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Classic Railroad Quiz (at least 50 years old).

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Posted by daveklepper on Friday, October 16, 2009 4:21 AM

I don't have the research material at all handy, and would probably have to explore the web (might be a fruitless search) to find National de Mexicano history.  I know European self-propelled railcars were built for a private railroad with lots of scenery in the western Mexican pennisular, but that isn't what the question refers to.   Chiwawa Pacific?   Spelling?)

 

I think the translation was done with a sense of joy and accomplishment, so it was a reward, not a punishment.   May all good deeds be treated similarly henceforth and forever, Amen.

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:00 PM

daveklepper

Better he should just ask the next question!

Dave, don't you know that every good deed (even a work of supererogation) has its punishment?Smile

But, he came through with a new question, which I trust you will answer immediately.

Johnny

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Posted by passengerfan on Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:30 PM

CRI&P GOLDEN ROCKET cars

VALLE VERDE -GREEN VALLEY

VALLE VISTA - VIEW VALLEY

VALLE MAR - OCEAN VALLEY or SEA VALLEY

EL CAFE -THE CAFE

EL COMEDOR - THE DINING ROOM

LA COSTA - THE COAST

LA JOLLA - THE JEWEL

LA PALMA - THE PALM

LA QUINTA - THE INN

LA MIRADA - THE DWELLING

THE SP SET

VALLE RIO GRANDE - RIO GRANDE VALLEY

VALLE DEL SOL - SUN VALLEY

VALLE IMPERIAL - IMPERIAL VALLEY

EL CAFE FRONTERO - THE FRONT CAFE

LA FONDA - THE SMALL RESTAURANT

MONTE SANTA RITA - MOUNT SANTA RITA

MONTE SAN JACINTO - MOUNT SAN JACINTO

MONTE SANTA CATALINA - MOUNT SANTA CATALINA

MONTE CHIRICAHUA - MOUNT CHIRICAHUA

LA GALERIA - THE GALLERY

My question is three train sets were built in a European country for service in Mexico. Name the train they were built for who built them and name the sleeping cars and types of sleeping cars?

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Posted by passengerfan on Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:38 AM

I was planning on taking the car names to the office this AM where I have four beautiful young ladies who are all fluent in Spanish and have the answers when I return. Some of the Spanish I know such as Valle Verde in English would be Green Valley. I should have the rest before noon including the proposed SP cars. Then I will pose a question that should have everyone diving for research material.

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Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, October 15, 2009 4:26 AM

Better he should just ask the next question!

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:54 PM

passengerfan

I believe the trains you are talking about were the jointly owned SP/CRI&P Golden Rockets. There were to be two train sets one each owned by each road. Only the CRI&P train set was built by Pullman Standard. They were to have entered service between Chicago and Los Angeles in late 1947. The RI train set was completed as follows:

820 Baggage 24 Crew Dormitory Car

347 VALLE VERDE 48-Seat Leg Rest Coach

348 VALLE VISTA 48 - Seat Leg Rest Coach

349 VALLE MAR 48 -Seat Leg Rest Coach

412 EL CAFE "Fiesta" Coffee Shop Tavern Lounge Car

428 EL COMEDOR 36 Seat Dining Car

660 LA COSTA 22-Roomette Sleeping Car

LA JOLLA 12-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

LA PALMA 12 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

LA QUINTA 4 Compartment 4 Double Bedroom 2 Drawing Room Sleeping Car

LA MIRADA 2-Double Bedroom 1 Drawing Room Buffet Lounge Observation.

The RI trainset made one trip to Los Angeles for promotional purposes and never carried any revenue passengers under the Golden Rocket name. The idea was the two train sets would operate on a 39-3/4 hour schedule to match the Super Chief and City of Los Angeles but it was never to be. The SP never completed there train set and the schedule could not have been met without ATS on the SP portion of the trackage from Tucumcari to Los Angeles. Instead the Golden Rocket cars went into Golden State service still lettered for the train that never was the Golden Rocket.

PS I just finished the final tax return for a client this afternoon so will have more time on my hands until the mad house starts all over in January 2010. Its been an especially long tax season this year and I have never had so many clients on extension as this year. I have a feeling this is going to become a permanent state for taxpayers with more and more going on extension from April 15 to October 15.

Yes, Al, you have the train, the roads, reason why it never ran (I do not remember seeing it stated anywhere), the road whose cars were built, and what train they did run on.

Now, since you named the cars (I didn't ask for this item), you must translate the names. Smile

Johnny

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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 8:21 PM

For those interested the SP GOLDEN ROCKET train set though never built did have the following names selected.

NO number baggage Dorm car

VALLE RIO GRANDE 48 Seat Leg Rest Coach

VALLE DEL SOL 48 Seat Leg Rest Coach

VALLE IMPERIAL 48 Seat Leg Rest Coach

EL CAFE FRONTERO Coffee Shop Lounge Car

LA FONDA 36 Seat Dining Car

MONTE SANTA RITA 22-Roomette Sleeping Car

MONTE SAN JACINTO 12-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

MONTE SANTA CATALINA 12 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

MONTE CHIRICAHUA 4-Compartment 4-Double Bedroom 2-Drawing Room Sleeping Car

LA GALERIA 2 Double Bedroom 1 Drawing Room Buffet Lounge Observation

Al - in - Stockton 

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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 7:55 PM

Deggesty

passengerfan

Johnny

You got the four cars correct and I am sorry about the CN trackage from the border to Winnipeg for the Winnipeg Limited. Your question.

Al - in - Stockton

The Train that Never Was

I think that all followers of this thread know of the C&O’s plan to inaugurate a day train between Washington and Cincinnati. To make this possible, the C&O ordered new locomotives, many cars, including sleepers that would not be used on this train, but on various overnight trains. When the B&O learned of the plan, the Cincinnatian was launched, using equipment that the B&O already had.. It was not long before the B&O learned that there was no real market for such a schedule, and their train was moved to the Detroit-Cincinnati day run, which had been successful.

The C&O learned from the B&O’s experience, canceled its proposed deluxe train, bought some of the cars it had ordered, and allowed other roads to buy those that the C&O would not be able to use.

About the same time, two other roads planned a joint train that would run tri-weekly, using two sets of equipment (each one owned by one of the roads). Eleven cars were built for one railroad; no cars were built for the other railroad–and the train was swept away before it ever came into being (the cars that had been built were used on an existing joint train). What were the two roads? Which one had the cars built? What was the Train that Never Was? What train were the cars used on (with the name of the Train that Never Was on the letterboards)?

Why was the train swept away?

Johnny

I believe the trains you are talking about were the jointly owned SP/CRI&P Golden Rockets. There were to be two train sets one each owned by each road. Only the CRI&P train set was built by Pullman Standard. They were to have entered service between Chicago and Los Angeles in late 1947. The RI train set was completed as follows:

820 Baggage 24 Crew Dormitory Car

347 VALLE VERDE 48-Seat Leg Rest Coach

348 VALLE VISTA 48 - Seat Leg Rest Coach

349 VALLE MAR 48 -Seat Leg Rest Coach

412 EL CAFE "Fiesta" Coffee Shop Tavern Lounge Car

428 EL COMEDOR 36 Seat Dining Car

660 LA COSTA 22-Roomette Sleeping Car

LA JOLLA 12-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

LA PALMA 12 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

LA QUINTA 4 Compartment 4 Double Bedroom 2 Drawing Room Sleeping Car

LA MIRADA 2-Double Bedroom 1 Drawing Room Buffet Lounge Observation.

The RI trainset made one trip to Los Angeles for promotional purposes and never carried any revenue passengers under the Golden Rocket name. The idea was the two train sets would operate on a 39-3/4 hour schedule to match the Super Chief and City of Los Angeles but it was never to be. The SP never completed there train set and the schedule could not have been met without ATS on the SP portion of the trackage from Tucumcari to Los Angeles. Instead the Golden Rocket cars went into Golden State service still lettered for the train that never was the Golden Rocket.

PS I just finished the final tax return for a client this afternoon so will have more time on my hands until the mad house starts all over in January 2010. Its been an especially long tax season this year and I have never had so many clients on extension as this year. I have a feeling this is going to become a permanent state for taxpayers with more and more going on extension from April 15 to October 15.

 

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 3:03 PM

passengerfan

Johnny

You got the four cars correct and I am sorry about the CN trackage from the border to Winnipeg for the Winnipeg Limited. Your question.

Al - in - Stockton

The Train that Never Was

I think that all followers of this thread know of the C&O’s plan to inaugurate a day train between Washington and Cincinnati. To make this possible, the C&O ordered new locomotives, many cars, including sleepers that would not be used on this train, but on various overnight trains. When the B&O learned of the plan, the Cincinnatian was launched, using equipment that the B&O already had.. It was not long before the B&O learned that there was no real market for such a schedule, and their train was moved to the Detroit-Cincinnati day run, which had been successful.

The C&O learned from the B&O’s experience, canceled its proposed deluxe train, bought some of the cars it had ordered, and allowed other roads to buy those that the C&O would not be able to use.

About the same time, two other roads planned a joint train that would run tri-weekly, using two sets of equipment (each one owned by one of the roads). Eleven cars were built for one railroad; no cars were built for the other railroad–and the train was swept away before it ever came into being (the cars that had been built were used on an existing joint train). What were the two roads? Which one had the cars built? What was the Train that Never Was? What train were the cars used on (with the name of the Train that Never Was on the letterboards)?

Why was the train swept away?

Johnny

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Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 2:36 PM

Just for information.  I believe Metro North makes a practice of running only mu cars (all three lines) around the loops to equalize wheel wear.   Diesels probably have wheel wear equalization by moving trucks around under the locomotives at Harmon.  Non-powered coaches are not that critical, including the cab-cars.   Any comments from someone more familiar with the situation than I am?

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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 12:45 PM

Johnny

You got the four cars correct and I am sorry about the CN trackage from the border to Winnipeg for the Winnipeg Limited. Your question.

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 11:43 AM

In 1962, the UP had two 6-6-4 sleepers, American General and American View (A.C.F., 1950), rebuilt to 4 sections, 6 roomette, 4 double bedrooms, 1 small snack section, for service on the Butte Special?(Salt Lake City-Butte). But, the names apparently were not changed.

I can’t find any other rebuildings of just two cars.

Johnny

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 11:20 AM

passengerfan

Each road remodeled two lightweight streamlined sleeping cars for there own named trains, they only operated on the owning roads tracks from beginning to end of each run.Each road had two sets of equipment to maintain overnight service in each direction for thes named trains. Is that enough information to help.

Al - in - Stockton 

I think that I have found one pair:

In 1956, Great Northern had two of its 16 duplex roomette, 4 double bedroom Glacier cars (Oberlin Glacier & Harrison Glacier, P-S, 1947) rebuilt to 8 duplex roomette, 2 double bedroom, buffet lounge cars that were given the names Manitoba Club and Winnipeg Club, for service on the Winnipeg Limited. But, didn't this train run on CN rails into and out of Winnipeg?

Johnny

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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:33 AM

Deggesty

passengerfan

Two Western RRs each had two lightweight streamlined sleeping cars remodeled for specific train assignments. Name the two RRs name the cars and what type car they were before conversion and what type they became after and the trains they were assigned to?

Al - in - Stockton

Al, am I right in understanding that the cars each road had remodeled were for its own train, or was there one train operated jointly by the two roads?

Johnny

Each road remodeled two lightweight streamlined sleeping cars for there own named trains, they only operated on the owning roads tracks from beginning to end of each run.Each road had two sets of equipment to maintain overnight service in each direction for thes named trains. Is that enough information to help.

Al - in - Stockton 

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:27 AM

passengerfan

Two Western RRs each had two lightweight streamlined sleeping cars remodeled for specific train assignments. Name the two RRs name the cars and what type car they were before conversion and what type they became after and the trains they were assigned to?

Al - in - Stockton

Al, am I right in understanding that the cars each road had remodeled were for its own train, or was there one train operated jointly by the two roads?

