wanswheel Mark, is the route more than 500 miles?
Mark, is the route more than 500 miles?
(3) No
passengerfan Did the train operate in a North-South direction?
Did the train operate in a North-South direction?
(2) Yes
Johnny, I hope to learn what city on the NC&StL map the sleepers were set out for.
http://railga.com/ncsl95map.html
Mike
passengerfan Did the train operate east of the Mississippi River?
Did the train operate east of the Mississippi River?
(1) Yes
Mark
KCSfan Deggesty I thought of throwing an oddity of its line in--in its course, the train crossed one state five times, a second state four times, and a third state once, all in less than about fifty miles. Would this have made it easier, or would it have made it more difficult? Johnny That would have made it more difficult for me. Because it is only 134 rail miles between Atlanta and Chattanooga, I had a hard time imagining there would be a sleeper running only between the two cities. The same is true of the Chattanooga - Nashville route which is only 152 miles in length. On to the next one. You have 20 questions to identify the train I have in mind, the end points of its route and the RR(s) over which it ran. Mark
Deggesty I thought of throwing an oddity of its line in--in its course, the train crossed one state five times, a second state four times, and a third state once, all in less than about fifty miles. Would this have made it easier, or would it have made it more difficult? Johnny
I thought of throwing an oddity of its line in--in its course, the train crossed one state five times, a second state four times, and a third state once, all in less than about fifty miles. Would this have made it easier, or would it have made it more difficult?
Johnny
That would have made it more difficult for me. Because it is only 134 rail miles between Atlanta and Chattanooga, I had a hard time imagining there would be a sleeper running only between the two cities. The same is true of the Chattanooga - Nashville route which is only 152 miles in length.
On to the next one. You have 20 questions to identify the train I have in mind, the end points of its route and the RR(s) over which it ran.
KCSfan Johnny, I'm going to take a stab at identifying the train. NC&StL No's. 3 & 4 running between Nashville and Atlanta. The leased RR over which it ran was the State of Georgia owned Western & Atlantic between Chattanooga and Atlanta. Mark P.S.I can't find any record of setout sleepers at Chattanooga so I'm just guessing that they ran at an earlier time than any of the OG's which I have to reference.
Johnny, I'm going to take a stab at identifying the train. NC&StL No's. 3 & 4 running between Nashville and Atlanta. The leased RR over which it ran was the State of Georgia owned Western & Atlantic between Chattanooga and Atlanta.
P.S.I can't find any record of setout sleepers at Chattanooga so I'm just guessing that they ran at an earlier time than any of the OG's which I have to reference.
In 1893, the train had a through sleeper between St. Louis and Atlanta, and carried the name Quickstep.
Re: "#7 Yes. Come on, somebody make a wrong guess.
Johnny"
No WAG from me, Johnny, not this time. My recent ones have been poor, as you know.
wanswheel Is Atlanta the name of any locality mentioned thus far (an end point, a near mid point, a city cars are set out for, a city in the railroad's name)?
Is Atlanta the name of any locality mentioned thus far (an end point, a near mid point, a city cars are set out for, a city in the railroad's name)?
al-in-chgo Did the train operate, in whole or in part, over one or more of the predecessor railroads of today's CSX?
Did the train operate, in whole or in part, over one or more of the predecessor railroads of today's CSX?
wanswheel Is the train in the South?
Is the train in the South?
KCSfan Did the name of the RR in whose timetables the schedule of the train appeared contain the name of at least one city? Mark
Did the name of the RR in whose timetables the schedule of the train appeared contain the name of at least one city?
wanswheel Is the train ever at mountainous elevation?
Is the train ever at mountainous elevation?
passengerfan Was this train a North - South train? Al
Was this train a North - South train?
Al
KCSfan Did the subject train operate east of the Mississippi River? Mark
Did the subject train operate east of the Mississippi River?
KCSfanThe next question is yours, Johnny.
I am thinking of train that had no name for much of its existence. It was an overnight train, with Pullman service from end to end during most of its existence, and, for some of its existence, setout sleepers from both origins to a city a little bit removed from its midpoint.
Although the timetable of one road shows the entire schedule, it was actually operated over two roads, which met at the point where sleepers were set out; one of the roads (still owned by its original owner) was leased by the other.
