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Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Saturday, June 28, 2014 8:55 AM

ZephyrOverland

For the 1893 and 1901 World Fairs, a number of railroads named or partially renamed their trains to tie into the expositions being held.  The "Exposition" moniker was used on a number of trains for both fairs, but during each fair, other unique monikers were used with some train names specifically for each fair. 

Name the moniker that was utilized on some trains during the 1893 Worlds Fair and another name that was that was utilized on other trains for the 1901 Worlds Fair and supply some examples. 

Myron

A number of individuals contributed parts of answers to this question.  The answers I was looking for was:

For the 1893 Worlds Fair, a number of railroads operated trains with "Columbian" as part of their name.  Examples include:

-Columbian Banner Limited - Wabash - Chicago-St. Louis
-Columbian Express - PRR - Jersey City-Chicago
-Columbian Limited - ATSF - Los Angeles-Chicago
-Columbian Limited - Frisco - Galveston-St. Louis
-Chicago Columbian Exposition Express - MC - Buffalo-Chicago

The 1901 Worlds Fair was subtitled the Pan-American Exposition, resulting in a number of trains with the "Pan-American" moniker:

-Pan-American Express - L&N/Vandalia/PRR/CA&C/Erie - St. Louis/Nashville-Buffalo
-Pan-American Express - NYC&HR - New York-Buffalo
-Pan-American Express - LS&MS - Chicago-Buffalo
-Pan-American Express - NYC&HR/MC/TH&B/CP - New York-Buffalo-Toronto
-Pan-American Limited - RI - Denver/Colorado Springs-Chicago
-Pan-American Special - MC - Chicago-Buffalo
-Pan-American Special - Q&C - New Orleans-Cincinnati
-Pan-American Special - Wabash - St. Louis-Buffalo

Partial correct answers were submitted by Dave, rdcrye, Johnny and wanswheel

To break this 4 way tie, I'm going to ask another question:

What was the last pre-Amtrak train to be renamed in honor of a Worlds Fair?

There could be 2 possible answers.  The winner needs to give the train name, RR, destinations and for which Worlds Fair the train was referring to?

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Posted by wanswheel on Thursday, June 26, 2014 1:06 PM

    

“Pan American Exposition visitors are taken to Buffalo over The Akron Route from Nashville on the Pan American Express which daily runs on that schedule via L&N—Pennsylvania—Erie Lines Special to Buffalo and to Niagara Falls and Canadian resorts with stop-overs at Buffalo.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLPWsVJe_SQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9HSgOhP_rM

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Posted by wanswheel on Thursday, June 26, 2014 3:04 AM

Found some trains shuffling off to Buffalo:

NYC - Pan American Express and Exposition Express

L&N, PRR and Erie - Pan American Express and Exposition Express

LV - Exposition Express

Wabash - Pan American Special and Rainbow City Special

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 10:39 AM

The Pennsylvania had a Columbian Express; it was westbound only.

Rob, are you sure that  Pan-American existed then? It is not named in the 1917 issue of the Guide that I have. If it had, surely the L&N would have persuaded the Big Four and the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern to have cooperated.Smile

Johnny

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 10:38 AM

Actually, L&N's Pan-American dates from 1921.  You're onto the other answer - there were a number of trains around 1901 with "Pan-American" in their name.  Examples?

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Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 6:07 AM

L&N's Pan-American dates from that period, but it sure didn't go to Buffalo.

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 5:26 PM

rcdrye

Century of Progress was 1933-34 in Chicago.   I think the 1901 World's Fair was the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo  - where McKinley was shot.

You're dancing with the answer.  Any examples?

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 5:26 PM

daveklepper

Without references, I think the 1893 fair was called the Columbian Exposition,  and several railroads had Columbians, including the B&O, the IC, C&NW.

1901's was Cenury of Progess, if I remember correctly.  I think the B&O had a Progress Express or something similar.  Century may have been used before the 1905 20th Century Limitted.

Then there were the special car=builders exhibition trains at the exhibitions, named for the exhibiltions.  Wagner had a partiulcarly deluxe sleeper train with diner and lounge at the 1901.

This is all from memory, and corrections are welcome.

Dave - You got one of the answers - Columbian. Do you have any examples?  As far as I can tell, the B&O did not have a Columbian at that time; neither did C&NW nor IC.

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Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 6:20 AM

Century of Progress was 1933-34 in Chicago.   I think the 1901 World's Fair was the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo  - where McKinley was shot.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 2:32 AM

Without references, I think the 1893 fair was called the Columbian Exposition,  and several railroads had Columbians, including the B&O, the IC, C&NW.

1901's was Cenury of Progess, if I remember correctly.  I think the B&O had a Progress Express or something similar.  Century may have been used before the 1905 20th Century Limitted.

Then there were the special car=builders exhibition trains at the exhibitions, named for the exhibiltions.  Wagner had a partiulcarly deluxe sleeper train with diner and lounge at the 1901.

This is all from memory, and corrections are welcome.

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Monday, June 23, 2014 10:01 PM

For the 1893 and 1901 World Fairs, a number of railroads named or partially renamed their trains to tie into the expositions being held.  The "Exposition" moniker was used on a number of trains for both fairs, but during each fair, other unique monikers were used with some train names specifically for each fair. 

Name the moniker that was utilized on some trains during the 1893 Worlds Fair and another name that was that was utilized on other trains for the 1901 Worlds Fair and supply some examples. 

Myron

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Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 23, 2014 12:52 PM

My oops, Mark.  You are correct.

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Monday, June 23, 2014 11:28 AM

KCSfan

ZephyrOverland

Santa Fe/Jacksonville South-Eastern via Peoria

That's the one I thought might be hard to identify but you nailed it. Looking forward to your question.

Mark

Actually, I should be putting the question out there - I'll get one out tonight.  Been swamped workwise....

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Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 23, 2014 7:29 AM

Dave - I think it's your turn on this thread...

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 3:04 AM

You are absolutely correct .  I forgot about the Blue Island Branch.   Still equipment without any steps except for one vestibule in a four-vestibule pair of cars---------

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Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 16, 2014 7:28 PM

daveklepper
But the IC with its high platforms, close headways, multiple track didn't even look like one  and doesn't today, with  the strineet running in South Chicago far tioo urban.

The Blue Island branch, with its single track, looked a lot more interurban-ish than any other part of the IC. 

IC's original offering on the Chicago-St Louis run was joint with PRR(PCC&St.L) before its own line was completed

Withdrawal from the Chicago St. Louis overnight route was pretty much in the reverse order of entering:

AT&SF/J&SE

C&EI (1949)

IC(1958)

Wabash(1963

GM&O(1971)

It turns out you could go via CB&Q overnight from Chicago to St. Louis, just never by sleeper.

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, June 16, 2014 3:50 PM

My apologies to you!  You did write "neighboring electric line," not interurban.  It WAS a good question, and I was the one to jump to the conclusion that your meant  interurban.

Going on for a moment.   Some suburban electrificatins look line interurbans.   DL&W-NJT Gladstone branch, the NYNH&H-Metro-North New Canaan Branch, Reading-SEPTA to Landsdale, for example.  But the IC with its high platforms, close headways, multiple track didn't even look like one  and doesn't today, with  the strineet running in South Chicago far tioo urban.

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, June 16, 2014 3:50 PM

ZephyrOverland

Santa Fe/Jacksonville South-Eastern via Peoria

That's the one I thought might be hard to identify but you nailed it. Looking forward to your question.

Mark

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Monday, June 16, 2014 3:33 PM

Besides the C&A, C&EI, Wabash and IC, could the fifth one be:

Santa Fe/Jacksonville South-Eastern via Peoria

or

Illinois Central/Vandalia line via Effingham IL?

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Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 16, 2014 12:45 PM

C&A, C&EI, Wabash and IC are well known.  CB&Q via Quincy IL?

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, June 16, 2014 12:10 PM

At one time there were five different through Pullman routes between Chicago and St. Louis. Name the different railroads in whose trains these sleepers ran. One of the routes was short lived and rather obscure but must be identified to get credit for answering this question.

Mark

 

 

 

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Posted by rcdrye on Monday, June 16, 2014 6:28 AM

The question wasn't about the IC, but about the C&IT.  The IC's electrification was one of several reasons C&IT was abandoned.  C&IT came very close to IC's Blue Island branch, and the IC main line a bit further south.  South Shore's line's nearest approach was over a mile away at Kensington.

