"OUR" PLACE - SEE NEW THREAD!

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom and the rest of the gang. Time for a coffee and a pastry from the Mentor Bakery. Have been up a couple hours studying for my Real Estate Brokerage Exam That I take later this morning.

Time for a quick break and it will be back to the books for another couple hours.

PASSENGERFAN AL'S STREAMLINER CORNER #29

FORTY NINER C&NW-UP-SP trains 48-49 July 8, 1937 Chicago - San Francisco weekly summer only train 2,263 miles 54 hours each way.

This All-Pullman owned train between Chicago and Oakland Pier was inaugurated Juen 8, 1937 via the C&NW-UP-SP Overland route.

The Pullman operated FORTY NINER was an interesting train with all cars provided by Pullman and Pullman owned.
The C&NW originally assigned Pacifics to the train between Chicago and Omaha but replaced them with E-4 Hudsons in 1938. For their part the Union Pacific streamlined a pair of locomotives for asssignment to the FORTY NINER. They streamlined Pacific 3906 for operation of the FORTY NINER between Omaha and Cheyenne, and Mountain 7002 was streamlined for the FORTY NINER between Cheyenne and Ogden. The SP did not assign a specific locomotive to the FORTY NINER between Ogden and Oakland Pier.

The eight car consist was comprised of six heavyweight cars streamlined by Pullman Shops complete with skirting and and full width diaphragms and the last two cars were an articulated pair of lightweight streamlined cars.

All cars were renamed for service in the FORTY NINER to better suit the 1849 Gold Ru***heme of the train as follows:

DONNER LAKE originally K-100

ANGEL'S CAMP originally D-100

JOAQUIN MILLER originally YOSEMITE PARK

JAMES MARSHALL originally McCLINCHY

CAPTAIN JOHN SUTTER originally ST. LEON

GOLD RUN originally McGILL

BEAR FLAG originally ADVANCE
CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC originally PROGRESS

The final year of operation the All Pullman train operated only between June 8, 1941 and July 26, 1941 as it was replaced by a second CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO consist.

The FORTY NINER cars were painted dark gray with black roofs , trucks and underbodies. The gray was broken by white accent stripes outlined in Black and the lettering was in Dulux Gold.

1938 CONSIST

4003 C&NW ALCO E-4 4-6-4 Streamlined Hudson & Tender (Chicago - Omaha)

2906 UP BLW 4-6-2 Streamlined Paciufic & Tender (Omaha - Cheyenne)

7002 UP ALCO 4-8-2 Streamlined Mountain & Tender (Cheyenne - Ogden)

4357 SP MT-4 4-8-2 Mountain & Tender (Ogden - Oakland)

DONNER LAKE Baggage 12-Crew Dormitory Kitchen Car

ANGEL'S CAMP 40-Seat Dining Car

JOAQUIN MILLER Barber Shop 4-Drawing Room 3-Compartment Sleeping Car
CAPTAIN JOHN SUTTER 12-Section 1-Drawing Room Sleeping Car

GOLD RUN 12-Section 1-Drawing Room Sleeping Car

ROARING CAMP 17-Roomette Sleeping Car

BEAR FLAG Articulated 2 -Double Bedroom 14-Duplex Single Room Sleeping Car
CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC Articulated 3-Double Bedroom 1-Compartment Buffet 26-Seat Lounge Observation.

The original consist prior to August 1937 operated with JAMES MARSHALL ahead odf CAPTAIN JOHN SUTTER. Pullman replaced this car with the 17-Roomette ROARING CAMP but trainlined this car ahead of BEAR FLAG.

TTFN AL

[Anonymous]

Good morning Tom and fellow early-risers. What a busy day we had here yesterday! Great job everyone! I just need 1 light breakfast today, because as soon as I get my wife to work, I'll be heading for the IRM to do more work on our BN 5383. They plan to move it to the unheated section of the barn after this weekend, so there's a major pu***o get all the painting pre-work completed ASAP!

Mike, what a terrific addition to Our Place you have become! I am very impressed and enterained by your posts! Great stuff indeed, and I love the links!

Good luck on your exam Al, and thanks for another streamliner post!

Yes ... I really type the articles I post here. Except for the photos, which of course are scanned. Speaking of which, here's part II in my latest series!

Maintaining the Way by John Uckley – Rail Classics Jan. 1984

Without maintenance, road bed may not have adequate drainage, leading to problems such as this, or worse!


Saving the most elegant subject matter for last, let’s talk about the inspection trains, carrying the cream of railroad management and V.I.P. stockholders on guided tours of the total railroad physical plant, including the most important main lines, secondary lines, yards and stations thrown in for good measure. The atmosphere on these trains is one of relaxed business camaraderie and railroad sightseeing that is ultimately designed to sharpen executive perceptions of an important form of land-based transportation so that profitability will always reign supreme in the annual report to stockholders and upper echelon management. With the help of air conditioning, tinted windows, choice wines and foods, posh lounging areas, and a host of other elegant creature comforts, the palate of even the most sophisticated businessman is kept pampered so that he can appreciate all the properly maintained rails, ties, signals, depots, bridges, switches, telephone shacks, and crossing towers that he will encounter during the course of a trip. It may take quite a few bottles of champagne and a great many medium rare steaks smothered in mushrooms to keep all the people on an inspection train in good spirits but it gets the job done. They come back from the trip with a keen awareness of the workaday reality of the railroad company and how to steer their business vessel successfully through the choppy waters of the American business market.

One of the really great fringe benefits of looking around the railroads for maintenance-of-way trains is the large numbers of vintage clerestory roof and streamlined passenger coaches, early diesel switchers, steam locomotive tenders (with their large liquid-bearing capacity), wooden cabooses, freight cars, and hybrid pieces of equipment (for example, Rock Island’s penchant for taking obsolete tenders and converting them into snowplows) that you will invariably discover in your travels. It’s really more fun to find a nostalgic M of W train in action than to visit a railroad museum where such pieces of equipment are usually on static display. Think of the joy you could experience in locating a streamlined passenger car that might once have once rode in the consist of the Empire Builder, the Denver Zephyr, the Capitol Limited, or the Pacemaker, and is now the rolling accommodation for a maintenance-of-way crew.

I am sure that some of you probably share my fondness for those boxy looking troop sleepers that hauled so many G.I.s to various ports of embarkation during World War Two in solid comfort (actually, the “solid comfort” was so “solid” that many of the guys could have used a healthy swig of “Southern Comfort” to make the trip more palatable).

It is very likely that you will run into a wooden transfer caboose (the Ann Arbor R.R. was using 1910-era wooden transfer cabooses in wreck train service) or perhaps a vintage steel road hack from the 1940’s or the 1950s (a few survivors of Baltimore and Ohio’s classic rib-sided bay window steel hacks from the 1940s are used in work train service on the Chessie System). And how often will you stumble upon a 40-foot boxcar, gondola, or hopper that still bears some exotic railroad business slogan or mentions the proud fleet of long-gone passenger trains that the company once assembled for the traveling public (Missouri Pacific’s Route of the Eagles, Chicago & North Western’s Route of the 400 Streamliners, or say Burlington’s Way of the Zephyrs). The letters may be faded or covered with years of grime but they are still there, waiting to be recorded by your camera.

Sometimes the only way to see GP7s and GP9s and Rs11s and other diesel locomotives of their vintage is to scout the main lines and the yards looking for work trains. It may seem hard to believe, but first generation and even second generation diesels are getting in short supply.

My advise to you, dear railfan, is to keep your eyes focused on the movements of various maintenance-of-way trains, whether they be running on a big Class-1 railroad or rolling along the rails of a Midwestern short line. Frequently, they are traveling historical exhibits on wheels and many ghosts from the past congregate around their rolling stock.

[:I] could there be more? [:I]

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #45

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific (Rock Island) from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

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

Now! Beat the Winter Crowds to SUNSHINE LAND!

. . . . . . . . . . The Golden State . . . . . . . . . .
Direct – CHICAGO to LOS ANGELES

Serving El Paso, Douglas, Tucson, Phoenix and Palm Springs

A perfect travel combination for your winter holiday – luxurious Golden State streamliner via the low-altitude Golden State Route!

Here’s smooth Diesel Speed; finest of private room and sectional Pullman accommodations; latest type reclining-seat Chair Cars. Coffee-Shop-Lounge, Dining Car, Lounge Car. Through Sleeping Cars from New York and St. Louis. Extra fare – and worth it!

. . . . . THE IMPERIAL . . . Chair Cars
. . . . . and Pullmans to San Diego – Los Angeles.
. . . . . Tourist Sleepers to Los Angeles. Dining and
. . . . . Lounge Cars. No extra fare.

. . . . . . . . . . ROCK ISLAND LINES . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Road of Planned Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

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

[Fergmiester]

Good Morning Gents!

It's a cold and frosty one this December A.M.! However this will change by tonight as rain/freezing rain is expected to blow through. Me Thinks Rob will get the brunt of it!

Tom: I'll just have a coffee to go as this is a busy day and my third CS/RDE (Reputable Drinking Establishment) stop today. Ah heck could you whiten the Java with a shot or two of Bailey's? Anyway I'll cut to the chase. Have you got a copy of January's MR'r? I finally got around to reading the article on DCC and it's worth reading as it will answer most of your questions. But if you still have more questions that need asking you can either call or e-mail me.

Anyway I gotta run.

Later Gents

Fergie

[siberianmo]

Mornin' Gents!

I see we have had a sprightly start to this Friday morning with two "reading exercises" from passengerfan Al & bandad Doug!

Good luck with your exam, Al - bet you didn't know that I too had a Broker's License from the State of Missouri about 12 years ago. Had the sales and brokers licenses after sitting through 8 weeks (combined) of "school" and taking the state exams. I never practiced the trade - in fact I have utter disdain for it (sorry!). Just did it to learn about it - that's all. A friend of mine owns and operates a real estate school and he offered to pay my "tuition." His wife, a broker with a viable business, held my licenses, but I let 'em expire. Learned enough to figure out that I surely don't need some 3rd party sell my property. Oooooops, [#offtopic] - Boris ring the bell and give 'em all juices of their choosing! [swg]

By the by, Doug I think that's Part III, no [?]

For all who Post material from books, magazines, etc. I received some interesting information regarding Posting other people's material on the Forums: bottom line get permission from the sources (if possible) and make sure it is included in the Post. Always name the source if not original stuff. Better to be cautious than careless. The latter gets one into the courtroom. In deference to our Host, Kalmbach Publications, it would be extremely inappropriate for any of us to get them into a tight spot over this.

Now, let's not go overboard with this info, just take it for what it is worth - do it right and all's well. [tup]

Fergie Thanx for the offer - and I received your Email, replied to same. Yes, I have the Jan MRR, but haven't even opened it up. Too much to read these days (daze) here and in the form of subscriptions. And I'm retired! [swg]

Hope you had the chance to check out our Monday Posts for the 8th Month Anniversary of "Our" Place. Had some real good "stuff."


Don't know how many picked up on this, but today's NOSTALGIA and yesterday's both concern trains called the "Golden State," but operated by different railroads.

Okay - gotta get goin' .... I'm behind the bar. So let's not forget to order - we need to keep this place solvent in a financial sense! [tup]

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[coalminer3]

Good Morning Barkeep and all here assembled: coffee, please; round for the house; and $ for the jukebox. This a.m. how about "Santa Claus is Back in Town (this is not the song that you might think it is as it's on the "R" rated side of the jukebox.)

My apologies for not dropping by yesterday, but ice, ice, and more ice meant that nobody went anywhere - the salt shaker backed up the hill in front of the house last evening - 1st sign of anyoine we saw all day.

Many good posts and, as always, I learn a lot. For those who want Comet pictures, look in Peter Lynch's book, New Haven Railroad.

Interesting stuff on both the 49er and the Golden State. At one time, IIRC, the SP had E7s painted for the Golden State. They did not keep this scheme too long, however.

The post on the MOW equipment was more than useful. Back in the day when I frequented Baltimore, the B&O parked one of their wreck trains behind the warehouse at what is now Camden Yards. Let us just say that back then it was not such an upscale era as it is now but the train had a splendid collection of hw equipment.

The C&O, at least over here, had all sorts of equipment that they used in MOW service. They had ancient boxcars converted to stores cars, and a variety of WW2 troop sleepers r/b into different configurations including tool cars, bunk cars, etc. Old hw diners provided eating facilities (probably where Boris learned his trade by putting journal waste in the coffee - gives you the power to get up and do what has to be done. Tom. MOW coffee was worse than "chief's" coffee.) Most of these cars were painted in what can best be called zinc chromate with yellow lettering. The only other time I saw this color green was in the interior of a restored B-17 which I visited in New York.

Work equipment seemed to be whatever was needed, but some of the more interesting stuff included Jordan spreaders, and Burro cranes or backhoes on rails set on converted flatcars or gons. MOW work was and is constant around here because of the terrain, vile weather, and heavy trains (coal trains beat the crap out of roadbed). This is why they spend a lot of time ditching, ballasting, resetting ties, filling in soft spots, etc. The water cars were by far the most interesting equipment on the C&O trains. These were, for the most part, Vanderbilt tenders. Armed with a list and a willingness to search for #s, you could often find what steam engine thay had come from.