Edit: Yes, you have twenty opportunities to tell us where this train ran (road and end points).
wanswheel The Florida Sunbeam resembles the 1920s Suwanee River Special, which at present I understand to be a Big Four train, apart from being a Southern train, with sections from Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland combined at Cincinnati, and with Seaboard at Hampton to Tampa and St. Pete.
The Florida Sunbeam resembles the 1920s Suwanee River Special, which at present I understand to be a Big Four train, apart from being a Southern train, with sections from Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland combined at Cincinnati, and with Seaboard at Hampton to Tampa and St. Pete.
Sorry to keep you all waiting but I've been out and away from the computer all afternoon.
Bingo! We have a winner. Yes it was the Florida Sunbeam a winter season, steam powered, heavyweight train running between Chicago and Miami and St. Petersburg over the NYC, Southern and SAL.
Some of you probably thought the Sunbeam's nothern terminal was Cincinnati and ruled it out when I answered that it did not originate there. At least prrior to WW2 it ran to/from Chicago and the NYC's Big Four timetables of that era clearly designated it as the Florida Sunbeam. Southbound it ran combined with the Royal Palm's Chi cars to Kankakee where the two split. The Sunbeam ran on to Cincy as Big Four No. x46. The Royal Palm departed Kankakee for Cincy 10 minutes later as Big Four No. 46. Northbound the two ran combined from Cincy to Chi as Big Four No. 35. When this schedule started and how long it lasted I don't know as the only winter month OG I have for the '30's and 40's is the March 1937 issue. The Sunbeam did not run during WW2 but was in service again from 1946 until 1949 when it was replaced by the streamlined New Royal Palm.
At Cincy through cars from/to both Detroit and Cleveland and at least one diner (more likely two) were switched into/out of the Sunbeam. Its consist between Cincy and Florida was 11 Pullmans, at least two coaches, a combine, diner(s), and a baggage car; a total of 17 cars. Because of its size I believe it was doubleheaded over its entire Southern Ry System run. I understand that rather than delay the train while two engines took on coal and water, engine changes were made at Somerset, KY, Oakdale, TN, Chattanooga, Atlanta and probably Cordele and/or Valdosta in GA.
In its entire 328 mile run over the CNO&TP between Cincy and Chattanooga the train made only one station stop, a conditional stop at Lexington to pick up/discharge passengers to and from Florida. I find it remarkable that the duration of the station stops at both Chattanooga and Atlanta was only five minutes each. In order to save time the Sunbeam bypassed Jacksonville and ran over the GS&F Palatka Branch between Valdosta and Hampton, FL. This made it one of only two, IIRC, Florida trains that did not operate via Jax (the other being the Southland).
South of Hampton the train ran on the mainline rails of the Seaboard. South of Wildwood it ran as two separate trains both having the Sunbeam name with one going to/from Miami and the other to/from St. Petersburg.
The Florida Sunbeam was unique in a number of ways and I always regretted not having a chance to ride it. I did ride its successor, the New Royal Palm in 1950 from Cincy to Jax. I remember being much impressed by the mountain scenery and the many tunnels on the SR's Rat Hole Division.
The next question is yours, Johnny.
Was an endpoint for this train Jacksonville?
passengerfan KCSfan The identiy of this train shouldn't be that hard for you experts so I'm going to give you a bit of a hint. I believe you got on the wrong track (no pun intended) early in the game. Mark What we know it has at least one terminal in Florida. It ran on the SAL as one of the RRs. It did not originate in Kansas City t did not originate Cincinatti It did not originate in New York It did not originate in Washington It was a heavyweight train It was not the Orange Blossom Special Did the train originate in Chicago?
KCSfan The identiy of this train shouldn't be that hard for you experts so I'm going to give you a bit of a hint. I believe you got on the wrong track (no pun intended) early in the game. Mark
The identiy of this train shouldn't be that hard for you experts so I'm going to give you a bit of a hint.
I believe you got on the wrong track (no pun intended) early in the game.
It ran on the SAL as one of the RRs.
It did not originate in Kansas City
t did not originate Cincinatti
It did not originate in New York
It did not originate in Washington
It was a heavyweight train
It was not the Orange Blossom Special
Did the train originate in Chicago?
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