Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Leon, yes, I'll have that Filet Mignon and lots of mushrooms!! Nice of you to wait for me!
A quiet Friday here at the Bar! I almost didn't make it here tonight. Our cable network went down tonight. No TV, no Internet! It was down for a little more than two hours. This Saturday I am going to Tucson and will be gone all day. I'll try to make it back here before the Bar closes for the weekend!
Tom – In the old country Thursdays are the days for pancakes (for lunch or dinner)! Yellow pea soup and pancakes! Thin pancakes with strawberry jam or lingonberries or something else. Not fish! I fully understand how you feel about missed opportunities in the past to watch trains, check infrastrucure, take pictures, etc. I worked for the railroad for 29 years and didn’t bring my camera to work more than a few times. Talk about missed pictures!Nice pictures of those B&O dome cars! Obviously it was not only the Strata-Dome cars that had floodlights, the cars in your pictures have them as well! Nice looking drumheads! I like the first one the best!CM3 – Thanks for the info on B&O and coal! One question. Considering the number of coal mines in West Virginia, how many miles of railroad was there? Must have been a lot!DL – Looking forward to a trip report!Lars – Congratulations to the 10,000th post!! A weekend in the Penthouse suite!! Hmm. No, I don't want to know. Thanks for the nice words! I thought it was normal for a retired guy to feel rushed! All the retired people I know are always short on time, in a hurry, etc. What website did you find that article about the allied bombings of germany during WW II? Connected, huh? I’ll take that into consideration. We don’t want any ZAPs around the Bar by the siding.Pete – I have done some research but have not been able to find out if B&O #5600 has been preserved. I don’t think so, but I don’t know. I fully understand that fireman, giving the guard a black eye. They were all lucky to still be alive! The B&O museum in Baltimore is the one where the roof collapsed.
A few pitures in no particular order.
Not too many passengers. Stockholm, Sweden.
Altoona, Germany. Outside Hamburg.
Retired.
Eric
Good morning Tom and friends! I'll have a light breakfast please. Congrats to manager Lars on acheiving our 10,000th post. Quite an accomplishment for any thread here, but this one in particular has provided volumes of information that you can't find anywhere else.
I see that Eric has fired the first volley of pix, as he usually does. Nice looking stuff too. Thanks for sharing. Still trying to find a way to contribute myself, and will find a way through all the horsing around of lately. I went to a pre-program meeting last night, so I would be properly trained to open and close gates for horses and their handlers. Actually, the subject was never covered, but I think I can manage. Todays' program is for members of the police and fire department who have had no experience handling horses, and learning how to deal with large animal rescue situations. The program is sponsered by HAHS (Hooved Animal Humane Society), and the volunteers come from riding clubs in the area.
Nice job on the part of Cm3, Pete and everyone, really, on keeping the B&O theme going. I just might have something to add myself later today.
Oh yeah, my last Locomotive and Historical Society meeting dealt with the Milwaukee and the C&NW. Nothing that James would have been interested in ....
Getting back to the Pioner Zephyr, here are a few shots of the smoking car
Here's the interior of the passenger car. The simulated passengers "talk" to each other
That's it for now. Got my horse program to attend to!
Courtesy: http://www.viarail.ca/
G'day Gents!
Today is ENCORE! Saturday - ‘n - Photo Posting Day! at "Our" Place. And of course, the bar is CLOSED on Sundays.
Two nights in succession without a regular or irregular . . . . now that's a trend we should be thinking about. BUT, it IS spring and that's when our thoughts SHOULD be on ‘n about other things to DO!
Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative):
CM3 Shane at 9:53 AM yesterday: Morning visit from the coalminer in WVA and all's well with the world! Two outstanding bits ‘o thought from our "profound thinker" - one on those who I call "revisionist historians," and the other related to the B&O and coal. Nicely done on both counts!
All of my B&O travels were between NYCity ‘n Baltimore in the days of heavyweights. Never rode in or even saw a B&O dome car. Must've been nice!
We'll muddle along without ya on Monday, and perhaps Tuesday and are looking forward to your C&O material!
Thanx for the quarters, round ‘n visit!
DL at 11:14 AM yesterday: A quick stop is better than no stop at all! Hope your rail adventure makes for a most relaxing and enjoyable weekend!
Ah, "The World's Fastest Indian" had many a poignant moment and it truly is one of those movies that in time may develop a "cult like" following. I'm very surprised at the low to no billing it received ‘round these parts when playing the theatres. Reminds me of another one of my favorites, "Wind" that also was a sure-fire winner in all respects, but just didn't seem to win favor with those who control the releases and scheduling of flicks.
Good to see ya!
Lars at 11:38 AM yesterday: Great to have our Manager provide us with another "daily scoop" from his island in New YaWk! <grin>
My bride offers her appreciation for your willingness to take part in an effort to support the Canadian WWII vets in their uphill struggle with the museum folks. I'm not aware of any organized effort, but will surely let you know if one develops. I have some addresses of Canadian military organizations that I could provide you by Email if needed . . .
Photos, memories and the passing of time. I'm pretty much in the same boat as so many others. Have "tons" of photos and just haven't gotten ROUNDTUIT when it comes to sorting ‘em, labeling ‘em and putting them into proper albums. We all know what happens to old family and personal photos . . . kinda like the breakfast one had the "other day," who thinks about it?? <groan>
Well, now that you have a bona fide weekend in the Penthouse Suite, I'm guessing there will be a "parade" up ‘n down the stairwells to stock the bar and so forth! Congrats, again, on Posting the 10,000th at the bar!
Pete at 5:37 PM yesterday: See what I mean about "anchoring" that mid-late afternoon "slot"???? Makes all the difference. Just look at the amount of time between visits (not counting my own of course). Droughts are droughts and we seem to be in ‘n out of ‘em. HOWEVER, the quality remains and when stacked up against guys dropping off "one-way" or "hit ‘n run" Posts, I'll take what we have ANY DAY!
Amtrak tix arrived on Friday so I'm set for our KCity trip!
I enjoyed your story and it goes to show that one doesn't have to be a complete JO or AH in order to get a point across. My guess is that fellow NEVER dozed off again while at work in the van (caboose)! There were a few occasions aboard ship where "things" were handled in a similar fashion. <uh oh>
Never took a train to get a beer at the other end! But, I recall driving from NYCity to Philadelphia for a cup of coffee back in high school times. Only a few of my buddies were 18 and had driver's licenses, and fewer had cars. One of my friends used to think going the 90 miles (or so) to Philly was the "thing to do" - so we did. Used to stop a diner outside of the city, have a cuppa and a roll ‘n buttAH (as Lars would say), then jump back in the jalopy and head home. Crazy, eh I'd rather have taken the train, but we nevAH thought of it!! <geesh> Then again, kids ‘n cars - can't beat it!
You been TOLD that you HAVE TO GO to Pat's Place????!!!!!???? Yeah, right. Don't try to "kid" the "kidders," Mate - ain't gonna work ‘round this joint!
Eric at 1:49 AM today: Fine early morning start and the Pix really provide a great "jump start" for the day! Love that bi-level passenger car - when does she board?? I'm ready!
Sorry, but the combination of PEA SOUP (yellow or green) ‘n PANCAKES somehow makes me want to head for the lee side of the ship! <ugh> BUT, to each his own, eh <grin> One of the major "flaps" in my childhood at the table was the refusal to eat the pea soup (or
Ahoy Cap'n Tom 'n fellow travelers at the bar!
Cindy my deAH, you are in fine form 'n fashion this afternoon and in spite of Ruth being away, you more than make up for it!
Just a Piels today in a frosty mug and slide the snack trays over, wudja please
So, I'm the Ten Thousand Post guy, huh Hard to believe there's been that many posts, but here we are. Surely must give credit where credit is due, and my guess is Cap'n Tom "owns" at least a third or more of 'em.
Aside from the days when we had those B'day Bashes and other parties, I bet that the overwhelming majority of what our guys put together is far more substanative than the "one liners" seen elsewhere. But, that's one nice thing about CHOICE, huh?? We CHOOSE to be here!
Not much more to say today, as I think expended all of the small talk yesterday. Just wanna recognize Pete 'n Eric for holding up their respective "slots," and of course to MY assistant, barn weevil Doug for coming in so early today.
Here's something from the last page of the old bar site:
and especially for Cap'n Tom . . .
Enjoy the weekend guys! Let's keep going, METS!
Until the next time!
Lars
Hi Tom and all
A cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich, on this sunny Saturday please CINDY as RUTH as the weekend off.
ERIC Some of the stories from steam days does make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Thinking about it there used to be the occasional story from footplate crews that used to appear in the British railway magazines but I have not seen any for quite a while now. There must be many good tales from the old drivers and firemen that deserved to be told.
Many thanks for the photos. The Swedish double-deck car looks a comfortable vehicle to ride in.
Interesting small vehicle from Germany do you know what it was used for. I suppose it was used by the Permanent way Department.
Loved the inside cylinder 2-6-0 steam loco, where there any of this class saved do you know. It would make a great loco on a preserved line.
DOUG. Thanks for the kind words. It seems you are having another busy day. I am sure the HAHS do a very good job a to them all.
It seems that was a good meeting at the L&HS on the Milwaukee Road.
Great photos of the inside of the Pioneer Zephyr cars.
LARS Good words on the bar.
Many thanks for the book covers from the old Our Place. There are a great variety of different railroads showing their steam and diesels
TOM My Slides and photos made it over from England although they only date from the mid 1970s apart from a couple of old family albums, when you think about it the ability to take photographs was a marvelous invention.
As you say although we are in a bit of drought at the moment at the bar the quality we are getting is still the very best, no wonder we get so many viewers, a fine tribute to the bar if I may say so.
With us it was motorcycles when we old enough to get a license. I only had a 175 cc 2- stroke but it went many miles. There were some old style transport cafes about those days mainly for use of truckers who served great food and tea for a cheap price. Of course for visits further afield there was the train or when visiting larger cities.
My Amtrak tickets have not arrived yet, hopefully Monday.
For my pics this week there are some ones I have shown before but not for a while. The next set from Alan will include some from Devon and Cornwall with some old lines no longer in use..
A unusual signalbox at Canterbury Kent still in use
From the National Railway Museum York England
Furness Railway 0-4-0 No 3 known as 'Coppernob', note the old carriage behind the loco
An 0-4-0 saddle tank loco which was used in industrial service with another old car behind the loco.
.
An Electric loco which was used on the ex Great Central DC electrified line between Manchester and Sheffield/ Wath. In the later years its main traffic was coal from the Yorkshire Coalfield to to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station in Lancashire. Sadly the middle section of the line including Woodhead Tunnel is closed and devoid of tracks.
Just to the left of 26020 the front of No 92220 Evening Star the last stem loco built for Bitish Railways can be seen in the enlarged version of the pic
Well I am in a little earlier than usual so I will have a quick Bathams before I go out please CINDY
Pete.
