"OUR" PLACE - SEE NEW THREAD!

[siberianmo]

Gentlemen of the bar, I have returned!

Thanx Cindy for the bartending services - I have a feelling the guys weren't at all upset about my being gone! [swg]

Rob Thanx very much for fillilng in - "you done good" Sir! Nice to know that we have a strong nucleus to depend upon. Same to all who Posted throughout the day - I will get to the acknowledgments a bit later on.

There is something that requires a bit of attention and I want to get to it straight away:

This is NOT a coffee shop, sweet shop or hang out for the under age. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's the reality. We are an adult bar and grill - a place where people can legally imbibe in the beverages of their choice all the while discussing Classic Trains from a position of knowledge and experience, and of course have some fun while doing so.

If one is of legal age to be served in a bar from wherever that person resides, then one can certainly be expected to be "served" here. We use the personal profiles to give us an idea of "who" the person is. If the personal profile is vague or otherwise insufficent, I reserve the right to not serve that person - in other words, ignore the Post.

It really is quite simple you see, we are adults with a common tie, the experience of traveling aboard and knowledge of Classic Trains not from anecdotal stuff, but from upfront experience, including those who work in restoring vintage RR equipment.

It would be far better for the underaged to simply read through what we have to say than to try and become a customer at the bar. Sorry, just won't work. Teen age sites abound on these Forums, and this isn't one of those. Adult needs no further defining. And by the way, you'll get there soon enough! Don't rush it. [swg]

For: uspscsx Matt - Sorry, Mate - we don't serve Cherry Cokes in this place.

Some advice may be in order: There is no way in the world that you or anyone else who has never frequented a real adult bar and grill would know how to handle one's self simply by "winging it" here in cyber space. It just doesn't work that way. Sorry, Matt. I don't think this place is for you or your under age friends. Feel free to send me an Email if you wi***o pursue this line of dialogue further.

For example, your question about whether we still are on "Christmas items" could have been handled quite simply by reading through the Posts. There are no easy, bottom liners here. One either participates or one doesn't. The latter category never become regulars.

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[trolleyboy]

Good evening everyone. Ah I see that the boss is back so I can take my leave for now.

Don Nice holiday item their. I hear that on many occations similar tank cars would spring untimely leaks. Rust don't yah know.[;)]. glas that you liked the CN bits,nice to know that they are appreciated. I look forward to your CN/Wabash Pictures from St Thomas,wonderfull railway town. Speaking of which have you heard about the plight of the Elgin County Railway Museum there,seems the main roof support beam on the old Canada Southern shops that house them are shot. CN still owns thebuilding so as of Dec 1st no one public or member are allowed in the building,until it's fixed. Personally I don't think it will happen and they will need to find a new home.

Yup I was holding down the bar looking over Cindy's shoulder. A tough job I nust say[;)]
I'm not one for the political correctness either,why is it that we can behave/say something one way for most of our lives and suddenly we are wrong and dinosaurlike.[soapbox] Just my [2c] of venting, I'm better now.[tup]




Pete Of coarse there is some steak and eggs left. I figured that you would want some so I had the girls hold some for you.

Seems that the speacial switching duties were similar on your side as here. CNR did have --6-o and 0-8-0 strait switch engines but they were used much like diesel switchers. Thye drilled the yards and made up and broke up trains. The only road time they got was if they were headed to the Big Shop in Stratford for maintenance and at that they were usually hauled dead in the trains consist. I haven't much experiance woth tank type engines CNR and CPR just didn't have them. The only exception were a set of GTW 0-10-o tanks used in the Sarnia tunnel before it was electrified and a half dozen 10 wheeled tank engines CNR had in Montreal for commuter train service.

Tom Nice to have you back, I was happy to fill your shoes as it were, Boris and everyone else were on their best behaviour. Boris even shaved and bathed without being asked. Between you and me he like most other males here just has a thing for Cindy. [:O]

Rob

[siberianmo]

For: trolleyboy Rob

Please check your Email.

Thanx!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

Evenin’ Guys!

Straight to the acknowledgments, Part Deux, however, due to time constraints, I’ll restrict my comments to a couple of lines to each. If I’ve missed something – ask again!

Theodorebear Ted
Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 08:56:39

QUOTE: Let's all begin our last one third of the road to the First Anniversary of "Our" Place with sharing "inclusively" between all of our esteemed Members.[tup] That's the style. [:D]

Couldn’t have said it better. Let’s take this to heart and follow our Manager!
[tup][tup][tup]

trolleyboy Rob
Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 09:34:07, 12:23:54, 13:50:22, 14:32:05, 16:49:23

I don’t know how to do all of your Posts justice. Therefore, let me simply put it this way: THANX, Rob for doing an outstanding job today! [tup][tup][tup] The Bar Chandler of ”Our” Place came through once again! [swg]

coalminer3 CM3
Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 13:19:57

QUOTE: Since my birthday occurs during the holidays, maybe we can have a "belated" celebration after the first of the year. It will give me time to raise bail mone, enroll in a witness protection program, and get Boris out from under that loaded tank car.

Fair enough – just let us know with at least 2 weeks notice. It takes that much time to line everything up ‘round here! [tup]

jdonald
Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 15:17:59

Glad you made it back! Fixed those Gremlins, eh [?] Christmas story appreciated! [tup]

pwolfe Pete
Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 15:57:10

QUOTE: Thanks for the N.Y.C Ad. I can’t imagine a Railroad company today doing an Ad in rhyme.

My pleasure! Different strokes for different folks. Those ads from the 40s and 50s surely represented a far different way of life than we are into today. They are enjoyable to reflect on, though.


Thanks to all who bought drinks, helped with the duties around here. Don’t get spoiled with that great bill of fare in the kitchen this mornin’ – we’ll be back to <light> breakfasts later in the week! [swg]


Later (maybe)!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[wanswheel]

Hi Tom and everyone. I'm not too organized so let me just just post something quick. I lost a bunch of typing Christmas stuff yesterday because I forgot to log in, got fed up and shut off the computer and walked away. Give me 3 points for the "try." It's too early for Christmas yet anyway. Happy Kilometer on the 2/3 milestone yesterday.

I never knew about that Pickle factory crash, and I live 4 blocks from an LIRR grade crossing. That 1950 crash came just 9 months after a head-on collision killed 34 at Rockville Center, Long Island. The Pennsylvania owed the LIRR but refused to support it, let it operate in bankruptcy. As a monopoly the LIRR was severely pressed for cash because the state utilities commission wouldn't allow rate increases. After the second cra***he PRR invested a few bucks to upgrade the LIRR for safety. The MTA runs it now, along with the city subways and Metro North commuter trains.
In its day the Long Island Rail Road (2 words) was the first to install a steam whistle on a locomotive (1836), first to use an all-steel passenger car (1905) and the first to run a Diesel loco in passenger service (1926). It is the oldest Class 1 railroad still operating under its original name and charter (1834).
On the issue of safety I notice the whistle. In the daytime the traffic around here is heavy and relentless. Because of that, the engineer can be confident that if he sees no cars at the grade crossing it almost certainly means that the signals are working, the gates are down and all motorists have yielded and wait patiently (or impatiently) for his train to get out of their way. So he just gives them a few polite short toots, almost apologetic in tone. After midnight, however, when there is still some road traffic (24-7 in modern suburbia) but substantially less, he blasts that whistle long and loud.

[siberianmo]

Just a word or two before turning the bar over to Leon the Night Man!

Hey Mike don't let the small stuff get to ya! This "thing" we had yesterday was more about bringing back memories of past Christmas travel by rail. It evolved in some diverget directions - but had nothing to do with this upcoming merriment! Chill, man, chill! [swg]

And yes, for the price of a round for the guys at the bar - I'll "award" you those "3 points" you mentioned! <grin>

I always find it to be amazing just how much info we pick up 'round here from the stories Posted by the guys.The Posts come fast and furious these days, making some of this great stuff perishable, to say the least. That's kinda why I thought those Indexes were valuable assets.

Okay - 'nuf for me. Gotta get goin' - a long day tomorrow and I'm not sure that I'll "see" any of you 'til Thursday mornin' ...... after I get the daily Summary out, that is.

