C&NW's Lake Street tower at the throat of Northwestern Station?
It controlled a lot more tjan four tracks! Again, only four tracks, with the siwtches arraanged just so one good go from any the four to any other of the four. And this still in true, except the control is from a locaton three miles away and not from the tower.
Important: Sentance on the question post should have been: Construcion is NOT typical; however visiblilty was excellent.
HINTS: During the Classic period and well after WWII, the four tracks hosted trains of two railroads, one the owner and one with trackage rights. The owner's trains split to two directions about 1-1/2 miles north of the tower, the railraod with trackage rights left one of the routes about six miles further north.
Amtrak operated through the tower-controlled switches on any and all of the four tracks. During Amtrak's period, originally the two raiklroads operated, then one, and then a different one.
The tower is/was a bridge spanning the four tracks!
Cove tower near Back Bay in Boston?
Controls a diverging route, separates the ex NYC-B&A from the ex NYNH&H The two routes are on different tracks at Back Bay if my memory is correct concerning the new station, with three tracks for the ex-NYNH&H routes and one station track and one bypass for the B&A. The old station, after construction of intown Mass Pike, had four for the NYNH&H and only one for the B&A, without a bypass track. Before in-town Mass Pike, the B&A had three, with only one at the then unused side of the Back Bay platform. B&A utilizing Trinity Place outbound and Huntington Avenue inbound, instead of Back Bay.
MY tower did not control a diverging route. The four tracks north and the four tracks south are the same route.
But it is between two stations like Cove Tower, and in a way the situation is analogous.
One more hint. passenger trains only plus occsaional work train, but no freight service for the past 125 years.
There is only one owner and one operator (the same) today but Amtrak also did run here. Not now though.
Before the present owner there was one that essentially does not exist although the name is used for a specific purpose but not at this tower. Before that owner, the owner and operator (besides Amtrak) was in bankruptcy.
For a long time the ceenter two tracks were signalled bi-dirrecitonal, but not the outer two tracks. I think this was done when the line was converted from double tracck to four-tracks. (It was never single-track.) Near or at the tower was a local station. The development of local rapid transit made local service on this portion of the line unnecessary, and the station was removed about 90 years ago. Elsewhere, the remains of a local station can be seen from trains on the easternmost and westernmost tracks, but not from tains on the two center tracks. And for about 80 yeas all four four tracks are bidirectional.
I can't name the tower but it has to be on the approach to Grand Central between GCT and 125th st., probably in the Park Ave. tunnel. Dates work out right - original GCT was around 1880. Lexington Ave subway would have eliminated the need for local service. Amtrak ran here until 1991. Long distance trains that arrived or departed during rush hours often ran "wrong main" in NYC days.
I will agree you are the winner. The tower spanned all four tracks on the masonry elevated structure at about 106th Street, and photos from the south end of the 125th St. station prior to 18 years ago should show it. The switches are still there, and are useful expecially during times of track maintenance. There used to be local stations at 110th St., 86th,, and 59th St. 59th was pretty much removed with throat expansion, 110th, elevated platforms both sides, was removed completely, and 86th, underground, can sill be seen.
There are are two pairs of railroads that match the statements below:
These two railroads served much of the same territory, had similar steam locomotives, and chose similar equipment to electrify some of their operations. Their electrifications did not touch each other, but there was an electrical tie between them. In one case, one became part of the other, in the other both became part of the same railroad (after our -50 years window).
Virginian / Norfolk & Western - The VGN became a part of the N&W in 1959 and of course both are today part of the NS.
Mark
He is correct, and I would have gotten it if he had not been there first.
But note that if you had said passenger equipment instead of locomotives, then the PRR Philly suburban electrification and the Readings would qualify. Eventually they did meet and are operated as one system by SEPTA today. The Reading could be said to have similar steam locos to PRR as both relied heavily on Paciics. But the Reading's 4-6-0's were camelbacks, but not the PRR's.
Await the KCSFan question
You're both right, but KCSFan got there first. I put up the question thinking of the N&W and VGN, and then realized that RDG/PRR came very close.
In December 1930 an overnight, all Pullman train was inaugurated to accommodate the well heeled devotees of a certain sporting activity. The train ran over four different railroads from major cities to two relatively small towns that were famed as venues for the sport. What was the name of the train, the end points of its route and over what railroads did it run?
