Mike, that is really interesting. I found the description of the production and use of electricity especially interesting, since nowadays we use some different expressions--we use ammeters and not ampere meters, express capacity in kilowatts and not watts (what would the people of 123 years ago think of how much electricity we use now?), and seldom do we think of voltage as a measure of pressure (when I became interested in electricity and electronics back in grammar school, I never saw anything about volts being a measure of pressure; I do not recall if it was in high school physics or college physics that this was impressed upon me).
Johnny
Johnny, Ohm my, I can't even remember what was "resistance times the resistance distance." --Mike
H. M. Whitney on Electrical Traction
The Street Railway Journal, Volume 4 (1888)
When the West End Company, of Boston, was organized, its primary object was the transformation of Beacon street into a wide boulevard extending some three or four miles into the suburbs to Brookline. Through the centre of this great boulevard was to run a railway, which should furnish abundant facilities for rapid transit to the suburbs. The company is now ready to build this line and, after thorough examination of various cable systems and experiments with storage battery cars, has concluded that the overhead conductor system of direct supply is the most suitable for the purpose. In his argument on the petition of the West End Company for the privilege of using an overhead system, at a hearing before the selectmen of Brookline, on July 18, President Henry M. Whitney gave his reasons for advocating this system. He recounted the experiments and investigations carried on by engineers of the company to determine the feasibility of the cable and storage battery systems. Of the various direct systems he was very skeptical, but his curiosity was aroused and his mind favorably disposed by an examination of the Brooklyn & Jamaica Electric Road in Brooklyn, N. Y. Then, to use Mr. Whitney's own words: "I came home (we were then, as I say, in the midst of our cable plans) and I said to our Board of Directors that I felt that before doing anything further in the direction of cable lines we ought to see the most recent electric railroads, viz., that at Richmond and the one at Allegheny City. Shortly after, accompanied by our counsel, Henry W. Hyde, Esq., and two other well-known gentlemen of Boston, whose judgment is equal to that of any other citizen of Boston or Brookline, we started for Richmond. What we found there was perfectly surprising and amazing to all of us.
THE RICHMOND ELECTRIC ROAD.
There, in the city of Richmond, a city of 90,000 inhabitants, was a road twelve miles long, over grades and around curves the like of which does not exist in the whole system of 250 miles of the West End Street Railway Company. It is operated by a system of overhead wires which is positively unobjectionable; the cars ascend grades of nine per cent, at the rate of six miles an hour, and are under the most perfect control, carrying the people with the utmost dispatch and satisfaction. But this result, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, you will understand, was not achieved at once. It was the outcome of one of the hardest contests for victory that was ever fought in the industrial field.
Excepting for the indefatigable energy, genius and mechanical skill of Mr. Sprague, and the generous support of Mr. Burt, the Superintendent of the company, that experiment would have been a disastrous failure, instead of a most complete success. Mr. Burt told me that for the purpose of showing him whether or not there was power to be had, Mr. Sprague undertook to force a car around a very sharp curve on a grade of about six per cent, and a curve of very small radius. He said that not only did he force it up that grade, but he forced it across the track and over the sidewalk and into a building.
A SUCCESS IN EVERY RESPECT.
It is a success in all respects. I do not undertake to say that there is no further development to be expected in the electric motor. I am perfectly well aware that there is. But that road is running to-day; it is over twelve miles long; and it is carrying the people of Richmond as they never have been carried before, and with entire satisfaction to everybody. So much so, indeed, that the other street railway line, a line of mule cars, eight-feet passenger mule cars, running through the Main street of Richmond, a street which bears the same relation to Richmond that Washington street and Tremont street bear to the city of Boston, and Main street in Cambridge bears to that city- this line has quite recently come under the control of the company operating the Electric Road. Shortly after it made application to the city of Richmond for leave to introduce the electric system there, and it was granted almost unanimously, and before the first of November it is believed that from 75 to 100 cars will be traveling all through the city of Richmond.
THE ALLEGHENY CITY ROAD.
From Richmond we crossed the Allegheny Mountains and visited Allegheny City, a place of 90,000 inhabitants, which lies just across the river from Pittsburgh, bearing the same relation to the city of Pittsburgh that Cambridge bears to Boston, or as Charlestown before annexation bore to Boston. We found a road running there, over worse grades even than the grades in the city of Richmond. I know of nothing in the town of Brookline, or in the city of Boston, to compare with them. There is one twelve per cent, grade, and in a distance of 4,900 feet there is a rise of more than 300 feet, or an average grade for the whole distance of more than six per cent.