I'll wrap this up with one more recollection. When I lived in L&N land, they had all sorts of camp equipment as well, some of it made from old wooden boxcars - lovely accommodations on a 90-degree 90 percent humidity night in western Kentucky. The only modern touch on one of these trains was a TV antenna rigged up on the roof. They used converted tank cars or short steam locomotive tenders for water.

work safe

[Anonymous]

Good afternoon everyone. Tom, I think just a glass of V-8 for now, thanks. I was invited to a pre Yuletide party yesterday p.m. originally planned as an intimate tet-a-tet but gravitated into a "full blown" block party.[:I] I hate it when that happens because I really couldn't find a polite method for excusing myslef without offending the Host, Hostess and some close friends.[:O] So, I missed another of Nick's incredible Thursday's Fish 'n' Chips extravaganzes.[V] Which, by the way, the bill of fare has been duly recorded in "Nicks Pix " archives.[C=:-)] Quite right Maestro Nick, a "little of this and a little of that" is the proper approach to so many culinary delights. To do anything else would be cheating one's self of the wide variety of palate teasing morsels.[^] A Gormand may live a happy but ususally abreviated life span.[xx(]

Okay, this is me trying to keep current on this latest avalanche of fine posts. The only method I know, is to refer to the Summary after my last Post and go forward from there. It may take a few minutes longer but you won't risk the embarassment of ignoring another Member or Guest's topics.[tup]

Tom and Pete, I can remember some pretty darned vexing inconveniencs from past rail journies. But, you know what? In retrospect, I'm still glad that I went by rail. I savor those travels to this day. Maybe "time heals all wounds, after all?"[:D] I believe Don's slight mishap of missing the scheduled train out of Toronto may have been one such "inconvenience" that was a "blessing in disguise." How many of us can say we have ridden a Doodlebug? The gas electric was an important interim short line "stop gap" and now found only in museums. I wish I had taken that ride when there was still opportunity, smells, noise, heat and all.[^]

BTW Nick, musn't toss away those legumes in haste. I once heard of an entire beanery burgeoning from the bowels of berated, barren, black, loam that later loomed into lavish, luxurious, living for the lazy Lad who later languished lethargically with his largess. pant, pant.["O] Please, stop me when I do that.[banghead] P , how 'bout dat? One of my favorites. Mike, thanks again for the "bitter sweet" addition on your Father's illustrious career with passenger railroads and consumer advocasy. There sure aren't many like your Dad around any longer and that is everyone's loss. Barndad, The sight of those quarter mile sections of welded rail adds another, less noticed, loss to the Roads of today: what ever happened to the "clikety-clack?"[(-D] Yes I know, much safer and effecient but so are rockets compared to Zepplins.[V] Dan, thanks for the mail and I am "GO" for the most convenient way to send the Book, okay? Right Boris, that updates one page, I must break for now and resume at a laterCLANG.....One of these days...[:(!]

[jdonald]

Hi Tom & all: just a black coffe for now but the suggestion of a shot or two of Baileys does sound tempting. Have one yourself as well.

Will get the pics to you write after I sign off hear, Tom.

Lots more goood posts since my las visit last nite. Doug's piece on track maintenance etc. made me think of the Hatfield accident in the U.K. a few years back. It was blamed on a cracked rail. Must have been a wake-up call for Network Rail since they have stopped contracting out maintenance and brought it all in house.
Speaking of rail in the U.K. Pete & Ted are there any websites over there where I can pick up news on the the rail scene. Something like the newswire feature on the Trains site. My subscription to "Rail" is about to expire and at 110. Pounds a year(about 235.00 Canadian) getting too rich for my fixed income blood[?]

Better go-the furnace has been making a noise like a crazed armidillo inside a 45 gal drum

Bye for now-Keep it on the rails

Don

[siberianmo]

G'day Gents!

Nice to see coalminer3 CM3 - Theodorebear Ted & jdonald Don this fine day! That's quite a spread of temps and weather conditions from West Virginia to Florida. Two out of three with snow! [yeah]

CM3 As always, I learned a bit more today thanx to you. I've never really been into the MOW's, but the more exposure here, the less ignorant I remain. Good stuff and appreciated! [tup]

So you missed yesterday because of the weather. Hmmmm - no access from home [?] Can't think of a better way to spend some time with one's clothes on than to idle away the hours here at the bar! [swg]

Ted You party animal! [yeah] I can see you now at poolside with a bevy of beauties (they do come in bevies, don't they [?]) - Anyway, back to MY fantasy - the bevy and you, a cool drink, something tasty to eat, music in the background, gentle breezes - and then .... kerplunk, splash - too close to the edge. [swg] Poor guy - just forced to enjoy himself. What a drag!

That Email you sent regarding the "interloper" message should be Posted here. But then, it just may be like moths to a flame. Loved it! [swg]

Amtrak [?] We had a great time, in spite of UP and Amtrak trying to mess with us. The idea was to be aboard a train - and that we did. Couldn't have done any of what we experienced in a car or aboard a plane. Spacious seats - walking from place to place - sitting at the tables - enjoying the views - it was a typically good train experience. Unfortunately, as chronicled, the expectations were lessened through faults not of our making. I hope the day NEVER comes when the train stops its run ....

