This was a twice daily happening (once each direction) until 1982.
The train I am thinking of is the Twin Star Rocket that backed across US 30 to get to Des Moines Station southbound going to Kansas City and backed out of the station northbound across US 30 before continuing on its way to Minneapolis.
Al - in - Stockton
passengerfan The train I am thinking of is the Twin Star Rocket that backed across US 30 to get to Des Moines Station southbound going to Kansas City and backed out of the station northbound across US 30 before continuing on its way to Minneapolis.
It is a western railroad. It is a freight train.
OK this will probably be the give away hint. This train ran as narrow gauge and then standard gauge.
Okay, I'm fumbling around in my memory, usually not a good idea, but here's a stab:
Something about a D&RGW line that was converted....was it the one that (has/had) junction in Grand Crossing, CO, with the main line? (UP now, of course, but still the CZ route, I mean.)
al-in-chgoSomething about a D&RGW line that was converted....was it the one that (has/had) junction in Grand Crossing, CO, with the main line? (UP now, of course, but still the CZ route, I mean.)
I will say that the line in question is the Monarch Branch, which had a three-level switchback. Apparently one of the tail tracks on the switchback crossed US 50.
CSSHEGEWISCH I will say that the line in question is the Monarch Branch, which had a three-level switchback. Apparently one of the tail tracks on the switchback crossed US 50.
The train was number 125. In the narrow gauge era it was from Salida to Monarch (Madonna Mine). When the line was converted to standard gauge in 1956, the train was able to take the daily load of dolomite (metamorphosed limestone) all the way to the CF&I steel mill in Pueblo.
Another interesting side story. When the line was converted to standard gauge they used existing narrow gauge rail and had originally planned to use a single SD9 on the train. It was thought the load distributed over the 6 wheel trucks would be better on the light rail. The problem was that those same 3 axle trucks of the SD9 were not able to negotiate the 24 degree curves. They had to switch to 2 smaller locomotives with 4 wheel trucks. I do not know if this forced them to upgrade the rail, but I do know that both 85 lb and 112 lb rail was removed from the line in 1984.
Another side note is that one of the D&RGW Alco units from Salida was occasionally assigned to maintenance of way trains that worked on the monarch branch.
YOu got there first so let us have the next question.
Other than overlapping ownership, what was the long-time link between the Chicago & Western Indiana RR and the Belt Railway of Chicago?
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?
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.
Were they both part ownders of Clearing? Or of something else?
daveklepper Were they both part ownders of Clearing? Or of something else?
You're on the right course.
One of the bridges across the Chicago River?
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.
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
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.
Did they pool power? Pool crews?
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.
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
.
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.
Who was the conductor on the first run of the Morning Hiawatha (eastbound) on January 21, 1939?
http://www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm
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.
wanswheelWho was the conductor on the first run of the Morning Hiawatha (eastbound) on January 21, 1939?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Overland Limited on Dec. 19, 1916. GM was Bill Jeffers.
http://npcanteen.net/ca02009.html
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