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Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

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Posted by Dragoman on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 11:07 PM

rcdrye

 

Oakland CA (WP 3rd and Washington; SP 16th St; AT&SF Richmond)

 

 

I find it interesting, how big a part is played by timing, when looking at such questions and answers.

For example, in Oakland, Thr Santa Fe's depot was actually at 40th and San Pablo (on the Oakland/Emeryville border) until 1958.

Also before 1958, Southern Pacific's primary Oakland terminal was the "Oakland Mole", the combined train/ferry transfer station.  Leaving there, trains towards Sacramento and (compass) east, north, and south (through the San Joaquin Valley) would also stop at 16th Street.  Those heading towards San Jose would instead stop at 1st & Broadway depot (near the site of today's Amtrak Jack London Square station).

In fact, I would nominate the Oakland Mole as an un-named union station, since there were periods when WP's California Zephyr and Santa Fe's San Francisco Chief both also continued beyond their respective depots to the Mole.

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Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 6:28 AM

Dave, Can I claim the correct answer yet (I had about 10)?  I will post a new thread on (non-)union stations to continue this discussion.

Dragoman's comment about Oakland Mole reminds me that WP once had its own mole and ferries.  Santa Fe's station at 40th and San Pablo was a late addition - Santa Fe's ferries went from Richmond Point before the Oakland Branch was built in the teens.  WP And AT&SF used SP's Mole and ferries by USRA order during WW I, then continued the practice because it worked well.  AT&SF was the first defector, but not until after the Bay Bridge opened.

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Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 9:39 AM

Yes, rc, by all mwans let us have your question!

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Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 11:45 AM

This pocket streamliner ran under several train names, one of the last being that of a county it ran through, but didn't start or end in. I want:

1. The original name/owner of the train

2. At least one other name it ran under, with endpoints.

3. The name of the county, and the endpoints of the run under that name.

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Posted by rfpjohn on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 1:46 PM

Would that be the B&M/MEC "Flying Yankee", running Portland,ME-Boston-Bangor, ME-Boston-Portland? Later run as the Minuteman and lastly as the "Cheshire" from White River jct.-Boston through Cheshire County, NH?

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Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 2:24 PM

You got the answer before I did.  I should point out, however, that the train was ordered by and owned by the Boston and Maine.  When first put intio service, in 1936, it served the Boston - Portland - Bangor run, and so also carried the Maine Central name, but this was erased when it was diverted to the Minuteman and Cheshire runs.  It went back to the Minuteman run as its last revenue service, Boston - Troy.   Unfortunateliy, the day I was scheduled to ride it, it was in the shop, and all I got was an RS3, two coaches, and a combine, steel, but not air-condioned or with reclining seats, and zero food service.  There is a website for the train's restoration, which is underway.  It is a near duplicate of the Pioneer Zephyr.  Too bad it din't make it to Spencer! Lionel had a popular O-gauge model,   I had one.

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Posted by rfpjohn on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 7:58 PM

Geez! What I wouldn't give to be able to ride behind a RS3 in non-airconditioned coaches, today! At least a round trip fare!

I think maybe I should now pose a question. If so, how about this easy one: Name the railroad which dieselized 100% with minority maker's power from two different manufactuers in the same city. Name the builders and the road. (Note: High speed passenger service is involved)

 

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Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, March 12, 2015 3:03 AM

New York, New Haven, and Hartford dieselized with Alco-GE power for the most part, but I wonder what the other Schectady manufacturer is.  The EMDs did not come until the McGinnis inspired FL9s.

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Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, March 12, 2015 6:24 AM

The "Flying Yankee" was also used in another B&M/MEC service as the "Mountaineer" from Boston to Bretton Woods via the B&M's line to North Conway and the MEC's line over Crawford Notch.  The "Cheshire" operation over the B&M's Cheshire Branch to Keene (seat of Cheshire County) and Bellows Falls VT needed an awkward reverse move over joint B&M/Rutland trackage at Bellows Falls to continue north to White River Jct VT via the B&M's Conn River Line.

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Posted by rfpjohn on Thursday, March 12, 2015 7:57 AM

No, Dave. The New Haven is not it. Didn't NH also buy some FM units in it's final Diesel push?

Also, rcdye: Isn't it troubling to note how many of those runs could never again be duplicated as the lines no longer exist?

 

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Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, March 12, 2015 8:56 AM

Except for the Cheshire line from Ashburnham MA to North Walpole NH and the Troy NY branch used by the Minuteman  the track is still in place for most of them.  The route used by the Flying Yankee is still in use by Pan Am, but the Downeaster takes the other route to Brunswick.  The B&M Freight Main Line is still there to Johnsonville NY and most of the Conway Branch and the Crawford Notch section of MEC's Mountain Division are still operated by New Hampshire North Coast and Conway Scenic.

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Posted by daveklepper on Friday, March 13, 2015 2:54 AM

As you may know, the Cheshire ran to White River Junction via Bellows Falls and not via the direct route through Concord, NH, the route of the Allouette after rerout. So it ran along the Connecticut River B&N-CV line between Bellows Falls and White River Junction.  Most of the Concord - White River Junction line is missing, but the Cheshire did not use that route.  The Concord - Wells River route, the route of the Allouette and Red Wing for most of their lives, is also missing for the most part.  The track from Concord to Plymouth may still be in, but I am not certain.

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Posted by rcdrye on Friday, March 13, 2015 6:37 AM

Concord to Plymouth is still there, owned by the state of NH and leased to a couple of short line and tourist operations, with some inactive segments.

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Posted by DS4-4-1000 on Friday, March 13, 2015 9:23 AM

rfpjohn
If so, how about this easy one: Name the railroad which dieselized 100% with minority maker's power from two different manufactuers in the same city.

The only builders I know which erected locomotives in the same city were Baldwin and Westinghouse in Philadelphia (And Westinghouse moved its production to East Pittsburgh for most of the time they constructed locomotives). 

There were only two Westinghouse customers which had passenger service, Canadian National which doesn't fit the profile since they used GM locomotives, and Long Island which did have Mike and Ike from Westinghouse and one Baldwin.  But Long Island dieselized mostly with Alco and FM lcomotives so it doesn't really fit.

Alco and GE don't fit because Alco erected diesels in Schenectady and GE in Erie, and yes I know GE has its rotating equipment plant in Schenectady but it was not a locomotive erection hall.

FM and GE don't fit because even though the Erie Built locomotives came from the Erie plant they were GE built under contract to FM and not built by FM.

Anyone else have an idea?

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Posted by rfpjohn on Friday, March 13, 2015 10:03 AM

Kind of a rotten trick, but I have to tell you that one of the manufactuers technically didn't build locomotives, but it's products were used in lieu of locomotive hauled consists.

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Friday, March 13, 2015 11:28 AM

Hey, RFPJohn, were you a college professor in your previous evil life?    LOL    Baldwin and Budd Company then.   Both Philly area.     I'll let someone else fill in the railroad to which you are referring.

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by rfpjohn on Friday, March 13, 2015 1:00 PM

No, Mr. Dean. I don't believe my former self was any more educated than my present self. Maybe just as evil, though! You've got the manufactuers correct. The rest should be real easy.

John

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Posted by rcdrye on Friday, March 13, 2015 2:29 PM

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, with Baldwin switchers, DRS-4-4-1500 and AS16 road-switchers, and RDCs. While it didn't run high-speed passenger trains itself, it connected with PATCO's Lindenwold High-Speed Line.

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Posted by rfpjohn on Friday, March 13, 2015 2:57 PM

PRSL is correct Mr. drye,  but actually they did run quite a few high speed passenger trains. Vernon tower (just west of Haddonfield) to Penred (near Abseacon) was good for 80mph and Winslow-Tuckahoe for 75mph, according to the 1950 employees timetable. These posted speeds were more of a suggestion than the actual practice. I've witnessed 90mph on the Budd cars during the mid 70s. Passenger service into Philadelphia 30th street lasted until about 1971, after which, the remaining shore service terminated at Lindenwold.

The next question is yours, sir.

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Posted by rcdrye on Saturday, March 14, 2015 9:25 AM

This western train that ran entirely within one state required two engine changes on its daily run.

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Saturday, March 14, 2015 10:09 AM

rcdrye

This western train that ran entirely within one state required two engine changes on its daily run.

