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Some Random Classic Pics perhaps worthy of Discussion

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 10:25 AM

Miningman

What happened?  Big Oil, Big Auto, Big Rubber, the military-industrial complex, buy now pay later, woe to those who don't play along and do their bidding.  

 
What really happened was that you had two railroads (CNJ & LV) paralleling each other to an absurd extreme with both of them going after traffic that was barely enough to support one route, let alone two.
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 Overmod on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 11:02 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH
What really happened was that you had two railroads (CNJ & LV) paralleling each other to an absurd extreme with both of them going after traffic that was barely enough to support one route, let alone two.

In all fairness, at the time the routes were 'built out' there was ample traffic for both.  And perhaps more meaningfully, the prospects for traffic through that general area was much greater in the time of the Reading Combine (and, probably, in the expectations for the combined Reading/CNJ route north from the ABC area when the artificial depression that started with the killing of the Combine was over).  

To the east, you can recognize both the end of the extensive passenger operations of CNJ and the substantial anthracite-related traffic (I believe those are 2-10-2s at lower left).  I am not sure what kinds of coal traffic would have served the evolving steel mills in that region -- some considerable part of it likely bituminous, whether met coal or not -- but it would have been added to the traffic for heating fuel.

Meanwhile, the 'upper' end of the CNJ presence as CNP essentially ended not far above Wilkes-Barre, and I think connected preferentially up to the northeast, while the LV explicitly ran its traffic through to the lake port facilities around Buffalo.  You see this clear difference in the power requirements actually used for the two lines.

I think it is important to recognize that the B&O/Reading/CNJ service on the "Bound Brook Route" (which involved the high-speed traffic from Philadelphia and Washington) is different from this CNJ plant.  (Even so, this is the line that would host the relatively-amazing Bullet service in the early Thirties, part of which (in New Jersey) is the Phillipsburg line still in use today by NJT.)    

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Posted by Penny Trains on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 8:53 PM

Miningman
2) The Canadian National Exhibition, known as the CNE, is known for its spectacular entrances. Here is the very popular Dufferin Gate served by Streetcars. Historic photo from Monday, November 16, 1942 - Dufferin Gates with fan, Exhibition Park in CNE Dufferin Gates with fan, Exhibition Park Busy factories bring better times! Historic photo from 1932 - Dufferin St. Gate - Busy Factories Bring Better Times - illuminated sign in CNE Of course it's all too nice and good so we have to demolish it. Historic photo from 1958 - Demolition of 1910 CNE Dufferin Gates in CNE Demolition of CNE Dufferin

I feel your pain.

 

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 9:34 PM

That "Great Lakes Exposition" must have been a hell of a show!

And that looks like the "William Mason" at the head end of Mr. Lincoln's train!  

Looks like the B&O was showing off the collection!

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, February 1, 2020 1:28 PM

1) Really interesting lash-ups like this really don't happen anymore. 

4503--C630   4463--FPB-2    8773-- RS-18    All Alco/MLW

4503_4463_8773 sitting on shop track at St.Luc. M6002-04 5/1968 September 14, 1969 

Note the switch lamp sitting on the ground. This indicates switch has been run through, is spiked and cannot be realigned.

 

#2 

Covered wagons 4042 in Script and 4095 Multimark. October 15, 1972 

4042 FA2 MLW 77712 7/1951 and 4095 FPA2 MLW 79171 11/1953

 

#3.   The Black Prince! The Dark Knight?

 Manitoba District engine assigned to Winnipeg.
It is the only known 2800 painted in freight black! Edmonton 1957. Painted at Weston shops in November 1956. 
Harold Ames/Dave Spiegelman Collection.

 

 

#4.   CPR semi-streamlined a lot of locomotives in many types and classes, including 69 Mikados 

P2g class 5405-5473.  Built from July 1940 to the last one 5473 Oct. 1948

 

5410 posed rods-down. Likely new at Angus Shops. (No background is typical dark room work CPR photos).
MLW 69280 8/1940 Bud Laws Collection

5414 Brand new just delivered from Montreal Locomotive Works. Outremont, Que. 8/20/1940
James A. Brown Collection

 

#5.  My locomotive of the month!  A Pacific with a pepsqueek tender. Looks great!

Spotless 2512 with vestibule cab and original small tender. CPR 5/1907 

G2c rebuilt 10/1925 with old boiler 200 lbs. and new 22 1/2" x 28" cyl. 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, February 1, 2020 5:13 PM

"The Black Prince!"  I like that!  As to why the freight black, I'm guessing it may have gotten to the status of "Just do enough to keep it alive and in one piece until the diesel replacement shows up."

Basic black certainly would have been a lot cheaper than the deluxe paint scheme it came with.

That Pacific with the abnormally short tender.  In commuter service, maybe?  I can't think of any other logical reason.