Don Regarding Pix - I'll get 'em Posted - just send 'em! Given that this is our final Sunday Photo Posting Day! of the year - closed Christmas Day and I mean totally - we'll have to wait 'til 2006 for the next. Kinda unsure about New Years Day too.

Hope that furnace of yours doesn't decide it's time to check out in the frigid temps you ar experiecing up your way. Isn't that just the luck though [?]

Recommendation: Do a web search on British Rail - use any search engine you like, and my guess is you'll come up with all sorts of interesting stuff.

Thanx to all who bought rounds and of course, CM3 for the quarters!

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[Anonymous]

Evening folks, hope everyone is holding up well and playing it safe so far this season. Don't want to be a "wet blanket" but we all know how "freaky" people can act in crowds.[:O] Tom, I think an Irish Coffee would be just "the ticket" this chilly night, if you please. "Party Animal?" Yep, I resemble that moniker, for sure. Although your "mind's eye" view of our weather may a bit optimistic. Lately, if I took a plunge into the pool, I'd "turn blue" in short order. Minnie (my cat) sure makes a great foot warmer lately. Don, wish I could be of more help but either Pete, Nick or Tom's advisories is the "way to go." Know what you mean on the price increases for publications, outrageous and no end in sight. And that's not all, I still haven't quite recovered from seeing my Home Owner's Insurance escalate since last Summer.[}:)] Barndad Doug, I am taking your advise for locating "work consists" with the hope of finding some vintage rolling stock and possibly a loco or two in the offing. I surely got a lot out of the Sperry/MOW pieces by you and CM3.

Hey, two Streamliners with the same name. That may not be such a coincidence as it seems. There must be dozens of Roads with "Sunshine, Palms, Shore, Royal," et al. apperaing in their named Varnish. Al, the "all pullman Forty-Niner" had to be the luxury train to the West Coast for a brief period. I was always partial for the gray, black and white stripes livery, perhaps because it was mindful of the tasteful N.Y.Central designs. Wanswheel Mike, I wanted to thank you again for the attached pix from your last Post. We now, all know what the "Comet" looks like plus some very nice "period" promotional, commercial art work.[tup] Don, although the proverbial "Tank Engines" weren't usually on mainline service in the States, they were widely used in major Port cities for "in street" shifting of freight at the "turn of the 20 th Century. Usually, they were 0-4-0's to negotiate the very "tight" radii in the cities. Baltimore comes to mind as an Army Buddy of mine totaled his new Ford Station Wagon by blundering into a parked box car near the piers. Poor Chap, he was then a member of our motor pool (Army Band).[:I] "Raise an eyebrow," anyone?[:O]

HeyRob and Tom, I can just imagine what a model Pike would result if you two got together.[^] That would be something to behold indeed. I guess you are ready for anything "nature" throws at you in TO Rob. I love seeing traction operate in inclement, snow and icey conditions. We could always rely on the street cars to ge us downtown even if we couldn't budge our cars from the driveways. They sure were cold and drafty, however.

Hey, I've been rambling on far too long, so let me bid everyone a toasty warm farewell for today. Boris, where is Tex? These colder temps are not good for our armored clad friend. Put on your "special" golashes and go find him lest he turns into a Betty Furness Westinhouse frige.[:O] Happy rails all.

[Anonymous]

Good evening Tom and gang! Please make mine a room temperature beer ... it's dang cold tonight! Great nostalgic add on the Rock Island. I attended a slide show where a lot of those cars had been painted "bankruptsy blue", after they went under. ... but those cars were for freight. And yes...please consider my earlier post as part III of my Maintenance series. Speaking of which..... did someone(CM3) say "Jordon Spreader? Funny you should mention it!

Conrail Type A Jordon spreader-ditcher returns from a snow removal task


The O.F. Jordon COmpany of East Chicago, Indiana, has produced over 1,122 Jordon spreaders since the early years of this century. The formidable beasts were the brainchild of one Oswald F. Jordon, a New York Central roadmaster at St. Catherines, Ontario. He had a pair of the newly conceived spreaders built under his close scrutiny at NYC's Canada Southern shops in St. Thomas, Ontario, in the year 1900. In 1910, Mr. Jordon ventured to East Chicago and bought ten acres of land from NYC and built himself a factory on the site. He went into the full-time business of making Jordon spreaders. Unfortunately, Mr. Jordon up and died just as success was finally within his grasp. The company remained in the hands of his heirs right into the 1960s. The business end of the whole enterprise was taken over by an enterprising banker friend of the Jordon family.

The Type A Jordon Spreader (weighing in at 65 tons) is the most numerous model still working on the nation's railroads: noticeably by its robust cylindrical stationary posts from which its giant wings are hinged. There are also a fair number of Type J Jordon Spreaders being utilized on the high iron. Jordon Spreaders, with their multiple uses and protruding hardware, remind me of huge Boy Scout jackknives on wheels. You can do just about anything with one of them except open a can of pork and beans. Whether it is pneumatic powered or, as is more current now, hydraulic powered, a Jordon SPreader is pushed along the rails by a diesel locomotive at a speed of four or five miles per hour.