 

Could this be GN's Seattle-Spokane Cascadian, which until 1956 was handled under wire between Wenatchee and Skykomish?

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Posted by rcdrye on Sunday, March 15, 2015 8:11 AM

Very good!  The Seattle - Spokane daylight train The Cascadian became a "streamliner" in 1954, often drawing Y1b 5011 which had been rebuilt with EMD-style cabs.  The 1954 version got cars released in the shuffle that started with domes for the "Empire Builder", ending up with a coach and a lunchcounter-lounge coach with 18 parlor-like seats for a seat charge "with any class of ticket".  After the electrification was discontineud, the F7s or GP9s ran through until the train was dropped in 1959

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, March 16, 2015 7:13 AM

Zephyr, where is your question?

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Posted by DS4-4-1000 on Monday, March 16, 2015 8:02 AM

rfpjohn

PRSL is correct Mr. drye,  but actually they did run quite a few high speed passenger trains. Vernon tower (just west of Haddonfield) to Penred (near Abseacon) was good for 80mph and Winslow-Tuckahoe for 75mph, according to the 1950 employees timetable. These posted speeds were more of a suggestion than the actual practice. I've witnessed 90mph on the Budd cars during the mid 70s. Passenger service into Philadelphia 30th street lasted until about 1971, after which, the remaining shore service terminated at Lindenwold.

The next question is yours, sir.

Calling a Budd RDC a locomotive is far more than a stretch.  Budd made it abundantly clear that the warranty was voided if the Car was used to pull anything.  So is a speeder a locomotive? It could pull a car on the level, given some rope. 

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Monday, March 16, 2015 10:07 AM

daveklepper

Zephyr, where is your question?

Dave, give me a day to think up another one.....

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Posted by rfpjohn on Monday, March 16, 2015 10:19 AM

DS4-4-1000
 
rfpjohn

PRSL is correct Mr. drye,  but actually they did run quite a few high speed passenger trains. Vernon tower (just west of Haddonfield) to Penred (near Abseacon) was good for 80mph and Winslow-Tuckahoe for 75mph, according to the 1950 employees timetable. These posted speeds were more of a suggestion than the actual practice. I've witnessed 90mph on the Budd cars during the mid 70s. Passenger service into Philadelphia 30th street lasted until about 1971, after which, the remaining shore service terminated at Lindenwold.

The next question is yours, sir.

 

Calling a Budd RDC a locomotive is far more than a stretch.  Budd made it abundantly clear that the warranty was voided if the Car was used to pull anything.  So is a speeder a locomotive? It could pull a car on the level, given some rope. 

 

I DID say it was a rotten trick. I still stand by that statement! Didn't a few roads actually use Budd cars to haul additional equipment? I'm thinking M&StL and possibly and the Monon?

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, March 16, 2015 10:45 AM

rfpjohn
  

I DID say it was a rotten trick. I still stand by that statement! Didn't a few roads actually use Budd cars to haul additional equipment? I'm thinking M&StL and possibly and the Monon? 

I believe you're right about the M&StL and there may have been others too but AFAIK the Monon never owned an RDC.

Mark

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Monday, March 16, 2015 11:04 AM

KCSfan
rfpjohn
  

I DID say it was a rotten trick. I still stand by that statement! Didn't a few roads actually use Budd cars to haul additional equipment? I'm thinking M&StL and possibly and the Monon? 

 

I believe you're right about the M&StL and there may have been others too but AFAIK the Monon never owned an RDC.

Mark

I recall seeing a picture in Trains magazine of a C&EI RDC pulling a coach.  Budd was not too pleased of this use of RDC's and brought up possbility of voiding the warranty of an RDC if it was damaged or malfunctioned in the process of hauling a non-RDC car.

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Monday, March 16, 2015 11:38 AM

So, where are we?   I know what you're thinking, did he fire 5 or 6 shots.  Well, fankly, in all the confusion, I lost track myself.  WHOSE question is out there? Whistling

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Monday, March 16, 2015 12:07 PM

FlyingCrow

So, where are we?   I know what you're thinking, did he fire 5 or 6 shots.  Well, fankly, in all the confusion, I lost track myself.  WHOSE question is out there? Whistling

 

I have the next question - will be posting it soon.

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