Trains.com

Classic Train Questions Part Deux (50 Years or Older)

856680 views
8197 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 12:03 PM

The bi-level coaches stayed with Amtrak.  Two of the coaches were equipped with cabs and the bi-levels finished out their days on the Valparaiso suburban locals.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 11:26 AM

My error.  The Pen I rode had the diner, and I thought all false-roof cars  must be the same, with enough for both trains in both directions, with a spare for each.  Were seats and  tables changed in some with installation of the false roof?

Were not the bilevels used by Amtrack eventually returned to the C&NW and converted to commuter cars?

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 11:22 AM

Overmod is up.  

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 10:08 AM

We have a draw.  Overmod and rcrdye can decide who gets the next question.  As an aside, I chose this question since I took my first long-distance train ride on the "Peninsula 400" from Chicago to Marinette in 1965.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 9:11 AM

Beat me to it!

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 6:29 AM

The single-level cars given false roofs were a diner, a diner-lounge and two baggage-RPO lounges - no two were identical.  All of the former single-level cars were converted to HEP when the false roofs were added.  Of the bi-levels built for long-haul service, all were leased (and later sold) to Amtrak, with the exception of full parlor car 6400, which was converted to a commuter bi-level in the late 1960s.

All of C&NW's E8s were refitted with HEP generators.  Remaining single-level trains were powered by boiler-equipped E7s - all but the "Kate Shelley" were gone by about 1966.  The "Scoot" pool was rounded out by F7s pulled from the freight pool and equipped with Cummins HEP generators.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 1:44 AM

Rode the Pin.  Yes, bilevel gallery cars that could be and were converted to commuter cars, except some leased or sold to Amtrak in 1970.

But the most unusual feature were the five or six single-level dining cars that had a false high second roof added to match the profile of the bilevels.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, December 4, 2023 1:51 PM

That's part of the answer.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Monday, December 4, 2023 12:41 PM

Bi-levels?

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, December 4, 2023 10:15 AM

Thank you.  When Chicago & North Western re-equipped the "Peninsula 400" and "Flambeau 400" in 1958, what were the distinguishing features of the new equipment?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Saturday, December 2, 2023 7:42 AM

Of course.  Side-rod electrics were fairly common in Europe, where low-frequency (16 2/3 Hz) AC systems required relatively large motors.  PRR/LIRR's motors were DC, Virginians and N&W's were three phase AC, with motor-generator converters from the single phase AC line voltage.  New Haven's experimental had a series-wound motor that could operate on AC or DC.

Since CSSHegewisch got four of the five, he's up next.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Friday, December 1, 2023 7:45 PM

Long Island is the fifth, of course.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Friday, December 1, 2023 6:08 PM

Got four out of five.  GN didn't have side-rods.  One of the four you got transferred some side-rods to the fifth.

New Haven only had one - 070 by Baldwin-Westinghouse was one of four experimentals.  One of the others was the prototype for the very successful EF-1, the others were dead ends.  070 was used in freight service for about 15 years.  Mechanically very similar to a Pennsy DD1, it was originally equipped with a boiler and third rail gear, but those were removed before it went into regular service.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, December 1, 2023 1:50 PM

Pennsylvania, Virginian, Norfolk & Western, New Haven and Great Northern.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Friday, December 1, 2023 1:43 PM

Name the five american railroads that had side-rod electric locomotives.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, December 1, 2023 10:13 AM

The second part is what I was looking for.  Iron & Steel Products was located in my old neighborhood and was winding up the business in the early 1960's.  With both sets of locomotives, Iron & Steel Products was a go-between for the original and subsequent owners.

rcdrye, it's your question.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, November 30, 2023 6:36 PM

Both were built to comply with anti-smoke ordinances, the South Shore units for the Illinois Central (as 10000-10003).

Pretty sure both went to the same scrap yard (Iron & Steel Products, Chicago).  In typical Westinghouse fashion, carbodies were built by Baldwin's tender shop and shipped to Westinghouse for traction equipment, and engines if needed. 

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, November 30, 2023 10:12 AM

And away we go.  Aside from the builder, what do South Shore steeplecabs 900-903 and Long Island 403A/403B (Mike & Ike) have in common?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, November 19, 2023 7:58 AM

CSS's question?

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 6:32 PM

Soo had a CP-Spokane International-UP (OWR&N) car to Portland from 1907 to about 1914.  The Atlantic Limited from Minneapolis to Saulte St. Marie carried a Boston sleeper (CP, B&M) from around the turn of the Century to about 1914.  Both cars were railroad operated. Vancouver sleepers were carried until the mid 1960s.  The Atlantic Limited carried a Montreal sleeper into the 1920s.

Note that the handoff from CP to B&M was at Sherbrooke QC. B&M sold the line north of Wells River to CP in 1926.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 1:58 PM

The road in question is Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie, commonly known as the Soo Line.  The service to each coast would be through connections to parent Canadian Pacific.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 10:09 AM

Deluth bMessabi & Northern RR?  Or the Deluth and Iron Range RR?

They were separate, though both U. S. Steel owned) until well afwer WWI, when they merged into the DM&IR.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 12:53 PM

Nickel Plate had service to the east coast only.

I'm probably giving it away, but the railroad's corporate name started with the name of its headquarters city, though the railroad was better known by its nickname.

The insignia used was similar to the Wabash's.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 10:08 AM

I'll guess that it was New York, Chicago & St. Louis (NKP).

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 6:31 AM

Wabash was considerd a high-ranking passenger carrier, so it only fits half of the question.  The railroad I'm looking for was a minor passenger carrier, especially in later years.  Also Wabash (N&W) had sleepers to the west coast until 1968.  Though it did participate in Pullman "lines", neither the east nor west coast sleepers were Pullman operations, and both ended around WWI.  Look a bit further north.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 1:24 AM

Wabash, St, Louis.  West coast sleepers  well into post-WWII years with UO, Easst Coast until bankrupcy and loss of susidiary that got it into Pittsburgh.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Monday, November 13, 2023 6:31 AM

From the headquarters city of a railroad not particularly known for passenger service you could board through sleepers on this railroad to either U.S. coast up until around Word War I.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, November 13, 2023 2:21 AM

Still waiting for RC's question

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Friday, November 10, 2023 4:02 AM

But I should add that it saw occasional use until the switch to one-man pay-enter operation took it and the single-level versions out-of-service,

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Friday, November 10, 2023 3:23 AM

RC has it.  Go to it.

SUBSCRIBER & MEMBER LOGIN

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

FREE NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter