for the Cornwall Street Railway article! By the end of the war they had 3.3 million passengers and a few years later they closed the whole thing! Interesting article on WP’s Electric Lines! Tidewater Southern at Stockton. Too bad I didn’t know that when I worked as a truck driver. Spent a lot of time in Stockton just waiting to unload or for the next load. CM3 – As I said, German grammar is tough! I can still read and understand it pretty well though.I am very happy I found that ORG! Full of a lot of information! Maps of railroad networks and so much more. Nick – Be careful, stay away from the water. I understand that you don’t live in the area that may get flooded? Interesting photos! I guess all those cars are narrow gauge, but exactly what is the gauge? Pete – I know Eurostar has two pantographs and I am quite sure that Pendolino also has two. I don’t remember exactly when you had the beer on the Texas Eagle, but I have a feeling it was after the soda pop disaster. Thanks for the photos of the old steam locomotives! Is the Haydock Railway 0-6-0 just partly painted?
Nothing planned for tomorrow's MONTHIVERSARY . . . next month is year three. Without Lars to put something together, well . . . I'll leave it up to "whoever" wishes to pick up the ball . . .
Monday March 10th: <all times Central daylite>
Page 195 - CM3 Shane <coalminer3> at 9:10 AM: Yeah, the weather portion of our local news channels had that WVA shot - several times. Looked rather frightful - ice is no fun ‘n sorta just getsya. This has been a strange winter for us as well with three snowfalls exceeding 6 inches - can't recall the last time that happened. Also several bouts of freezing rain ‘n sleet cancelling out pretty much everything depending upon wheels for operation. Yeah, a strange winter . . .
Blue sky day ‘round here, but temps are still on the chilly side . . . warms up in earnest <whoever HE is!> tomorrow. <grin> Petrol holding at $3 <rounded> . . .
Just couldn't resist, so here's some info on the Lehigh Valley RDCs:
The LV purchased two RDCs <RDC-1 ‘n RDC-2> on 14 Sep 1951 from the Budd Company. The cars were used on a branch line in the mountains of eastern PA, 26 miles from the Buffalo-New York City main line.
RDC-1 <Budd #5410> became LV #40 and was built on 23 Aug 1951 whereas RDC-2 <Budd #5416> became LV #41 and was built on 12 July 1951.
The drawing in my AM summary depicts an RDC-2 . . .
The RDCs ran as two-car consists between Hazleton and Leighton, a 26 mile run with 4 roundtrips daily. Those RDCs connected with trains named Asa Packer - The John Wilkes - The Maple Leaf and The Black Diamond.
All LV passenger ops ceased in 1961, with one RDC holding up ‘til the end. RDC-1 went to SEPTA in 1962 whereas RDC-2 was sold to CP in 1958. LV folded the tent on 1 Apr 1976 in a takeover by ConRail.
<source: RDC - The Budd Rail Diesel Car; pages 168-169 have some fine fotos of these RDCs in service>
Glad you got the Email . . .
Page 195 - Rob <trolleyboy> at 11:55 AM ‘n 12:19 PM: A check on those UTBs you mentioned will reveal the truth of the matter - only one has been gone-zo for keeps from the Forums. I'll give you three guesses <and the first two don't count!> Both were great guys at the bar, but no one ‘did it better' than the guy with the IRM. <sad>
Should you want to know how to determine who has been Posting where - follow these directions: find the SEARCH feature at the top of the Forum Page - click it - when the next window comes up - click on SEARCH again - you will then see 2 lines for info to be placed - on the 2nd line <ONLY> just type in the cyber name of the person you're interested in <siberianmo> - then hit SEARCH again. This will bring up all the Posts for that person . . .
When RailImages notified us about shutting down, I tried to transfer some fotos ‘n found it to be a nightmare. Sent a few Emails asking for some help, but best I could get was a referral back to the "instructions," which didn't seem to address my problem. I just gave up on it all - did manage to copy the "index' for all my fotos, but have seen that they too have "disappeared." A shame . . . but I have those Pix in my hard drive ‘n will get A-ROUNDTUIT for PhotoBucket <one day>!
Winter is wunnerful - enjoy it! <get a snow blower> Thanx for the fotos . . .
A good read on the Cornwall Street Railway - enjoyed it. There were scores of towns ‘n small cities across the U.S. where the working population far exceeded the OH-FISH-UL tally for residents. Mobile, Alabama comes to mind <ship building> . . . a few places in Connecticut as well. Once WWII ended ‘n those factories were no longer needed for producing "things" for the war effort - things CHANGED. Such is the way, eh
A shame about the vandalism to the unit at Halton County's facility. <barf>
Figured you'd KNOW that the 12th of the month used to be meaningful ‘round here . . .
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