Now, the great importance of that road in Allegheny City to us was this: That for the first mile over that road the electricity was conveyed in a conduit. The road was put in and was being operated at that time by the Bentley & Knight Electric Company, of New York. The conduit there is of wood, eight or nine inches deep, but it answers the purpose perfectly, and so well satisfied are the people there with this road that on the 5th of June it was accepted by the company, and they are now preparing to extend it two miles further.
I think the officers of the West End Street Railway Company may be pardoned for not having given this matter of these electric roads greater attention, in view of the fact that it was not until the 15th of May that the Richmond Road was considered to be in a state of perfection which would warrant its acceptance, and that the Allegheny City Road was not accepted until the 5th of June. The Allegheny City Road was started on the 2nd of February with this condition: that they should be able to take four cars at a time up those enormous grades. They had just commenced to operate the road, when their car house was burned and two of the cars were destroyed. That put off the time when they could fulfill the condition of the contract, and at the date of my visit there, which was the 4th of June, the road was still in the hands of the builders, the Bentley & Knight Company; but the President, Mr. Sheafe, assured me that the next day he should take the road and pay for it.
UMLIMITED POWER, EXCELLENT TRACTION.
Of course we were all greatly impressed with what we had seen. We saw there the two things that are the essential pre-requisites to the successful operation of an electric road. We saw that the amount of power was practically unlimited, and that there was excellent traction. I had heard street railway men say that it was impossible to get traction on street rails, but there were cars moving straight up the hills without the slightest hesitation, going over grades such, as I say, do not exist in our whole system, and at a speed as fast as horses travel. We were there, too, on a rainy day, when the conditions were most unfavorable for the operation of the road.
Now, I know perfectly well that in the future the electric motor will be as different from the electric motor of today as the locomotive of fifty years ago was different from the locomotive of to-day. I am perfectly well aware that the spinning loom of to-day differs from the loom of fifty years ago, as much as the railroad system of to-day differs from that of fifty years ago. But, as fifty years ago the introduction of the locomotive marked a new departure in transportation far in advance of the old, lumbering stage coach which was then in use, so I believe that the electric motor at this day has reached that stage of development which makes it a perfectly practicable working machine, superior in all respects to horses for quick transportation.
ADVANTAGES OVER THE CABLE.
The advantage of this system over the cable system, if it be practicable (and I believe that these two roads at Richmond and Allegheny City are a demonstration that it is practicable), is this-that with the conduit through the crowded parts of the city, and the overhead on suburban lines, it can all be one system, and the speed over the whole line may be as rapid as the condition of the streets will permit. In narrow and crowded streets the cars must run slowly, but having the power they can take advantage of any opening, and in this way make the best possible time.
Now, this system of overhead wires does not seem to be objectionable. It consists of one one-fifth of an inch wire over each track. So far as Beacon street is concerned our plan is this: If we can carry a wire on each side of our location, wo should grass over our roadway there, which would give a strip of grass thirty feet wide the whole length of the avenue, to St. Mary's street. I know of nothing that would add so much to the beauty of the avenue as to do just that simple thing. If any man in Brookline will go to Richmond or to Allegheny City and see the operation of the road there I know he will come back and say: 'Put it in by all means.'"
You have the answer, of course!
Look forward to your question.
The sign "Nine Minutes to Park Street" is posted at the ramp to the subway at St. Mary's Street, and the end of the Beacon Street line, Green Line "C," is at "The Reservoir" and Cleveland Circle, with the Resrvoir carhouse. "A: is the abandoned Watertown, "B" Commonwealth, connected on Chestnut Hill Avenue service tracks to the carhouse, "D" is the old B&A Highland Branch to Riverside with a Cleveland Circle Riverside stop near the end of the Beacon Street Line and the Reservoir Car House and shop. "H" is the Huntington Avenue line. The original portion of the Green Line Subway, including the Park Street and Boylston Street stations, is landmarked. It was the first electric railway subway in North America, although the present "Park Avenue Vehicular Tunnel" was an open cut with bridge over a steam railroad and horsecar operation, then just horsecars, and electrified with conduit for the 4th & Madison line around 1901. It had two stations.
I should have remembered that the Beacon Street line was originally planned as an electric line. But horsecars were first used, and the original route that first opened with electricity was from Alston, along the existing horsecar line on Harvard Street to Brookline Center, then on Beacon Street and as described in the article. The conduit portion, which started at Copley Square, was not complete for the first electric operation, and horsepower was still used downtown. The conduit operation did not fair well in Boston, and its construction was lighter and less substantial than what was used in New York and Washington somewhat later. It lasted about six months, and then Boston relented and allowed wire downtown. About the same time, the extension of track and wire together from Brookline Center to the Reservoir opened. I believe a car from Alston was also the first to enter the new Tremone Street subway when in opened in 1898.
Excerpt from Central Headlight, April 1946.
Music Hourly in World's Biggest Car Office, Buffalo
Recorded music, ranging in variety from classical to the latest popular melodies, is now played as a relaxing background to the concentrated work of tabulation performed by the Car Service Department, located in the Central Terminal Building, Buffalo, N. Y. Installation of the system, known as Music by Muzak, was made at the beginning of the year and immediately met with almost unanimous approval by the 340 employes, as indicated in a survey taken soon afterward. The programs are scientifically arranged, playing approximately 24 minutes of every hour throughout the day. The New York Central System has the largest Car Record Office in the
world at Buffalo, under the supervision of M. R. Clinton, Superintendent of Car Service, and Assistant Superintendent H. M. Tirmenstein. In this office are maintained the records of all freight and passenger cars owned by the New York Central System, bearing reporting marks N.Y.C., _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____ and _____. Records are kept of these cars while on the New York Central System as well as when moving on other roads throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Also, records are maintained of all freight and passenger, including Pullman, cars owned by all other railroads and private line companies while moving over the New York Central System. These records are obtained from reports furnished by freight and passenger train conductors and by agents at interchange points. In addition to maintaining car records, this office compiles a voluminous amount of statistics such as train miles, car miles, train hours, gross and net ton miles; tracing, reconsigning and diversion of cars; and such other miscellaneous work as develops. It was because of the exacting nature of this work, interesting yet monotonous, at times, that the installation of the music was approved for the welfare of the employees. Its sole purpose is to combat monotony and fatigue, give a lift and produce a harmonious atmosphere during the business day.
What were the other 7 reporting marks?
Mike
That's a nice picture, MIke. I wish I had been able to use the Central Terminal Building; as it is, I have never stopped over in Buffalo. I did make use of the MC building in Detroit, back in '69.
My thought as to the other roads (I can think of only five), is that the NYC kept track of all the cars marked with the various subsidiaries--Big 4, MC, B&A, P&E, and P&LE are the ones that come to my mind.
Possibly the TH&B and West Shore? Ulster and Delaware?
Johnny has named the five big subsidiaries of the NYC. The only other ones that I know of were the Chicago River & Indiana and the Indiana Harbor Belt. I wasn't aware that either of these roads owned any cars other than those used in MoW service. However, I guess it's possible that they owned some cars used in interchange freight service.
Mark
Right after posting the above reply another possibility popped into mind, the Canada Southern. I know there were cars lettered Canada Southern, reporting mark CASO, which also bore the NYC oval logo.
Johnny, yes it's your turn, and Mark, you're right, too.
Quoting the article again, "In this office are maintained the records of all freight and passenger cars owned by the New York Central System, bearing reporting marks N.Y.C., M.C., C.C.C.&St.L., P.&E., B.&A., P.&L.E., P.McK.&Y. and Canada Southern."
For some reason, only Canada Southern was unabbreviated. Maybe it was good diplomacy, or maybe the letters CASO would've been a total mystery to some readers. PMcK&Y = Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny.
As an answer to an earlier posting, IHB did own some gondolas and flatcars in interchange service, not too surprising for a switching road in northwest Indiana. I remember seeing some at Hyman Michaels in Hegewisch many years ago, waiting to be cut up.
I would also point out that NYCS had equipment marked "T&OC" for the Toledo & Ohio Central.
New question: what train named for a bird served a capital city when going one way and avoided that city when going the other way? Extra credit: name the capital city.
Johnny, I believe that would be the Main Central/B&M Gull. In one direction (on MeC rails) it ran through Augusta, the capital of Maine. In the other direction it ran through Lewiston and bypassed Augusta.
You're right, Mark. It was, indeed, the Gull, which ran as you said. It always interested me from the time that I saw this back in the fifties.
So, give us another one.
The names of several railroads consisted only of three or more state names. A hypothetical example of which would be the Michigan, Ohio & Pennsylvania. Which of these operated 1) in all of their namesake states, 2) in all but one of their namesake states and 3) in only one of their namesake states? Consider only railroads which existed circa 1930-present.
Here we go ---
Missouri-Kansas-Texas : all 3 states
Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia : all 3 states
New Jersey, Indiana & Illinois : Only Indiana
Arkansas and Louisiana Missouri Railway : 2 states
Louisiana, Arkansas & Texas: 1 state...TX subsidiary of the L&A
Georgia, Florida & Alabama : 2 states. "The Sumatra Leaf Route".
Good start?
Ah, woke up in the middle of the night with one more.
Nevada-California-Oregon: 2 states
Just call me Arthur Stilwell !
I'm impressed Arthur Stilwell
Buck, except for one road you've named all those that I know of and even added the NV-CA-OR which I had never heard of before, The one that you missed is the Arkansas Louisiana & Mississippi (successor to the Arkansas & Louisiana Missouri) which is one of the Genesse & Wyoming owned roads. Unlike all the others, the AL&M still operates and turns a profit today.
I'm certain no one can top your list so you're the winner and get to ask the next question.
Marl
Ach so, Mark.
Sometimes you have to step outside the hallowed ground of Rich Mountain to find these. From the pages of "Railroads of Nevada & Eastern California" comes the narrow gauged N-C-O, eventually replaced with standard gauge SP tracks.
LOL...I knew you'd understand the Arthur Stilwell reference.
I'll have something fun for everyone tomorrow.
Well, "tomorrow" actually ended up being 3 or 4 days.
Something a on the "E-Z" side then.
Despite a modern fleet, a progressive president, and numerous innovations, this road's original failure to reach major terminii over it's own rails might have been key to its eventual undoing. What road am I thinking of?
There are probably several railroads that meet that description, but certainly New Jersey's Susquahana was one. The New York Wetchester and Boston as a commuter railroad was another, with its failure to provide through service to downtown Manhattan.
Susquahana innovations included bus transfer to NY as an alternative to Erie ferry boats, modern diesel railcars precussers of RDC's., and dieselization.
NYW&B innovations included center of car doors (three doors per side like SEPTA's mu's), high platforms at all stations, and lightweight Stillwell car design. Grade seperation to avoid grade crossings..
Rock Island ?
Possibly the Minneapolis & St. Louis.
All yours, nariq
Why did you think it was the Rock Island?
Ack!! I didn't realize I hit the post icon. Ithought I'd backed out of the thread til I was looking at my email tonite
Partially a WAG. When I thought about the Rock Island it seemed to fit. All thplaces they went on someon elses tracks. Denver on Kansas Pacific(UP), Tucumcari (SP owned the last 30 miles, Houston(Burlington-Rock Island), Memphis(Memphis Bridge Co), Kansas City (Kansas Pacific nee UP).
Innovations,Usually when a company is behind, if they're in survivor mode they're willing to try all manner of ideas to stay afloat. CTC I think was 1st tried on Rock Island in 1935. And of course the legal innovation of being the largest class 1 railroad to be liquidated in bankrupcy. John Ingrams(I think) ability to talk the unions into taking stock in lieu of pay.
As I said above I really did not intend to send in my answer. As I would now have to think of the next question.
I'll try to think of something tonite & post.
Thx IGN
It's been over a week since we last heard from narig whose turn it is to ask the next question. Rather than let this thread die while waiting for him, I'll throw out a quickie question.
At one time Midland was a part of the name of many railroads. From 1935 forward, the names of what roads included the word, Midland?
Going back before going forward. Re:"NJ's Susquehanna" in effect did reach the Susquehanna River at Wilkes Barre when it took over and operated the Wilkes Barre and Eastern west from Stroudsburg, PA. often with Susquehanna names on the sideboards. One of the problems is that most of the time it operated the W-B&E it was under Erie control and so you'd find as much Erie power or Erie designed power on the road! To "tie" this to the new question, the NYS&W did pick up the pieces of the New Jersey Midland thorugh NJ to Middletown, NY after the NY& Oswego Midland reorganized as the NYO&W and built the east from MIddletown to Cornwall, NY! Never used the Midland name as I remember, and it was long before the 1935 date of this question.
SO the first "Midland" to come to mind to the question would be Colorado Midland followed by the Ontario Midland (before the present one). For starters.
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KCSfan It's been over a week since we last heard from narig whose turn it is to ask the next question. Rather than let this thread die while waiting for him, I'll throw out a quickie question. At one time Midland was a part of the name of many railroads. From 1935 forward, the names of what roads included the word, Midland? Mark
For openers:
Chicago & Illinois Midland
Midland Continental
Gainesville Midland
The Colorado Midland ceased operations and was abandoned prior to 1935 so it cannot be counted. The Ontario Midland is a good call however. The C&IM, Gainsville Midland and Midland Continental are all good answers.
I know of at least five other "Midlands" that haven't yet been identified including one which operated in three different states and another that was just under two miles in length.
Midland Valley Railroad ?
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