Trains.com

Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

741834 views
7952 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 1:56 PM

Chicago and Indiana Air Line Railway.   This is not to be confused with the Chicago and New York Air Line.  If my memory serves me most of the original C&IAL was the Indiana Harbor branch, which was discontinued prior to the South Shore era.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 2:11 PM

rcdrye

Chicago and Indiana Air Line Railway.   This is not to be confused with the Chicago and New York Air Line.  If my memory serves me most of the original C&IAL was the Indiana Harbor branch, which was discontinued prior to the South Shore era.

We have a winner.  I really have to come up with tougher questions.Sigh   rcdrye, you have the next question.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 8:54 PM

A two parter... Which steam RR got engines from the South Shore, and which steam RR did the South Shore get engines from?

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Hope, AR
  • 2,061 posts
Posted by narig01 on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 11:40 PM

WAG  Illinois Central?

Thx IGN

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, August 8, 2012 7:27 AM

South Shore did get engines from IC's electric operation.  I'll amend to what two steam roads sid South Shore get engines from...

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, August 8, 2012 10:13 AM

The steam roads involved were Buffalo Creek (SW1 601) and C&O (switchers and GP7's).  South Shore also got electrics (R2's) from NYC.  South Shore also sold its two AC freight motors to the St. Clair Tunnel Co (CN-GTW subsidiary).

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, August 8, 2012 12:05 PM

The next question is yours!

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, August 9, 2012 10:10 AM

rcdrye

The next question is yours!

Since I just asked a question, I will defer to someone else that you select.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, August 9, 2012 12:22 PM
I have a question ready if it's ok with you rcdrye. Mark
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, August 9, 2012 8:39 PM

Please go!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Friday, August 10, 2012 5:24 AM
Thanks - Here's the next question, a fairly easy one. Several railroads operated ferry service on Lake Michigan and most, if not all, of the boats carried autos and passengers in addition to rail cars. In the late 1930's what railroads ran ferry service on the Lake and between what ports did the different ferry routes operate? Mark
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 5:51 PM

It's going on five days and no replies yet. This question isn't that hard and I hope some of you will take a stab at it. Here's a hint. The ferry routes are clearly shown on the maps of the four railroads that ran the ferry services in the OG's of the time period.

Mark

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 8:31 AM

I can come up with the following without a 1930's OG handy:

GTW Muskegon Milwaukee

PM Ludington MI - Milwaukee, Manitowac and Kewaunee WI

AA Ludington and Frankfort MI - Kewaunee, Manitowac WI Manistique MI

LST (DSS&A/PRR/NYC) Mackinaw City St. Ignace

There were a couple of non-RR car ferry operations but I think they were gone by the 1930s.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 9:58 AM
Very good, you are the winner and get the next question. However the Ann Arbor boats all sailed from Frankfort, none from Ludington, and one route went to Menominee in addition to the other cities you have listed. It's a minor technicality but I don't think the DSSA/NYC/PRR ferry across the Straits of Makinac should be counted as operating on Lake Michigan. I don't think the Straits are considered a part of EITHER Lakes Michigan or Huron but rather a connecting waterway between the two. Only one other RR ferry route should be added to those you have mentioned. Unlike the others which were all cross-lake, the Canadian National had a boat which sailed on BOTH Lakes Michigan and Huron between Milwaukee and Depot Harbor, Ont on Georgian Bay. Mark
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 4:16 PM

GE built 39 tri-power diesel-battery-electric (one was actually Alco-GE)  and 7 dual-power diesel-battery locomotives with constant-speed diesels.  Some of them were also equipped for charging from electrifications.  Two RRs owned tri-power diesel-battery-electric versions. What are the RRs, voltage of electrification(s) and pickup type.  Three RRs owned dual-power versions:  Owners and where used. Some tri-powers were used, but not owned by, one of the RRs that owned dual-power units.

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, August 16, 2012 8:50 AM

One of the railroads that owned the three-power types was the New York Central, and the electrification was and is with Metro North underruning third rail at 600volts.    I hope "oil-electric can be considered an early for of diesel-electric.  The West Side Freight LIne with battery operation beyond the third rail and into industry sidings was common.   The third rail ended at 60th Street, and diesel and battery operaton was needed from there down to St. Johns Park.  Diesel was legally used on the high line, but not into covered in-warehouse and industry sidings which required battery power.    I think the Milwaukee electrification or the Butte, Anaconda, and Pacific also had three-power locomotives, and although the CMStP&P was 3000 volts and the BA&P 2200 volts dc, they did use each others locomotives at times.    GE much more recently built pretty modern diesel-battery (with regenerative braking for charging the battery) for Conrail.   CSX took ownership of these locomotives  I know the North Shore had trolley-battery locomtives.   600-volt trolley wire operation as well as battery, but no third rail operation.   They may have used the CRT's trolley wire equipped southbound express track to the interchange yard.