The train ran from New York to Southern Pines and Pinehurst for golfers, and ran over the PRR, RF&P, and SAL to Southern Pines, but the track from Southern Pines to Pinehurst was owned by either the Southern or a short line. Someone else needs to supply the train's name.
daveklepper The train ran from New York to Southern Pines and Pinehurst for golfers, and ran over the PRR, RF&P, and SAL to Southern Pines, but the track from Southern Pines to Pinehurst was owned by either the Southern or a short line. Someone else needs to supply the train's name.
I am impressed Dave. This train had a short life due to the Great Depression so I thought it might be harder to identify. The OG lists its consist as baggage car, diner and four Pinehurst/Southern Pines - NY sleepers. It's unusual to show a baggage car but I suppose it was listed to let the public know their golf clubs could be carried as checked baggage. The train didn't make a station stop at Raleigh but did pick up/drop off a Raleigh - NY sleeper at Johnson St. which was switched between there and the stub ended Raleigh Union Station. Let's see if someone can name the train and the fourth RR over which it ran.
The Carolina Golfer...
The Carolina Golfer is correct. The fourth road was the original Norfolk Southern which carried the train just six miles between Aberdeen and Pinehurst. It sure is hard to stump you experts and as far as I'm concerned both DaveK and ZO are winners so whichever of you has a question handy go ahead and post it.
ZephyrOverland daveklepper The train ran from New York to Southern Pines and Pinehurst for golfers, and ran over the PRR, RF&P, and SAL to Southern Pines, but the track from Southern Pines to Pinehurst was owned by either the Southern or a short line. Someone else needs to supply the train's name. The Carolina Golfer...
Johnny
If ZO has a new question, I defer to him, since he must also have known what I posted and thus had the more complete knowledge.
I await your question, ZO
Comment: The NS passenger timetable would not show the SAL thru cars, because they were not open to NS local passsengers, just t hose traveling from the North on the SAL.
the baltimore and ohio
Next question...
In 1908, the IC completed its Birmingham Line through trackage rights and some new mileage. What was the first named train that ran on this line? (Hint - It was not the Seminole Limited).
I will guess the Floridan, though I know that was a winter season train in the thirties. In the 1912 and 1916 Guides I have the Seminole Limited is the only through, named, train shown.
Deggesty I will guess the Floridan, though I know that was a winter season train in the thirties. In the 1912 and 1916 Guides I have the Seminole Limited is the only through, named, train shown.
As you said, the Floridan came in after the Seminole Limited. The train I'm looking for was short-lived, and frankly it gave the IC experience in running services to Birmingham, and eventually, beyond.
The January 1910 OG shows the Seminole Ltd and a Corinth - Haleyville local as the only trains running on this line. I think the SL was inaugurated in November 1909 so the train you're looking for had to run prior to that time and since I don't have any OG's in that period I'll have to guess its name. Perhaps it was the Birmingham Ltd (or Special).
KCSfan The January 1910 OG shows the Seminole Ltd and a Corinth - Haleyville local as the only trains running on this line. I think the SL was inaugurated in November 1909 so the train you're looking for had to run prior to that time and since I don't have any OG's in that period I'll have to guess its name. Perhaps it was the Birmingham Ltd (or Special). Mark
Mark,
Thats a very good guess because that's the train I was looking for - the Birmingham Limited. The train was a Fulton-Birmingham run that handled St. Louis-Birmingham and Chicago-Jacksonville Pullmans. The train began in late 1908, shortly after completion of the Birmingham line. At the time, the IC was already handling St. Louis and Chicago to Jacksonville Pullmans through different routings, so I think the Birmingham Limited gave the IC experience in operating Florida services through their own lines via Birmingham, setting the stage for through train service in the form of the Seminole Limited in November 1909. By the time the Seminole Limited was inaugurated, the Birmingham Limited was gone.
Mark, you get the next question.
Good to see you guys back.
If this question has been asked before I apologize for the redundancy. Heck I may even have asked it as I remember thinking about it at one time.
Hundreds of rail lines that were built as narrow gauge were later converted to standard however I know of only one case where a standard gauge line was converted to narrow gauge. What was the railroad, the route and the year in which this reverse conversion too place? What was the reason for building the line as standard gauge in the first place and why was it later narrow gauged?
Mark, was this in Colorado?
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