Classic Train Questions Part Deux (50 Years or Older)

[KCSfan]

NorthWest

EMD Boxcabs 1 and 1A, originally on the Santa Fe Super Chief, first scheduled run May 12, 1936. Nicknames Amos and Andy, or the One-Spot Twins.

According to my source they were placed in service a little earlier, in August 1935. They headed the Super Chief for about a year until replaced by the first EMC E1's. The Santa Fe considered No's 1 and 1A as one locomotive and were always paired together which led to the crews nicknaming them Amos and Andy.

I am also looking for another diesel unit which went in service in August 1935 (possibly a month earlier) and the railroad and train on which it first ran. 

Mark

[NorthWest]

EMD Boxcabs 1 and 1A, originally on the Santa Fe Super Chief, first scheduled run May 12, 1936. Nicknames Amos and Andy, or the One-Spot Twins.

[KCSfan]

I have a question at hand that'll probably be answered quickly so I'll go ahead and post it.

What were the first two non-articulated diesel passenger locomotives to be placed in regular train service in the US? Name the builder, engine numbers, trains which they headed and dates placed in service. What was the nickname given by crews to one pair of these units?

Mark

 

[daveklepper]

If Mark has a good question ready, I will defer to him, otherwise I can take the opportunity.

[NP Eddie]

Dave:

 

Sorry if I ruffled your feathers.

 

Ed Burns

763-234-9306

[NP Eddie]

All:

 

Mark and Dave win!!!  The former NP turntable from the Northtown roundhouse was moved to the new Northtown Diesel Shop about 1971 or so.

This turntable saw many NP steam engines, but not the Z Class Malleys. I believe that those locomotives did not operate east of Mandan, ND.

When I started in 1966, one old time yardmaster told me that when the Malleys were delivered by the CBQ to the NP, the swing of the locomotive's front end knocked off many switch stands!

 

Mark or Dave, next question to either of you.

 

Ed Burns

[daveklepper]

I believe I included a turntable earlier.   Or does "and/or" NOT COUNT?

[rcdrye]

Does Northtown still have the old NP turntable?

[KCSfan]

NP Eddie

Well---you are getting closer, but no cigar. 

Let's get closer, as in a merry-go-round.

Sounds like a turntable to me.

Mark

[NP Eddie]

Dave:

 

Well---you are getting closer, but no cigar. 

Let's get closer, as in a merry-go-round.

Ed Burns

763-234-9306

[daveklepper]

Posibly the same shop building and its associated equipment, such as a transfer  table or crane that was used for overhaul and rebuilding NP's steam locomotives is still in use today for diesel or car repair.

[NP Eddie]

Dave:

 

You are getting warm. Be more specific, as in Northern Pacific.

Ed Burns

[daveklepper]

A locomotive tender, used to store coal or oil and/or water?

Or a water tower or a sand tower?

Or a roundhouse and/or turntable?

[NP Eddie]

NW:

 

Nope!

Ed Burns

[NorthWest]

Ed,

Rotary Snowplow? BNSF 97255X series?

NW

[NP Eddie]

I am honored!!

At BNSF's Northtown Yard (Minneapolis) one piece of equipment (still in use today) was connected with NP steam engines.

What is it?

Ed Burns 763-234-9306

Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF.

Just think---I got paid to watch trains for 38 years!

[NorthWest]

NP Eddie,

You are next!

What is your question?

[rcdrye]

Flyingcrow, you're up to ask the next question on the other quiz thread!

[FlyingCrow]

AND, the Monon !    L.F. DeRamus was a direct relative whose branch of the family just spelled their name differently.    

Flying TWA routinely from KC to college at Arizona State in the 60's I'd run into "3D"  (Bill III) and his twin daughters Jill and Jean at KC Muni.   They would be on the same flight because they also went to college in AZ.      Jill eventually married the guy who sat next to me in high school home room.

Small world

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

rcdrye

I can't speak for M-K-T, but both CGW and KCS ran long strings of cab units on freight trains into the mid 1960s.  The CGW in particular liked A-B-B-B-B-A lashups on the line to Chicago, probably because the F3A/F7A units never did get nose MU.

The long lash-ups on heavy freights was a reflection of the Deramus operating policy of relatively few daily trains with heavy tonnage as a way of controlling costs.

[rcdrye]

I can't speak for M-K-T, but both CGW and KCS ran long strings of cab units on freight trains into the mid 1960s.  The CGW in particular liked A-B-B-B-B-A lashups on the line to Chicago, probably because the F3A/F7A units never did get nose MU.

[KCSfan]

CSSHEGEWISCH

I'll give it to Ed, a member of the Deramus family occupied the president's seat of each of those roads.  Until recently, a Deramus was the CEO of Kansas City Southern.

Not just a member of the Deramus family but William N. Deramus III who was president of the CGW 1949-57, the MKT 1957-61 and the KCS 1961-73.

His father, William N. Deramus, Jr., preceded him as president of the KCS from 1941 to 1961. His son, William N. Deramus IV was president of the KCS from 1986 to 1990.

Not surprisingly the KCS' big classification yard in Shreveport is named "Deramus Yard".

Mark

[Deggesty]

NP Eddie

Johnny:

 

Kratville, et. all "Steam, Steel, and Limiteds" has a black and white picture of a "yellow jacket" on page 152.

Ed Burns

763-234-9306

Sorry, Ed, if you are referring to the picture of the Dixie Flagler, you are looking at a Pacific, not a Dixie.  As I recall, the yellow band on a Yellow Jacket was not as wide as the one on the Pacific. The first picture on the page shows  a Stripe; there's no excess metal below the essential metal of the running board.

There was an article in Trains several years back which featured the Dixies, and had several pictures which showed the difference between the Yellow Jackets and the Stripes.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I'll give it to Ed, a member of the Deramus family occupied the president's seat of each of those roads.  Until recently, a Deramus was the CEO of Kansas City Southern.

[NP Eddie]

Paul:

Was the Demaris family the connection?

Ed Burns

763-234-9306

P. S. for 38 years I got paid to watch trains!

[NP Eddie]

Johnny:

 

Kratville, et. all "Steam, Steel, and Limiteds" has a black and white picture of a "yellow jacket" on page 152.

Ed Burns

763-234-9306

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

KCSfan and a few others might enjoy this one:

Aside from red paint on the locomotives and the fact that they all served Kansas City, what do Chicago Great Western, Missouri-Kansas-Texas and Kansas City Southern all have in common?

[KCSfan]

NorthWest

Hello,

Big Apple: CoFG

Confederation: CN/GTW

Dixie: NC&St.L

General : RFP

Greenbrier: C&O

Golden State: SP

Niagara: NYC

Niagara: NDEM

Pocono: DLW

Potomac: WM

Western: DRGW

Wyoming: LV

Any more?

NW

That's the complete list as far as I know. I don't think "Big Apple" was an official name but instead was a nickname given to their 4-8-4's by Central of Georgia enginemen. I'm curious about the origin of the name and if anyone knows it let's hear from you.

IGN identified 2 of the 12 and Paul and NW are tied at 5 more each so which ever of you has a new question handy go ahead and post it.

Mark

[Deggesty]

NP Eddie

Mark:

Where they the "yellow jackets"?

Ed Burns

763-234-9306

Ed, the NC&SL's Dixies were either "yellow jackets" or stripes, depending upon the width of the metal that was painted yellow. The first lot had the wider strip of metal, and were called "Yellow Jackets;" the second lot, constructed after wartime restrictions called for less use of non-essential metal, had a narrower strip and so were called "Stripes." Sad to say, I never saw either one, but if I had been downtown in Chattanooga at the right time of day when I was there in the summer of 1951 I might have seen one crossing Main Street.

[NorthWest]

Hello,

Big Apple: CoFG

Confederation: CN/GTW

Dixie: NC&St.L

General : RFP

Greenbrier: C&O

Golden State: SP

Niagara: NYC

Niagara: NDEM

Pocono: DLW

Potomac: WM

Western: DRGW

Wyoming: LV

Any more?

NW