Some of the modern gen-set switchers have regenerative braking and battery operation, but i forget which railroads have tried this, possibly the AT&SF and Central California Traction.

I suspect that the Sacramento Northern at one time may have had  four-power locomotive(s), diesel, 1200 volt trolley, 600 volt trolley, 600 volt third rail, and battery.  And this(these) may have operated through on Central California Traction, since both railroads were owned by WP and interchanged at Sacramento.

 

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:08 AM

This is what I have for the GE's:

Tri-powers:  NYC, underrunning 3rd-rail pickup, 600 VDC;  DL&W, overhead catenary, 3000VDC

Dual-powers:  NYC and RI, used at LaSalle St. Station in Chicago;  MC, used in Detroit electrification.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 8,156 posts
Posted by henry6 on Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:49 AM

DL&W quad power: steam, electric, diesel, and battery-electric.

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.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 8,156 posts
Posted by henry6 on Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:54 AM

Come to think of it, even the Erie had steam, diesel and electric (Rochester to Avon, NY) at one time.  Would the NY and Long Branch count?  PRR and CNJ shared operations but all three appeared there, too, even if for only a handful of miles from S. Amboy north to the junction of the two railroads just north of Peth Amboy.  Then you gotta add the Reading in and around Philadelphia, too.  B&O at one time through the tunnel at Baltimore.  B&M had all three with wire through Hossac Tunnel but I'm not sure it lasted into the diesel era.  New Haven did it all all across Connecticuit!

 

 

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.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:01 AM

CSSHegewisch has the most complete answer within the original (GE, diesel-battery(-electric)) question.  There were other dual and tri-power units that worked in different ways.  North Shore's were battery-electric only, IT had a homebuilt diesel-electric-electric that I don't think had batteries.

The NYC tri-powers were also used on the MC Detroit third rail, but never owned by MC.  The MC units were used at Central (IC) station in Chicago, and can be seen in one of the "Bird's Eye View" series of photos.

Next question, CSSHegewisch?

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, August 16, 2012 12:08 PM

Indiana Harbor Belt is pretty well known for having a roster consisting primarily of (and for a while, only) EMD endcab switchers.  What were IHB's first road diesel locomotives?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, August 16, 2012 1:12 PM
Would they be the Fairbanks Morse H20-44's that the IHB acquired in 1948-49? Mark
  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, August 16, 2012 2:02 PM

I really have to try harder.  KCSfan has the correct answer and is entitled to the next question.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, August 16, 2012 9:48 PM

Apparently these FM units didn't live up to expectations or needs of the IHB because I understand after only 1-2 years sevice they were all sold to parent NYC.

On to the next question. What North American railroad operated the most miles of narrow gauge trackage in the  1935-40 time period? Approximately how many narrow gauge route miles did this road operate?

Mark   

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Friday, August 17, 2012 6:37 AM

I'm going with Nacionales de Mexico.  Just the Vera Cruz - Mexico City line with branches covered a lot of miles, and there were other isolated groups of 3 foot lines. 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Friday, August 17, 2012 9:23 AM

rcdrye

I'm going with Nacionales de Mexico.  Just the Vera Cruz - Mexico City line with branches covered a lot of miles, and there were other isolated groups of 3 foot lines. 

The NdeM is correct and the next question is yours. Their representation in the March 1937 OG states "Mileage - Standard Gauge 6860 miles - Narrow Gauge 1512 miles - Total 8372 miles".

Mark

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Friday, August 17, 2012 10:20 AM

Which large Ohio city had dual-guage track to accomodate at least two different standard-guage interurban lines?  For extra credit, what was the city guage?

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Friday, August 17, 2012 4:44 PM

I am going just from memory but believe it was Cincinnati. I'll have to do a bit of research to see if that's correct and what the gauge of the city streetcar lines was.

Mark

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2,535 posts
Posted by KCSfan on Friday, August 17, 2012 4:52 PM

I usually can't find my references this quickly but I got lucky this time. The gauge of the Cincy streetcar lines was 5 '- 2-1/2".

Mark

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Saturday, August 18, 2012 10:26 AM

Since all major Ohio cities seem to start with "C" Cincinnati would seem to be a likely prospect.  The gauge is correct, too.  But the Dual-gauge specialwork was a characteristic of another large "C" Ohio city.

SUBSCRIBER & MEMBER LOGIN

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

FREE NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter