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Classic Train Questions Part Deux (50 Years or Older)

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Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, October 14, 2010 11:33 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

The road in question is the Piedmont & Northern, a former interurban which dieselized with an all-Alco roster and was later absorbed by SCL.  It operated two separate divisions, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina.  A proposed connection between the two divisions was never built.  The mills in the slogan are textile mills.

That's the one. The 89 mile South Carolina Div ran between Greenwood and Spartanburg. The 23 mile North Carolina Div ran between Gastonia and Charlotte. Between Spartanburg and Gastonia there was a gap of 50+ miles between the two Divisions. Unlike most interurbans the Piedmont & Northern had a significant carload freight business and continued to operate long after its passenger service was discontinued..

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Posted by Southerngreen1401 on Thursday, October 14, 2010 11:00 AM

Piedmont & Northern equipment can be found at the North Carolina Transporation Museum, The Charlotte Trolley Museum and the South Carolina Railroad Museum.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, October 14, 2010 10:01 AM

The road in question is the Piedmont & Northern, a former interurban which dieselized with an all-Alco roster and was later absorbed by SCL.  It operated two separate divisions, one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina.  A proposed connection between the two divisions was never built.  The mills in the slogan are textile mills.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by henry6 on Thursday, October 14, 2010 9:13 AM

My mind runs wild on this having just driven through New England...but my real thoughts turn toward Pittsburgh, PA and maybe the Monongahela or the Interstate.  Unusual?  Only moved cars between mills and parts of mills with minimum interchange.  And probably owned by one of the steele companies like US Steele or Bethlehem.

OR ACY!  Almost the same reasons!

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Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, October 14, 2010 5:58 AM

"A Mill to the Mile" was an advertising slogan used by what railroad?

What was unusual about this railroad?

Mark 

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Posted by wanswheel on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 2:44 PM

Mark, yes your turn.

CSX ought to serve Xenia to justify the X in its unrailroady name.

http://trains.rockycrater.org/graphics/pfmsig/atlas48/oh-1948.jpg

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 10:35 AM

Xenia, Youngstown and Zanesville, Ohio all three were served by both the B&O and the Pennsy.

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Posted by wanswheel on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 5:26 AM

Name 2 railroads that, in one state, served 3 cities that start with X, Y and Z.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 7:05 PM

wanswheel

Overland Limited on Dec. 19, 1916. GM was Bill Jeffers.

Whoo hoo, Can't get a much more complete answer than that.   My reference was The Overland Limited by Beebe, 1963.

 

So what we going to research next?

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Posted by wanswheel on Friday, October 8, 2010 6:22 AM

Overland Limited on Dec. 19, 1916. GM was Bill Jeffers.

http://npcanteen.net/ca02009.html

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 9:58 AM

daveklepper

Interesting material.

 

Were the Stillwell commuter cars used by the C&WI built new for the C&WI or second-hand or leased from the Erie?   They were identacle to the Erie's commuter cars used out of Jersey City.

CWI's Stillwell coaches were second-hand from Erie.  They lasted until 1964 when the last commuter runs to Dolton were discontinued.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 10:28 PM

So here we go.   It was one of the worst winters as far as amount of snow fall recorded in the US.  According to a local news paper, "during the country's worst storm" a freight train had been stopped because of the snow.    A plow was called out to help.   Unknown to the plow crew another train had gotten between them and the stalled freight.  The other train was compelled to stop for the stalled freighter.  The  snow plow train rear ended the train stopped in the blizzard.  According to the news paper story the observation car was totally demolished and ended up nearly on top of the plow.   "The other cars of the train were so tightly wedged it took some time to pull them apart".

Fortunately because of the late hour no one was in the observation car and there were no injuries.

Name that train and date and since we are on a personnel theme who was the General Manager who was in charge of the cleanup.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 8:39 AM

Interesting material.

 

Were the Stillwell commuter cars used by the C&WI built new for the C&WI or second-hand or leased from the Erie?   They were identacle to the Erie's commuter cars used out of Jersey City.

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Posted by wanswheel on Monday, October 4, 2010 10:31 PM

TZ , yes your turn.

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=128671

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=128673

In 1945, Commander Stassen lead a mission to rescue 14,000 American and Allied POWs in Japan, and was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1990, he was interviewed by Brian Lamb on C-Span.

LAMB: What was you first job?

STASSEN: My first job? As a pullman conductor on a railroad, to earn my way through law school.

LAMB: What was that like?

STASSEN: Oh, that was interesting. I ran, what they do then, they call running wild all over the country, on the extra board in summer. You go to Chicago, and from Chicago, you're sent all over according to when, where they need an extra conductor, and that was a terrific experience.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Monday, October 4, 2010 7:06 PM

wanswheel
Who was the conductor on the first run of the Morning Hiawatha (eastbound) on January 21, 1939?

Governor Harold E. Stassen?

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Monday, October 4, 2010 6:48 PM

wanswheel

Who was the conductor on the first run of the Morning Hiawatha (eastbound) on January 21, 1939?

http://www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm

 

 

 -- Agnes Gooch?  That girl got around.  - a.s.

 

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Posted by wanswheel on Monday, October 4, 2010 1:37 PM

Who was the conductor on the first run of the Morning Hiawatha (eastbound) on January 21, 1939?

http://www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, October 4, 2010 10:03 AM

We have a winner!!  BRC did purchase its line of railway in 1962.  As an aside, BRC also had trackage rights over CWI separate from this lease. 

Wanswheel, your question.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by wanswheel on Monday, October 4, 2010 7:47 AM

Excerpt from Report of The Board of Directors of The Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Company to the Stockholders for the Year Ended December 31, 1912

On November 1, 1912, a new lease was entered into with The Belt Railway Company of Chicago, leasing to the Belt Company the line of railway of the Western Indiana known as its Belt Division, extending from Cragin to South Chicago, together with the railroad, clearing yard, and other property of the Chicago Union Transfer Company, above referred to, including a tract of land approximately twelve hundred feet in width and two miles in length between Pullman Junction and South Deering, upon which is to be constructed a general classification and clearing yard for the use of the Belt Company.

The rights of The Belt Railway Company are now derived entirely from this new lease, provision being made therein, in accordance with the terms of the First and Refunding Mortgage, for the termination of all rights under prior existing leases between it and the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Company. The Belt Company, therefore, obtains all its rights over Western Indiana property now used by it from the new lease. This lease expires September 1, 1962, the date of expiration being co-incident with the date of maturity of the First and Refunding Mortgage Gold Bonds. The Belt Company is given the option at the expiration of the term, provided that the three mortgages of the Western Indiana, to-wit: the General Mortgage, Consolidated Mortgage and the First and Refunding Mortgage, shall at that date have been satisfied and discharged, to acquire upon prior notice of one year, the Belt Railway with all additions, alterations and improvements for a certain fixed sum, plus the principal sums of all bonds or other obligations of the Western Indiana, then outstanding, the proceeds of which shall have been used for the acquisition of the property and franchises of the Chicago Union Transfer Company, and for other additions, improvements, betterments and extensions made after May 11, 1911, to the Belt Railway at the request or approval of the Belt Company and for the exclusive use of the Belt Company; its sub-lessees or assigns

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Sunday, October 3, 2010 7:29 AM

daveklepper

Did they pool power?   Pool crews?

Each had its own power.  CWI was noted for its RS1's which switched Dearborn Station and hauled its suburban trains.  Operationally, they were completely separate.  The connection between the two is not very visible.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, October 3, 2010 7:02 AM

Did they pool power?   Pool crews?

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, October 1, 2010 9:58 AM

KCSfan

Both the C&WI and the BRC shared a common set of officers from President on down. I'm not sure if this is the answer you're looking for however since you mentioned their common ownership in your original question.

Mark

Not quite, that's probably due to the overlapping ownership.  It's more subtle and less visible than that.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by KCSfan on Friday, October 1, 2010 9:18 AM

Both the C&WI and the BRC shared a common set of officers from President on down. I'm not sure if this is the answer you're looking for however since you mentioned their common ownership in your original question.

Mark

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, October 1, 2010 6:52 AM

daveklepper

One of the bridges across the Chicago River?

Neither CWI nor BRC crossed the Chicago River.  BRC does cross the Sanitary & Ship Canal, but that's not the same body of water.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by daveklepper on Friday, October 1, 2010 6:21 AM

One of the bridges across the Chicago River?

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 10:21 AM

daveklepper

Were they both part ownders of Clearing?   Or of something else?

You're on the right course.

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Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 5:58 AM

Were they both part ownders of Clearing?   Or of something else?

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 10:16 AM

NKP and B&O did not have access to Clearing since they were non-owners of BRC.  The link between C&WI and BRC does not directly involve operations.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 6:52 AM

Didn't the Erie, the Grand Trunk Western, the C&O, and possibly the NKP and B&O all use the C&WI to access Clearing Yard?

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, September 27, 2010 10:07 AM

Other than overlapping ownership, what was the long-time link between the Chicago & Western Indiana RR and the Belt Railway of Chicago?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul

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