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Classic Train Questions Part Deux (50 Years or Older)

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, October 22, 2018 8:10 PM

I'll drop a hint... NDG!

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 9:58 AM

Steam to thaw frozen switches?  Steam to warm passenger equipment otherwise isolated because of special moves?  Steam to thaw frozen brakes? 

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Posted by Miningman on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 10:05 AM

No siree!

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Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 8:57 AM

OK.  A regular water-tank for taking on water on a regular run was out of commission for some reason, like diesilisatlon with some steam returned because of an unexpected business surge, or just lack of maintenance; and the hose was needed to draw water from a stream or fire truck or fire hydrantwat

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Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 9:31 AM

Nice try Dave. Very imaginative. It is possible some of these guesses were actually practiced here and there but that would be like saying a screwdriver is used as a prying tool. Folks do that but that's not what it was designed for. 

A number of the P2's were equipped with this, for a use. Now the P2's were 2-8-2's, also a clue as to use. 

Mike emailed me right away and got it spot on hours after asking the question. Dat don't count though! 

So if Mike can do it so can others!

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 8:03 PM

Well I'm about stumped.  Never did pay much attention in class when the CPR came up.

Could the pipe be for supplying steam to a crane, rotary snowplow, or other work equipment that is being pushed?

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 8:36 PM

Dude-- you are the closest so far. Your're in the ballpark. 

Think of a somewhat famous, even though somewhat overlooked, American Company, that has ties that can be traced going back to Matthias W. Baldwin himself, and was instrumental in the construction of the Panama Canal. 

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 9:05 PM

Well I did say other work equipment.

A Lidgerwood certainly falls into that category!

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 9:43 PM

5400 with some pretty dirty classification flags! Date unknown. Montreal. Stan Styles/Bruce Chapman Collection
Note the steam supply pipe along running board. This was for steam powered work equipment such as a 
Lidgerwood machine. A number of these P2's had it. Different piping arrangement on some. See: 5361.

Both The CNR and the CPR used Lidgerwoods for roadbed, embankments and around the roundhouse duties, turning wheels and also used for equipment that needed steam supply, mostly winches.  The P2 2-8-2's were everyday hardworking reliable engines and were used on work and maintenance trains out on the road in addition to doing everything else. 

The Lidgerwood logo has to be one of the all time top ten logos on any list of bests.

 

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Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 10:45 PM

More fascinating information on the Lidgerwood and the Company. 

1966 article "The Birth of an Enterprise: Baldwin Locomotive, 1831-1842" by Malcolm C. Clark, explains Vail's involvement. Not too boring. Takes 2 clicks to get it. 
 
 
Mike writes:
 
Vince, thanks for the Question. I had fun reading about the Vails and Baldwin. The Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty were still fairly new when the Lidgerwood plant in Brooklyn was built.
 
 
 Lidgerwood 

 

Note: No automobiles in the above picture/ depiction of the Lingerwood Works
 
Old buildings still exist. This is fabulous and unbelievable! 
 

 

 

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Posted by Miningman on Sunday, October 28, 2018 1:47 AM

SD70DUDE -- Batter up! Question goes to the Alberta Clipper! Knock it outta the ballpark. 

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Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 2:12 AM

Still waiting for the question.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 9:14 PM

I had forgotten that I was up.

A quick and simple one, with a visual aid.  The somewhat blurry intials are MC and TH&B. 

Where is this?

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SYvH7crEAcM/W847_eKUyUI/AAAAAAAAf8A/oT-MlvaeglAOjkJ8W7HvYLgubWKTPHFTwCLcBGAs/s1600/N12.jpg

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOeGl1oLfpQ/W847-9DDWwI/AAAAAAAAf74/4ESt687mQ3UV6sE3F73r7QzQIplzNchmACLcBGAs/s1600/N11.jpg

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 9:23 PM

I hereby disqualify myself but if it isn't answered in a week or less then I will give the answer. 

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 9:31 PM

I figured you would know right away, even without the initials. 

An interurban crossing a diamond like that is pretty distinctive.  But the triple track ends almost immediately, at a structure with a relatively rare design for its type.  

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, November 1, 2018 6:58 AM

Without looking at the picture, since I am at a narrow-band server at the moment, I would like to know if the initials TH&B are on a car or a structure?

The London and Port Stanley had a diamond with the Michagan Central's Canada Southern at Saint Thomas, and TH&B equipment could show up on the MC's CS.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Thursday, November 1, 2018 6:05 PM

The initials are written in pen on the top of the first photo.

MC on the left, TH&B on the right, with arrows pointing down.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by rcdrye on Friday, November 2, 2018 6:33 AM

It looks like Niagara St. Catherines & Toronto at Welland.  NStC&T's Welland Division crossed the TH&B and MC there.  Colors on the car are right, too.

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, November 2, 2018 12:28 PM

Was the picture out of the Andrew Merrilees collection?  (And does anyone have a current link to Churcher's finding aid?)

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Posted by SD70Dude on Saturday, November 3, 2018 2:05 AM

I got the photos from here:

https://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2018/10/schmidt-niagara-st-catherines-and.html?m=0

Today the area in those photos is a combination of forest, swamp and residential housing.  The only railroad remnant is a industrial spur with one customer that sees a couple cars moved once or twice a week.

Rcdrye gets the next question.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, November 3, 2018 12:24 PM

5822 Welland 1/1971 Paul Mc Grane Collection 


The NYC (MCRR) used to have an engine based in Welland to handle their industrial work and freight shed. In fact, during the steam era, the NYC engine was kept at the TH&B roundhouse at Coyle Yard.

The NYC also used to have their own tracks in the TH&B's Coyle Yard, but they were removed in the early 1930's. Beginning in January 1931, the TH&B and NYC combined their night Welland assignments into one joint assignment that lasted until 1956.

Like all other joint TH&B-NYC assignments, crewing was done on an equalization basis with the equalization being carried out every six months. Records were kept as to the number of hours the assignment spent performing work exclusive to either the TH&B or NYC. At the end of the six month period, the hours would be calculated to determine the number of days a NYC crew would handle the assignment. 

As the bulk of the work was exclusive to the TH&B, the equalization for the NYC men typically varied between 30 to 50 days every six months with the remainder of the six month period being worked by TH&B men.

After the relocation of the Welland Canal in 1972, the PC Welland Assignment was relocated to the new joint TH&B-PC yard in Wainfleet.

Niagara St Catherine's and Toronto would have wait at times for this fella to zip by. 

NYC 4042 EMD E8A leads TH&B 372 from Hamilton to Welland and Buffalo enroute to New York City. This equipment ran through from Buffalo to Toronto over the NYC to Welland, TH&B to Hamilton and CPR CNR Joint Section although the diesels were changed at Hamilton. Stoney Creek, Ont. 8/21/1963 Peter Cox

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Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 6:20 AM

A western interurban built a 15 mile connecting line in 1929 to connect to a formerly isolated section.  The new line never offered passenger service. Name the interurban.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 7:45 AM

I don't remember all the particulars, but I think this was SP's Pacific Electric.

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Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 8:14 AM

Not PE.  PE did do a couple of late line relocations (including the first freeway median line) but none of them were built-new freight only.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 11:00 AM

TMRE&L (Milwaukee), which operated both streetcars and interurbans.  Possibly the power plant electrified switching operation originally connected only to steam railroads, with the Belt Line constructed in 1929 to connect it to the interurban and streetcar network?

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Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 4:24 PM

TM's line to the lakefront power plant (its only freight-only trackage) was about 2 miles ling.  This fifteen mile long segment was built in 1929 to connect an isolated segment to the rest of the interurban. Of some interest, the voltage systems on either end were different.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 10:28 PM

Central California Traction?

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Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 11:49 AM

daveklepper

Central California Traction?

 

Closer...

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Posted by daveklepper on Friday, November 9, 2018 1:14 AM

Was not aware that Sacramento Northern had any branch lines, but maybe you just mean further north, so possibly Oregon Electric.

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Posted by rcdrye on Friday, November 9, 2018 6:22 AM

daveklepper
Was not aware that Sacramento Northern had any branch lines, but maybe you just mean further north, so possibly Oregon Electric

SN had quite a few, both in former OA&E and former Northern Electric territory.  Take a look at a map of SN.

https://localwiki.org/oakland/Sacramento_Northern_Railway/_files/route%20map.jpg/_info/

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