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Classic Train Questions Part Deux (50 Years or Older)

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Posted by KCSfan on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 9:29 AM

The HE&WT is the right road so light up a cigar and ask the next question Mike. It ran from Houston to the LA-TX state line at Logansport, LA where it connected with the affiliated H&S.

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Posted by wanswheel on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 7:13 AM

Houston East & West Texas Railway and its Louisiana affiliate connected Houston and Shreveport, originally by a track of 3-foot gauge. Completed in 1886, converted to standard gauge in 1894, bought by Southern Pacific in1899.

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Posted by KCSfan on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 5:04 PM

No, Dave, it wasn't the RGS or any other Colorado road for that matter. Try again.

Mark

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 9:50 AM

Rio Grande Southern to Telluride ("To hell you ride") from Durango or from Gunnison(?)

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, December 6, 2010 3:35 AM

What railroad was dubbed "Hell either way taken (or travelled)" by its passengers? What were the end point terminals of the road?

Mark 

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Posted by AWP290 on Thursday, December 2, 2010 7:53 PM

Looks like we've stalled on this one. 

The answer is the Georgia Pacific Railway.  In the 1880's it operated three divisions of three different gauges.  Atlanta to Birmingham was 5' gauge, Birmingham to Columbus, MS, was 4' 8 1/2", and Columbus to Greenville, MS, was 3' gauge.

Mark, you came as close as anyone on this.  Please ask the next question.

Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

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Posted by AWP290 on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 11:21 AM

Mark -

First, you can't always believe Wikipedia, as anyone, with or without expertise, can add to or delete information.

The Plant System was just that - a system of several railroads.  The line I have in mind was one company, one railroad, with three divisions of three different gauges.  The divisions did connect, however, and form one continuous line of railroad something over 400 miles in length.

Bob Hanson

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Posted by KCSfan on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 11:06 AM

Bob,

If you can believe Wikipedia, the Plant System bought the 5ft gauge Brunswick and Western in 1884 and didn't convert it to standard gauge until 1886. There may have been other roads that came into the Plant fold and remained broad gauge for a while until converted to standard.

Mark

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Posted by AWP290 on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 8:03 AM

No, Mark, but that is a good guess.

The situation I have in mind (three gauges) was on one railroad.  The Plant System may have had three gauges but on different railroads.  I'm not certain that they had 5' and 4' 8/12" gauges at the same time.  Maybe someone can tell us for certain.

Bob Hanson

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Posted by KCSfan on Monday, November 29, 2010 10:16 PM

Bob, was it the Plant System which at one time had 5ft, Stamdard and 3ft gauge lines in its family of roads. The Plant System of course became a part of the ACL around the turn of the century.

Mark

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Posted by AWP290 on Monday, November 29, 2010 8:28 PM

No.  I think everyone got overstuffed with turkey on Thanksgiving and went to sleep.

I'm surprised that this is giving everyone so much trouble. 

Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Monday, November 29, 2010 8:09 PM

Bob....  has anyone answered your question correctly yet?     It's got me stumped without cheating and digging out all the OG's and such.

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by Southerngreen1401 on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 8:02 PM

The old Norfolk Southern was merge back in the 1970's in Southern Railway.  Southern Railway was a part owner of this road.  Their equipment was the same equipment that Southern used since the 1920's.

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Posted by AWP290 on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 6:58 PM

I'm not doing something right, here.  I responded to this answer last evening and for some reason it  didn't show up.

No, it was not the "old" Norfolk Southern.  Unless I'm mistaken, the old NS was not formed until the early 20th century.

The road I have in mind was formed in 1881, was controlled from the get-go by a larger road, and both roads - parent and subsidiary - were absorbed into a much larger system prior to the turn of the 20th century.

Sorry for the delay.  As I said, I responded, but the good Lord only knows what part of cyberspace it went to.

Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Monday, November 22, 2010 5:19 PM

AWP290

The previous post should read, "The troublesome three division-three gauges problem had been resolved prior to that time."

I omitted several letters in the original.  I can think faster than I can type.

Bob Hanson

 

 

Was it the old 'Norfolk Southern,' which literally did run to the south of Norfolk (VA), but had ceased to exist before the 1982 N&W/Southern Rwy. merger creating the 'new' NS?

al-in-chgo
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Posted by AWP290 on Monday, November 22, 2010 3:58 PM

The previous post should read, "The troublesome three division-three gauges problem had been resolved prior to that time."

