ZephyrOverland Is it the Copper River and Northwestern Railway in Alaska, which ceased operation in 1941?
Is it the Copper River and Northwestern Railway in Alaska, which ceased operation in 1941?
BINGO, we have a winner. The CR&NW ran 196 miles fron the copper mines at Kennecott to the port of Cordova on the Gulf of Alaska. Actually the last train ran in 1938. In 1941 the Kennecott Copper Co. donated the roadbed and adjacent land to the US Government for use as a highway.
The next question is yours, ZO.
Mark
And the FW&D and IGN were not abandoned but merged into larger systems and after WWII. Look forward to the next question and hope it is as terrifically informative as this past one.
Fort Worth & Denver remained as a separate operating entity well into the 1980's, admittedly as a subsidiary of CB&Q/BN. Motive power was sub-lettered for them and did not stray outside of their own territory too often.
Right, I should have said well aftert WWII!
CSSHEGEWISCHFort Worth & Denver remained as a separate operating entity well into the 1980's, admittedly as a subsidiary of CB&Q/BN. Motive power was sub-lettered for them and did not stray outside of their own territory too often.
So
Zo
Next question please?
daveklepper Next question please?
In anticipation of the centennial of the FEC Key West extension (1/22/2012), how many bridges were utilized on this line?
I believe it was 43.
FlyingCrow I believe it was 43.
Close enough. My resource has 42 listed.
In the meanwhile, you have the next question, Buck.
I've seen both...the "better" authority had 43 as I once read, so that was the number I used.
Ok...we'll have a question shortly.
Apologies...a slight illness has sidelined me for a couple of days. Anyone else want to take it whist I recuperate?
I, for one, will be happy to wait for you.
Ok, who won the 1940 "Miss Southern Belle" contest inaugurating the new streamliner and what city was she from?
KCS fan...I see you jumping on this big time.
I can't resist answering but I'm going to give the next question to someone else who hasn't had as many chances to ask a question as I've had.
Margaret Landry of Baton Rouge was the Southern Belle contest winner.
KCS fan, you have not disappointed me. She just passed away this last year. Please take the reigns!
FlyingCrow KCS fan, you have not disappointed me. She just passed away this last year. Please take the reigns
KCS fan, you have not disappointed me. She just passed away this last year. Please take the reigns
Thanks Buck but as I said when I posted the answer I'm going to pass to anyone else who hasn't had as many chances to ask a question as I've had. So take it away anyone who has another question they'd like to ask.
I should have pointed out that several of the CP's and CN's interurban subsidiaries had red equipment, including the interurban on CN tracks out of Quebec to St. Joachim. And of course the Ottawa streetcar system.
Since there's been no activity on this thread for about three weeks I'll throw out a new question rather than let it die completely.
Back in the 1950's and early 60's there was a major league baseball pitcher who was nick named for the town where he was born. Eight years of his MLB career were spent with the St. Louis Cardinals and a few years after retiring from basball he became a US Congressman representing a district in North Carolina. If he made trips by rail from St. Louis to his home town what train and railroad would he have ridden on?
That would be none other than Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell Well, even though the somewhat dubious wood burning Mississippi & Alabama served Vinegar Bend, AL.....his choice of train would have been via the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio; namely the Gulf Coast Rebel....that is until, I believe, 1958.
I thought this question would be a stumper and had several hints in mind that I'd post as needed. But Buck Dean has amazed me and his prompt answer is correct in all details so take it away Buck, the next question is yours.
In the words of the old Sunday syndicated cartoon...."Thanks and a tip of the hat..". My grandfather, George Buxton of Joplin, MO was the PRIMO NUMERO UNO Cardinals fan and, mister, I'd better have the entire roster memorized every summer I spent with him on the porch at night listening in (to Harry Caray brought to you by delicious Busch Bavarian Beer no less )
My question is, the SOUTHERN and SEABOARD AIR LINE exchanged Florida sleepers at what unlikely spot?
Buck, I think the location you are looking for is Hampton, FL. While there may have been others at some time, the Florida Sunbeam which bypassed Jacksonville was the only train I know of that switched from SR to SAL rails at that point.
As you know Hampton was on the SR's Valdosta - Palatka branch and my very favorite railfan memory (which after all the years I can still see clearly in my minds eye) was of a mixed train on that branch. I think the year was 1942 and I was riding with my Mom and Dad in our 1941 Buick Century on US 301. I was keeping an eye on the rails ahead in hopes of seeing a train when I heard a whistle behind us. Dad was driving about 60 mph but lo and behold a train was overtaking us. It turned out to be the SR's mixed train bound for Valdosta and must have been hitting at least 70 mph. As it pulled alongside us I saw it was headed by a beautiful green and gold 4-6-0 with Southern emblazoned in gold on the tender and GS&F beneath the cab windows. A grinning negro fireman waved as it passed by us. The consist was about a dozen freight cars followed by a combine. It wasn't long before the train was out of sight ahead of us leaving only a lingering trail of black smoke in the sky. The memory of that scene and my thrill in seeing it is etched in my mind.
What a beautiful memory, and I hope you are right and await your question.
Wow, Mark! 70 mph in dark territory! I'm sure the fireman was sweating from his labor. About five or six years later, the ICC declared that such operation was no longer permissible, even for passenger trains (49 mph for freight and 59 mph for passenger). I'm not sure that even the SAL had signaling on its Jacksonville-Tampa line then, much less on its Coleman-Miami line. It is amazing how fast various railroads operated their trains in dark territory--with little damage.
The ICC was very strict and granted few, if any, exceptions to its ruling despite the pleas for exceptions. Even into the seventies, the ruling was ignored here and there. I recall watching the speedometer on the engine when I rode the engine of the City of New Orlean from Memphis to Grenada in 1965--to maintain the schedule we ran at 90 mph much of the way, with nothing more than ABS. And, in 1974 I woke up somewhere between Montgomery and Waycross on the Floridian, and it seemed we were running faster than 59 mph; of course, I had no way to measure our speed.
Johnny
It is difficult today for both fans and railroaders to understand not the risks being taken at 70mph or whatever in dark territory, but the skill of each railroader and trust the railroad management and fellow employees put in each other to do it all safely. Was it as romantic and gallant as a Freeman Hubbard or Gil Lathrop would have you believe? It was hard core blood,sweat, and self decilline and control. Men knew thier equipment, roadbed, geography, and fellow employees and mixed it all together to make it work. Some mishaps, yes. But actually a lot fewer than you'd suspect by today's thinking.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
Mark already knows he is correct...Hampton,FL it is.
Here's a new question. In the 1940's what electric railway operated both passenger and freight service over standard, narrow and dual gauge trackage?
Denver & Intermountain (?) . Not sure if they had freight service though.
Thx IGN
narig01 Denver & Intermountain (?) . Not sure if they had freight service though. Thx IGN
Bingo, we have a winner. The Denver & Intermountain's main freight traffic was coal which they carried from mines at Leyden to Denver behind narrow gauge (46") freight motors. They also had two (IIRC) standard gauge freight motors. Their standard gauge interurban cars carried whole numbers but , interestingly, the narrow gauge interurbans were numbered with decimal numbers, e.g. .03
Sounds similar to New Haven's numbering ,where steam locomotives carried regular numbers while electrics and early diesels carried numbers with a 0 (zero) prefix.
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