Ring the bell, Boris a round on the house - Leon give 'em what they want!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[jdonald]

Evenin Tom: good to see you back. I'll have another A.K. and one for yourself

Rob Thats bad news about the Museum in St. Thomas. We rode on their Thanksgiving Fall Colours train and the crew seemed a little uncertain at that time about any future operations. Maybe CN will come good for the repairs[;)]. On the subject of tank engines-CN had some 4-6-4T's -#48 was a regular on the local trains between London and Sarnia in 55 &56 . Have a b&w photo which I might try posting on the Sunday post.

Bye for now-Keep it on the rails

Don

[Anonymous]

Good evening Leon ... I'll have a cherry co... I mean a boilermaker! And please set-up a round for the bar, and two rounds for anyone that may have heard my mistake!

We missed you Tom, but still you were around to post the Pullman and NY Central Nostalgia, as well as your index, and recognitions, and laying down the law, and ..hey ..you weren't really gone at all!

Al, terrific Streamliner # 26. The Zephyrs are one of my favorites!

Rob, thanks for the Niagra forntier line info, and great job keeping the place respectable during Tom's "absence."

CM3, happy pre-belated birthday

Don, thanks for your Christmas RR story. I was telling my wife today that I didn't have one to share yesterday, and then she proceeds to tell me one of her own! I'll just use hers next year! The train was a steamer, and they did New Years rides too! I need to check into this!

Mike, Thanks for the additional LIRR info. It's amazing how much the people around here know, or have experienced 1st hand.

My next submission is on the RPO (Railroad Post Office), and isn't one I'm too proud of. The subject matter is interesting, but the way it was told is not. But you be the judge. I included some pix to help it along. Here's Part I

Sorting on the Road by Don Rohrer – Rail Classics Jan. 1984



The last mail car has departed and the Railway Mail Service remains only in memory, as a bright and unique chapter of our railroad history.

The Post Office Department, perhaps purposely, failed to publicly recognize the mobile organization. To the vast majority of Americans the RMS was an unknown quantity. The average observer was inclined to fix the express messenger, baggageman and railway mail clerk into the same category.

Nevertheless, for a full century the RMS, with an interlocking system of trains and distribution expertise, provided the main trunk in delivering the mails before the advent of the zip code and the electronic sorting machine.

In spite of lack of recognition, the road clerks were a proud and productive group. Team work was essential to successful operation, and clerks responded with an amazing esprit de corps.

To best interpret RMS action, we wi***o take you for a ride with an R.P.O. crew on a fairly typical trip in 1966. With the RMS on its last wheels, we will occasionally refer back to more vital days in RMS annals.

St. Paul, Minnesota in the winter can serve up a first-class blizzard and biting, cold wind was sweeping through the Milwaukee Road yards one 5 a.m. As I walked out to the Chicago and Minneapolis mail car, part of the consist of the Twin City Hiawatha which was on track No. 11. The Hiawathas were still superb trains in 1966, sleek and streamlined flyers, bearing the Milwaukee Road’s traditional orange and maroon colors. The locomotives were powerful 3600 hp diesels. Inaugurated in the early ‘thirties, the original Hiawathas were quite spectacular, with locomotives patterned after Britain’s Flying Scotsman, sporting shrouded boilers and skirted wheels and consists of a dozen shining coaches, with distinctive beaver-tailed observation cars bringing up the rear.

With my sheepskin coat pulled up around my ears, I banged on the mail car door until Basil Loney flung it open. I was grateful to be able to climb into the welcome warmth of the “Minnie.” I exchanged greetings and observed the crew as I set my road-grip on the counter in front of my Illinois letter case and changed into my working clothes.

Five subs (substitutes) in a crew of fifteen. Not too encouraging. It was reassuring, however to see Old Wall Erickson at the pouch case, the core of our operation. A good performance there was essential to a successful trip. Incidentally, our organization included another capable Wallace Erickson, dubbed Young Wall.

The pouch and paper racks had already been set up and labeled, and headers and slips run in the letter cases, by the time the mail handlers arrived with the first load of pouches and sacks. A freezing blast of cold air and snow swept through the car when Norm Podratz, the paper case man, opened the door. Old Wall helped him take in the mail, while I checked off the pouches as they were called. The rest of the crew formed a chain gang and relayed the pouches and sacks up or down the aisle to their assigned stalls. The #1 and #2 mails close by for first attention, and the #3 – for distant states – farther down the 90-foot car, to be worked later.

Our immediate task was to “get the jump on it” in the yards. To “clean up” the mails, to avoid “going stuck,” was the primary goal of the railway mail crews. If there were unworked mail at the end of the trip, the boss would be forced to come up with a reason. One of the few acceptable excuses was “sub in crew.” These poor subs really earned their stripes!

There existed within the ranks an esprit de corps of the kind needed for swift, sustained and cooperative action.

The clerks were required also to devote much time between trips to the study of schemes and schedules. An example of the knowledge needed, Platteville, Wisconsin, alone had eight different supplies, depending on our location on the line.

I put substitute *** Kelly dumping pouches. He was a new hand, and knew very little about distribution. Basil Loney picked up the first bundles of letters to hit the table and returned quickly to his “hot” local letter case. Other clerks continued to assist at the pouch and paper tables, tossing directs, and mail for connecting RPO lines, into their respective pouches and sacks, until their own stated working packages arrived.

Harry Anderson, the registery clerk, had caught up on his mixed letters, and as no “reds” had arrived as yet, prepared coffee. Mail lock coffee it was called; when it was think enough to float a mail lock it was considered satisfactory.

The Great Northern and the Northern Pacific trains, due from the west coast with our heaviest deliveries, had been delayed by the storm and had not yet arrived. However, we had taken on extra loads from earlier trains that had missed their regular connections. Shortly after 8 a.m. our “drop” load arrived – and we were ready to take off. Our train was hardly ever held back, for we were geared to important connections in Chicago.

At 8:15 a.m. we felt our big road engines hook on, directly ahead, but we failed to hear the rattle of closing couplings and suspected that something was awry. We tried to peer out the windows, but they were completely frosted over. We were a world unto ourselves, in the center of an icy gale.

“Better sit down,” Ron Kiel cautioned. “We’re frozen to the rails.” The engineer had to jump the cars several times before breaking them loose. If we had tried to remain standing we would have been knocked to the floor.

We didn’t highball out of the yards as usual and our pace was greatly modified on the curving stretch down the river. Since we were up on the local mails, we sat down to cold sandwiches and hot coffee.

I noticed Kelly nodding over his food. He had been dumping and closing pouches since starting work, and he was bushed. “Take over for ***, will you, Tiny?” I asked giant Art Sederholm. To Kelly I said, “Take out the directs on Tiny’s case. He’ll work the residue later.”

Besides me Bill Pinette muttered, “In the old days we had wooden cars and iron men instead of iron cars and wooden men.” That joke too was an oldie.

[B)] Hmmmm ...is this interesting yet? [B)]

[Anonymous]

...and here's Part II

Sorting on the Road by Don Rohrer – Rail Classics Jan. 1984



Two hours later I glanced at my watch. We should have been farther down the line by this time, running through Camp McCoy. “Can you see where we are?” I called down to Podratz at the other end of the car. I had noticed him clear a space in the door window with a small ice scraper.

“We just went by Lake City,” he answered. “I’d better try the door,” Podratz said, but the action produced no result. The door was frozen solid, a common occurrence. Podratz kicked the door, futilely, before he removed an iron stanchion from an adjustable mail stall and used it to break away the ice from around the door. Using the stanchion as a lever, he pried the door open. Finally he poured salt on the tracks to keep them operable. By that time we should have been only a few minutes from Reads Landing, a non-stop.

Podratz adjusted his goggles and peered out the doorway until he spotted his landmark, a large grain elevator. He laid the Reads Landing pouch and sack of newspapers across his right foot, then, and at an exact moment kicked them out. He’d raised the car’s hairpin-shaped catcher arm at the same instant and a sharp whack indicated that he’d caught his incoming pouch. Mission accomplished. All in a day’s work.

“Still got your shoes?” Loney asked, in jocular reference to an occasion in which clerk Frank Hall had accidentally kicked off a shoe with the mail. Reacting quickly Hall had kicked out his other shoe, remarking laconically, "That way whoever finds ‘em will have a pair.”

As we approached Winona, earlier focal point of the storm, the sun came out and melted the frost from the windows, and we were able to catch glimpses of the passing scene. We began gaining on the clock then, hurtling through smaller towns that were either serviced by us non-stop, or accommodated by the milk trains. We moved on apiece, stopping only at Winona, La Crosse and Portage. At each junction we exchanged mails with other mobile units. Waiting for us at Potage was an especially hefty load from Madison, home of the state capitol and the university.

Concentration was required to cope with the job at hand, but there was an equal need for exchange of information. Questions and answers rang out continually. “What do we do with Des Moines now?” “Give me your Red Wing letters.” “Help! Help on the Manhattan letters!” “Check the balance sheet with me.”

We swept through Sparta, Tomah, and New Bisbon in record time. The road bed there was one of the best. Continuing the fast pace we rocketed through picturesque Wisconsin Dells, the Horicon Marsh bird sanctuary, and lake-blessed Oconomowoe, and on into Milwaukee. We picked up our mail there and rushed on.

On the way to Chicago we managed to complete our tasks, to tie and lock out our cases, and wash up and change clothes, just before arrival.

Our engine crews had performed nobly. We had lost only 18 minutes, still in time to make most of our connections, the Pennsy’s Broadway, the B&O’s Capitol Limited, and runs for the Cincinnati, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Detroit gateways. Our only miss was the Lakeshore, the New York Central’s Twentieth Century Limited.

Bright and early the next morning we would report back for work again, ready for the trip back, to “run for the barn.”



RPO, 1864-1977

The first Railway Post Office operated between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa on the Chicago and North Western beginning on August 28, 1864. Shortly after World War Two, there were 1,500 RPO routes criss-crossing the United States with 30,000 men working in more than 4,000 RPO cars. By 1961, the number of routes had declined to 262 and ten years later only eight routes remained. The decline of the RPOs began in the late 1930s but was delayed when railroad traffic increased through the war. The sharp decline occurred in the 1950s when railroads discontinued passenger trains at a great rate. The last surviving RPO was between Washington and New York and it was discontinued on June 30, 1977.

[trolleyboy]

Evening gents. Just a late good noight before I head for the hills as it were.

Mike Great info on LIRR good stuff [tup] don't sweat the small stuff this time of year I don';t and I work in a store[:O]. The locals around here tend to blow more after dark as well, though most of thee trains near my house are a branch line switch operation that goes out and back two or three times a day.

Don They were 4-6-4T's thanks got the wheel arangement wrong. Those are/were the same loco's that ran in Montreal they headed your way right at the end of the steam era,they had already been bumped from the Montreal lines by diesels. I think the boys would love to see the picture if you can find them, they were an odd locomotive.

It is too bad about Elgin County. CN wants the track out and to sell the land so no fear I would think of them fixing that building. Since it's not a herritage building though some feel it should be, they should have no problems demoing it if that's their choice. The old Michigan Central station/frieght shed accross the way is covered by the hisoric stations act though so at least it should stay. It's truly truly sad but that museum hasn't got the million+ to buy and fix the building. One wants to think positive about it but I think the writing is on the wall.


Doug I [bow] to you for your writers cramp. Another fine article,you are going to give yourself carpel tunnel soon though be carefull. LOL Loved the PE RPO picture in that article BTW as well. You are also doing your best to keep the thread respectible. Good show [tup][tup]

Tom Got your email and have righted the wrong as it were. Leon a round for all those still standing lets try to get them all seated.[:D]

Rob

[nickinwestwales]

Well good morning gents-It`s bright & early at this end of the counter-well,early anyway !
Thought I`d better check that all is ready for the morning shift.
Coffee is fresh made,Tea on request,the Mentor Bakery pastries are due in any time now.
We have a couple of `Early Bird` specials to keep out the chill:-
Short stack with syrup & crispy bacon on the side,
Club sandwiches,
Leek & potato soup,
Full English (for the track gangs & anybody else on outside work )

Daily Wisdom:- The more I learn,the more I realise how little I know........

Well I shall be in and out today ( multi tasking in the modern parlance ) but Anne & Lucy have kindly agreed to spell me for the intervals,Cindy would normally be here but today is her Ju-Jitsu black belt exam,so naturally we could not ( dare not ) impose [^]
O.K-Things to do,back in a few hours-be nice to the girls or Boris will follow you home one night..........P.S-don`t feed the `dillo !!!
have a good one,nick[C=:-)]

[wanswheel]

WE BROUGHT THE NYC TO ITS KNEES
How Notre Dame students beat a railroad at its own game
By Joseph MacDonald

During the years 1932-36, I played in the Notre Dame University band, using a trombone I had bought with my earnings as a messenger in the offices of the Central Vermont Railway. The band made two trips to away football games each year; these were medium-length trips, to Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Chicago. We wanted badly to go to New York for the Army game in Yankee Stadium, and in fall 1935 we finally accumulated enough money to go, provided we could get a low enough train fare. It was my senior year, and my last chance
I was vice president of the band, and was delegated to negotiate for a reduced fare with the railroads serving South Bend, Ind. My first stop was the ticket window of the New York Central, where I asked to see a passenger agent. A haughty man came to the window: "What can I do for you, son?"
"I'd like to inquire about a special low fare for the Notre Dame band to go to New York City weekend after next."
"We have no special fares," he replied.
"But it's for the Notre Dame band," I said.
"I don't care who you are." "But there are 100 of us."
"I don't care how many of you there are," he said. "We have no special fares. The fare is twice the one-way fare less 10 percent, $64 round trip, coach. And if you want to go, you'd better tell us which train you want to go on, so we put a couple of extra coaches on for you."
"But why don't you have special fares?"
"Why should we?" he said. "We have the only railroad here."
"You do not have the only railroad here," I reminded him.
"Well, if you want to take the Pennsy's branch train down to Plymouth, and stand on the platform for a couple of hours, and crowd into their train, you're welcome to do so. And if you want to take the Grand Trunk Western here, and take a couple of days to get there, you're welcome to do that. But we have 17 trains a day to New York, and so far as we're concerned, we have the only service here."
I stepped next door to the GTW ticket window, and asked for a passenger agent. I told this man I wanted to inquire about a special low fare for the Notre Dame band to New York. He said, "Come on in."
Inside the office, he asked, "Now, what's this all about?" I told him, including what the New York Central had said about the GTW.
"Oh they did, did they?" he said. "We've always had trouble with the New York Central. We paid half the cost of the track elevation and of this station in South Bend. The name of the station is Union Station, but they persist in calling it New York Central Station. We've tried for years to offer group rates for students, but they've blocked us every time. Now you're looking for a special fare to New York; how would a cent a mile suit you, say, $18 round trip?"
We didn't have $6400 for the NYC, but we did have $1800. So I said, "That's just what we're looking for."
"Well," the GTW agent said, "that's what we would like to offer you. As far as the Grand Trunk Western is concerned, that's what we would be willing to take you to New York and back for. But I don't want to get your hopes up. In order to give an $18 fare, we would have to file a special tariff with the Interstate Commerce Commission. If nobody objects, it will go through. But, if anyone objects, like the New York Central, then the ICC will have a hearing sometime next spring. But to show you that we want to do it, we'll file and see what happens."
The next day, he called me and said that he had told the Pennsy and the NYC about the plan to file a special tariff. The Pennsy had said they didn't care one way or the other. The NYC said they would object. But the GTW went ahead and filed anyway, to show good intentions. But, he said, with the NYC objecting there was no hope of the rate going through.
Well, we in the band were mighty unhappy over the NYC's attitude. If they didn't want to carry us at a reduced rate, that was their business; but we resented having our New York trip prevented by the NYC interfering with the Grand Trunk's special rate.
So we went to the school's authorities, and obtained permission to put some pressure on the New York Central.
In those days, Notre Dame did not allow its students to go away on weekends without parental permission. But each year, one official trip was sponsored to an away football game, on which all students could go without needing special permission. This year, 1935, the trip was to Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State game.
For this official student trip to Columbus, a special train had been arranged with the NYC, to load at the campus's powerhouse siding, running past St. Mary's College down to South Bend, then on to Columbus. At Columbus, NYC had trackage rights over Chesapeake & Ohio past the Ohio State stadium, so the Central could deliver us right to the stadium. One thousand students had signed up for the trip; New York Central's regular fare of about $10 was being charged.
I went down to the Pennsylvania Railroad ticket office in South Bend (the railroad had branchline service from South Bend to Plymouth and Logansport, on the old Vandalia route). I asked the agent how he would like to have 1000 passengers for his Saturday morning train to Logansport, to change there to the Pennsy's Chicago-Columbus train.
"Well, we would sure like to have 1000 passengers," he said, "But we would also like to have some notice, since we have only two coaches on that branch train."
I told him to make the arrangements, and that we would confirm the matter to him officially. We then notified the NYC that we were canceling the special train.
Now, the PRR didn't have tracks up to the Notre Dame campus. So we arranged for 20 streetcars to be at the campus at 6 a.m. Saturday. We piled on, and the streetcars went elephant-parade-style down to a point about a block from the PRR station. There, the Pennsy had a special train waiting for us, which they ran straight through to Columbus. Since the PRR didn't have trackage rights past the stadium at Columbus, we paraded 2 miles to the stadium.

A stirring game, and a Central change of heart

That was the year of the "Big Game." Our team was completely baffled by Ohio State's "razzle-dazzle" offense, which resembled a basketball game on the field; Notre Dame tackled everyone but the player with the ball, and Ohio State was ahead 13-0 in a few minutes.
In the second half, Notre Dame came back, scoring a touchdown in the last minutes of the third quarter, but missing the extra point to keep it at 13-6. We got another touchdown with three minutes to play in the fourth quarter, but again missed the extra point--13-12. Then, with 30 seconds left to play, Bill Shakespeare threw a 45-yard pass to Wayne Miller in the end zone to make it 18-13. Ohio State's fans were stunned; not a person moved in the stands for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, we collected the iron-pipe goal posts and paraded victoriously the 2 miles back to the station. En route, we stopped at a service station and had the goal posts cut into smaller pieces, and we put the pieces on the tender of the Pennsy's engines to transport them back to South Bend.
Monday, I got a call from the Grand Trunk Western passenger agent. He had just had a visit from the New York Central passenger agent, who had wanted to know if the GTW was still interested in the $18 tariff to New York. The NYC was going to join the tariff. "Now," the GTW man said to me, "we realize that if the NYC also gives you an $18 rate, you will likely go New York Central. But the Grand Trunk wants you to know that we want to take you."
Monday afternoon, at band practice, the same high-and-mighty NYC passenger agent visited us. "Boys," he said, "we didn't realize that you took this so seriously. We're sorry, and we want to make amends. We're going to give you a special $18 round-trip rate to New York City for next weekend. If you tell us which train you want to go on, we'll have a couple of extra cars for you." We thanked him, and said we would let him know.
Then we had a meeting. We decided that since the Grand Trunk was good enough to give us the special rate in the first place, we'd go via the Grand Trunk.
I went to see the GTW agent, and told him of our decision.
"That's what we've been waiting for," he said. "We're going to show you boys that the New York Central isn't the only railroad in South Bend. We're not going to put two coaches on the Maple Leaf for you; we're going to run a special train, and limit you to 20 passengers per coach, so you'll all have a four-seater. And the train crews will show you how to take the backs and cushions off, so you can make bunks out of them. We'll put a Pullman on, at regular fares, for anyone who wants to travel Pullman. We'll have specially low-priced meals in the diner, so you can stay within your budget: 25 cents for breakfast, 35 cents for lunch, and 50 cents for dinner, with special printed commemorative menus. We'll have a passenger agent go all the way with you, and he will meet you after the game to decide what time you wi***o return.
"And," he added, "to show you that we can do anything the New York Central can, we'll match the running time of any New York Central train you wish, from the 20th Century Limited on down, even though we'll have to go 50 miles farther to get there."
We selected a 1 p.m. departure on Friday; on the next track, the NYC's Fifth Avenue Special was loading for its 12:50 p.m. departure to New York City. Some students not in the band were taking the Fifth Avenue. They laughed at us. "You'll get lost in Canada somewhere. We'll tell you how the game came out."
We beat them to New York City by 2 hours.
We left South Bend behind a Pacific type locomotive with a sealed baggage car containing our instruments, five or six coaches for the 100-member band, a diner, and a Pullman. Aboard the train were a passenger agent and the district trainmaster. Helping the engineer (a favorite way of putting it among engineers in those days) were the traveling engineer and the traveling fireman. During one 5-mile stretch, we timed the train by the mileposts and the brakeman's watch: 200 seconds for the 5 miles, or 90 mph. We made the 234 miles from South Bend to Port Huron, Mich., in 233 minutes, despite changing engines at Battle Creek, Mich., and taking water twice. We passed the Maple Leaf in a siding somewhere in Michigan.
GTW parent Canadian National took us across Ontario to Suspension Bridge, N.Y. CN didn't set any speed records, apparently not having expected us so soon. But at Suspension Bridge, a real rhubarb arose. The GTW diner had been taken off, I suppose at Port Huron. Now a Lehigh Valley diner was to be put on the rear of our train; Lehigh Valley was CN's connection for New York-area through service. The LV diner was over in the United States, while the rear of our train was still on the Canadian side of the bridge. Railroads paid a fee each time they used this bridge. Whose switcher was going to incur the wheel charge in order to put the diner on our train? Not the Lehigh's; and, just as positively, not the CN's.
Men from the two roads stood there arguing, and perhaps would be still be holding the train, except that the GTW passenger agent announced, "It's our train. We'll do the switching, and I'll take the responsibility." So the CN switcher ran over to the New York side, got the diner, brought it back, and tacked it onto the rear, and away we went.
We made the run from Suspension Bridge to Penn Station (LV's New York terminal, shared with PRR) in 8 hours flat. When we stopped on a curve in Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe), Pa., the track was so superelevated that the dishes started to slide off the tables in the diner. Some years later, I told a Lehigh Valley conductor that we had made the run in 8 hours, and he flatly refused to believe me. But I was there.
Unfortunately, the football game was a tie.
Saturday afternoon, as promised, the GTW man met with us, and we decided on a 3 p.m. Sunday departure from Penn Station. As our train started climbing the hills of New York State, it got very cold. The first three cars were warm, but the rest of the train had no heat. The conductor repeatedly signaled the engineer for more steam in the heating line. At every stop there were acrimonious exchanges between the conductor and the engineer. The engineer insisted that he was sending back so much steam that any more would burst the fittings. Yet the train, after the third car, was so cold that the water in the Pullman was beginning to freeze.
When we stopped at London, Ontario, the car-knockers found what was wrong. The GTW coaches had an unusual arrangement for the steam line shutoff valves: the handles were located in the vestibules of the cars. One of the band members had wondered what those handles were for, and he'd turned one of them, on the leading platform of the fourth car. The LV crew was not familiar with the GTW valve arrangement, and they never thought to check the position of the handles.
Some more excitement during the evening came with the emergency stop out in the middle of nowhere. The conductor went forward to ask the engineer the reason for the stop. The engineer asked why he had been flagged down with a red lantern from the rear end. Again, it was a band member, who had picked up the flagman's red lantern on the rear platform, and waved the lantern from the side door to see what would happen.
Finally, early in the morning, we stopped at either Sarnia or Port Huron, where a lady from the depot's restaurant came out onto the platform ringing a hand bell, calling all train passengers to breakfast inside.
One of the boys picked up the hand bell, put it under his coat, and took it back to South Bend. Two days later, a half-hour before the 6 a.m. gong that woke all of us in Sorin Hall each morning, this wretched band member ran through the corridors, ringing that hand bell. That afternoon, Father Farley, the rector, summoned all the residents of the dormitory to a meeting. Father Farley told us--in the straightforward manner for which he was noted--that he would leave his office for 15 minutes. If that bell was not on his desk when he returned, no resident of Sorin Hall would be allowed to leave the campus until he graduated--if he graduated.
The bell was there when he returned, and the school returned it to the restaurant, with apologies.
From 1935 until 1942, when World War II ended such trips, the Notre Dame band went each year to New York City for the Army game, via the Grand Trunk Western and Lehigh Valley, for $18 round trip, each.
In 1956, when I returned to Notre Dame for my 20th reunion, I was talking with GTW's passenger agent in South Bend. He asked, "Do you know what you boys did with that trip? You broke the monopoly of the New York Central here. Ever since that trip, we have been able to give group rates to students, and they've gone along with us."
And that's the story of how a few college boys brought the mighty New York Central to its knees.

