Mark wins! MACON DUBLIN & SAVANNAH. Of course the same place both the MD&S and GM ended up was...the SAL.
Have at it!
What was the last 3 ft.-6 in. gauge railroad to operate in the US?
Mark
Hint of the day:
It wasn't very wide and it wasn't very long but this little road together with a leased affiliate of the same gauge surprisingly operated in three different states.
Today's hint:
With tight curves and up to 6% grades this road rostered only Climaxes and Shays. Some, if not all, of its engines were fitted with both knuckle and link and pin couplers.
Maybe another hint will generate some guesses.
Because of its traffic potential, in the early 1920's the stock of this railroad was was purchased by a major Class I which retained its old name and continued narrow guage operation. The road's "crack" passenger train was unofficially known as the Tri-State Limited. This train averaged 11 mph in one direction and 8.4 mph in the other.
That did it..... I didn't realize it was 3'-6". Thought it was only 3'. The BIG SANDY & CUMBERLAND. Owned by the N&W.
Bingo, we have a winner. The line ran from Devon, WV, through a corner of Kentucky and terminated at Grundy VA. It was originally a logging railroad but wound up serving the numerous coal mines that were opened in the area. Between 1928 and 1931 the N&W invested heavily in the line, converting it to standard gauge and reducing its curvatures and grades. The BS&C name was dropped and the line became the Buchanan Branch of the N&W. 2-6-6-2's then replaced the narrow gauge Shays and Climaxes. Passenger service ended in 1957 when the N&W dropped the Devon - Grundy mixed train. The line of course is now the NS and is still a big hauler of coal.
Flying Crow passes the baton to WANS for the question. Break it up a bit. That was a booger, Mark. It took the last hint for the brain to kick in.
The New York Central's St. John's Place Freight Terminal?
Chicago Union Station? The description sounds like the Chicago Post Office.
Dave is darn close, geographically. Passenger station.
Penn Station?
Penn? My fault. This station had exactly 5 tracks.
The Pre-2001 PATH World Trade Center Station in the basemrnt of the World Trade Towers.
Very, very close. Remember, classic railroad quiz refers to 50 or more years ago.
H&M's Hudson Terminal.
Actually , I'd be happy for Dave to ask the next question since he did all the legwork. N.B. I posted the answer around 2PM his time.
C'mon, I was kidding. The next question is unmistakably not Dave's burden.
I'm up on the other forum anyway. You guys are good enough it's hard to get two stumpers at the same time.
Here's a good one, though: One of this city's cable car lines was extended out a radial street, at least partly to serve the baseball park where the team with the all-time worst major league record played.
Well, the worst major league team is a little subjective, but I'd say Brooklyn. But way way back in the 19th century. Second up, Kansas City.
You have it nicely bracketed. I will give away that its a National League team, and the other (A.L.) team in the city is still active.
rcdrye You have it nicely bracketed. I will give away that its a National League team, and the other (A.L.) team in the city is still active.
Chicago Cubs
Ah, the poor old Cubbies. Granted they've had a rough time of it since they banned "the goat" , but they aren't the worst team ever. Not according to Cooperstown.
The Cubs played on the West Side in the Cable Car era, not moving to the North Side until some years later. (Metropolitan West Side Elevated was used to reach the Cubs park) This was a different city, and the Baseball franchise and and Cable railway were owned by the same person. The team ran up a 20-134 record in 1899, once blowing a 10 run lead in the 9th (sportswriters really wanted to know how they got 10 runs in the first place.) The cable line was one of two in the city, both running east of the downtown area, both converted to electric in 1900 and 1901. No record of whether the disastrous season forced the conversion.
If asked the various endpoints of this railroads's lines circa 1940, it's fairly certain most of us would mention a certain city. The equipment section of this road's representation in the Official Guides show coaches and sleepers running to and from this city. In fact, trains of that road did not run into this city but that is evident only if you read a note in the OG's of the time.
Name the city, the railroad and the particulars of its operation in this locale.
Just for the record the Cubs were NOT the team. The Cubs didn't even beome the Cubs until 1903. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders, owned by Frank Robison, who also owned the Cleveland City Railway, had the 20-134 record (.129). The Spiders played in League Park, also owned by Robison, which was on Lexington Avenue on the outer part of the Payne Avenue Line. The other cable line was on Superior. On the other hand, it was a throwaway question, so let's go with Mark's.
The Cub's record the year of the last Chicago cable operation (1906) was 116-36 (.763), good enough for the NL Pennant.
As I re-read it I see that I mis-interpreted your reply to my mention of the Cubs. Sorry for the mistake and I withdraw the new question I had asked.
Let's leave your question active - I already answered the old one. Besides, I've already invested brain power trying to answer your question!
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