ENCORE! Saturday - 'n - Photo Posting Day!
Here's something from way back on Oct 30th, 2005 - Page 151 of the original Thread:
Click to enlarge! VIA Rail's "Ocean" and Revelstoke Park Car at Central Station, Montreal, QC, Canada Eastbound "Ocean" and Chateau Argenson Bedroom Car at Moncton, NB Eastbound "Ocean" and Revelstoke Park Car at Moncton Eastbound "Ocean" and Tom & Revelstoke Park Car at Moncton Eastbound "Ocean" at Moncton Eastbound "Ocean" and Kent Dining Car w/Eddie the Attendant at Moncton Eastbound "Ocean" ready for departure at Moncton Between Moncton and Sackville, NB (spent the night in Sackville at the Marshlands Inn) This turned out to be "Our" Place's 3000th Post!
- and -
Click to enlarge! (boarded the eastbound "Ocean" at Sackville en route Halifax) Eastbound "Ocean" and Chateau Varennes bedroom car at Halifax, NS, Canada Eastbound "Ocean" at Halifax Eastbound "Ocean" and Banff Park Car at Halifax Eastbound "Ocean" and Banff Park Car at Halifax Eastbound "Ocean" at Halifax Westbound "Ocean" and Kent Dining Car at Halifax Westbound "Ocean" and Chateau Bienville Bedroom Car at Halifax Westbound "Ocean" and Revelstoke Park Car at Halifax VIA Rail Dining Car Acadian at Halifax Track entrance to VIA Rail Station at Halifax
ENCORE! Saturday ‘n Photo Posting Day!
at "Our" Place!
We are CLOSED on SUNDAYs!Starting Sunday at the Mentor Village Emporium Theatre!
. . . April 22nd thru 28th: Action In The North Atlantic (1943) Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey, Alan Hale & Ruth Gordon - and - The Pride of The Yankees (1943) Starring: Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Babe Ruth, Walter Brennan, Dan Duryea. SHORT: The Three Stooges - How High Is Up? (1940)
Action In The North Atlantic (1943)
PLOT SUMMARY:
Excellent study of WWII merchant marine crew sailing between the U.S. and Murmansk, Russia, the only supply line then open between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. Bogart plays a loyal, brave, and rugged first mate to idealistic captain Massey. After their first tanker is torpedoed, and the two barely survive an eleven-day ordeal at sea, Massey and Bogart are given a spanking new Liberty Ship, with most of their old crew members as well as a sharp Navy gun crew. They sail with a massive convoy en route to Murmansk, but are repeatedly hounded by U-boats. Bogart and company battle through the Nazi attacks, managing to sink a surfaced sub by faking a shipboard fire and ramming the sub, then shooting down several German bombers on the approach to Murmansk. A powerful document of a class of men given little due for their heroic role during WWII, the film lives up to its title--there is action aplenty. The film earned an Oscar nomination for its original story.
from: amazon.com
The Pride Of The Yankees (1943)
Biopic traces the life of Lou Gehrig, famous baseball player who played in 2130 consecutive games before falling at age 37 to ALS, a deadly nerve disease which now bears his name. Gehrig is followed from his childhood in New York until his famous 'Luckiest Man' speech at his farewell day in 1939.
SHORT: How High Is Up? (1940)PLOT SUMMARY: Featuring Moe, Larry & Curly
The Stooges are itinerate tinkers who are above created work, but they get caught punching holes in workers' lunchboxes and have to run away. They end up on a construction site and pass themselves off as "the best riveters that ever riveted," so they get put to work: on the 97th story!
from: threestooges.net
Enjoy! Tom
Ah. tonight is the light on! Let's see, here is the mail slot. Ooops, what... who was that running up the stairs? Ru... No, it couldn't be, she has this weekend off. Hmm.
Doug – I hope everything went well with the horses!Thanks for the pictures of the Zephyr! I wonder about the seats in the smoking car, are they leather or maybe vinyl? That “simulated” passenger is opening his briefcase. Today he would open his laptop instead. Times have changed!Tom – Sorry to hear that you don’t like pea soup! But I am sure you have not had any Swedish Yellow Pea Soup. The only place you can buy that in this country is at IKEA and they don’t have it all the time. It is veeerrryyy goood!!! Not to be compared to any other kind of pea soup and no, you don’t drink it. <geesh>Thanks for the link to the Canadian War Museum! Read about the bombings and all i can say is that I agree with Lars and his (and yours) opinion about it. What are they trying to do?Nice pictures of those HEP... sorry, Budd cars! I still don’t know if I would like to make that kind of trip in the winter though. But I guess they have a good heating system in those cars (electric?).Good choice of movies for this week at the Mentor Village Emporium Theatre! Especially the first one, Action in the North Atlantic! I saw that movie many, many years ago and liked it a lot! Have to see it again! Lars – Hope the weekend in the Penthouse suite was great! I hope Ruth didn’t hear your comment to Cindy. Not to talk about the Captain! Very nice looking book covers, all different railroads except NYC that got two! I wonder why? Who cares, I like them anyway!Pete – I remember I read a book with a lot of tales from old time engineers and firemen when I was a kid, 8-9 years old. I was very fascinated and believed every single word! The picture from Germany shows a Kof II, a two-axle light tractor for light switching. Built between 1934 - 1966. Diesel hydraulic, 118/128 hp. The old steam locomotive has been saved as far as I know. Nice pictures! Interesting signalbox, still in use. I guess they have upgraded to more modern equipment inside it? The electric loco has that typical hose for vacuum brakes on the front.
I spent a good part of Saturday in Tucson, visiting the Pima Air Museum. But I also took a ride in this old streetcar originally from Kyoto, Japan. Built 1953.
A smile to begin the week!
If you ask me a question I don't know, I'm not going to answer.
(A Yogi-ism!)
Monday once more and time to check out the Menu Board for a <light> or <traditional> breakfast at the Tavern by the Tracks. While you're at it, don't forget The Mentor Village Bakery case selections along with a freshly ground ‘n brewed cuppa Joe to kick start the morning!
This is going to be a tough week, as there should be some absences along the way. Just a head's up to those who actually read these morning Posts - it's up to YOU to keep this going!
Definintely in need of some early MORNING and MID-DAY help on FRIDAY! Any takers
The Tuesday Theme for the Day is Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O)!
Lars at 12:05 PM Saturday: Nice ENCORE! shots from the last Page of the original Thread! Really good stuff and THANX for the RDC book cover - always enjoy that!
In reference to that story Pete told, my guess is YOU have some stories from "below decks" that would send a bit of "reality" into the lives of those who think the otherwise. Shipboard life in quite a few ways must've been quite similar to those engaged in rail operations aboard the trains. The guys depended on one another for competence in the performance of their respective duties. Quite simple as I see it.
Pete at 1:33 PM Saturday: Yours was the final Post of the day (other than mine, of course) sooooooooooo, what's to say, eh
Appreciate the time ‘n effort you put into your submissions and it's always enjoyable viewing those Pix your Mate, Alan, sends. Reruns or not, some good stuff there, fer sure, fer sure!
Man that 26020 electric sure looks like a "boxed rectifier" - very little "style," eh But I'm sure it was extremely functional. Looks to be in "showroom condition" too!
Eric at 12:51 AM today: Nice to be able to count on our Resident Desert Swede for an early, early morning visit (or late, late night)!
Interesting streetcar from Japan! Rob should have something to add . . .
Well, stranger things HAVE happened in my life - I never thought I'd ride (and stay on) a mechanical bull in a Dallas saloon - so why not partake in some Swedish yellow pea soup??? <grin>
Heat in those Budd cars I think is still a hot water circulation system - but not sure. I found long distance travel to be very comfortable in summer ‘n winter. The only recent times I've traveled in Budd coaches has been on "corridor" service (Toronto - Montreal; ‘n Brantford - Toronto) and I prefer those to the more modern equipment too. All of my other trips in the Budd equipment has been in a bedroom with dome seating! Guess it all depends on what one's expectations are for train travel, eh
Regarding Budd's "other" cars - the rail diesel car: RDC travel actually was quite comfortable even over long distances. Those "dome looking things" on the roof of an RDC are actually overhead cooling radiators. The car's heat is provided by drawing hot water 75 gallon sump tanks beneath the car and then circulated throughout the car. That system also provided for cooling of the engine. The fans were located inside those "domes" and kicked on ‘n off by means of an electric thermostat. Quite interesting!
Be sure to remind me when you visit the Can-Am Trainroom for the RDC book containing pretty much all one needs to know about those fine machines!
Appreciate the visit and dialogue!
OBSERVATION: Saw "one of ours" on Sunday on this Forum - but he didn't stop by with a "note" for us through the mail slots or visit "my other Thread." Hmmmmmmm. That's what separates the regulars from irregulars - always did and still does. Oh well . . .
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
PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #33
Initially Posted on page 177 of the original Thread
Here's something to ponder with regard to our appreciation and fascination with Classic Trains. Check this out (from The Official Guide of the Railways - 1956)
Roomettes Now Available OnThe "WINNIPEGGER"BETWEENST. PAUL - MINNEAPOLIS - and WINNIPEG
For the Best Meals on Wheels and Complete Beverage Service
In the Soo Line Dining-Club Lounge Car
Roomettes, Bedrooms, Bedroom Suites and Open Sections.
Clean Comfortable CoachesRestful Individual Reclining SeatsAll Equipment Air-conditioned
NORTHBOUND. . . . .(Daily - Central Standard Time). . . . .SOUTHBOUND Lve. ST. PAUL . . . . . . . . . . 7 45 PM . . . . . . . Lve. WINNIPEG . . . . . . . . . . 7 10 PM Lve. MINNEAPOLIS . . . . . . 8 40 PM . . . . . . . Lve. THIEF RIVER FALLS . . 11 25 PM Arr. THIEF RIVER FALLS . . 3 55 AM . . . . . . . Arr. MINNEAPOLIS . . . . . . . . 7 15 AM Arr. WINNIPEG . . . . . . . . . . 8 15 AM . . . . . . . Arr. ST. PAUL . . . . . . . . . . . 8 00 AM The Milwaukee Rd. Hiawatha leaving Chicago 100 p.m., arriving St. Paul 7 15 p.m, Minneapolis 7 45 p.m., and C.B.&Q. No. 25 leaving Chicago 11 30 a.m., arriving St. Paul 6 15 p.m., connect with the Soo Line Winnipeger for Winnipeg and Western Canada. Southbound "Winnipeger" makes convenient connections with morning "Hiawatha" and "Zephyr" and other important early morning trains from St. Paul to points East and South. Enjoy! Tom
Hello all
I'd better start the week with some breakfast please, orange juice would be nice too.
Wow, I had the privilege of my very short post being the 9,999th - did not realise at the time - nice to clear the way for Lars to make the big one!