Grand Trunk Western reveals its reasoning

A few years after graduation, I was in Chicago, and visited the GTW-CN office on Michigan Avenue. I asked how, since the regular fare was $64 round trip, could the GTW afford to give us the $18 fare. I was told that the $18 covered only the wages and fuel. "We didn't charge anything for maintenance or other charges; but we figured we neither made nor lost anything on the train. And we figured it was a good opportunity to show 100 Notre Dame boys that we had a first-class railroad. We figured that perhaps at some time in the future, one of you might have a car of freight to route, and you might send it our way."
As it happens, I was employed for several years at Continental Can Company's New York office, and I had to route many shipments of machinery from suppliers in the East to our plants in the Midwest and West. Whenever it was feasible, I short-hauled the poor Erie at Buffalo, and routed the shipment via CN-GTW to Chicago or (by GTW carferry) to Milwaukee. For a while, I kept a list of the cars that I sent via GTW, it was up to 85 cars when I stopped keeping track. I don't know whether any other Notre Dame band members were ever in a position to route a car, but I think I paid GTW back for the 1935 train!

[From TRAINS December 2000. My thanks to Kalmbach for permission - Mike]

[siberianmo]

WEDNESDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of RECENT POSTS

We open at 6 AM, all time zones. (Don’t ask how we do that!) [swg]


I’m gone for most of the day, will be back well into the night. Nick – Rob and Ted said they’d keep things movin’ and Cindy has the bar! Remember – greet the bartender, order a drink, and keep those Posts comin’!

Draw a cuppa “Joe,” some pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and whatever breakfast specials await you this fine day! [swg]


Daily Wisdom:

Nerves is just which end of a six-gun you happen to be looking at.


Info for the Day:

(1) CONTEST:
What date (time optional) will ”Our” Place reach the next plateau – page 200 [?] BONUS question: WHO will be the one to “turn the page” [?]

Participants . . . . . . Date chosen . . . . (Bonus) Who will put us over the top [?]
(in order of participation)
pwolfe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 20th . . . . . . . . . .siberianmo Tom
trolleyboy Rob . . . . . . . . . Dec 18th (12:05 PM) . siberianmo Tom
coalminer3 CM3 . . . . . . . .Dec 18th. . . . . . . . . . siberianmo Tom
barndad Doug . . . . . . . . . Dec 22nd . . . . . . . . . none
nickinwestwales Nick . . . .Dec 27th . . . . . . . . . .trolleyboy Rob
ftwNSengineer P . . . . . . . Dec 23rd . . . . . . . . . .trolleyboy Rob
jlampke John . . . . . . . . . Dec 24th (noon) . . . . . siberianmo Tom

CONTEST CLOSED!


SUMMARY

Name …..…………… Date/Time …..…..………. (Page#) .. Remarks

(1) barndad Doug Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 05:26:23 (190) Great Pickleworks Wreck, Part II

(2) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005 20, 06:27:37 (190) Tuesday’s Info & Summary

(3) barndad Doug Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 06:31:35 (190) Great Pickleworks Wreck, Part III

(4) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 06:34:00 (190) NOSTALGIA #42 – NYC Dieseliner

(5) jlampke John Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 07:29:06 (190) Inclusive Post, etc.

(6) ftwNSengineer P Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 07:34:59 (190)

(7) passengerfan Al Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 07:51:12 (190) Streamliner #26 – Denver Zephyrs

(8) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 08:32:43 (190) Acknowledgments, etc.

(9) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 08:56:39 (190) Inclusive Post, etc.

(10) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 09:34:07 (191) Inclusive Post!

(11) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 12:23:54 (191) Classic CNR Steam #9

(12) coalminer3 CM3 Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 13:19:57 (190) daily pick-us-up!

(13) trainboyH16-44 Matt Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 13:24:23 (191)

(14) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 13:50:22 (191) responses

(15) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 14:32:05 (191) Classic CNR Steam #10

(16) jdonald Don Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 15:17:59 (191) Inclusive Post!

(17) uspscsx Matt Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 15:35:55 (191)

(18) pwolfe Pete Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 15:57:10 (191) Inclusive Post!

(19) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 16:26:01 (191) Commentary

(20) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 16:49:23 (191) Inclusive Post!

(21) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 17:10:45 (191) for: trolleyboy

(22) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 19:17:47 (191) Acknowledgments, etc.

(23) wanswheel Mike Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 19:45:16 (191)

(24) siberianmo Tom Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 21:23:04 (191) reply to: wanswheel

(25) jdonald Don Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 22:14:00 (191)

(26) barndad Doug Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 22:47:07 (191) Inclusive Post & “Sorting on the Road, Part I”

(27) barndad Doug Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 22:48:52 (191) Sorting on the Road, Part II

(28) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 13 Dec 2005, 23:14:49 Inclusive Post, etc.

=======================================
That’s it! [tup][;)]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]
Proprietor of “Our” Place, an adult eating & drinking establishment!

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #43

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Santa Fe (AT&SF) from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

always “at Ease” on El Capitan

Easy dress * Easy Comfort * Easy cost

”Come as your are!” on this famous Santa Fe
all-chair streamliner. Just 39 ¾ easy hors
between Chicago and California. Restful
club lounge car “just for fun!” Fred Harvey meals . . .
Coach fare plus a small extra fare . . .
Same route as The Chief
And Super Chief.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

CHECK THE MONDAY SUMMARY and INDEX PAGES FOR MORE GREAT NOSTALGIA POSTS!

[Anonymous]

Good mornin Breakfast Clubbers. Hi Cindy, hey "lookin' good" with that shiny Black Belt around your midriff.[:-^] Of all days to have a bevy of downloads and "up dates" from MSN and Windows, they picked this morning.[:(!] Looks like the Proprietor will be out most of the day. I'll do my humble best to keep the "home fires burning" while
Tom is "on the road."[:D] Yesterday, was a veritable bonanza of posts, so I kept a "low profile." When I saw the sheer volume, greatly inhanced by our own Rob's contributions, well, it was obvious I would just be "in the way." So today, let me just start by saying "this joint is jumping."

There were so many fine comments, articles, essays, data sheets and plain old "juicy gossip" that I don't no where to begin this frosty mornin. If I may be excused for a short recap of everything that "hit the fan," I will be more able to get this day rolling along "on track." So Cindy, I'll take Boris for his constitutional trot around the premisis and tether him by the shed. Then I'll return fore armed with some, hopefully, bits and pieces to share. Tom has already started the day of on the "right foot" and we don't want to let the momentum sag, do we? Okay, back in a "mo" with some 'mo.' See ya's soon.

[nickinwestwales]

Well,it looks like my `alarm call` post earlier slipped through the seams,no matter,SIR MANAGER THEODORE has things well in hand,as ever.
MIKE-Hi,nice to see the Notre Dame piece getting the wider audience it deserves (Although why Kalmbach require permission to use material on their own forum is a point of copyright law too fine for this simple soul...)
Another evocative piece from DOUG-the notion that folks from miles around would come and have picnics around the wreck site tells us more than we need to know about human nature,I guess nothing brings us together more quickly than something unpleasant happening to someone else.
So this wreck was caused by the lead loco splitting the switch-dont you guys have facing point locking systems?--I cant think of a line over here that doesn`t have `em on all running lines,usually with signals also locked in-Indeed facing point are avoided wherever possible over here,leading to quite distinctive station and yard formations.
ROB-another welcome shot of steam & hot oil from north of the 49 [tup]
Well,thats my dinner break over,back in a bit,be good,nick[C=:-)]

[Anonymous]

Hi again Members and guests. Cindy, I done figured out the only way for me to get "current," is to start with where I left off. HUH[banghead] Sooo, waneswheel, I got a "kick" out of the personal touch the engineer used the loco whistle to communicate with folks along the RTW. We had a SW-7 that shifted wares back and forth about a block from my home in Tulsa, OK (Frisco). He too would add his "signature" toot when he saw a familiar face.[tup] Barndad that was a great "inclusive" post ('cept for the [redCherry Coke[/red]). And the R.P.O. piece brought back a recollection of when I was pacing the platform in K.C. Mo. waiting for Grams arrival. I eventually waltzed my way up near the R.P.O. of a standing Santa Fe passenger consist. How was I to know they were unloading mail bags from a Brinks pick-up some where up-the-line?[#oops] The photo of that postal worker's badge brought the whole incident back to mind[:O] Wow, did I get "the bums rush" or what?[8] I was surprised that the "rail mail" ran as late as 1977, thanks. Nick sure glad you were "on top of things" this A.M. Ahhh, Anne, Lucy and Cindy and moi,Tom sure knows how to handle "fringe benifits." I'll need Lucy's help upstairs in the bath tub counting yesterday's "take." We will only be a moment.[^] BTW, the "Full English" was incredible. On the menu it should be listed "General Cornwallis' Revenge." Gang, I'll be "back in a flash with a flash." Keep them "doggies rollin', rawhide."

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom and the rest of the gang. Just time for coffee and a diet pastry from the Mentor Bakery.

Off to the VA for check-up today. Don't know how that works elsewhere but here it can be one full day and possibly even two.

PASSENGERFAN AL'S STREAMLINER CORNER #27

COMET NYNH&H June 5, 1935 Prividence - Boston five round trips daily 44 miles each way 44 minute schedule.

Another manufacturer more noted for tires and airships was the Goodyear-Zeppelin Company who constructed an Aluminum skinned tubular steel framed three car articulated lightweight bi-directional diesel powered streamlined train.

This train named the COMET was built for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad.

The COMET was painted a striking Blue and white the only equipment so painted on the railroad.

The three car articulated train was purchased with a control cab at each end so it was unnecessary to turn the train at terminals.
The COMET with revenue seating for 160 passengers entered service June 5, 1935 betweeen Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts a distance of 44 miles and was scheduled to operate five round trips daily in 44 minutes each way. The three car articulated COMET was powered by a pair of Westinghouse 400 HP diesels one located in each end cab unit. The two power units were numbered 9200 and 9202 with the center articulated car numbered 9201.
The COMET operated on the same route from delivery until the mid 1950's when it was retired and scrapped.

CONSIST

9200 Articulated 400 HP Power Cab with 48-Revenue Coach Seats
9201 Articiulated 64-Revenue Seat Coach
9201 Articulated 400 HP Power Cab with 48-Revenue Coach Seats

TTFN AL

[coalminer3]

Good Morning Barkeep and all: coffee, please, round for the house and $ for the Mighty Wirlitzer.

Wonderful reading material this a.m.

We had several family frtiends who worked in the RMS. There was a lot of memory work involved in this service, and, IIRC, clerks had to pass tests for the routes they covered.

I well remember the last RPOs in service between Washington and New York. I used to see them a lot in the evenings at Baltimore. Tom, these were filthy old PRR RPO cars, some still in red others in the green of the road that shall not be mentioned. At any rate, red or green, they had a fascination. The lights inside were quite dim and I wonder how anybody could see to sort the mail. RPO personnel who handled registered mail carried sidearms.

I loved the line. "we've always had trouble with the New York Central."

The El Cap was one of my grandmother's favorite trains when she made periodic forays to the west. It's not that she couldn't afford to ride another train, she just thoproughly enjoyed the Cap's ambience, passengers, etc. I never heard her say a bad word about Uncle John's road.

Now as for the Comet.

As most visitors to this fine establishment know, my New Haven roots go very deep; so here's true story abt. the Comet

My paternal grandfather (in addition to many other life experiences) at one time operated a restaurant in the section of Rhode Island that is known as "South County." There were, of course, more than few New Haven folks who dined there.

Among the group were two brothers, George and Al Bernard, who were engineers on the New Haven. They handled the "Comet" fairly regularly. The "Comet" was viewed as a good run; not neceassarily as august as say the "Yankee Clipper" or the "Marchants," but a good run, nevertheless.

My dad as he told me sort of "hinted around," and one afternoon, in about 1936 or so, he found himself with George Bernard in the cab of the Comet en route from Providence to Boston. His take on the ride was that the train itself rode fairly smoothly although it was a bit noisy. They did "clip off the miles," though. The view from the cab as he described it sounded much like that from the infamous turbo train a few decades later. He told me that they met a couple of trains along the way and it was hard not to flinch, especially as that big steam engine got closer, even though it was on the other track. George never even blinked, he said.

They had coffee and a bite at the local beanery which was an old passenger car deep in the yard at South Station. Dad's ride back to Providence was in one of the parlor cars on whatever afternoon train happened to be available.

The Comet, unlike many of its streamlined fellows on the NYNH&H, was successful. In fact, more people wanted to ride it than it could hold, so a conventional train was subsituted, and by the late 1940s, it was running on the Old Colony lines south of Boston. By the way, the fare between Providence and Boston on the "Comet" was $.90.

work safe

[Anonymous]

Cindy, it's me and Lucy back again. The Till came out "on the money."[tup] Mornin Mike, I enjoyed the Article as much on the rebound as on the first reading. What a perfect "Squelch" for the N.Y.C. Potentates![tup] Somehow I knew your Dad had to be a trombone player.[swg] Passengerfan Al, some where, some how, I do recall seeing the New Haven 9200, probably in an old M.R., not sure. 60 m.p.h. isn't a bad averaqe between the two cities. If anyone has ever driven the route, you can appreciate the time savings involved.

"Streamliner Corner" has become a mainstay hereabouts and I, for one, can attest to the many controversies your Topic has resolved, just love it.[tup] Nick is sooo right regarding the "rubber necking" that some folks delight in scrutinizing disaster sites. FLASH, I just heard a reservoir has been breached in S.E. MO. with a 20 ft. high wall of water surging through the lowlands. Thank goodness all our MO Members are no where near the area. Is that ironic Nick? Okay. wehre was I? Oh yes, R.R. safety practices in the States are notoriously slipshod. Especially in the earlier days when poor underlayment, bad ballast, cross ties and faulty steel was used in the name of "keeping costs down." Even today we see it in the N.E. Corridor and around the Chicago area where high speed trains operate over dozens of grade crossings, simply insane, no? BTW, Nick and Pete have mentioned the U.K. avoiding (where possible) facing point turnouts which cleared up the questions I've had for years. At a closer look of some of the yard configurations near Connoly, Heuston and Belfast Stations in Irealand, I was at a loss for their reason for the seemingly awkward and wasteful use of land. Now I know the rational.[^] Duh, makes sense to me. Okay Boris, Ill be "in and out" today, so you won't need to CLANG....mother told me there would be days like this.[:(!]

[nickinwestwales]

Well,happy is the day that has me back indoors before 3.pm (local)-and on price-work too[^]-SIR THEODORE-knew I could rely on you-[swg],Cornwallis` Revenge it is [^][^].
You are a braver soul than I -exercising Boris on rubbish collection day is a risk fraught activity,he always seems so pleased with his little `finds`-I suppose we should regard it as re-cycling of sorts....
AL & CM3,good to see the `top of the day `crew in fine fettle-CM3,the house thanks you for the round,as always Al-if the `doc` pulls on surgical gloves and asks the nurse to step outside,hit the floor running.
Nice stuff on the Comet,one doesn`t associate short consists with your side of the pond. I love the corporate logic that dictated that so many people wanted to use it that they replaced it.
Now one of you two used the phrase `future ex-wife`recently-Jimmy Vaughn & the Fabulous Thunderbirds ??-or was it next ex-wife,I guess that `scans` better for a lyric..ho hum.
Well,lets spin some toons on the old Wurlitzer and slope off to collect the small demon from school-Steve Earle`s Copperhead Road to blow off the dust,Dead Flowers by the Stones,Misguided Angel by the Cowboy Junkies,Diamond Mine by Blue Rodeo And Night Nurse by Gregory Isaacs for a touch of Island sunshine.
Right Boris-go clean shed,sweep yard, put out empties,change the `dillo dirt box-Then wa***wice.!!!
be lucky guys,later,nick[C=:-)]

[Anonymous]

WHOA, looks like the "bottom dropped out." Well, with the deluge of posts yesterday, I guess it isn't really surprising. Hey CM3, I totally agree with your Grandmother's assessment of the El Capitan. I rode El Cap a couple of times Chicago to K.C., MO and and had a lot more fun than on the Super Chief. It was a different crowd altogether. While a staid, consevative atmosphere is appreciated, it "ain't much fun." The El Cap passengers and crew seemed to be enjoying the trip moreso than arriving at the destination; my kind of folks for sure.[tup] Of course, those beautiful hi-level cars and friendly staff made a difference as well. WOW, does anyone have a photo of the New Haven Comet? I've been rustling through my archives but so far, ZIP.

As Nick pointed out (if I may paraphrase), R.R.'s in the States really never pursued short passenger consists for long (sounds like a oxymoron, doesn't it?). Sure, I "get it" as far as the long hauls and tying-up the same miles of RTW for fewer paid fares but wouldn't it be nice to see just one or two really "special" articulated trains available even for extra fares? "Whipping a dead horse?" Yep, "you can say that again," but please don't! Cindy, a round for the house will come to about $6.00 today, unless Nick is imbibing in French Champagne....[thinks all us Yanks are rich, don't cha know]. When I said "back in a flash with a flash," I had no idea it would be "for real." Thankfully, there have been no reported fatalities in MO.

Gents the sandwich board is open and Tom makes sure the cold cuts are fresh daily and the breads are "out of the oven," so what's your pleasure? Earlydiesels Dan, I haven't recieved a reply to my Western Union wire on the "B&O in the Civil War" book. I'm keenly intrested in obatining a copy, if it's still "Out there."[^] BTW, if I'm not mistaken, this is "Pike Perspectives Day" 'round these parts. Mike, John, Don, if you haven't had a chance to take a ride on the Can-Am yet, you surely are missing a "class" experience. Just go to Tom's Profile and bring up his "Rail Images" album and voila, you gotta ride to remember. Sorry, I'm not able to bring up Nostalgia or past Ads from the "Golden Years," I'm just not in that league.[V] Maybe I can, at least, incourage some of you who are modelers to share a bit of your efforts with everyone?

Most of you know that I'm into HO gauge in the attached garage and do some limited G gauge outside along my privacy fence. People ask me if I have a HO Pike or a museum. Almost everything I own is from the '50s' and '60s'. Code 83 Atlas is on the mainline and Shinohara 83 turnouts X-overs and switches in the yards and Terminal area. Except for two turnouts in the tunnel, I use ground throws (N gauge Caboose), only because I want "hands on" operations. The two switches in the tunnel are Atlas # 6 remotes and well hidden from viewer's scrutiny.[:O] They switch a train from one mainline to the other (double track main) for bringing the train into the terminal rather than completing another full circle. A train running in the opposite direction brings it from the terminal track to the "main." Actually, the second of the two "mains" is a disguised, long passing siding, clear?[:O] Don't worry, it confuses me from time to time also.[V] I'm doing B&O and Southern Rwy models of the proto types. Hey, I better not "shoot the whole wad" here, or I'll have nothing left for more posts later today. From the look of it, I'll need all the ammo I can muster.

Okay, if you have the chance, please drop by and let me know there hasn't been a neuclear event or a global catastrophy everywhere else but Florida. Now I know how Tom feels on a slow day. Right Boris, I'm off again, so no hanky panky with the gals. Don't hit the BONG......Lawd, lawd, see you good folks in a bit.[:(!]

[nickinwestwales]

Just back from school play -under strict orders to upload pix of little horror for her dear mother,back A.S.A.P,[C=:-)]

[Anonymous]

There can't be much doubt as to which of the two, "feast or faimine," we face today, can threre? Hi Cindy, Ruthy, Lucy and Nick, Think I'll have a early P.M. C.R. and soda w/lime twist. Well, if most folks are doing their card writing and Christmas shopping, as I should be, its understandable. CM3, good of you to say hello this fine Wednesday. It must've been a great experience for your Father to ride in the Comet's cab back in "the days." I don't know if anyone is "into" videos of cab view rail trips that are available. I have a couple and there isn't anything I would rather do. This is "old hat" to P earlydiesels, barndad Doug, and some other Members. But for many of us it is a rare, if ever made, experience.[V] Even with "surround sound" and plenty of decibels, the T.V. in a living room isn't even close. On the other hand, would most of us really want to be in the cab of say an 0-6-0 shifter on a freezing night with the roasting hot back fire wall on one side and sub Arctic winds blowing on the other? Proabaly not! It is sooo different between when you "must" and when you "wish," isn't it? Since this is a great day for Solitary, perhaps I may be allowed a few visions that would normally be so far [#offtopic] that I would be ceremoniously "drummed" unto Kodiak Island, Alaska.[:0] Looking back is really a preoccupation with most of us. I'm wondering what the future may hold for us "rail gypsies" (at heart), say in the next 2 decades? We see a lot of "light rail" options coming into fruition all over North America. The U.K. and Europe are, of course, "past masters" of this vital link in passenger transport over the past Century. Now, with N.A. airports being pressed ever harder with commuter and "short hops," and freeway traffic from those airports to urban areas practically in "grid lock," what must be the alternatives? Scuuuze me but some form of independent rail movement seems the only choice. Monorails and subways are terribly expensive and few investors have the vision or the will for any such "long term" investments. Right, like it or not, we must look to the Federal Govt. through public taxes to deal with the inevitable. There must be some "robbing Peter to pay Paul," which has never bothered Capitol Hill in the past, except when it comes to a "projected" public crisis. I offer the levies on the Mississippi River in New Orleans as my first item of evidence. The fatal crash of the airliner at Midway Terminal in Chicago would do just as well. The 1,000 ft. easement for uncontrolled landings just wasn't there. The States are facing a infrastructural night mare, as we see I-States, ports, terminals, et al., disintegrating all around us. Even the Nation's power grid is vulnerable to the slightist of mishaps which could have catastrophic effects for the Hemisphere.

We see so called "high tech" running amuck on a daily basis, yet nothing is "in place" for monitoring the use of such contrivances until the odious results come trickling in. Micro wave ovens were interfering with pace makers. Bombs are being detonated with cell phones. Satellites know where you live and when and where you travel. Consumer data banks know more about you than "you" do, on and on. Don't wi***o "fall off the deep end" here but does it seem strange to you that a million dollar "invronmental impact study" must be done for a 25 mile ROW from St. Pete to Tampa while the latest "trendy" drug will be placed "in market" that is a poterntial killer? Not sure anything can be done or if anyone really wants "anything done" to bring reason back to the table. Okay, I've had my little rant and it was time well spent in the Rat's Patoot Room. Hey, I recommend it for those feeling a bit "out of sorts," works for me. Gals thanks and go ahead home and Nick, I'll be in later for "last call" and a "door shake" tonight. Stay safe and warm everybody, bye for now.

[nickinwestwales]

Right,thats that little job taken care of, O.K. SIR MANAGER THEODORE looks like its thee & me for now,lets us take our ease at the bar and discuss lofty matters of great import-failing that we could always `tie one on`,swap dirty gags & generally shoot the s**t.[swg].
Your mention of the reservoir breach and the long arm of coincidence reminds me that Britains 6th largest fuel store blew up on sunday morning ( It may have made the press over there ) by a miracle,no fatals & only minor walking wounded although a large part of S.E.England now under a thick black cloud--Could this be chaos theory in action-you know,the butterflys wing/major eathquake stuff-Your powers are great Skywalker,You must use them wisely.....hmmm
I never did conclude whether you had solved your power-routing problems?-Since we are somewhat out of synch here I shall assume no & proceed accordingly
I have a vague & somewhat nebulous memory ( a statement which will stand on its own) of relays being mentioned,a possibly easier route might be a PECO accessory which is fairly easy to retro-fit and doesn`t require a capacitor discharge unit to trigger.
Its a simple sliding contact panel designed to be used with their live frog turnouts,in essence,it is connected to the tie bar & as you line the switch ( I`m really getting a grip on this language thing dontcha know ) the polarity changes with it.
If used for anything other than stub-tracks,one is best off using insulated joiners (also from PECO in their red label code 83 range) on the `inner` rails at the `heel` end of the turnout and powering the rest of the track direct from the bus.
They can be surface or under-board mounted and whilst designed for use with the companys solenoid switch motors,I`m sure anyone who can maintain a trombone in working order `on the road` should have no trouble in hooking them up-if not,I`ll build a demo piece and E-Mail some blow-by-blow pix.
Back to trailing/facing turnouts,I suspect that since `over there` you have a largely single track network ( at least originally ) the option of facing or trailing was not there,over here,the bulk of main-line trackage has been double from the early days giving us the luxury of options-if the spur is on the wrong side,simply throw in a diamond and there you go.
Ireland,it must be said,is somewhat of a law unto itself-The classic example being Limerick Jn,where lines converged from all cardinal points of the compass and all had to set back into and possibly also out of the station (still do I believe,although PETE may have more recent data).
Ah I hear the sound of parrot,`dillo & nosferatu`s ugly kid brother locked in mortal combat in the galley,back in a bit, Lucy,be a poppet and fill us up over here please,yes I know I`m a patronising sack`o`***e but do it anyway...........pretty please with sparkly bits on..thank you
in a bit,nick,[C=:-)]

[nickinwestwales]

Hey TED-You guys are seeing it from within,try downloading some copy from the British & European press,trust me, Uncle Sam does not enjoy the prestige that was once his due,I shan`t elaborate,since this is not the place,suffice it to say that in many quarters the white house enjoys much the same degree of popularity as a yeast infection
Like yourself,I shall be back in an hour or so , P.S found Boris disco-dancing to RED P`s new logo earlier -strange days indeed (most peculiar mama),later,nick[C=:-)]

[jdonald]

Evening all- after reading through all the posts I'm not sure who has the bar now. Any how about the usual Alex. K and a round for anybody else at the bar.
[bow]for Nick Rob and Ted for keeping things rolling in the captains absence[:)]

Just got my copy of Ian Wilson "Steam Through London" and lo and behold on page 3 is a great photo of 4-6-4T #48 the very loco I mentioned to Robyesterday. Afraid my 2 pics taken with a Brownie box camera don't quite match up. I'll try sending them anyway.

Doug enjoyed the article on the RPO. Must have been quite a trick to sort that mail on swaying train with dim lights. Mike great piece on the GTW/NYC . Do you think anyone would go the extra mile nowdays like the GTW did[?]Al another great one in the Streamliner series-would like to see a picture of the Comet-sounds like a bit of an oddball piece of equipment. NickYes I will take that ride on the Can-Am, what I've seen so far looks like a great pike.BTW the great oil explosion made prime-time news here-a miracle no one was killed. Do they know how it started yet[?]

Well back to "Steam Through London"

Bye for now-Keep it on the rails

Don

[nickinwestwales]

Hi guys,back for more,
DON -welcome buddy,latest thinking on the tank farm fire is a lorry driver flicking the `kill` switch on his motor.....
TED-today is obviously synchronicity day-have just spent a pleasant hour watching the other screen,Bill Wymans Rhythm Kings in concert ( Feat. Georgie Fame ,Albert Lee,Andy Fairweather Low et al )-kicked off with mystery train-of recent mention herein and then rewarded my hubris in assuming your "days like this" quote to be from Lennon song by playing the Mose Allison number of that name. Albert Lee playing sublime guitar throughout the set (by the end,the other players were just staring slack jawed) and for a grand finale "tear it up" with one of the other players standing behind Lee,reaching around his shoulders and playing a duet on the same guitar,absolutely breathtaking stuff-well worth a look if showing over there ( 50 years of rock`n`roll concert from Liverpool docks,all material from 1955 or near enough )
Well looks like a good sort of evening to have the gals polishing the brasswork,dusting down the booths and generally making the best use of slack time.
Sounds like the three track gangs are assembling in the pool room for the monthly pool,darts & dominoes triathlon,which is now refereed by Leon & Vito the hit after previous unpleasantness,Boris is in the galley `stocktaking` ( one,some,many,lots,one,some,many,lots - a fairly redundant exercise but it keeps him away from the paying customers ) Tex is out in the yard switching beer crates around the `timesaver` track plan that TED & ROB have painted out for him with Awk acting as dispatcher-I vote we paint him in C.N. Zebra colours (orange/red head & tail with b&w flanks-the kids will love it [swg].
The squeeks & giggles emanating from upstairs suggest that SIR MANAGER THEODORE is on top of the accounts,amongst other things [:-,] so I shall retire to a quiet corner with my beloved Rickenbacker Bass to prepare for the festive gig season (so far,boxing day -Cardigan $400,N.Y.Eve-Llangwm Club $1200...happy days are here again-I`ll even sing the Elvis medley,albeit very badly.)
O.K shout if you need me,I`ll be over by the lithograph of the frankly implausible Norris 6-2-0 with 2 tenders and a garden shed for a cab,later,nick[C=:-)]

[nickinwestwales]

O.K chaps,thats me for the moonlight mile,tomorrows` another day,another dollar (curse those union rates)-The girls will pander to your every need (no ,thats pander Not panda) until the lord and master`s return,see you for fish fry night, may your deity of choice smile on you,sleep well,nick,[C=:-)]

[Anonymous]

Okay Nick I'm back, thanks for spelling me at the bar. Cindy, decided to "hang in there" until Leon does the lock up after "last call." That lets us both "off the hook" for the wee hours if it comes to that. Good sport Cindy and I know she can use the "overtime." Well, good evening jdonald Don, Cindy has your nip covered. Yes, I too would like to see the Comet's appearance. I've exhausted my resources and had no luck retrieving old photos. Two very unfortunate disasters, the dam break in S.E. MO and the fire at the petrol depot north of London, both without fatalities. Maybe it is the season for miracles, after all? Please forgive me if I'm not totally focused. I'm viewing "Inside Grand Central," a documentary on the National Geographic Channel whilst typing this Post.[tup] I've seen it before but gotta catch it "one more time."

Nick, thanks for remembering the "routing" cunumdrum on my Pike. One "arm" of the double slip connects to a through track to the Terminal and the other connects to a 3-way switch (also Shinohara) and those 3 tracks are "stub end" in the yards. I like your idea of using the Peco option, wasn't aware that Peco had "live" frogs. I'll do almost anything to avoid using relays. Sure, I would appreciate an e-mail relating to the "insulated" rail joiners version and thank you in advance for your trouble. Common rail proceedures go "out the window' as far as I can tell thus far. I am a bit nonplussed as to your last post in re: the White House. Was it something I said? Your elaboration on this would be most welcomed via e-mail as well. I often refer to the European press as well as other overseas news agencies through a URl known as the Drudge reports. A particular favorite of mine is the The London Telegraph. The Times and B.B.C. follow along the lines of 75% of our own "mainstream media," while the Telegrah seems to have a different ageda. Glad to chat over the net with you on any catagory of your choice. It has been a slow go today and it isn't likely we have missed many posts. It least there is some comfort in that. Well, I must check on some future orders for tomorrow, so I'll check back when Leon is here, So long for now.