I omitted several letters in the original.  I can think faster than I can type.

Bob Hanson

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Posted by AWP290 on Monday, November 22, 2010 3:56 PM

Yes.

It is - or was, anyway -  a US road that became part of a much larger system prior to the turn of the 20th century.  The troublesome t division-three gauges problem had been resolved prior to that time.

Bob Hanson

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, November 22, 2010 3:20 PM

Is it North American?

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Posted by AWP290 on Sunday, November 21, 2010 7:35 AM

Sorry for the delay. For some reason I didn't receive the acknowledgement that my answer was correct and therfore didn't know that the ball was in my court.

In the late 1800's there existed a railroad, approximately 450 miles in length, that operated three divisions of three different gauges.

1.  What was the railroad?

2.  What were the end points of this main line?

3.  What were the three gauges?

Again, sorry for the delay.

Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, November 21, 2010 5:18 AM

Next quesiton please

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Monday, November 15, 2010 7:24 PM

Take it away Bob...I didn't think this was well known but very good.

By the way, Moorhead is the home town of the best man at my wedding...he used to play the recording of the Handy blues tune for me all the time.

 

Whistling

 

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by AWP290 on Monday, November 15, 2010 7:34 AM

The "Yellow Dog" was the Yazoo Delta Railway, later Yazoo & Mississippi Valley, still later, Illinois Central.

The Southern crossed the Yellow Dog at Moorhead, Mississippi.

The "Southern" in in this song was The Southern Railway in Mississippi which became the Columbus & Greenville Railway in 1920.  It was spun off by parent Southern Railway in 1921.

Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Monday, November 15, 2010 6:52 AM

Thanks for the compliment..... since it's my turn.   Ok, here’s a bit of a different question…one that deals with music…and trains, of course.

 

WC Handy’s “Yellow Dog Blues”

 

“…Dear Sue, your easy rider struck this burg today, on a southbound rattler beside the Pullman car.  I seem him there and he was on the hog.    Oh you easy rider’s got to stay away.   She had to vamp it but the hike ain’t far.    He’s gone where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog.”

 

Just interpreting the lyrics would be a challenge enough, but that’s not the question.     The question is:

 

(a)    What’s the “Yellow Dog”?

(b)    Where does the “Southern” cross the Yellow Dog”?

(c)    The “Southern” what - and In “recent” times the “Southern” is better known as ….?

 

Enjoy

 

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, November 14, 2010 5:42 PM

AB, I like your Avatar. I still recall, fondly, the first KCS passenger train I saw--the southbound Southern Belle as it was stopped in Baton Rouge one morning in the summer of 1953.

Johnny

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Sunday, November 14, 2010 5:15 PM

I'm chewing over my options and a new question will be posted soonest!!  Hmm

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by KCSfan on Sunday, November 14, 2010 6:34 AM

FlyingCrow

The "Muskogee Roads" consisted of the Kansas, Oklahoma & Gulf; Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka; and the Midland Valley.    The MV had the passenger service.

Flying Crow you've got  the three RR's right and can ask the next question. However my OG's of that time  show the MV and OCAA as freight only. An Oakie from Muskogee could, however, still ride a gas electric motor of the KO&G from there to Denison, TX.

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Posted by FlyingCrow on Saturday, November 13, 2010 10:17 PM

The "Muskogee Roads" consisted of the Kansas, Oklahoma & Gulf; Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka; and the Midland Valley.    The MV had the passenger service.

AB Dean Jacksonville,FL
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Posted by al-in-chgo on Saturday, November 13, 2010 6:13 PM

KCSfan

Al,

You are real warm but off a bit on your info. Keep trying.

Mark

Heck, Mark, I couldn't even have hazarded my bad guess withouth knowing about the Merle Haggard song. 

Someone will come across--eventually

al-in-chgo
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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, November 13, 2010 3:04 PM

Al,

You are real warm but off a bit on your info. Keep trying.

Mark

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Saturday, November 13, 2010 2:51 PM

I don't know their exact names but they were collectively referred to as the "Muskogee Roads" but were controlled out of the Northeastern U.S. - Philadelphia, perhaps? 

One of the roads probably had a doodlebug that went to Fort Smith, AK.

 

??

 

 

 

al-in-chgo

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