Tom, nice pics of VIA service from your archive (and thanks for the info on the buffalo location for me too - and also to Eric for the distance answer as well).
Incidentally Tom, do you happen to know if the VIA Hudson's Bay service is still Budd carriage stock (or HEP as I know you like to call it.....)? I'm just trying to answer a query on this for someone. Via site always slightly ambiguous. I presume it is as that is the stock used out west. Further to this, what is the onboard shower facilities on Budd stock for passengers - are there showers in communal areas (no, not communal showers Boris) like on Superliners (as opposed to private shower rooms as on Chugger cars?)
Anyway - here's the promised TRIP REPORT
Friday eve the Midland Mainline 125 HST pulls in 10 minutes late and by the time we head off towards Leeds we are 15 mins down which is rather poor.
Here is one of these trains:
http://www.alveyandtowers.com/details.php?image_id=9628&sessionid=b1d7ea86b7ca90234bf8b19d56def5ae
This service is pretty much a ‘positioning move' to take a train that has left London in the evening peek up to Leeds for servicing, so it does not attract many passengers - but offers higher levels of comfort than most railcar trains on the route, which require a change, and serves to be empty much of the way.
We took our seats in the mobile free quiet car, with only 3 other passengers (one of whom immediately commenced a tedious telephone call but did have the courtesy to leave the car when my other half pointed out to her that she should not be ringing from there - just why the heck do people think that the rules somehow are optional and they don't need to respect them? There are a d**n 7 other cars to sit in a speak to your hearts contents for c****sake!).
Also the whole car is completely bedecked in the litter left behind by the passengers from London, empty beer cans, endless newspaper, snack food cartons etc - a real tip - I've talked before about litter and the British public - they are slobs of the first order. Since the car was virtually empty I grabbed a carrier bag and collected it all up since sadly the on board staff don't seem to see this as their job.
No hope of much catch up time wise en route to Sheffield (approx 50 miles) as we seem stuck behind a slower moving train up ahead. At Sheffield nearly everyone else gets off (and one guy gets on, sits down, starts the mobile phone.....). Sheffiled is the city The Full Monty film is set in by the way.
We make slow progress through what was the South Yorkshire coalfield, but light has gone by now. Eventually we arrive at Leeds Station 30 minutes down.
Checking into our hotel, the ex London Midland and Scottish Queens Hotel we ask for a quiet room and get one on the top floor at the back - this has the bonus of overlooking the whole of the west end platforms of Leeds station! Why leave the room you ask.....
Leeds is still major rail centre - although back in the day there would have been much more to see (in fact a friend of mine in Leeds, who is a train driver, gave me a run down on the former routes into the City which was very interesting).
This site is worth a look (Pete, in particular I think you'll enjoy the photos below the map on this site - some very good stuff here)
http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/leeds%20west.htm
Well, next day did afford time for a trip to Howarth, so mid morning we took the electric commuter service up to Keighley - this is the former Midland Railway Route.
Changing at Keighley we had a good half hour to look round the preserved platforms before. As Pete says this is a superb preserved line (which is re-created in the image of a 1950s branch line) see:
http://www.kwvr.co.uk/
Our loco for the trip was Ivatt designed steam tank 41241 as pictured here
http://www.kwvr.co.uk/stockbook/index.htm
"British Railways Ivatt Tank No. 41241 is the very soul of the Worth Valley Railway. Built by B.R. at Crewe in 1949 to an LMS design, it worked from Bath Green Park and was briefly at Highbridge on the Somerset & Dorset line. 41241 ended up at Skipton in 1965 and was bought from there for the KWVR in 1967, arriving under its own power. The locomotive hauled the train at the reopening of the branch line in 1968 and has become synonymous with the Railway ever since. "
We travelled out in an open saloon BR Mk 1 coach to Howarth. Where we had plenty of time for a trip to the Bronte parsonage museum where the famous authors lived (as Pete says it is a steep 15 minute uphill walk from the station).
Pete - I probably would have checked out The Fleece had I read your review, but I forsake the beer options in order to have time to see the sheds from the viewing point at Howarth, and press on to the end of the line to see the Jubilee loco in the sheds there - you will see my dilemma!
We returned to Keighley travelling in the rather unusual MK 1 suburban carriages - part of the way in a second class compartment, part in a first class compartment - the Mk1 suburban composite coach in our train is probably quite rare in preservation - although would have been familiar to many commuters in the 1950s and 1960s. As the note on the link points out - even for short commuter journeys the class distinction was available in the carriage. These days 1st and 2nd class seating is only available on trains for longer inter city type journeys.
A picture of this car is here:
http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=1928
Anyway - next instalment can include the rtn journey - with a trip through the middle of Toton Marshalling Yards.....
Regards
DL
PS - Pete not too sure about your trivia question about The Fleece - was it The Railway Children?
Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!
Ruth my deAH you are the bright note on an otherwise bland Monday. I'll take a Larsman special hero sandwich of ham ‘n Swiss, mustAHd ‘n buttAH with two extra crunchy ‘n large pickles from the barrel. Of course, a tray of seed for Awk, a saucer of brine for Tex, a bucket of ice cubes for Frostbite, a LARGE doggie bone for Juneau and a small jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris! <phew> And, a round for the house - keep the change my lovely! <blush>
Weekend has come ‘n gone, we're counting down the month of April and B4 we realize it, May will be upon us! Gotta hand it to Da Bossman, for he surely kept the place runnin' pretty much on his lonesome on Saturday. Loved the Via Rail shots and the movies look fine as well!
There really is something to be said for those who stick it out through thick ‘n thin ‘round this joint. Pete ‘n Eric are "regulars" in every sense of the word and if only we could muster up a few more, huh We do seem to be able to muster up support for special occasions, though - so all isn't lost - yet! But I surely can see where if we don't and can't pick up the "slots" for morning - noon - evening - things are going to be rough in the very near future.
Yeah, I noted "one of ours" out ‘n about, but not ‘round here. Surprised, but then again really not. Hey, if this bar or the other thread isn't enticing enough, then take it elsewhere. Isn't that the way of the forums anyway? Shouldn't surprise anyone. We've seen all kinds of guys come ‘n go. I figure it this way. The bar is the ONLY reason I'm logged on. What I have to say and what I like to read are on these two threads that Cap'n Tom has put together. To each his own . . . but don't pretend to be what one isn't! That's crap now, yesterday and tomorrow.
Chesapeake & Ohio for tomorrow and I'll make a post, at least one. After that, no guarantees!
Some pretty good sports on the tube over the weekend and I've had my fill of watching it! Feel like I'm going to resemble Boris one of these days in that I'll have one eye, centered right above the bridge of my nose! Cyclops, that's us! <grin. Mets are hangin' in there with Atlanta for the division lead. My Islanders are history in the NHL playoffs and figgered they would be against the Sabres. Rangers on the other hand look to be the team to beat in the east. That game last night (this morning) up in Calgary was something else. The Red Wings outshot ‘em five zillion to nearly nothing and it went into a 2nd overtime B4 they pulled it out. Something to be said about parity in the NHL with the #1 and #8 "seeds" squaring off in a great game #6. Figure Detroit should get to the final round. Also noted that the Red Birds of St. Loooooo had a great time in Chicago yesterday. More home runs flying out of that place than up in Fenway where the Sox demoralized the Yanks (again)!
So much for the "sports report"!! <grin>
So what's it been, two weeks since we heard from West Coast S - Dave over in Iraq?? Guess he got his transfer to that Coast Guard squadron he mentioned. A strange thing. Anyway, thought he was coming back stateside in May. Well, let's just hope he makes it safely through the "tour" and gets back home for the resumption of his life with family ‘n friends ‘n the bar!
Figgered I'd swing on by knowing that Shane wouldn't be ‘round this morning. Hopefully we'll see another customer B4 the late afternoon appearance by our Bar Chandler, Pete.
JUST Caught that post from DL - I'll catch up with it a bit later on . . . . I think it is YOU that made it 1,000 posts on the new thread! When I Posted this it showed as 1,001 - so my guess is you were at 999 and your post made it 1,000. Congratulations!
SPECIAL - SPECIAL - SPECIAL
Congratulations to DL-UK for the 1,000th Post on our reborn Thread!
Always pleased to recognize the guys who take the time 'n make the effort to participate in our goings-on 'round here in the lighthearted 'n informative manner hoped for!
Now to your Post at 11:11 AM today:
Yes, VIA Rail is using the Budd corrugated steel passengers cars, formerly from CP Rail stock, on the Hudson Bay route from Winnipeg to Churchill. VIA Rail "may" be putting on a Park Car observation dome, but that still hasn't been firmed up.
The shower facilities in the bedroom cars are indeed community as opposed to communal (sorry, Boris!).
A point of order though regarding the Chunnel Chugger Renaissance Euro cars <phew> - only those in the DELUXE bedrooms get the shower. Been there done that and my bedroom was not so equipped because I didn't pony up for the rather exorbitant "surcharge."
Back to the Hudson Bay - there is a diner, there may be a Skyline dome car, of course a baggage car (maybe two - depending on time of year and advance notice for things like canoes, kayaks, etc.). And yes, the VIA Rail site IS indeed nebulus on the "details" for these trains. The reason escapes me, but that's the way "they" seem to prefer it at VIAs HQ. Call 'em HEP when that's NOT a proper descriptor. <arrrrgggggghhhh> <grin>
In the not so distant past, the Hudson Bay actually ran a "mixed' passenger car consist of "smooth sides" in the blue/yellow livery along with some Budd corrugated stainless . . . looked "funky." Once the decison was made to pull the Budd equipment away from the eastern routes, those cars did in fact wind up on the western trains. Noteable exception being a Park Car for the "Ocean" during the "tourist season" - which seems to vary from year to year. This year apparently it begins in early June, whereas in the past it was early May. Golly gee, oh gosh!
Enjoyed your trip report and the URLs to supplement it! Fun on the rails is the way to go, eh
Lars at 11:15 AM today: Good to see Manager Lars drop in this AM and appreciate the conversation. Not to sweat the small stuff, Mate - guys are gonna do what guys are gonna do. We KNOW who the serious supporters of this bar are and there's no sense in going through all of that again. <grin>
My Cardinals may have snapped out of their "power failure" yesterday, but they have yet to show the sports world that they are anything close to resembling last year's World Champs. Still very, very early and a long road ahead. By the by, I watched that Detroit - Calgary game from start to finish. Was amazed at the intensity of play and gotta hand it to the Flames, they really tried their best. Detroit is awesome and just may take it all. I was glad to see the winning goal scored by the guy who got "nailed" at the end of game #5 by Calgary's goalie. Poetic justice, eh
Only reason I follow the Yanks is Joe Torre. Once he retires, I'll probably totally lose interest in "George's Bizillionaires" on the Harlem River. BoSox put it to 'em over the weekend and I'll bet the frenzied fanatics in Fenway are still forthing at the mouth! <grin>
Whatever contribution you can muster up for the 'morrows "Theme for the Day" will be most appreciated.
Is Ruth going to Florida too?? Also, WHEN are you planning to "cash in" your weekend in the Penthouse Suite for the 10,000th Post?? Gotta ensure that you 'n "whoever" get the privacy deserved . . .
Boris, ring the bell - drinks on Da Bossman!
Later!
Hi Tom and all.
A pint of Timmy Taylor's Golden Best please RUTH.
ERIC I,m afraid I do not know what is in the signalbox at Canterbury. It probably would be a new panel to work the colour signals, although in some cases when colorlight signals were connected to an old signal box, the lights were worked by the levers that used to operate the semaphore signals The handles of the levers were cut down to remind the signal man that it was a colour light and would not require a good pull that a semaphore signal would.
Thanks for the info on the German Diesel-Hydraulic tractor and it is good to know the 2-6-0 old loco was saved.
As far as I can tell 76020 was withdrawn around 1977 /8 and was kept as she was still one of the class that had not been fitted with air brakes or multiple working, so she was near to her original condition.
Good photo of the Japanese Streetcar.
DL Thanks for the report on your journey to Leeds and Keighley. It is amazing the number of people who think the Quiet Coach does not apply to them. I wonder how many times the conductor passed through the car you was in, but there again I have seen conductors completely ignore someone using a mobile phone in a quite coach.
That is a great map of the Leeds lines, which was very complicated and as changed over the years. With some of today's roads on the map you can see where the old lines were. On the L&NWR line from Leeds jnc to Farnley station I think that is part of the line that did, until fairly recent times was used to connect to the Great Northern line. This was used by most trains departing Leeds for London, the viaduct is still there but I think the only lines left on it are at the Leeds station end where it can stable a class 91 and a Mark IV set.
Some of the route into the GN Central station can still be seen and there is still a GN roundhouse visible by the line to Keighley near the site of the Holbeck stations.
I will send the map to Alan thanks.
Glad you enjoyed the K&WVR. It is a great line, was there any news of when the Jubilee might be steamed again. Thanks for the links to the K&WVR, that is quite a rare carriage, with a corridor and lavatory inside but no connection to other cars. The more common type, I believe were the suburban cars with separate seating bays but no corridor like the K&WVR car in this link.
http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=1971
I remember traveling in one of these on the Ex Midland Railway line between Rugby and Leicester Midland stations (this line closed in 1963). These cars were also used for fairly long distant excursions to the seaside, with no lavatory not the best cars to be in.
Yes it was in The Railway Children film that the Fleece was mentioned, I believe some of the actors and crew from the film visited the pub while they was on location there
The Ivatt tank loco is ideal for the line and looks great in its BR livery. At Rugby there were two of this type fitted for Push- Pull for working the Rugby to Leamington line.
Looking forward to the next installment of your trip.
CONGRATULAIONS ON BEING THE ONE TO HAVE THE 1,000TH POST AT THE NEW OUR PLACE.
LARS Thanks for the kind words. I watched the Detroit vs. Calgary hockey game Saturday. I could not believe the Calgary goalie I see he was on the ice for just 18 seconds. Perhaps you can explain to me, I guess he was sent off and not put in the penalty box, if a player is sent off, does his team have to play the rest of the game a man short as in soccer. I know hockey is a very tough game but what he done seemed to shock everyone.
As you say May is just around the corner and it will be good to have DAVE back home.
TOM It was great to see the Ocean and the Revelstoke cars on the trip to Halifax encore
Evening Tom and friends! I'll have a bottomless draught, toss a few Michigan quarters in the coal scuttle, and buy a round for the house. Many apologies for not being around, but I've literally been horsing around the last 3 days, and this is just plain going to be a busy week for more of that. Congrat's to DL for the milestone post. Let's hope we more than double that in the next 2 years. Great to see manager Lars and Pete today, keeping the information flowing. I'll see what I can do in the C&O department for tomorrow, and leave you with ...
The landlord of a pub, is just locking up, when there's a ring on the doorbell. He opens the door, and there's a snail sitting there. "What do you want?" asks the landlord. The snail replies that he wants a drink. "Go away, we're closed, and we don't serve snails anyway". The snail pleads and pleads with the barman to give it a drink, at which the landlord gets fed up, kicks the snail and slams the door. ..... Exactly one year later, he's locking up again, and there's a ring at the doorbell. The landlord opens the door, and looks down to see a snail sitting there. "What do you want" says the landlord. "What did you do that for" says the snail.
Good evening Leon. A frosty Keith's and a round for those who are still standing, Ice packs for those who aren't Frostbite Well what can I say, don't try to add memory to your computer at home folks at least my computer whiz friend got me working again, miss a couple days ( daze ) miss alot.At least it seems that we had a reasonably good end to the week here at the tavern by the tracks.
Tom-Thanks for putting forward that story on the musuem. I'm so teed and po'd about that that you could not believe, neither could my member of parliament who got it from both barrels by moi. He was in town probably wished he wasn't. At least he understood where I and the bulk of alot of other's in town were comming from, he said both his email inbox and answering machine were full.He said all the usual politicl things about getting to the bottom of it,but somehow I have my doubts . Liked the final round up on the B&O drumheads et all from you sir another good week here infowise yesieree bob! Nice to see the VIA shots again as well
Lars-Congrats on the winning post sir,lucky guy another free usage of the penthouse suite.Position has it's privilagesGreat to see those reruns of the books again.I have to aggree with you I would think that Tom indeed does have a third of those posts under his belt. The least the rest of us can do is buy the man a drink
Pete-Some interesting shots of museum pieces and signal boxes. that signal tower almost looks like a kit one could can buy from Pola !Good luck on K cities light rail, hopefully it gets built on time and on budget. coarse had the farsited people in 1957 left well enough alone you wouldn't be voting the funds to build what was probably once already there. same stroy imn sooo many other cities and counties in these two countries.It would be nice to buy that hobby shop. Imagine the trouble"fun" the three of us could have running a shop together.
Eric-Some interesting pics from you the last couple of days as well. Nice shot of that former Japanease tramcar. Nice to see a musuem running on city streets,not cheap unfortunatly but still nice to see.
BK n Doug-Great to see the two of you guys and Lydia in to wind out the B&O fest of this past week.
CM3-Sir Shane did not disapoint. Lots o good B&O info from the coal fields. i'm looking forward to your C&O stuff tomorrow.
Tom-What say we do the CN/CNR and it's sister-roads next week. Should be good for a giggle. I may have some info I can shed on that topic.
Rob
G-day Tom and all present!
Leon- Good to see you after sometime off here. Could I get a coffee along with a sandwich. Thanks! And a round for any who care to join in.
Oh boy... I have stories from Wazooo from these last couple of weeks. I have been having relatives and family coming. Just a non stop motel here at the homestead.
Anyway on to some acknowledgements. I will start at page 51 and work my way back.
BTW: Happy third birthday to the bar. I think if I'm not mistaken, that I have been here since September. That's pretty good.
Dl- Thanks for the URL to the passenger train. It sounds like though the train was a bit of a garbage heep. Ya.. those cell phones. I can't stand people who do that. It's really annoying. But life must go on as I always say. When you said 10 minutes late... That's a pretty good compared to Amtrak. There usually running an hour late. You'll expect them at 1 am and at 2 am they finally arrive. But hey, I thinks it's a great ride.. the food could use a little more attending too but outside of that it's pretty good.
Saw your other links and some of the trackage blew me away. That is a lot of track in a small area and very complicated. Also some great looking locomotives. Everything looked pretty good. Thanks for sharing. Also congrats on the 1000th post.
Lars- You probably noticed me around. I'm not afraid to admit it but I was only on for about 10 to 20 minutes at a time. I tried to check out a few of the other sites along with this one with the time that permitted me. And yes I did post a couple but nothing anything big. A couple sentences hear and there. But these last couple of weeks have been hard for me and the family. So I tried to get away from it awhile by spending the time on the forums. Things have slowed down and I am once again able to post and enjoy myself and hopefully for awhile too. Just my .
Anyway, I noticed some of your bookcovers. That RDC bookcover caught my eye the most, but the B&O covers were also really nice. Thanks for sharing. They all look really good. I was impressed.
Tom- I was looking at some of your posts and notice a couple of really nice pictures of some passenger dome cars. I noticed on the B&O Dome that there were a bunch of search lights sitting on the top end of the car. What were those used for Also some great pictures of that Via rail dome car and it's train. I would indeed like to ride that dome car.
I can remember way back in the 90s sometime when the Wisconsin Central (Now owned by CN) had a special passenger train that ran for all the employees and there family. Since my dad was the engineer on it we got special seats in a dome car. I can remember riding up in the dome traveling at 50 mph down the rails. It was a pretty good experience. My mom and I did get some video of the ride so maybe I should figure out how to load that on to the computer. I don't remember what dome car it was. All I know was that it was a cool ride. I see the C&O is theme of the day tomorrow. I will certainly be there with pictures and more acknowledgements. I also noticed Ruth has decided to go on vacation....lucky... what.. I didn't say anything.
Happy railroading
James
Evening again Leon another round of Keith's if you would be so kind sir. Well finally got to read the rest of page 51 couldn't see it for some reason 's in the forum software again I guess.
DL-Thank's for the rundown on your latest foray by train, an interesting read and some interesting urls to boot thank you.Noting your mention of the debris from the London commuters,brings to mind the "stuff" I've been noticing lying around on the intercity Budd (HEP) cars VIA uses on our Ontario lines, even the LRC stock's been looking a tad messy latley. The good news I suppose is that the trains in and out of Brantford to points east and west all seem to be quite full and well travelled. I see that Tom's got you caught up on the Hudson Bay equipment,I too find the VIA site a bit on the "unfriendly" side.Congrats on your making abit of thread history today yourself
Leon, a ham sandwich would be perfect! No tomato slices!
A quick stop at the Bar by the siding. Mondays are always Mondays except when they are Sundays! I helped a homeless guy tonight that came walking up to me when I was outside my parked car. He asked if I could help him, he had been robbed and stabbed in his back! After a few minutes a fire engine, three police cars and an ambulance arrived. Quick response indeed.
Tom – Oh, I believe you, that long distance travel is comfortable in the winter (and summer). What I don’t like is the cold weather if I want to step outside. And, as I am sure I have said before, I have been fighting snow and ice way too many times as an engineer and I try to stay away from it as much as I can. That is why Phoenix is the perfect place for me, at least in the winter. I learned about the heating system in the RDCs from an Amtrak engineer. I hope to get a chance to ride one sometime in the future.
