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Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

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Posted by K4sPRR on Saturday, October 8, 2011 7:56 PM

Arkansas Midland, Maryland Midland and Florida Midland?  Would the Poway Midland in California qualify?

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Posted by K4sPRR on Saturday, October 8, 2011 7:57 PM

Arkansas Midland, Maryland Midland, and Florida Midland?  Would the Poway Midland in California qualify?

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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, October 8, 2011 11:21 PM

Definitely the Midland Valley which was the road that had trackage in three states, KS, OK and AR.

The Maryland Midland and Florida Midland are good calls. Both are relatively new lines which operate former branches of a major road. The former is Genesse & Western owned and the latter is a Pinsley company road. However I wouldn't count the Poway Midland as I understand it not an operating common carrier but a nistorical/tourist attraction.

I know of four other roads that haven't beenmentioned yet.

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 10, 2011 7:14 AM

The Midland Terminal, which took over a part of the Colorado Midland into Colorado Springs after the Colorado Midland abandoned and which did operate up through WWII.

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, October 10, 2011 8:42 AM

The Midland Terminal is a good call Dave.

The remaining three roads that I know of are the:

Louisiana Midland which together withthe Mississippi Central formed the "Natchez Route"

Illinois & Midland which is a Genesee & Wyoming company road that currently operates most of the former C&IM.

The Illinois Midland whch was an obscure road that, until abandoned in 1967, ran only for 1.9 miles between Newark and a connection with the Burlington at Millington, IL.

CSSHegwich who named three roads is the "fustest with the mostest" and is our winner.

Mark

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 10:23 AM

Since I'm in the middle of a question I posed on the other thread, I'll defer to whoever Mark chooses to ask the next question.

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 KCSfan on Thursday, October 13, 2011 4:52 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

Since I'm in the middle of a question I posed on the other thread, I'll defer to whoever Mark chooses to ask the next question.

Would you care to reconsider since your other question about the GE Universal Line engines has been answered?

If not then K4sPRR who identified two roads gets to ask the next question.

Mark

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, October 13, 2011 2:03 PM

Jointly owned stations are quite common, the Chicago area has/had several.  Name the four pre-Amtrak owners of Chicago Union Station.

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 K4sPRR on Thursday, October 13, 2011 7:05 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

Jointly owned stations are quite common, the Chicago area has/had several.  Name the four pre-Amtrak owners of Chicago Union Station.

PRR, Burlington (CB&Q), Chi & Alton, Milwaukee Road.

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Thursday, October 13, 2011 7:07 PM

Pittsburgh, Ft Wayne & Chicago (PRR)

Chicago & Alton (GM&O)

Chicago , Burlington & Quincy

Milwaukee Road

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by FlyingCrow on Thursday, October 13, 2011 7:07 PM

I think posted at almost the same moment although K4 beat me.

 

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, October 14, 2011 6:54 AM

Sorry, you both missed.  Alton/GM&O was a tenant, not a co-owner.

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 K4sPRR on Friday, October 14, 2011 9:34 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

Sorry, you both missed.  Alton/GM&O was a tenant, not a co-owner.

The Chicago Union Station Company was owned by the Burlington, Milwaukee and two PRR lines, the Ft. Wayne and Panhandle lines of the Pennsylvania Company.  I always forget the Alton was a tenant...oops.  The Michigan Central would have been a fifth, but backed out at the last minute.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, October 14, 2011 10:07 AM

I'm trying to envision how Michigan Central would have moved its operations from Central Station to Union Station.  Anyway, K4sPRR had the right answer, he gets the next question.

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 K4sPRR on Friday, October 14, 2011 1:00 PM

Apparently the Michigan Central had the same thoughts as you and felt it was better to stay put at Central Station.  Anyway....next question:

In 1959 there were 12 class 1 railroads that were freight only, name 8 of them.  (I would give extra credit if someone listed all 12, but hey, go for it.)

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Friday, October 14, 2011 3:28 PM

K4sPRR

In 1959 there were 12 class 1 railroads that were freight only, name 8 of them.  (I would give extra credit if someone listed all 12, but hey, go for it.)

 

I'm sure of some of these I'm just taking a SWAG at others.

Chicago & Illinois Midland

Missouri-Illinois

Texas-Mexican *

Alabama Tennessee & Northern *

Columbus & Greenville *

Belt Rwy. of Chicago

Indiana Harbor Belt

Elgin Joliet & Eastern

Clinchfield

Norfolk Southerm

Pittsburgh & West Virginia

Detroit Toledo & Ironton

Ann Arbor *

Green Bay & Western

Toledo Peoria & Western *

Rutland

Lehigh & Hudson River *

I've listed 17 RR's which is too many and I'm not at all sure that  the asterisked (*) ones were Class I roads but I don't have the time right now to check them out.