Johnny

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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:14 PM

Two Western RRs each had two lightweight streamlined sleeping cars remodeled for specific train assignments. Name the two RRs name the cars and what type car they were before conversion and what type they became after and the trains they were assigned to?

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:24 PM

CORRECT!!!     The MU's are run around the loop on a scheduled basis, smothing like once every two months.  I don't know how the diesels and unpowered coaches are handled.  Tt is pssible to trn equipment at both Croton Harmon, and at Brewster.  Think the New Haven line fleet can currently only be turned at Grand Central.

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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 1:50 PM

daveklepper

 So far incorrect.   Keep trying!

To promote even wear on the wheels.

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:52 AM

 So far incorrect.   Keep trying!

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Posted by henry6 on Monday, October 12, 2009 6:26 PM

But Mark, today's commuter coaches...those in push pull service especially...often have permanent seating so that half the riders are always riding backwards!  Otherwise, commuter coaches have flip over seats.  But that is not the reason trains use the loops today...

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, October 12, 2009 12:00 PM

I'm guessing it must be to turn the train because unless the cars had flip over seats passengers would be riding backwards heading either outbound or inbound from GCT.

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 12, 2009 11:47 AM

It is widely known that there are loop tracks for both the upper and lower levels at Grand Central Terminal.  Given that most trains, all pushpulls with dual-power and nearly all multiple unit electrics simply reverse ends at Grand Central, the push-pull dual power locos always on the north end and the cab car on the south, what really essential purpose do the loops served and why are they used regularly?

DO NOT ANSWER IF YOU ARE A METRO NORTH EMPLOYEE!!!!

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Posted by henry6 on Sunday, October 11, 2009 11:55 AM

Perspective!  I've seen the equpment changes, et al, on a regular basis, so I didn't even think all you have included, Dave!  But you are right.  There are still some position light signals around.  But in my shallowness I was thinking the complexity and multi meanings of the word "change", in this case, as an active verb.  Therefore I limited my sights to the AirTrain to JFK and the new stations for the F and J train services tunneled below the station building allowing for a covered passage from LIRR to subway instead of the three block hike to Jamaica Ave for the old BMT (the el structure is gone), or the further hike to the E&F train's old IND designated station; E train is still there but F's are on new line. 

At anyrate, Dave, your answers trump mine for sure...your turn...

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, October 11, 2009 11:05 AM

There were still some trains that exchanged steam for DD-1 electrics for a run to Penn Station during and after WWII.   I don't know whether this lasted into the diesel era but I think it did.   The rolling stock is very different.  No more MP-54's, no more postwar conventional mu's.  No more baggage car service and checked baggage.  No more mail handling.   No Push Pulls back then or dual power, which exist today.   Position light signals back then, are they still around?   The track arrangement has been somewhat simplified with higher-speed switches.   No more active Union Hall Station East of Jamaica Station.   Newer platform train identification signs.   New public address system.

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Posted by henry6 on Sunday, October 11, 2009 9:51 AM

But that's only one change!

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Posted by henry6 on Saturday, October 10, 2009 12:28 PM

CHANGE AT JAMAICA means so much to those riding the Long Island RR...I even have a 1950's era book of that title written by a hapless commuter who happened also to be a NY Times writer...but Mike's pictures posted above and in the question also point out another set of reasons for the phrase.  My grandparents lived just a block north of the station near the Arena and I could wax nostalgic of the many hours we spent train watching on those platforms a half century ago...cleaninng out the phone coin returns for up to $5 bucks for both of us after the rush hour; the long string of freight cars trundling eastbound around the station on the far south track away from the platforms, the double deckers the FM cabs the Owl eye cars the, well...enough...

... But it does bring up a question to ask about change at Jamaica in fact.  I can see...and have used...two major changes (note the word changes) at Jamaica station which were not extant back in the mid 20th Century.  What are those changes (aside from the platform and bridge work)?

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Posted by henry6 on Saturday, October 10, 2009 9:16 AM

Pic one made me think Pittsburgh...but two and three changed my mind about 400 miles east to:

Jamaica, Queens, on the Long Island!?

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.

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