I’ll remember about that book!12 1/2 hours from St. Paul to Winnipeg! With connection to and from Chicago.DL – Congratulations for the 1,000th post!!!I understand your frustration about the cell phone lady in the quiet car! And that other guy. How did mankind manage to survive before the cell phones arrived? 30 minutes down! Not good at all. What is max. speed allowed for those HSTs? 125 mph? You obviously had a perfect room, at lest the location of it!That tank locomotive looks kind of Swedish to me. I know it isn’t but the design is very similar. Thanks for the report!!Lars – Same here, ”Our Place” is the only reason I am here. Are you packed yet? Your trip is coming up very soon.Pete – I am sure you are correct about the equipment in the signalbox! It must be a much easier job for the signalman (from a physical point of view) today when the semaphores are gone. Is 76020 the only electric of its class today? Doug – Thanks for the round! Rob – The good news about the streetcar in Tucson is that the City has decided to extend the line and run streetcars every day year round! In other words, Tucson will get a beginning of a real streetcar system! James – Welcome back! Hope everything is okay!
Still in service 1968!
Tuesday at the Saloon by the Siding and time for breakfast! Check out the Menu Board for a <light> or <traditional> breakfast and while you're at it, don't forget The Mentor Village Bakery case selections along with a freshly ground ‘n brewed mug of cofee to begin the day!
Surely thought I'd ‘skip' this morning Post as Monday was one of those DAZE - hardly a person in sight during daylight. THEN all of a sudden, once it got dark . . . .
REPEAT: This is going to be a tough week, as there should be some absences along the way. Just a head's up to those who actually read these morning Posts - it's up to YOU to keep this going!
The Theme for the Day is Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O)!
Pete at 7:45 PM yesterday: Better late than never, but Ruth left at 5 PM!! <grin>
Glad the Amtrak tix arrived . . . Wish we were "booked" aboard the Budd cars rather than those Renaissance cars for the Halifax trip. <groan> . . . Mechanical bull story will be told at the Rendezvous in St. Louis! Remind me.
Fine inclusive ‘n informative Post! Round(s) appreciated too!
Doug at 8:40 PM yesterday: The barn weevil made it "in," so all's right with the world! . . . Quarters ‘n round much appreciated!
Nothing like a "groaner" to cap off the evening! <ugh>
Rob at 8:46 PM ‘n 9:00 PM yesterday: Just when you thought it was safe to venture outside in the dark, there is Count Robulla! <arrrggghhh>
You struck a chord with me regarding home ‘puters and doing "stuff." I've been spending far too much time trying to figure out what the problems are with our desktop PC. Fortunately with the laptop, I'm still able to communicate. But somehow, some way I've wound up with "corrupted" files and it's a nightmare trying to figure out how to locate ‘em and so on. <ugh> Made a huge mistake in trying to clean the "registry" and I've got more on my plate than I wish to eat! <groan> This kinda stuff happened about 6 years ago and I wound up buying a new ‘puter it was THAT bad. Hope your issues have been easier to settle . . .
Figured that Canadian War Museum link would get you going - as it sure did with us. If you hear of any organized effort underway to turn that situation about, please let us know. Some (including us) want to contribute - Emails would be fine!! ‘nuf said . . .
Great idea for next Tuesday's Theme for the Day - why not simply make it ALL Canadian railways Many thanx for coming through with a suggestion for us!
Appreciate the inclusive Post, kind words ‘n "freebie" drink! <grin> You STILL owe me those Labatt Blues . . .
James at 8:56 PM yesterday: You couldn't have picked a better day to rejoin the group as things have been really slow lately . . . Regarding those B&O domes with the floodlights - as the ads from past Pages say - they illuminate the countryside for "effect." Undoubtedly a great experience for those fortunate enough to be up in the dome! "Good eye!"
So you too come from a railroading family, eh That speaks volumes for he intensity you have for the subject! That makes you, Lars ‘n Mike that we know about with family RR ties.
One thing about this bunch at the bar, you can't "hide" as someone is ALWAYS watching! <grin>
Eric at 12:10 AM today: Really doesn't speak well for a society where even the homeless are preyed upon and for what? Having lived in large cities of this country, the plight of those far less fortunate is eye opening and something every American should not turn away from.
Phoenix in the summer is as close to Hades on Earth as anywhere I know! <ugh> Yeah, go ahead ‘n tell me it's "dry heat." I recall walking outside of an air conditioned building in your desert city and becoming so overcome by the blast furnace of heat that I thought for sure I'd melt. Not for Moi, thank you!
That steamer is certainly interesting. Is it just the angle of the Pix or is the tender part of the configuration? Also the drivers really appear to be spaced farther apart than what I'm accustomed to seeing. The men who made those machines made ‘em to last, eh
Tuesday Theme for the Day!
Now arriving on track #1 ..... Railroads from Yesteryear! Number Two
Initially Posted on Page 234 of the original Thread
Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements. Some heralds from other sources.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Locale: District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin Reporting marks: CO Dates of operation: 1869 - 1972 Track gauge: 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) Headquarters: Cleveland, Ohio The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century. Tapping the coal reserves of West Virginia, it formed the basis for the City of Newport News and the coal piers on Hampton Roads, and forged a rail link to the midwest, eventually reaching Columbus, Cincinnati, and Toledo in Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, in 1972, it became part of the Chessie System, along with the Baltimore and Ohio and Western Maryland Railway. In 1980, the Chessie system combined with Seaboard Coast Line Industries to form CSX Corporation, which by 1987 had merged all its railroad subsidiaries into CSX Transportation, one of seven Class I railroads operating in North America at the beginning of the 21st century. The city of Huntington, West Virginia is named for one of its early leaders, Collis P. Huntington. Early history, Crozet, and crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway traces its origin to the Louisa Railroad of Louisa County, Virginia, begun in 1836, and the James River & Kanawha Canal Company, also begun in Virginia in 1785. The C&O of the 1950s and 1960s at its peak before the first modern merger, was the product of about 150 smaller lines that had been incorporated into the system over time. By 1850 the Louisa Railroad had been built east to Richmond and west to Charlottesville, and in keeping with its new and larger vision, was renamed the Virginia Central Railroad. The Commonwealth of Virginia, always keen to help with "internal improvements" not only owned a portion of Virginia Central stock, but incorporated and financed the Blue Ridge Railroad to accompli***he hard and expensive task of crossing the first mountain barrier to the west. Under the leadership of the great early civil engineer Claudius Crozet, the Blue Ridge RR built over the mountains, using four tunnels, including the 4,263-foot Blue Ridge Tunnel at the top of the pass, then one of the longest tunnels in the world. While the Blue Ridge was being breached, Virginia Central was building westward from the west foot of the mountains, across the Great Valley of Virginia (The Shenandoah Valley), and the Shenandoah range (Great North Mountain), reaching a point known as Jackson's River Station, at the foot of the Alleghany Mountains (note that in Virginia Alleghany is spelled with an "a"), in 1856. This is the site that would be called Clifton Forge later. To finish its line across the mountainous territory of the Alleghany Plateau (known in old Virginia as the "Transmountaine"), the Commonwealth again chartered a state-subsidized railroad called the Covington and Ohio Railroad. This company completed important grading work on the Alleghany grade and did considerable work on numerous tunnels over the mountains and in the west. It also did a good deal of roadway work around Charleston on the Kanawha River. Then the American Civil War intervened, and work was stopped on the westward expansion. C & O predecessors during the Civil War During the Civil War the Virginia Central Railroad was one of the Confederacy's most important lines, carrying food from the Shenandoah region to Richmond, and ferrying troops and supplies back and forth as the campaigns surrounded its tracks frequently. It had an important connection with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville, Virginia. On more than one occasion, the Virginia Central was used in actual tactical operations, transporting troops directly to the battlefield. But, it was a prime target for Federal armies, and by the end of the war had only about five miles of track still in operation, and $40 in gold in its treasury. Ellis P. Huntington links the tidewater of Virginia with the Ohio Valley Following the war, Virginia Central officials, led by company president Williams Carter Wickham, realized that they would have to get capital to rebuild from outside the economically devastated South, and attempted to attract British interests, without success. Finally, they succeeded in getting Collis P. Huntington of New York, interested in the line. He is, of course, the same Huntington that was one of the "Big Four" involved in building the Central Pacific portion of the Transcontinental Railroad, which was at this time just reaching completion. Huntington had a vision of a true transcontinental that would go from sea to sea under one operating management, and decided that the Virginia Central might be the eastern link to this system. Huntington supplied the Virginians with the money needed to complete the line to the Ohio River, through what was now the new state of West Virginia. The old Covington & Ohio's properties were conveyed to them [Note: the name was Railroad at this time ... it will be changed later to Railway] in keeping with its new mission of linking the Tidewater coast of Virginia with the "Western Waters." this was the old dream of the "Great Connection" which had been current in Virginia since Colonial times. On July 1, 1867 the C&O was completed nine miles from Jackson's River Station to the town of Covington, seat of Alleghany County, Virginia. By 1869, it had crossed Alleghany Mountain, using much of the tunneling and roadway work done by the Covington & Ohio before the war, and was running to the great mineral springs resort at White Sulphur Springs, now in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Here, stagecoach connections were made for Charleston and the navigation on the Kanawha River (and thus water transportation on the whole Ohio/Mississippi system). During 1869-1873 the hard work of building through West Virginia was done with large crews working from the new city of Huntington on the Ohio River and White Sulphur (much as the UP and CP had done in the transcontinental work), and the line was com
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house
Theme day! Borrowed some stuff. Here 'tis:
Chesapeake & Ohio TIME Magazine March 23, 1927 time.com
The Van Sweringen brothers (Oris Paxton & Mantis James) last week presented a revised arrangement of their railroads to the Interstate Commerce Commission for approval. As in the case of the Nickel Plate System plans, disapproved last year by the I. C. C., Henry W. Anderson and George S. Kemp of Richmond, Va., who represent Chesapeake & Ohio minority stockholders, are opposing the Van Sweringens now. Hearings may last a year-as they did in the Nickel Plate System case.
The Van Sweringen roads, which the two brothers control through stock ownership and cooperation of other stock owners sympathetic with their aims, are: Chesapeake & Ohio, Nickel Plate R. R. (nickname for New York, Chicago & St. Louis R. R.), Pere Marquette and Erie.
The C. & O. connects Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville with Washington and James River ports (Newport News, Old Point Comfort, Norfolk). The territory furnishes farm products and coal for railroad transportation.
Over the Hocking Valley, which it now owns, the C. & O. carries coal across industrial Ohio to Toledo, where the coal is transshipped for northern Great Lakes ports. Oris Paxton Van Sweringen is chairman of the C. & O. board of directors.
The Nickel Plate R. R. connects Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis with Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo-industrial territory. Mantis Jares Van Sweringen is chairman of this road's board of directors.
The Pere Marquette connects grain and iron ore ports on Lake Michigan's eastern shore with industrial Toledo, Detroit and, across the Ontario peninsula of Canada, mercantile Buffalo.
The Erie connects Chicago and Cincinnati with Cleveland, Buffalo and New York harbor-industrial and mercantile territory; some coal, some farm products.
The plan creating the Nickel Plate System to compete in the East with the Pennsylvania, New York Central and the Baltimore & Ohio was for the Nickel Plate R. R. to buy from the Van Sweringens and their associates control of the Erie, Pere Marquette and the C. & O. By controlling the Nickel Plate R. R., which became a sort of holding company, the Van Sweringens planned to control the whole system at relatively small cost to themselves. To reduce their investment further, they formed the Vaness Co. as a company to hold their controlling stock in the Nickel Plate R. R. They sold Vaness stock- for cash, retaining enough stock certificates however, to keep control.
The revised arrangement is for the C. & O. to buy the Van Sweringens interests in the Erie and the Pere Marquette. These roads would be in the same relation to the C. & O. as the Hocking Valley already is, i. e., subsidiaries. The hearings begun last week seek I. C. C. approval of these specific purchases. No mergers will be mentioned if wise Van Sweringen lawyers, of which Newton Diehl Baker is the wisest, can divert the queries of sharp-questioning Henry W. Anderson.
The quarrel that makes the hearings bitter arises from the fact that the Nickel Plate R. R. owns stock control of the C. & O., and the Van Sweringens and their Vaness Co. continue to own the Nickel Plate. C. & O. minority stockholders claim that their company is buying Van Sweringen property at prices set high by the Van Sweringens. They claim, too, that, if the I. C. C. permits the C. & O. to buy the Erie and the Pere Marquette (at Van Sweringen prices), later the Nickel Plate R. R. (i. e., Van Sweringens and Vaness Co.) may hornswoggle the C. & O.
Chesapeake Corp. Recently the Van Sweringens created the Chesapeake Corp. as a subsidiary of the Nickel Plate. In exchange for the 900,000 shares of the new corporation, the Nickel Plate gave it 600,000 shares of C. & O. stock. The 600,000 shares are slightly more than 50% of C. & O. stock. Therefore, the Chesapeake Corp. now controls the C. & O. The Nickel Plate can sell 449,999 shares of Chesapeake Corp. and still keep control of this corporation and, through it, of the C. & O.
Last week the Chesapeake Corp. pawned its 600,000 C. & O. shares (worth $105,000,000) for $48,000,000 by selling a collateral bond issue through J. P. Morgan & Co. These $48,000,000 give the Van Sweringens cash with which to pay off debts to bankers.
Virginian Railway. At the C. & O. hearing last week President William Johnson Harahan of the C. & O. mentioned that he was trying to buy control of the Virginian Railway for $80,000,000. This is the 545-mile road that Col. Henry H. Rogers of Standard Oil built to tap the soft coal deposits at Deepwater, W. Va. It runs parallel with the C. & O. to Hampton Roads, Va. Last year the Pennsylvania, through its subsidiary, the Norfolk & Western, sought to lease the Virginian for 999 years. But the I. C. C. said no. The C. & O. may have better arguments to present before the I. C. C.
Schematization. The following table schematizes the eventual, hoped-for relations of the various Van Sweringen properties:
Van Sweringens control Vaness Co.
Vaness Co. controls Nickel Plate.
Nickel Plate controls Chesapeake Corp.
Chesapeake Corp. controls C. & O.
C. & O. controls Erie.
C. & O. controls Pere Marquette.
C. & O. controls Hocking Valley.
C. & O. controls Virginian
Empire Sold Time Magazine Oct. 7, 1935
A grubby auction hall is the Exchange Salesroom at No. 18 Vesey St., Manhattan. There in one corner is the famed auction block of Adrian H. Muller & Son which for a fee will sell anyone's securities. Both Mr. Muller and his son are dead, and the firm today is run by Miss Helen M. Collins, fortyish and efficient. One afternoon last week Miss Collins held the most spectacular auction in U. S. history.
Across her block passed control of the $3,000,000,000 Van Sweringen rail and real estate empire, put up for sale by J. P. Morgan & Co. and a group of banks that held as collateral for some $50,000,000 of past-due notes practically all the securities the two Cleveland bachelors ever owned.
It was a great day for Miss Collins, who stood at her auctioneer's elbow throughout the long, dull sale. She tried to preserve the dignity of the occasion by sternly denying entrance to all photographers but scores of newsmen milled craning about the small group of men seated before the block. In that group were representatives of the bankers who bid to protect themselves. At a tall desk with clerks and calculating machines stood Col. Leonard P. Ayres, Cleveland Trust Co.'s vice president-economist who bid in behalf of Mid-American Corp., especially chartered last week as the new top Van Sweringen holding company. Morgan Partner George Whitney was there with Morgan lawyers. Conspicuously absent was old bush-bearded Leonor Fresnel Loree, who has been built up in the Press as a likely Van Sweringen rival. And toward the rear was the iron-grey head of Oris Paxton Van Sweringen. Brother Mantis James did not attend.
From the moment Miss Collins' auctioneer thumped his palm for the first sale it was clear that "O. P." and "M. J." would regain their possessions. In the preliminary routine of offering the 58 separate parcels, a few lots were knocked down to the banking group or outsiders. But when the auctioneer put up the securities in four big blocks Col. Ayres's bids took only two. The other two groups, largely non-Van Sweringen stocks, went to Hallgarten & Co. for $1,582,000. For control of coal mines, street railways, office buildings, suburban developments, trucking companies, a hotel, a department store and Alleghany Corp., through which they run 23,000 mi. of railroads, "O. P." and "M. J." paid $3,121,000.
When friends felicitated him, "O. P." said: "I would rather have paid the bill"-a reference to the $45,000,000 lost by the bankers and remaining as a debt of honor. Assisted through the pack of photographers at the door, he climbed tiredly into his three-year-old Chrysler, was driven off slumped down in the corner of the rear seat, chin deep in his hand.
Empire's Heirs TIME Magazine Dec. 14, 1936
Filed in Cleveland's probate court last week was an estimate of the estate of Oris Paxton Van Sweringen, elder of the legendary bachelor brothers whose joint holdings in real estate and 23,000 miles of railroads before Depression were worth $100,000,000. The value of the estate was placed at some $700,000, most of it in life insurance. Brother Mantis James Van Sweringen, who died last year, left only $3,067.85. In fortune if not in fame the Van Sweringens at the time of their deaths were just about where they started 20 years ago when they stepped from real estate into railroading.
C&O Map
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_015_c&o_route_map.jpg
C&O Ad
http://www.virginiaplaces.org/graphics/0798_05.jpg
Newport News postcard
http://www.papersearch.com/ebay/jay13-21.JPG
George Washington at Alexandria 1941
http://www.piedmontsub.com/graphics/WashSubC&OGW.jpg
George Washington at Richmond 1936
http://www.piedmontsub.com/graphics/RichmondGWatMainStreetSta.jpg
http://www.piedmontsub.com/graphics/RichmondVA3cross.jpg
http://richmondthenandnow.com/Images/3-trains.jpg
Louisville Central Station 1912
http://library.louisville.edu/ekstrom/special/moi/CS_007010.jpg
Louisville Central Station 1955
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/0/019_2.jpg.54845.jpg
Clifton Forge 1958
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/drake/full/DR082.JPG
Clifton Forge 1967
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/r/rn2-363.jpg.16256.jpg
Clifton Forge 1969
http://67.15.20.45/images/r/rr0137.jpg.64189.jpg
Staunton 1970
http://67.15.20.45/images/c/CO70091802w.jpg.58076.jpg
http://67.15.20.45/images/c/co4523best.jpg.64727.jpg
Paintsville, Kentucky 1962
http://67.15.20.45/images/c/CO9080.jpg.28693.jpg
Handley, WV
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/h/handley08b.jpg.30711.jpg
Some encore pics
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_021_c&o_2-6-6-6_allegheny_thurmond_wv_1955.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_020_c&o_2_emd_gp9_coal_train_quinnimont_wv_1965.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_023_c&o_a-b-a_cab-booster-cab_fostoria_oh_1961.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_019_c&o_sportsman_train_oct_1967.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_024_c&o_train_ferry_badger_milwaukee_wi_1976.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_025_c&o_george_washington_cincinnati_oh_1965.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_013_c&o_chesapeake_&_ohio_railroad.jpg
Ruth- Good to see you. Could I get an OJ with one of those patries, thanks
Well, I'm here to drop off some theme of the day pics and then later on to day I will be back with some acknowledgements.
Now how would you like to live "right next" to the railroad. You cold look out the window and say, "Hey, there goes one of those manifest freights with a couple of SD40-2s"
B&O 4000, 4121 & 3512, Sand Patch, PA September 17, 1978, Kodachrome by Rodney Peterson
Now here's a old getting older GP7. I really liked the caboose on the end of this loco. A pretty coolshot. There wasn't any information on this and it only said collection of John Rust.
B&O GM50 at Elizabethport, New Jersey on January 16, 1973 Kodachrome by John F. Dalton III Now I have seen this before but I'm not exactly sure why they painted it a gold color. I think it's to celebrate 50 years of the B&O. Maybe someone else here can explain this.
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. Clouds and rain today, but at least the temperature is seasonable. I was on the DL yesterday (dental work), but am back at it today. First off, congrats to all who posted the "big numbers."
A few comments and then on to today's subject; C&O.
Pete stopped by with comments and historical material. Thanks for the picture of the electric locomotive and your other shots.
Eric - I have some ancient B&O material somewhere which should give us the mileage figure you want; now if I could just find the right folder. The streetcar picture was a good one.
Barndad sent Zephyr pictures.
Lars - Have a lot of the books you posted. The Monon one is an excellent survey of that road.
DL provided some fine via shots. And we have some fine movies as well. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Red Sox-Yankee activity over the weekend; just think we get to do it again this weekend. Sunday ESPN game here is Cards vs. Cubs. SOO Line is one of those "I always wanted to ride but never got a chance" situations.
DL provided a trip report and more historical material
James sent comments and reminiscences - The "gold" B&O engine was done up to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of EMD.
Today is C&O and we are off to a fine start. Mike sent lots of pictures and I will have more to say about that later this week.
Here's my offering for today - all first hand stuff.
Passenger Stop
In the smoky West Virginia air stood a small group of people on the platform at the brick railroad station waiting for the New York train. Their talk was typical of any mountain town; the women discussing children, families, birth and death; and the men hunting, fishing and the latest gossip from up and down the river. These were hard working people; black and white, tied together for a short time by the common bond of waiting for the New York train.
Obediently following its four locomotives, a 90-car coal train swung off the branch line west of the station and clumped by the building. Three more engines were on the rear with the caboose tucked in behind them. The train pulled off the main line and onto the yard lead only to be passed by another coal train on the main. The second train was an interdivisional or "ID" coal train pulled by four diesels. Smoke billowed up from the tops of the engines and sand poured down as they tried to keep their footing on the rails while pulling the heavy train.