Mark

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Posted by K4sPRR on Sunday, October 16, 2011 9:28 AM

Mark, thats like throwing darts at a board full of rail lines!  You got five, three more.

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, October 17, 2011 7:58 AM

My problem is knowing which of the 17 roads I mentioned were still Class I in 1959 as I've been unable to locate a list of Class I's for that year. The ICC defined Class I roads at that time as those having annual operating revenues in excess of $3 million. Based on that I'd guess the five that you said I had correctly identified were the M-I, EJ&E, Clinchfield, P&WV and DT&I. I really don't know where to find any confirming info so If I'm wrong please post the correct five RR's. I'm certain that both the BRC and IHB met the ICC's annual revenue requirement but for some reason weren't considered to be Class I's. I'd guess that was because they were solely switching/terminal railroads and were owned by other RR's. In any event those two can be eliminated from my prior list.

The Virginian Rwy. was freight only in 1959 so I'll add it to my list (though it was mereged into the N&W that year). Also the Western Maryland ended passenger service sometime in 1959 so it was ffreight only for at least the latter part of that year. The Illinois Terminal which ended passenger service in 1956 comes to mind as another road that was likely still a Class I in 1959.

Other than those three additions, I'd strictly be guessing so I'll leave it up to you or someone else to identify the remaining roads.

Mark

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Posted by henry6 on Monday, October 17, 2011 8:14 AM

Mark..the Association of American Railroads published a lot of materials which identified the Class Ones.  So did the ICC.   If you can check their archives you should find the list you are looking for.

 

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Posted by K4sPRR on Monday, October 17, 2011 8:38 AM

Hey Mark,

  Your now up to seven, come on think....just one more and its yours.   As early Americans once trumped, Go west young man, go west.

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, October 17, 2011 1:04 PM

I believe the last Minneapolis & St Louis passenger train ran in 1957 or maybe it was 1958 so I'll add that RR and for good measure throw in the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range.

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Posted by K4sPRR on Monday, October 17, 2011 1:40 PM

Go more to the west, way west.

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, October 17, 2011 3:54 PM

K4s,

I know for a fact that the M&StL and IT ended passenger service prior to 1959, however, I'm not sure about the DM&IR. Are you telling me these roads were no longer Class I's by that time?

K4sPRR

Go more to the west, way west.

OK I'll go as far west as I can and throw the Pacific Electric and Northwestern Pacific into the pot. I also think the Spokane International may have been out of the passenger business but I have doubts about it being a Class I. Whenever this question is over please post the complete list of all 12 RR's.

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Posted by K4sPRR on Monday, October 17, 2011 5:17 PM

With the Spokane International added you got the eight.  In addition to the Spokane the others, according to Trains Magazine facts and figures on the rails in the 50's... Ann Arbor, Bessemer & Lake Erie, Chicago & Illionois Midland, Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio,  Norfolk Southern, Peoria & Eastern, Rutland, San Diego & Arizona Eastern, Texas Central, Virginian, and Western Maryland were the Class 1 roads all freight in 1959.

Congratulations, the next one is all yours.

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, October 17, 2011 11:45 PM

Until 1956 the Illinois Central had a line that ran to the boundary of two adjacent states and stopped in the middle of nowhere at that point. AFAIK this was not duplicated anywhere else on the IC system. Passenger service on this line also held a dubious distinction that made it unique among all the the schdedules listed in the IC timetables at the time it was discontinued.

What were the end points of this line and what was the distinctive feature of the passenger service it hosted?

Mark

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Posted by KCSfan on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 9:03 AM

Here's a hint. At the state line where the IC ended it connected with the mainline of a smaller railroad. This other road reached one of its endpoint terminals via trackage rights over the IC line.

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Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, October 20, 2011 10:14 AM

Another hint -

At one time this IC line was used by trains of the M-K-T.

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Posted by daveklepper on Friday, October 21, 2011 4:36 AM

The MKT statement confuses me.  In some respects the IC branch that connects with the South Shore could meet the requirement, but I am certain you have another branch in mind.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, October 21, 2011 7:26 AM

daveklepper

The MKT statement confuses me.  In some respects the IC branch that connects with the South Shore could meet the requirement, but I am certain you have another branch in mind.

While the Kensington & Eastern did extend to the Illinois-Indiana line, I don't recall any IC service on that line beyond the occasional transfer job to Lake Calumet Harbor.

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 KCSfan on Friday, October 21, 2011 8:07 AM

Geographically. the IC branch that I have in mind was far away from Chicagoland.

Another hint - Both the IC line and the other railroad it connected with at the state line ran nearly due east - west.

Mark

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