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Posted by Penny Trains on Saturday, February 1, 2020 7:48 PM

Miningman
1) Really interesting lash-ups like this really don't happen anymore. 4503--C630 4463--FPB-2 8773-- RS-18 All Alco/MLW

They do, you just have to use a lot more letters and numbers to describe locomotives that appear to be the same.  Smile, Wink & GrinWhistling

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, February 3, 2020 10:22 AM

Penny Trains
 
Miningman
1) Really interesting lash-ups like this really don't happen anymore. 4503--C630 4463--FPB-2 8773-- RS-18 All Alco/MLW

 

They do, you just have to use a lot more letters and numbers to describe locomotives that appear to be the same.  Smile, Wink & GrinWhistling

 
Diesels DO NOT all look alikeSoapBox.
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 Flintlock76 on Monday, February 3, 2020 10:52 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

 

 
Penny Trains
 
Miningman
1) Really interesting lash-ups like this really don't happen anymore. 4503--C630 4463--FPB-2 8773-- RS-18 All Alco/MLW

 

They do, you just have to use a lot more letters and numbers to describe locomotives that appear to be the same.  Smile, Wink & GrinWhistling

 

 

 
Diesels DO NOT all look alikeSoapBox.
 

Well no, but sometimes you have to work to spot the differences.  "Oh yeah, NOW I see!"

Hey, when I started getting into rail history I couldn't spot the differences and nuances between different steam engines either, unless they really jumped out at me.

What can I say?  In 1975 I wasn't a railfan, and when the bus I was riding took an overpass by Washington's Union Station yard and I saw the Amtrak GG1's I thought to myself, "Wow, look at all those cool 1930's diesels!  I didn't think there were any around anymore!"

What did I know?  Although I did know Art Deco when I saw it.

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Posted by Penny Trains on Monday, February 3, 2020 6:26 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH
Diesels DO NOT all look alikeSoapBox.

Modern American safety cab hood units look much more alike than first gen units ever did.  Don't worry, I'm not a diesel hater.  I just long for the days when it was easier to tell a loco apart aside from the hard to memorize model names they have today.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, February 3, 2020 8:24 PM
CSSHEGEWISCH
Diesels DO NOT all look alike SoapBox.
 
Penny is correct. I know Mr. CSSHEGEWISCH loves his Diesels and well...ok. 
I love anchovies on my pizza. 
 
A lashup of a C630, FPB-2, RS-18 is quite distinguishable and interesting but todays main line freight Diesels ... come on! 
 
" oh look an SD70xxxx and a rebuilt SD90uuuu now a SD70yyyy-xxx-u2 and another rebuilt something or other now a SD70zzzz-yuxu-9043 ... all the same carbody but if you look real close you can see that the SD70yyyy-xxx-u2 has a flayrod connected to the treadle that makes it go faster over bridges" 
 
The only thing different is a SD70 Dude running after his train cause he spent too much time on the Forum... " be right there, just a sec, just one more thing"
 
Commuter and regular passenger train locomotives at least have a wee bit of variety.
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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 10:01 AM

Penny Trains

 

 
CSSHEGEWISCH
Diesels DO NOT all look alikeSoapBox.

 

Modern American safety cab hood units look much more alike than first gen units ever did.  Don't worry, I'm not a diesel hater.  I just long for the days when it was easier to tell a loco apart aside from the hard to memorize model names they have today.

 

Becky, I gave up trying to distinguish one manufacturer's work from that of another long ago.

Johnny

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, February 6, 2020 9:51 PM

1) Prototyoe HST Power cars, at the Derby Works Oct. '83

 

2) Nice glimpse of the New Haven in action with Commuters

 

3) Another glimpse...Milwaukee Road... people actually rationalize that it's a good thing it is gone, that it was never viable.. malarkey! This is big time Railroading!

 

 

4)  Most sadly the end of the line

(a) Clinchfield Challenger

(b). An Allegheny..scrapyard in Chicago

 

(c) GP9 B.. 

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Posted by MidlandMike on Friday, February 7, 2020 8:26 PM

Miningman

 

 

2) Nice glimpse of the New Haven in action with Commuters

 

3) Another glimpse...Milwaukee Road... people actually rationalize that it's a good thing it is gone, that it was never viable.. malarkey! This is big time Railroading!

 

 

 

The New Haven photo was on the Cape Cod Canal bridge.  They had service to the Cape, but I don't know if it was considered in the commuter zone.

The MILW photo looks like Mobridge (Missouri River Bridge) which still sees BNSF trains.

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, February 8, 2020 1:30 PM

Thanks for commenting Midland Mike. Our NH fans and ex-pats from the area will know for sure. They look like commuter double decker to me but maybe it's a special move.

Glad to hear that bridge is still around... can't see an asset like that going to waste. Both pictures!

It is difficult for myself and certainly others to get our head around all that has been lost. The many different roads that were so important, the meaning, value , character and atmosphere of being around our local railroads, all lost forever. The Milwaukee, Rock Island, Central Vermont, M&St. L and so many others all gone, vanished. Worse yet for me are the many railfans that have cheered this on.. thankfully just as many that work in preservation and rememberance. 

