Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

[wanswheel]

Excerpts from Railway Age Gazette (Oct. 2, 1914)

The new design retained the old hump between the two classification yards, its width being increased to allow four tracks to be operated simultaneously, two in each direction. The classification yards are each divided into two units of 26 tracks, each unit being served normally by one of the hump tracks, although provision is made for either of the tracks in one direction to serve either of the corresponding yard units....

A four-track lead is provided from each receiving yard to a point about 200 ft. from the hump where the four tracks merge into the two leading over the hump. This arrangement allows two trains to be pushed up almost to the hump, while two other trains are being classified on the other tracks so that they are in position to begin classification immediately when the others have finished. This will effect an important saving in time over the usual system under which the hump engine has to run back to the receiving yard for another train before work can proceed...

The westbound hump is 1 ft. higher than the eastbound to compensate for the force of the prevailing winds...

Thoroughfare tracks are provided along both sides of the yard with Y-connections under the hump, allowing movements to be made easily between any portions of the yard...

The subway under the hump is a double-track structure with a clear opening 30 ft. wide and 17 ft. high from top of rail to clearance line. It consists of re-enforced concrete abutments and transverse girders encased in concrete.

http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/ngpg382.jpg

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

narig01

The tower?   The tower at Clearing bridges the top of the hump I think.

Thx IGN

Not the tower, but you're at the right place.

[narig01]

The tower?   The tower at Clearing bridges the top of the hump I think.

Thx IGN

[narig01]

the tower? Thx ign

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

What is the unique feature of BRC's Clearing Yard?

[ZephyrOverland]

CSSHEGEWISCH

What else but the "Tuxedo", between Jersey City and Port Jervis.

Paul - You got it.  The next question is yours.

Myron

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

What else but the "Tuxedo", between Jersey City and Port Jervis.

[ZephyrOverland]

Deggesty

ZephyrOverland, you have them all! (When I was counting them up this morning, I missed the Everglades.)

....

You're up!

 

You need to wear "formals" to ride this Erie train.  Name the train and endpoints.

[daveklepper]

Correction, it was a 22 roomette sleeper replacing a 16 section heavywieght, and later it ran only between Florence and Jacksonville.

[daveklepper]

Not having access to timetables, I am happy to get three, almost four, out of the ten.   But I rode the Everglades a number of times, in its last days.  I never dreamt that it was once a deluxe all-Pullman train, because in the end it was the all-stops Washington - Jackson local that took all day, about 14 or 16 hours, to make the run.   For a while it was overnight between Richmond and Savanna, with a 14-roomette sleeper replacing a 14-section, no-room sleeper.   It was the slowest train on the ACL main and had the oldest hand-me-down cars.   It also made all the local stops on the RF&P.   It was the last use of a heavyweight Pullman on the ACL and RF&P, and occasionally had heavywieght coaches afterward.    Still, it occasionally fit my work-and-visiting-friends schedule, so I used it both as a sleeper passenger and as a coach passenger.   No food service on board.  Meal stop in Florence. 

[Deggesty]

ZephyrOverland, you have them all! (When I was counting them up this morning, I missed the Everglades.)

You coukl call the Floridan an IC train, since the IC handled it farther (Chicago-Birmingham) than the ACL did north of Jacksonville (Albany-Jacksonville); the cars were switched in Jacksonville to the FEC train (all-Pullman) that also carried the Dixie Limited's and Flamingo's East Coast cars, and to the two ACL West Coast trains. And, the Dixie Limited could be called a "Dixie Route" (C&EI-L&N-NCSL-CG) train for the same reason (ACL Albany-Jacksonville). The Flamingo was, of course, coach and Pullman Cincinnati-Jacksonville (it also carried a Chicago-Louisville-Corbin-Jacksonville car).

Also of note is that these trains that ran overnight Jacksonville-Miami had cars to/fromPalm Beach, which were switched at West Palm Beach; sb they left WPB at 0700, and could be occupied in Palm Beach until 0730; nb they were opened at 2200, and left for WPB at 0001 (except for the Everglades car, which left in time to leave WPB at 2255.

You're up!

 

[ZephyrOverland]

Deggesty

In the 1930 winter season, how many all-Pullman trains were operated to/from Florida? (Don't worry about what went on south of Jacksonville, since quite a bit of shifting took place there.) Name the roads and, if you can, name the trains.

ACL

Havana Special

Everglades

Miamian

Gulf Coast Limited

Second The Miamian

Florida Special

Dixie Limited

Floridan

 

SAL

Orange Blossom Special

Seaboard Florida Limited

 

SR

Royal Palm DeLuxe

 

 

[Deggesty]

daveklepper

The Royal Palm (Sou?), the Florida Special (ACL), the Orange Blossom Special (SAL). 