Inside, the ticket agent sold a last coach ticket for Washington, slid the ticket window shut, and made sure the office was locked before lighting another cigarette and going outside to drag the heavy baggage wagon, its iron wheels clanking, down to the east end of the cracked concrete platform.
A sharp-eared passenger heard a locomotive blowing for the tunnel west of the station and said, "Here it comes." Another blast from the horn and the train surged out of the tunnel, roared past the station and braked to a noisy screeching halt. Here, clearly, was an engineer who liked to bring it in fast and hit the mark as he stopped. The car doors opened and a handful of passengers climbed down while others boarded. Up front, the agent handed suitcases and boxes into the baggage car's gaping doors. The baggage handler passed a few suitcases and boxes down to the ticket agent along with a manila envelope stamped "R.R.B." This was company mail. The conductor stood impatiently by the open coach door, waiting for the two men to finish their work. They were done. The conductor flipped a highball signal to the engineer; two blasts on the horn, the "sough" of releasing brakes, and the train was rolling again, continuing its journey east.
Mint Juleps and Black Diamonds: Memories of the "George Washington"
The focus of this story is the on the C&O. Listed in the timetable as train 2-22-42-46, the "George Washington" served a lot of places with a lot of trains, all under the same name. Train 2 operated between St. Louis and Washington; train 22 ran from Louisville to Ashland, KY; train 42 handled traffic between Charlottesville and Newport News, VA; and train 46 ran between Detroit and Huntington, WV. Four trains operating under one name.
The consist was confusing as well if you didn't take time to study it. Eastbound, the C&O operated 10/6 "Chessie Starlight Sleepers" between Louisville and Washington and Cincinnati and New port News. Coaches ran between St. Louis and Washington, DC; Louisville and Washington, Detroit and Huntington; Huntington and Newport News and Cincinnati and Newport News. A diner operated between Cincinnati and Washington and Louisville and Washington, a "snack diner" between Charlottesville and Newport News, and a coffee shop car between Vincennes and Cincinnati.
The Louisville section of the "George" carried us toward the east and home over more than a few holiday seasons and on other occasions..
Louisville Union Station, right up until the end of railroad-operated passenger service, had an eclectic collection of trains, including runs operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the L&N, and by the Chesapeake and Ohio.
Louisville had an architectural resemblance to the stations at Nashville and Montgomery, Alabama, in that both structures were made of stone and had large train sheds. The track layout was different in Louisville, however. Whereas Nashville and Montgomery were through stations, Louisville was a stub on a wye which meant that trains had to sometimes back into the station or nose into the station depending on which way they were headed.
The L&N was the biggest presence there, but the C&O made itself known as well. Let us begin.
Just before Amtrak, the Louisville and Nashville's "Pan American" operated between Cincinnati and New Orleans via Louisville. It carried through cars for Florida from the "South Wind" between Louisville and Montgomery where these cars were handed over to the Seaboard Coast Line for the remainder of their journey. The "South Wind" did not operate every day, so the "Pan" was shorter than usual on certain runs.
The "Pan American" carried a mixture of stainless steel and blue-painted cars. The stainless cars generally had block lettering while the blue cars carried the name Louisville and Nashville in gold script. Some of the stainless cars had black script lettering.
The usual "Pan" consist included a baggage car, two or more coaches, a counter-lounge, and a 10/6 sleeper which operated between Louisville and New Orleans. "South Wind" cars usually ran on the head end. These cars included coaches and sleepers and a dome car during the winter season.
Power was either a pair of E7s or a pair of E8s in gray and yellow livery. The E8s were mostly ex-Frisco units which had been named for racehorses. Some of these engines survived until Amtrak days and finished out their careers in Pittsburgh.
The ride from Nashville to Louisville always included a big breakfast in the L&N's dining car. The counter-lounge cars were ex Maine-Central cars. A heavyweight diner ran on the days the lightweight counter cars did not. The heavyweight car gave a beautiful ride. The northbound run was through pleasant rolling countryside. The train moved along at a steady pace except for its passage over Muldraughs Hill. The hill was as big an operational headache to the "Old Reliable: as Alleghany was to the C&O.
Since Louisville Union Station's layout was that of a stub on a wye, all trains had to go through some complicated maneuvers to get into the station. The Es would be cut off and a black and gold painted SW switcher would attack the train. The Wind cars and the Louisville sleeper would be cut out and shoved onto adjacent tracks. The baggage car would be recoupled to the train. Meanwhile, car inspectors would be checking running gear while another crew watered the cars. A new set of Es backed down and coupled onto the train. Baggage and express would be loaded and unloaded. While all of this was happening, the "South Wind's" cars were being readied for their trip up the P Company to Chicago. All of this business was conducted under an immense train shed - as only the L&N had on their stations. The "South Wind" departed, immediately followed by the "Pan American."
It was then that passengers noticed the short train sitting in the far corner of the train shed. A sign at the gate, black letters on a yellow background, proclaimed that this train was the C&O flagship, "George Washington." The "George" left Louisville behind a single E8. The cars were stainless steel with blue and yellow striping, except for the head end car which was blue and gray. The consist included a combine coach, one or two lightweight coaches, a "Club" series diner lounge and a "City" series 10/6 sleeper, often the "City of Beckley." The train was always clean; inside and out. Those of us who periodically enjoyed some of the excesses of the northeast were surprised at how clean the C&O managed to keep their equipment; even in winter.
The train would be called far enough in advance to allow the passengers to get settled in. Departure from Louisville was always interesting because of the "street" running the train dad while getting out of town. The cars really rocked going through the wye track and switches around the station.
Between Louisville and Winchester, Kentucky, was the roughest part of the trip. The station at Winchester was a brick structure with a distinct C&O architectural flavor. This was the boundary between rough and smooth track.
The "George" was now on the C&O and it immediately picked up speed on its eastward trip across Kentucky. This part of the ride was through gentle rolling country which was full of farms. The grass was like a green carpet in the spring, and even in the winter, the harshness of snow and bare trees was somewhat softened by the contours of the landscape.
The diner beckoned between Lexington and Ashland. The menu included three entrees: roast beef, fish, or pork chops. Dinner included potatoes, vegetable, and salad. Passengers could select dessert from blueberry pie, baked apple, ice cream with chocolate sauce, or cheese and crackers. The complete roast beef dinner sold for $4.25. There was also a buffet special, usually veal parmagiana, which listed for $2.75.
The Louisville section arrived at Ashland at 8:30 p.m. The Detroit section pulled in at around 8:50 p.m. and the trains were combined for the 25-minute trip to Huntington. The Cincinnati section arrived at Ashland at 9:24 p.m., and departed at 9:30 p.m. for a 9:50 p.m. arrival at Huntington. All trains were combined at Huntington for the trek across the mountains to Charlottesville. This involved a lot of switching, and it was possible to lose track of where your car was. Train personnel were careful to warn passengers to "stick close" to their cars, especially if one or the other trains was running late.
The passage through West Virginia, especially along New River in the moonlight was beautiful, but the smooth ride often put me to sleep.
The "George" was broken up at Charlottesville. The early riser would be treated to watching a GP7 or GP9 making up the Newport News and Washington sections of the train. Yard engineers handled the cars gently to keep from awakening sleeping passengers, but no time was wasted in switching.
E8s would couple onto the Washington section, air tests would be made, and the "George" set off on the last leg of its journey to Washington. The run finished on joint C&O/Southern trackage. The train paused at Alexandria, passed by Pot Yard, crossed the Potomac and slid under the Capitol into the lower level of Washington Union station. The Es would be cut off to thread their way through the maze of terminal trackage to Ivy City. Passengers streamed toward the station at a blue and white Washington Terminal RS1 coupled onto the George and pulled it off to the coach yard to be cleaned, turned, and readied for its next trip.
Each railroad's passenger trains had their own atmosphere which gave the trains their character. The "George Washington" was no exception.
The "George" used to carry through cars to New York. These cars ran on the Pennsylvania Railroad north of Washington. It was a splendid sight to see stainless, blue and yellow C&O cars mixed in with tuscan red PRR cars, rolling along behind a GG1. The C&O cars stood out among other cars from different lines at Sunnyside Yard. An alert passenger could easily spot them in the yard from the window of a "Penn job" coming off the Hell Gate Bridge and into New York.
I was awakened in my roomette one snowy night just before Christmas, 1969. The "George" had been late out of Huntington because of heavy snows in Ohio which had delayed the Cincinnati sections. I had gone to bed but was now wide awake from the rocking motion of a train in a hurry. Snow billowed up along the sides of the cars from the speed of our passing. The "George" was making up time and a pair of C&O E8s were letting the scattered houses along the way know about it. We rounded a curve and far behind I could see the markers on the last car (a business car) shining through the snow. We had about 22 cars on the train; 17 of which went to Washington. We were late into Washington, but the sight of the train in the snow was worth the delay.
On May 1, 1971 I rode the last "Pan American" from Nashville to Louisville. The Pan carried its usual consist plus cars from the "Gulf Wind," a tri-weekly train which ran between New Orleans and Jacksonville. A track gang was working at the north end of the station trackage in Nashville. They removed their caps as the last "Pan" passed by. I watched the switching drill at Louisville. The "Pan" departed, and then the headlight of C&O 1468 stabbed through the darkness under the train shed. The last Louisville section of the "George" passed in review; a typical consist with the "City of Beckley" bringing up the rear. The train swept by, its engine and cars rocking through the switches. It went around the wye and was gone; just a faint haze of smoke in the air. It seemed like another day's departure from Louisville, but it was the end of an era.
work safe
Ruth, a double "hit" of Jack and set one aside for the Cap'n. He's had a baaaaaaaaad start to the day and those of us who "know" owe him at least a drink!
I see that the C&O is off 'n running THANKS to a fine beginning for us all by our Mentor & Proprietor, Tom. Perhaps the last to get mentioned, if ever by some. Anyway, I appreciate the work you put into EVERYTHING for us!
Haven't decided on what weekend for the use of the "Penthouse Suite," but I'll surely keep it secret from this gathering! <grin>
Three follow-up offerings from Mike - James - and Shane.
I will be back next week, not sure what day, but if all goes as planned, we should be home on Sunday.
Here's my book covers for this Theme Day!
(some may not enlarge)
Lunch on me today, set 'em up Ruth 'n treats for the critters, including Boris!
Quick pint of Taylor's Landlord please. Just wanted to thank Tom for the heads up on the Hudson's bay run - accurate and up to date - cheers. Will be back in due course for other acknowldegments and comments, but out and about for the next 2 days or so. Will be able to check out the C&O info and due course. Thansk for the congrats on the 1,000th post by the way to all who marked the event!
A pint of bitter and a round for a great C&O theme day please RUTH.
Having a lot of problems with the net on my puter today and it looks a though a thunder storm is heading in. So I will post this advert that TOM posted on page 372 of the old thread, then I will have a read of the posts and back later with the acknowledgements..