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, February 8, 2020 4:29 PM

Miningman
Our NH fans and ex-pats from the area will know for sure. They look like commuter double decker to me but maybe it's a special move.

Surely the trailing locomotive in T colors would give it away if the doubledeckers didn't -- this is long past New Haven days.

For those interested in FL9s and the Cape Cod Canal...

https://www.capetrain.com/about/

and for the MBTA train to Cape Cod

https://capeflyer.com/

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Posted by M636C on Saturday, February 8, 2020 4:48 PM

Miningman

1) Prototyoe HST Power cars, at the Derby Works Oct. '83

 

2) Nice glimpse of the New Haven in action with Commuters

The first of the prototype HST power cars, 43000, built as 41 001 has been preserved in working order and was working on a preserved railway with matching trailer cars, but has been returned to the National Railway Museum.

The bilevel commuter cars post date the New Haven by twenty years or more. These are double deck cars rather than gallery cars and are built to reduced clearance compared to those in Chicago, for example. So the train is presumably a Connecticut DOT operation rather than New Haven.

Peter

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Posted by rcdrye on Saturday, February 8, 2020 6:03 PM

Those are T coaches from Boston.  The purple stripe is the giveaway.

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, February 8, 2020 6:08 PM

More views of the same but not the consist.

Titled:  RailPictures.Net Photo: MC 2011 Mass Coastal Railroad EMD FL9M at Bourne, Massachusetts by Vincent Colombo

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, February 8, 2020 9:16 PM

Miningman

Central Vermont, ... and so many others all gone, vanished.

Central Vermont is now called the New England Central, and is alive and well.  It even carries Amtrak trains thru Vermont.

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Posted by Miningman on Sunday, February 9, 2020 12:53 PM

Yes yes of course. I hope they are doing well and long may they survive. On the other hand a great deal of trackage has been lost forever in New England. Many of the household names are gone. 

A pic I can relate to at this time of the year. New York City elevated with some winter weather to contend with. 

Nicer weather. Must have been great to be a kid with this view daily! 

 

PRR West of Altoona , near or approaching Horseshoe Curve. All 4 tracks occupied with trains. 1907  PRR in its glory, imagine witnessing this routinely.

 

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Posted by M636C on Sunday, February 9, 2020 7:36 PM

rcdrye

Those are T coaches from Boston.  The purple stripe is the giveaway.

 

On closer inspection, I agree the stripe is purple rather than orange....

But they are still decades later than the New Haven....

I think the New York MTA bought the first of these...

Peter

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, February 10, 2020 10:52 AM

I'm still waiting to hear why Peter thought CDOT would be running a service onto Cape Cod.  They'd have to go all the way through Rhode Island just to get to Massachusetts in the first place...

Meanwhile, this via RyPN:  Wayne will appreciate some details in the first clip

Note the very old coach in the work train, and how long the RDG Pacific pops off without the fireman using the injector -- I think the engineer is intent on clearing the obstruction in minimum time and getting right back up to speed!

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Posted by NorthWest on Monday, February 10, 2020 11:08 AM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CapeFlyer

Running with Mass Coastal power for whatever reason...

To be fair, CDOT are the closest people running McGinnis-painted equipment, though the FL9s are ex-Metro North.

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, February 10, 2020 12:53 PM

NorthWest
Running with Mass Coastal power for whatever reason... To be fair, CDOT are the closest people running McGinnis-painted equipment, though the FL9s are ex-Metro North.

Mass Coastal is a freight line, and doesn't run FL9s.  As in the link I previously posted (before, in fact, Peter even brought up CDOT) 2011 is running for the Cape Cod Central guys, and to my knowledge is still dolled up in a Matter paint scheme:

https://www.capetrain.com/about/

 

(Incidentally, has anyone noticed disappearing posts in the last couple of hours?) 

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Posted by SD70Dude on Monday, February 10, 2020 1:07 PM

Overmod

(Incidentally, has anyone noticed disappearing posts in the last couple of hours?) 

More "upgrades".  Yay.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, February 10, 2020 2:07 PM
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Posted by NorthWest on Monday, February 10, 2020 2:19 PM

Mass Coastal and Cape Cod Central are two sides of the same Iowa Pacific operation.

They also have MC 2026, another FL9.

Both were CDOT units used in the Metro-North power pool.

I don't remember everything that was posted days ago...

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Posted by Jones1945 on Monday, February 10, 2020 2:52 PM

Miningman

1) Prototyoe HST Power cars, at the Derby Works Oct. '83

  

The styling of the HST prototype reminds me of the 6000hp British Rail Class 89 prototype electric engine:

 

Look at that crying-robot-face front end... cute!

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 10, 2020 8:09 PM

Jones1945

 

Look at that crying-robot-face front end... cute!

With the horns it tooted - it should be put out of its misery!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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