Possibly the Havana Special or Havana Limited was all-Pullman at the time, also.   (ACL)

 

I knew that the 20th Century Limited had a Boston Section operated by the Boston and Albany, with locomotives prior to the J2a's having Boston and Albany on their tenders. T his section was replaced by the heavyweight New England States Limited, all Pullman, in 1938 when the lightweight 20th Century was introduced.   Around 1948 or 1949, the heavyweight all-Pullman New England States was replaced by the mostly Budd lightweight coach and Pullman train.

I did not know about the Cleveland - Cincinnati train.

Dave, you made a good start on the all-Pullman trains to Florida. However, in the winter season that year, the Royal Palm was both coach and Pullman. You almost got the  correct name of the Southern's all first class train. You named correctly, with the primary roads, the Florida Special, the Orange Blossom Special, and the Havana Special (which went to Key West).

Now, to call for some head scratching (or timetable/Guide searching), I will give the number of all-Pullman (at least north of Jacksonville) trains to Florida that year: ten.

[daveklepper]

The Royal Palm (Sou?), the Florida Special (ACL), the Orange Blossom Special (SAL). 

Possibly the Havana Special or Havana Limited was all-Pullman at the time, also.   (ACL)

 

I knew that the 20th Century Limited had a Boston Section operated by the Boston and Albany, with locomotives prior to the J2a's having Boston and Albany on their tenders. T his section was replaced by the heavyweight New England States Limited, all Pullman, in 1938 when the lightweight 20th Century was introduced.   Around 1948 or 1949, the heavyweight all-Pullman New England States was replaced by the mostly Budd lightweight coach and Pullman train.

I did not know about the Cleveland - Cincinnati train.

[Deggesty]

In the 1930 winter season, how many all-Pullman trains were operated to/from Florida? (Don't worry about what went on south of Jacksonville, since quite a bit of shifting took place there.) Name the roads and, if you can, name the trains.

[ZephyrOverland]

Deggesty

 

ZephyrOverland:

 

 

wanswheel:

Myron, yes your turn.

http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000032.htm

 

 

New York Central/Lake Shore and Michigan Southern's 20th Century Limited was primarily a New York-Chicago train, but two of NYC's subsidiaries also fielded trains using the same name.  Name the RR and destinations for these annex runs.

 

I have a memory of having seen mention of a Boston-Chicago 20th Century Limited, operated by the Boston and Albany east of Albany. I do not recall seeing any other, but there may have been a NY-St. Louis train that was operated by the Big 4 west of Cleveland. Also possible was a NY-Detroit train that was operated by the Michigan Central west of Buffalo.

 

Yes, there was a Boston section which transferred Boston cars to and from the New York train at Albany.  The Big4 also operated a Twentieth Century Limited, eastbound only, from 1902 to about 1910, primarily as a Cincinnati-Cleveland train with one through Cincinnati-New York Pullman.  Unlike the Chicago and Boston Centuries, the Cincinnati Century carried Cincinnati-Cleveland coaches.

Johnny, since you got most of the answer, why don't you ask the next question.

 

[Deggesty]

ZephyrOverland

wanswheel:

Myron, yes your turn.

http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000032.htm

 

New York Central/Lake Shore and Michigan Southern's 20th Century Limited was primarily a New York-Chicago train, but two of NYC's subsidiaries also fielded trains using the same name.  Name the RR and destinations for these annex runs.

I have a memory of having seen mention of a Boston-Chicago 20th Century Limited, operated by the Boston and Albany east of Albany. I do not recall seeing any other, but there may have been a NY-St. Louis train that was operated by the Big 4 west of Cleveland. Also possible was a NY-Detroit train that was operated by the Michigan Central west of Buffalo.

[ZephyrOverland]

wanswheel

Myron, yes your turn.

http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000032.htm

New York Central/Lake Shore and Michigan Southern's 20th Century Limited was primarily a New York-Chicago train, but two of NYC's subsidiaries also fielded trains using the same name.  Name the RR and destinations for these annex runs.

[wanswheel]

Myron, yes your turn.

http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000032.htm

[ZephyrOverland]

wanswheel

Washington Union Station has 6 high statues out front, 4 mythological gods and goddesses and 2 men who actually lived. Name them.

Prometheus

Themis

Apollo

Ceres

Thales

Archimedes

[wanswheel]

Washington Union Station has 6 high statues out front, 4 mythological gods and goddesses and 2 men who actually lived. Name them.

[daveklepper]

Wanswheel has the right answer and should ask the next question.

The Washington Baltimore and Annapolis did connect two cities that both used PCC cars (although not while the interurban was in operation).   In never ran PCC's itself, but the tracks on Benning Road in Washington are now in place for a new light rail operation and they saw both PCC's and ealrier the WB&A interurubans, along with the deck roof older Washington cars.   The WB&A used some articulated cars in the Washington - Baltimore service, and these were also equpped for the conduit system of curent collection for operation into downtown Washington.   They did not mingle with streetcars in Baltimore, which was a wide-gauge system, although portions of the right of way are in use for the light rail line south of the city, including the line to the BWA airport.

Pittsburgh had the largest fleet of built-new North American PCC cars.  One of the 1600 series was equipped with overhead headlight and a pilot for trial operation on the interurban lines to Washington and Charleroi-Rosco.  The trial was judged successful, so about 20 of the 1700 series were built for interurban service.  Washington Junction is still a light rail stop on the system, the junction between the line to South Hills Village, which used to go to Washington, PA, and the Library line, which used to go through Donorra Junction (with a single double-end deck roofer providing shuttle service across an impressive bridge to Donorra), Charleroi, with the northbound track running through the carhouse, and Roscoe.   Unusual because of wide gauge, even with interchange freight with West Penn Railways, and the use of PCC's.   Again, Washington, PA, had three local streetcar lines, which quit before the interurban to Pittsburgh. 

[wanswheel]

[daveklepper]

If you don't have access to the information on the interurban lines that lasted through WWII and long enough to be equipped with PCC's, then just check all station names on the current light rail system and you will have the clue you need.

[daveklepper]

You are very very close when you mention Pittsburgh.   Yes, Pittsburgh was a broad gauge system, and had two specific interurban lines, which used the PCC cars described.  These interurban PCC's were the bulk of the remaining PCC fleet used until the present modern light rail cars arrived.   But note that the other interurban, the standard gauge line, connected two cities that both used PCC cars as a major part of the local transportation, even thought the interurban never itself used PCC's but did have some very special cars that were used regularly and were different than most interurban cars.

If you take the trouble to investigate the Pittsburgh system, specifically its two interurban lines, when they were truly two interurban lines and not cut back to suburban operations, you will come up with the answer right away.   The  name involved actually survives in a specific form along the current light rail operation, not the end point.

[wanswheel]

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/txu-oclc-6445490-electric_railway-joplin-1913.jpg

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/pan/6a05000/6a05300/6a05358r.jpg

 

 

[Deggesty]

"Pittsburg Pa." Don't let this post be seen in Pittsburgh, Pa. Seriously, the variations in spelling of place names from state to state can be confusing., such as Ashville, Ala., and Asheville, N. C.

[narig01]

Sacramento Northern. Last Nickel streetcar in the US. The museum Western Railway Museum. Some of the SN's ROW in Sacramento is used by the light rail there. In addition for a number of years the SN shared its ROW with BART. Oh yes the shared cities Pittsburg   Pittsburgh, Ca & Pittsburg Pittsburgh Pa. I don't have my reference books with me, but I think the Pa trackage in Washington, Pa is used by a museum as well.    Pittsburg used PCC's

        The other item I am thinking about is the Pacific Electric which was (I think) affiliated with Los Angeles Railway(narrow gauge) . Ran out to Riverside, Ca and  this ties in with Henry's answer of Riverside, Ma

(This is what happens when it is the end of a long week, day , and I shoot from the hip)

Rgds IGN

[daveklepper]

Go back to the original posting, please, two urban areas in different parts of the USA with the same name, like Portland Maine and Portland Oregon, both of which at one time had both local streetcars and at least one interurban line.

More hints.   The interurban line that served two major cities with both running PCC cars, indeed PCC's possibly the most important part of local transportation, did not run local services and did not have PCC cars.   But the interurban line that served the urban area that did not use PCC cars in local service, with all local cars double-end cars, steel,.did use PCC interurban cars.  These were equipped with special trucks, also used on many PCC rapid transit cars, with pilots, and a roof mounted headlight supplementing the regular dash headlight.   But otherwise they were similar to cars received in the same order for local service.   And all interuban cars on this particular line were single-ended, turned on a wye at the downtown interuban station, in contrast to the local cars.   The other end of the line did have a vast PCC fleet, providing the bulk of local transportation.   WEihtin the particular area, while on the tracks of one of the local lines, the interurban cars often did also provide local service, supplementing the local cars.

One of the two urban areas is at least as well known throughout the world as Portland Maine and Portland Oregon.   The other is hardly know at all outside the state where it is located.

[henry6]

There are two scenerios that come to mind for me.  One, Boston's Riverside line, I'll dismiss out of hand.  Second is Philadelphia with Liberty Bell Route from Allentown and the Norristown High Speed lines...the Media line also connects in there someplace..69th St. maybe...my knowledge of the set up is very vague but I know broad guage and standard guages enter the story here as well as the rest of the set up.