Chicago and West Towns and CRT did share some trackage, and CRT operated on trackage owned by C&WT but only operated by CRT.  Except for the use of the north track on Roosevelt Rd between Laramie and Austin, C&WT did not operate inside Chicago.

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, June 15, 2014 4:58 PM

But the IC service was not and is not an interurban line, but a suburban electrified commuter railroad.  You misled me.  The only interurban in the area is the South Shore, and it did not provide the competition.  Further, the IC definitely operates in the street, on the South Chicago Branch, but again it is not an interurban.

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Posted by rcdrye on Sunday, June 15, 2014 2:02 PM

We got a winner! 

Chicago and Southern Traction sold its lines inside Chicago - mostly on Halsted south of 63d, plus Vincennes to 119th, to the Chicago City Railway in 1912.  This was part of the same maneuvering that severed County Traction lines from Chicago Union Traction on the North Side.  Chicago and Southern Traction reorganized as Chicago and Interurban Traction.  The main line went to Kankakee via Blue Island, Crete, Harvey and Chicago Heights.  Insull interests bought it in 1921 and spent some money on segment upgrades trying to attract freight traffic.  Through traffic was already dwindling when IC's electrification opened in 1926, siphoning many of the remaining suburban customers.  By 1927 it was also becoming obvious that nothing short of a complete rebuild would attract enough freight traffic to pay for continued operation.

C&IT was handicapped by operating only as far north as 63rd and Halsted, where passengers had to change to CSL streetcars or CRT L trains.

Part of the 1912 deals sent 31 streetcars and two pieces of work equipment to CCRy.  Fifteen of the cars were rebuilt to allow them to be used as PAYE (Pay As You Enter) cars, and ran out an almost 40 year service life on the Ashland route.

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Sunday, June 15, 2014 10:36 AM

Chicago & Interurban Traction Co. Much of its traffic was lost when the IC electrified its suburban line. I believe the C&IT's line to Kankakee was always a loser and at one time they planned to extend the line from Kankakee to Lafayette, IN which fortunately they didn't have the finances to build. 

Mark 

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, June 15, 2014 2:21 AM

I ssem to have a vague memory of an interurban called the Hammond and Whiting.   I do not know whether this is a figment of my imagination or not.  And wheter it soled Chicago tracks or Hammond tracks.

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Posted by rcdrye on Friday, June 13, 2014 11:17 AM

The THI&E did come under of Insull's Midwest Utilities umbrella, and did own several city systems, some of which it sold off. THI&E lasted long enough to become a key part of the Indiana Railroad system.

The key clue here:  The interurban I'm looking for was abandoned in 1927 - citing the fact that suburban traffic had been drawn away by a neighboring electric railroad.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, June 13, 2014 10:17 AM

I will guess that it was Terre Haute, Indianapolis & Eastern, later part of the Indiana Railroad, and it ran over Indianapolis Railways.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by rcdrye on Friday, June 13, 2014 6:26 AM

Now you've bracketed it on both sides.  Though C&WT had some lines with some interurtban characteristics, it was never part of the Insull empire.  Also a part of C&WT was the result of the sale of Chicago Union Traction lines outside of the city, not of interurban -owned lines in the city.

C&WT car 141, an MU car built for the Lagrange line, is at IRM.

I just said it was an Insull interurban.  I never said it was important...

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Posted by daveklepper on Friday, June 13, 2014 6:07 AM

Are you considering the Chicago and West Towns to be an interurban? I would call it a suburban trolley system. But it did operate at one time over tracks of Chicago surface lines, sold some trackage and some cars to CSL and did compete for some business with the more successful and longer lasting Chicago Araora and Elgin.  And Chicago was certainly known as an interurban center, with none of the three important  "Insull Interurbans" using streetcar tracks, two using the "L" and one the IC.  And the C&WT did run into open  country on PRW between developed areas.  During and  after WWII the remaining rail lines were in two divisions and transfer of equipment between them required use of CSL tracks.  I think one of its cars that was used by CSL and possibly by CTA is either at IRM-Union or Fox Valley.

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