Here's something to enjoy regarding the C&O from a 1940 advertisement found in one of my scrap books. first Posted on page 148 YOU'LL WISH YOU COULD LOOK both ways AT ONCE! EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS call it "The most beautiful train trip in the East," this mountain-and-canyon route of Chesapeake and Ohio Lines. On this magnificent journey you look out and down upon waves of mountains - the majestic Alleghanies, the mysteriously tinted Blue Ridge . . . upon valleys stretching like bright carpets to the far, purple hills. The scene changes - and you look up the towering green walls of the New River Gorge as you roll smoothly through the widest and deepest canyon this side of the Rockies. Yes, when you watch this panorama of thrilling beauty from your train windows, you'll wish you could look both ways at once! On your next trip east or west GO CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO . . . and enjoy glorious mountain country! You'll travel in complete comfort, on the smoothest of roadbeds, in cool, clean air-conditioned cars that invite you to relax by day and Sleep Like a Kitten at night . . . When you travel west or east, plan to ride through The Chessie Corridor on these famous trains- THE GEORGE WASHINGTON - THE SPORTSMAN - THE F. F. V. Sleep like a Kitten THE CHESSIE CORRIDOR, The Scenic Route of the East A NEW BOOK on Chessies Travel Packages will help you plan interesting, economic trips. Write for free copy to Chesapeake and Ohio Travel Services, 829 East Main St., Richmond, Va. George Washington's Railroad CHESAPEAKE and OHIO Lines Original Predecessor Company Founded by George Washington in 1785 Enjoy!
Thanks TOM for letting me use this great ad.
Good afternoon Ruth. I see that you've had some business this afternoon which is all good. I'll grab a keith's and leave a little extra to help wet the whistles of anyone comming in latter today.
Tom-First off top notch info on the railroad of the week ( our theme days have expanded these last couple of weeks or so which is a good thing )As always an inclusive and informative report an A+ to be sure.I'm glad that you approve of next weeks choice, all Canadian roads are fine with me.My computer survived my ham handed memory upgrades, alas I'm just not a techie which is why I'll never go to DCC either .If I hear about a concerted effort where the museum is concerned I'll definatly let you know.Most people up hear are just giving it to thier MP's with both barrels. My next coarse of action is to look into emailing the museum directly seems to be a logical next step.
Lars-Great books as always. We will miss your presance around here but we will over come and keep your stool warm and your beer cold.
CM3-Wow's all I can say. You certainly have not dissapointed, a well rounded piece sir I to you !
James-Good to see you in a couple days in a row,some mighty fine pictures to boot Nice to see that wheeled dinosaur behind the Geep I look forward to seeing the shots you mentioned of the WC employee train. I imagine that the stock used was Algoma Central equipment from their passenger pool.
Eric-good news about Tucons streetcars, bad news about that poor fellow you helped, I hope he does get the care and shelter he needs and the fool that did it to him gets what he deserves.I'm with Tom though as much as cold and snow's annoying I could not live for long in your climate down there.
Mike-great article and great urls to go along with. i love it when we are firing on all cylnders around here
Pete-I'm glad that you made it in.erhaops you need to cross your eyes amd type backwards to avoid the sign on demons / 's.Hopefully Ms. Throttlebotom was able to show you those tricks in te typing classes.
Good aftrenoon again folks, Ruth another round of Keith's if you would be so kind.Before I get to my contribution for the day that sort of covers both of the last two. Let me first say to Pete, that I enjoyed the advert you posted, I couldn't see it on the first read through then it materialized wierd ,but then we are accustomed the that around here.
THEME OF THE DAY THEME OF THE DAY THEME OF THE DAY
THE END OF THE B&O MERGER WITH THE C&O
As with many railroads of the time the 1960's were not good to the B&O. It along with some of the other great eastern roads of the past like the NYC and PRR, started the slide towards mergers to continue theuir existance as viable transportation systems in the ever modernizing world.
THE B&O AND C&O
Going against the unions and most of the wishes of many of the eastern roads, the ICC said yes to the merger of the B&O/C&O on new years eve 1962.It was thought that in some quarters this resulting railroad would end up being the strongest one in the east.On Feb 4 1963, the C&O formalized it's control over it's once rival B&O. This change of power took place one minute past midnight and was the moment the ICC approval became a reality. The knot was teid in the B&O's boardroom, fitting I think of the nation's oldest railroad.
thios combined system owned 11,000 miles of track stretching from the Atlantic, to the Mississippi River,and from the Great Lakes to the southern boarder of Kentucky. The B&O railroad obtained loans from C&O's financeers to enhance it's aging locomotive fleet, and to refurbish tunnels , yards and fleet facilities.In march 1968, the ICC approved the aquisition of the Western maryland by the B&O/C&O railway adding this 800 mile regional road to the system.
Over the yeasr after the merhger C&O people slowly replaced the old guard at the B&O with Gregory DeVine assuming the dual presidancies on the death of B&O President Tuohy in 1966.By 1970, the B&O Board included six men that also served on teh C&O board and 94 percent of the B&O was in the holdings of teh C&O.
END OF PASSENGER SERVICE
The B&O's passeneger service had been a long time loser of money and amny lines had alraady been cut back.Yet the federal govt still had not allowed the major interurban carriers like te B&O to shed these money losing services.So the B&O like many other roads continued to hemorrhege cash on passenger service.Once the government decided to form Amtrak, the B&O like many of the rest of the nations railways paid out a lump sum and discontinued their passenger services, leaving them to the federally operated Amtrak.A payment of 29.6 milion was made to the National railroad Passenger Corporation in 1970, and thus freed the B&O/C&O to become all freight operations.
CHESSIE SYSTEM
In 1971 Presidient DeVine, retired and was replaced by Hays Watkins, a C&O man since 1949.President watkins had the name Chessie System adopted as the marketing name for the C&O/B&O/WM conglomorate. The C&O and B&O continued to operate separattly but now shared a common head office in Cleveland.
The name Chessie refers to the C&O's cat logo first used in the early 1930's as a gimmikc for the then C&O's passeneger sevice.The C&O used the kitten sleeping on a blanket in a Fortune mag ad in 1933 and the tag line sleep like a kitten.Thinking originally that Chessie should have a B&O counterpart for ad purposes as well, they came up with "BESSIE" the cat for B&O, but after a shareholders survey they decided that it was not a good idea, so Bessie died on the drawing board.They did however at the time adopt the now famouc C with the cat Silhouette used on their locomotives and ads, adding it to the WM as well once the WM was completely absorbed into teh Chessie System in 1974. At this time the Blue yellow and Vermillion painted locomotives began arriving on scene , with the only notion of the original owners being a B&O, C&) or WM initial under the cab road numbers.
Many THANX to all for the Posts in support of our "Theme for the Day - C&O"!!
Mike at 7:40 AM today: A fine spate of URLs coupled with a narrative at the beginning to hail the Chesapeake & Ohio Theme for the Day! Of course a well done to our not-so-silent Mike, the URLMeisterMonster.
Love that "triple crossing" URL! And so many, many others . . .
Between the Wikipedia "stuff" and the Time article, there's more than enough to satisfy one's curiosity about the C&O. Well done!
James at 7:43 AM today: An early riser from Duluth and some Pix to boost the C&O ‘theme' - thanx!
I can recall seeing loco's and cars with the dual B&O - C&O markings and wondering, why??? Now we all know . . . Don't think Chessie will ever "get it" for me when it comes to what was and when it was.
CM3 at 9:12 AM today: First time you provided us with that Mint Juleps and Black Diamonds work of joy was way back on May 30th, 2006 on Page 345 of the original Thread. Enjoyed it then - enjoyed it again today! Also the Passenger Stop makes for fine reading as well. Both designed to make one "feel" the experiences chronicled. A gift you have, fer sure, fer sure! Thanx for both!
A-Rod is hotter ‘n a firecracker, but the Yanks keep losing. Undoubtedly makes your heart "glow." <grin> Cards ‘n Cubs here should be a bit more of a contest in comparison with the ‘wind blowing out' game on this past Sunday.
Appreciate the round, quarters ‘n visit!
Lars at 12:04 PM today: First - thanx for the Email and phone call and Email. You're working overtime, Mate - chill, man, chill. <grin>
Some super fine book covers today and they surely covered the spectrum for our "theme" C&O. Nicely done and really adds to the idea of what we try to accomplish here on Tuesdays!
I'm guessing Ruth isn't heading off to Florida and there's no informative forth coming regarding the "occupant du jour" for the Penthouse Suite, eh
Have a safe and stress free venture down to the Keys. Hope the choice you and your bride make is precisely what you both want and that all turns out even better than anticipated! We'll surely miss our Manager, and so will "you know WHO!!!" <grin>
DL at 12:09 PM today: Many thanx for the visit and glad you found the VIA Rail info of some assistance. When all else fails - call ‘em. Eventually even the "800" number people will figure out what is going on!
Be lookin' for ya in a few days . . .
Pete at 2:19 PM today: Thanx for the phone call. Sorry to learn your ‘puter is giving you fits, but glad to see that you made it to the bar.
How did we EVER make it from day to day WITHOUT these "things," eh
Rendezvous is almost upon us - and I just received the "clearance and authorization" from Metro (operators of our MetroLink light rail) giving the "okay" to take pictures! Only took ‘em from late March to authorize it. Well at least that "detail" is out of the way . . .
Hey, no sweat on the use of any material I've placed at the bar. That's kinda the way we do things when the ‘well runs dry' on "stuff." Looks good to me!
Weather Gurus are predicting some bad storms for us too - coming in later this evening. Maybe they'll wear themselves out before reaching these parts . . . I've gotta go to a subdivision meeting tonight. <ugh> Not something I enjoy and always a reminder to NEVER, EVER volunteer! <grin> You'd think I'd have learned THAT lesson many decades ago when I signed over the best part of my adult life to the organization I gave 32 years to. Maybe I didn't get "rich," but I'm far "richer" for the experiences!
Rob at 3:39 PM ‘n 3:47 PM today: Really surprise ‘n a treat to see the trolleyMAN again, and twice at that during the PM daylight!
A nice "cap" to the B&O - C&O merger. Info that puts much of it into a better perspective, fer sure, fer sure!
Didn't know about the Chessie ‘n Bessie "thing" either!
About the museum "flap": keeping up the pressure is the BEST that anyone can do at this juncture. They seem perfectly ‘content' with the approach they've taken to "look into" the matter. I keep thinking about those brave men who did what had to be done to put down the tyranny of the times . . . Revisionist is a dirty word. <barf>
Too bad we can't "connect" by train between here ‘n there - I used to know a guy who lived up in Ontario (Greenwoods, I believe - NE of Toronto) who used to travel between St. Louis ‘n Toronto on business. Said he'd book sleepers because he didn't have to ch
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