rcdryeThe San Francisco Chief carried storage mail on cut down heavyweight cars modified to take four containers for about three years in the early 1960s. The cars were initially replaced in 1966 or 1967 with more ordinary flat cars that could carry four containers each. The whole deal ended with the loss of the mail contract in 1968.
Right, right, and right, of course
Here's a picture that shows the arrangement (with 8000hp on the point, too!)
Thank heaven someone who asks good questions is up now!
RMEThank heaven someone who asks good questions is up now!
Actually, that was a head-scratcher. All I remembered was seeing pictures of containers in the late 1960s. I wasn't aware of the cut-down heavyweights.
So... Let's stick with Santa Fe's passenger trains. The inaugural of the all High-Level El Capitan was timed to (unofficially) coincide with what event in California? The timing didn't work out, since AT&SF got their order into Budd after NP, GN and PRR, so the train inauguration was over a year late.
Common you Californians, one of you must know the answer!
The other order that got ahead of the High-Level cars was CPR's huge Canadian/Dominion order. Hardly Mickey Mouse.
rcdrye So... Let's stick with Santa Fe's passenger trains. The inaugural of the all High-Level El Capitan was timed to (unofficially) coincide with what event in California? The timing didn't work out, since AT&SF got their order into Budd after NP, GN and PRR, so the train inauguration was over a year late.
I'm gonna throw a wild guess. Was the inaugruation of the hi-level El Capitan planned to coinside with the Tournament of Roses parade?
ZephyrOverlandI'm gonna throw a wild guess. Was the inaugruation of the hi-level El Capitan planned to coinside with the Tournament of Roses parade?
No, but it was something close in the 1955 calendar, a one-time event that got many riders on the El Capitan and other AT&SF trains over the years.
I'm going to throw another wild guess, the opening of Disneyland in 1955.
After the success of prototype Hi-Levels 526 and 527, Santa Fe memos showed the intent to hit Disneyland's opening in 1955. Santa Fe had an ongoing connection to Walt Disney, including allowing him to use the Santa Fe name on the park railroad. Unfortunately for the passenger department, the board didn't authorise the purchase of the Hi-Levels until Budd had already developed a considerable backlog - probably the last time that happened. Once the opening was missed the inauguration was pushed back until all of the cars were delivered.
https://books.google.com/books?id=rSQAbMtClsYC&pg=PA246&dq=%22the+santa+fe+railway+sponsored+a+special+celebration%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0hp-74efQAhVFkJAKHfpaDAIQ6AEIIzAA#v=onepage&q=%22the%20santa%20fe%20railway%20sponsored%20a%20special%20celebration%22&f=false
Plan B is always handy to have!
I took a stab at Disneyland because it was the only significant event I can recall about California at that time.
OK, lets try this one during the same time period. This financially strapped eastern railroad was the last to utilize wooden commuter cars. The state public utility commission pressured the railroad to replace the aging fleet, which reluctantly they did. Who was the railroad, what were their replacements and how many?
(Difficulty: Moderate, clues.)
I will say that the railroad is Boston & Maine, the replacement cars were RDC's, I don't know how many.
CSSHEGEWISCH I will say that the railroad is Boston & Maine, the replacement cars were RDC's, I don't know how many.
Congratulations, two of the three. The number should be an easy find, it vastly eclipsed the New Haven's 40...dig deep you can find it !
57 RDC-1
4 RDC-2
7 RDC-3
30 RDC-9
--------------
109 Total
B&M's RDCs also replaced plenty of steel cars including relatively new stramlined cars.
rcdrye 57 RDC-1 4 RDC-2 7 RDC-3 30 RDC-9 -------------- 109 Total B&M's RDCs also replaced plenty of steel cars including relatively new stramlined cars.
Got it ! With CSSHEGEWISCH getting two of the three parts, the next question is his or give him the option to defer it to you.
I was just helping. Mark (CSSHEGEWISCH) is up.
Actually, it was more the train-offs that triggered the sale and scrapping of steel cars rather than the purchase of Budds. The ten postwar reclinning seat coaaches were used almost always in Boston - Portlans (and some to /bangor on the MC), and, yes, substition of the Budds to Portland made those cars surplus and also ended sevice to Bangor. Enough of the American Fllyers were kept for the Montrealer and Ambassador B&M contribution, but abandonment of service to Troy, belloows Fqlls, etc., threw more steel cars out of work. Oh yes, Bdds also took over the Montreal service while it lasted, usualy one CP Budd coach with a B&M combine.
I'll stick with RDC's. Equipment swaps between roads have occurred over the years, such as Amtrak swapping 2 E8A's for 4 Conrail SW8's. C&O swapped equipment for some RDC's. What were the other railroads involved and what equipment did C&O provide?
CSSHEGEWISCH:
Part of your question is the sale of MSTL's two RDC4's (with 17 coach seats) for 32 open coal hoppers from the C&O. I do not know the routing as I don't believe that the MSTL and C&O had a junction with each other. I am not aware of any other railroads trading equipment for other equipment.
Ed Burns
763-234-9306 (cell)
C&O also swapped three 52-seat coaches with C&NW for an RDC-2 and two RDC-1s. The coaches (3483-3485) later went to SP (2216-2218) and then to NdeM. They were the only corrugated side cars on the C&NW (except for the RDCs!) RDCs to B&O, eventually Blue Mountain and Reading (RCD-1) and MBTA (RDC-1). The RDC-2 was wrecked in 1976 under B&O/PAT in Pittsburgh.
C&O also appears to have traded with M-K-T for their lone RDC-3, one source saying three coal hoppers. I haven't been able to verify that. The RDC-3 ended up on CN and later VIA.
In addition to their initial order CN started amassing RDC's from all over the place...does anyone know what the peak number on the roster was?
I didn't mind the RDC's for short trips, say around 1-3 hours. They sure could go like the wind when asked to.
We have two partial answers, both are correct with their replies. I will let NP Eddie and rcdrye decide who gets to ask the next question.
All yours, Ed.
Rob and All:
My question is regarding the three Hill railroads that had articulated flat cars for hauling tractors. Name the three railroads. There were two kinds of ways of securing the two flat cars. What was type securement. How long (approximately) were each flat car? The MNS had similar flat cars.
I know nothing about electric locomotives. What is the difference between the two or three types of propulsion (gear) system?
I'll post a new thread about Electric Locomotives.
NP EddieRob and All: My question is regarding the three Hill railroads that had articulated flat cars for hauling tractors. Name the three railroads. There were two kinds of ways of securing the two flat cars. What was type securement. How long (approximately) were each flat car? The MNS had similar flat cars.
I'm going to go with SP&S, NP and CB&Q. If they handled them at all like C&NW, they paired 60 foot flats with drawbars or welded the coupler draw pins shut. TTX-like drop panels, though wider, made the loading path.
Rob:
I give you the next question. I should have phrased the quesion better. The NP and MNS (not really sure about the GN and CBQ) had 40 foot flat cars that carried one number. There were locks on the cut levers and TTX type loading plates between the two cars. This allowed three tractors (and accompaning machinery) to be loaded on the long car.
I guess only C&NW used the longer cars...
NP's 1954- and 1958-built domes wore only two different paint schemes between delivery and the Amtrak takeover. Describe both schemes.
rcdrye I guess only C&NW used the longer cars... NP's 1954- and 1958-built domes wore only two different paint schemes between delivery and the Amtrak takeover. Describe both schemes.
It would be the NP two-tone green designed by Raymond Loewy and some of the domes were temporarily repainted in IC colors when they were assigned to the City of Miami for winter season service.
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