The Jordons are equipped with heavy-duty snowplows on the front of the units, some of which possess extra heavy steel for pushing through rock slides on the main line. The plow front on all Jordans is hinged at its center so that when they operate on double-track main lines, where the snow can only be pushed to one side of the tracks at a time, the plow blade on the opposite side swings all the way out to line up with the other blade, thus forming a single wing plow.

The machines are also maunfactured with either a fixed or a retractable ditcher blade, with ditcher cross-section and location varying to suit each individual railroad.Custom building of Jordon ditcher wings is made necessary by the fact that each railroad engineering department establishes its own standard roadbed cross-section with the particular depth, configuration, and lateral distance of the ditch preordained on paper to take advantage of the unique qualities of their railroad line. Ditchers and bank slopers create a ditch, shape the ballast, and then edge and slope the ballast.

These mechanical marvels are also capable of all kinds of grading work, like ballast spreading, bank sloping in cuts (material can be scooped out of a cut to be deposited on an adjacent fill), and removal of snow and ice from yards, switches, sidings, station areas, and just about every other conceivable situation. It should also be mentioned that you can buy your Jordon Spreader/Snowplow with an ice-cutter attachment consisting of a row of steel teeth adorning the bottom edge of the snow-plow. And in closing, let me mention that mining compaies use the robust Jordons for pushing slag piles out of the way in open-pit mining operations.

[:I] The above is Part IV of the Maintence series. From Rail Classics mag. [:I]

[siberianmo]

Hello Gents!

Been a rather strange Friday night 'round here. It's Pizza Nite! and Steak 'n Fries Nite! plus the Gals of "Our" Place are workin' the tables. I hear the track gangs in the back room - THEY are havin' a typically good time for themselves! [swg]

Has anyone spotted Tex the Armadillo lately [?] Last I noticed, he was scurrying along with what looked like a piece of cowboy boot in his mouth. Gotta watch that critter -he's no pettin' animal! <grin>

I'm sure that Al can shed all kinds of light on passenger trains with identical names - in fact, I think CM3 may have done that a score or so of pages back. Anyway, one surely can get wrapped around the axle with this stuff, eh [?]

One of the hit 'n run type Posters visited my other site to drop off a sage comment or two. We've seen it here (him too) - you know the type - you're wrong, I'm right, off I go, Hi Ho, Hi Ho, etc. [tdn] Jerks my chain fer sure, fer sure. Best to ignore these types - why encourage 'em [?] So once again, I urge one and all who consider themselves regulars at this bar 'n grill - let me take care of the welcomes - and let's not be too quick on the draw with newcomers. Let 'em earn the right to sit among us. [tup]

Ted appreciate your presence this fine day - but then again, you ARE on the payroll! Oh [yeah] it must be pay day - shudda known! That old tub upstairs is getting quite a workout with the staff dipping in for their salary. Nick really started something back in May with putting the profits into the tub. Well, heck - it works, why mess with it [?]

I think it would be quite something for all the "IC" guys to combine efforts with me for a model RR layout. Now THAT would be something else! You would be our scratch builder and detail man - I'd take care of track work and wiring, Nick and Rob would do "their thing" to ensure we've got the proper types and assortments of cars for the pike of pikes. There would be traction - there would be Els and subways along with RDCs and long strings of streamliners, ahhhhhhhhhhh. Can see it now. [swg] Now the idea is to get us all under the same roof!

Good to see ya Doug. Kinda figured you'd be off to the IRC this weekend. Working in an unheated environment means only one thing to me - well perhaps two - ONE: dedication, and TWO: no sense at all! [swg] <grin>

I have all the pix ready to go for Sunday from Pete - Dan & Don. So guys, since I'm going to be rather scarce tomorrow, I presume that's it - which is fine. We've got a "bunch" and it should be another successful Sunday Photo Posting Day!, especially if we also get some pix from Doug & Rob.

Good to see y'all and I'll be at the bar 'til closing. Leon the Night Man has the weekend off.

Later! (maybe)

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[wanswheel]

Hi Tom and everyone, I should know if this is beef night or what, but I forget. How about a round of Beefeaters something. Is it Gin? I forget that too.

As is clear, my one credential to participate in a forum of engineers, train travellers, model railroaders and rail museum & restoration specialists is that I'm related to my Dad and his Papa. Thank you to all who have taken time to read what I've posted here about Joe and old Joe. I appreciate it.

The telegraph, the post office and the daily newspaper were sort of the Internet of 100 years ago. Nowadays we take cell phones and all that instantaneous tether for granted. In my youth long distance phone calls were expensive and rare. In my grandparents day not everybody had a telephone and a car, so people wrote letters even to friends and relatives in the same town, to keep in touch between Sundays when they would all see each other in church. I like postcards, postcards from train trips. I've never been to Toronto but I recognize the Royal York hotel from the postcards of the 1950s. Then it was or seemed to be the tallest and most impressive looking building in the city. Lately I see from Nick's pics that it's height has been exceeded. Of course I'm not surprised by that, the CN Tower is an icon. Some of the hotels near Grand Central Terminal in New York had access from the tracks. I think the Waldorf-Astoria has or did have a siding for celebrities to arrive by train.

Now I learn that it's time for cold pizza. Okay, Leon, a slice of egglant & mushroom, hold the anchovies.

[Anonymous]

Good morning Tom and all! I'll have my usual 3 light-breakfasts. Is it ok if I brought my own [?][?][?]

I just want to clarify something ... the reason I was working on the BN5383 yesterday at the IRM, was because it will soon be moved to the unheated portion of the barn after this weekend. So, I'm not completly nutzo ... I'm a whimp! One of yesterdays highlights was to visit the steam barn and see real progress being made on several fronts. The drop table is moving right along, the UP428 has top priority, the inspection for occupancy of the new addtion was to be that same afternoon, and they received new grates for the 3-truck Shay ... so someone's thinking about getting that going too!

Here's the final segment of my maintanence series. Hope you enjoyed it!

Maintaining the Way by John Uckley – Rail Classics Jan. 1984

Soo Line operates their own track inspection car, seen at Guliver, Michigan in September, 1979.


Railroad cranes, whether they be small, medium, or “big hook” variety, are some of the most noticeable pieces of railroad maintenance-of-way hardware. They are as indispensable in their versatility as the ubiquitous Jordon Spreaders.

Cranes are frequently self-propelled (the small and medium-sized ones) while the big hooks just go along for the ride on the works train and then prove their worth at the wreck site as they flex their mechanical biceps amid all the carnage around them. Railroad cranes can rotate around in all directions and their lifting power is virtually unlimited, providing that you match up the right crane for the right job or double up on your crane power when the specific job demands it. The cranes are the workhorses of the railroads. They perform excavation task: pick up all manner of trackside debris with their hooks, magnets, and buckets; assist in the installation of main line rails; coal the tenders of excursion steam locomotives; rerail freight cars and diesels that have toppled off the main because of a wreck; assist in the placement of steel bridge girders over streams, rivers, and yawning canyons; and perform all these chores with muscle power derived from steam, gas, diesel, or electric power sources. Come on, now; you’ve seen them around: the Burros, Industrial Brownhoists, Ohio Locomotive Cranes, American Hoist and Derrick, etc.

Now that we are well entrenched in the wonderful world of maintenance-of-way, let us go into some of the details about the various Rube Goldberg-type contraptions that are needed for the railroad to keep their principle main lines and secondary mains in top-notch operating condition.

Automatic spike driving machines are operated by high pressure hydraulic systems and are capable of driving as many as 700 spikes per hour. Automatic tamper liners can surface, level, and line track as well as tamp ballast in a single stroke at the rate of 1,500 feet per hour. Ballast cleaners are self-propelled machines that remove fouled material from the ballast bed of the right-of-way, carrying the ballast to a gyrating screen network for cleaning and then placing the cleaned gravel back on the right-of-way.

Ballast regulators are also self-propelled machines that are used to shape and distribute ballast, plow away excess ballast, remove weeds, scarify fouled ballast, and transfer ballast from the shoulders to the track area. Rail pusher cars are used by the railroads for laying rails. They can simultaneously lower two strings of welded rail at a time onto the right-of-way, while at the same time picking up the old rail and feeding it back continuously onto waiting flatcars.

Tie bed scarifiers are self-propelled machines that loosen compacted ballast. A tie inserter can then open a space in the ballast bed and pull a new tie in place underneath the rails. A tie cleaner and a tie plate inserter are capable of lifting the rail clear of the tie, and inserting a tie plate into position for spike driving.

The tie handling crane is hydraulically operated with a rotating boom that has special tie grapplers for positioning and placing fre***ies during tie replacement operations. Tie removers are machines that can raise sections of track and push out whole ties and tie plates without disturbing track surface and alignment. Tie tampers employ a row of vibrating blades to work ballast into place around ties and they also utilize some form of wire or optical system to measure rail deviation from the correct vertical alignment. Once this condition is discovered, the machine can resurface tracks to the desired alignment. Track liners are self-propelled machines which use a wire or optical device to measure deviation of either straight or curved track from the correct horizontal alignment and then apply lateral force to move it over to the proper alignment.

If you aren’t confused yet, I congratulate you heartily. You have almost run the crazy quilt gamut of railroad maintenance-of-way technology. Don’t stumble along the right-of-way now; those chunks of gravel can really hurt. There are just a few more pieces of modern equipment to be mentioned. We have tie saws for cutting up old ties out on the main line, nut runners to remove joint bars, spike pullers, plug inserters to plug spike holes in old ties, tie-boring machines that prepare the new spike holes, crib adzes that adze ties for proper plate bearing, air-operated spike hammers, gauging sleds that are used to position tie plates, rail cutting tools, bolt hole boring tools, and then don’t forget such hot little items as brush-cutting machinery, chemical weed sprayers, heavy-duty flangers, switch heaters, snow-melting torches, hand-swung picks for driving spikes by hand, and finally, good old-fashioned hand-held shovels for removing dirt and ballast around with Armstrong power (yes, they still use this form of energy on the railroads today!). Well, anyone for a nut runner to remove some joint bars? Well, I didn’t think so.

The next time that you discover a branch line winding its way through the fields, forests, hills, and streams of a tranquil countryside that lies between farming hamlets, stop for a few minutes and study its physical composition carefully. Notice what scars of neglect are embedded in its weary surface due to the ravages of time, nature, and economic neglect. The once proud steel rail, tie plates and spikes, switch stands, signals, and bridge girders are covered with a thick mantle of rust. The endless rungs of wooden ties are bleached, splintered, and rotting from the incessant torture of sunshine, rain, snow and ice.

The once trim ballast is being reclaimed by the vines, wild flowers, weeds, and even some trees. The attack is in full swing and nature is winning. Dirt and soil are everywhere and the Speno and Loram maintenance-of-way services would have heavy going trying to grind these rails and clean this ballast. The steel rails are crooked and uneven, weaving a drunken path through the overgrowth. The old depots that are still standing in the villages along this line are haggard looking and haven’t seen a coat of paint on their bleached and rotting boards in some thirty years. A date nail stuck in one of the old ties reads 1929 … the last time that this particular railroad line received any appreciable upgrading. Without the maintenance-of-way forces, the bridges and building crews, and all the special work trains and exotic machinery attendant upon high iron upkeep, this is the way that all our nation’s trackwork would eventually look.

Speno ballast cleaning train moves eastbound along C&O line near Howell, Michigan in 1977.

[siberianmo]

SATURDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of RECENT POSTS

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

Saturday is upon us once again! Today is NOSTALGIA! Day, time to Post again those “special” features some may have missed the first time, or may appreciate once again!

Check out the <light> breakfasts, freshly brewed hot coffee and the pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery!


Daily Wisdom:

If you have to prove you are right, you are probably wrong.


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) siberianmo Tom Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 00:10:33 (194) Friday’s Info & Summary

(2) passengerfan Al Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 05:57:11 (194) Streamliner #29 – Forty Niner

(3) barndad Doug Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 07:05:38 (194) Maintaining the Way, Part III

(4) siberianmo Tom Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 08:05:00 (194) NOSTALGIA #45 – Rock Island – Golden State

(5) Fergmiester Fergie Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 08:11:28 (194)

(6) siberianmo Tom Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 08:43:07 (194) Acknowledgments, etc.

(7) coalminer3 CM3 Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 09:58:25 (194) Pick-us-up-Post!

(8) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 12:52:31 (194) Inclusive Post, etc.

(9) jdonald Don Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 13:27:51 (194)

(10) siberianmo Tom Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 15:19:11 (194) Acknowledgments, etc.

(11) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 19:24:18 (194) Inclusive Post, etc.

(12) barndad Doug Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 20:11:33 (194) Maintaining the Way, Part IV

(13) siberianmo Tom Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 21:23:52 (195) Acknowledgments, etc.

(14) wanswheel Mike Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 22:39:15 (195) Nite Cap!

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

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

[Anonymous]

Good mornin' all you Breakfast Clubbers. Tom, we just had a 15 second power outage after I was 45 minutes into my morning post. I will be back shortly, after I "work out" for about an hour in the "Rat's Patoot Room." Give or take an hour as I need to "chew the rug" for an appropriate period as well.[:(!] Later Gents.

[siberianmo]

Mornin’ Gents!

Saturday and a day to get all the loose ends straightened out before the rapid acceleration to Christmas! A cold monrin’ here in mid-continent – blue skies – light to no breeze and just a glorious day. Oh yes, petrol up at “Collusion Corner” is at $2.19 (rounded) and been so for the past few days (daze).

To the acknowledgments:

wanswheel Mike
Posted: 16 Dec 2005, 22:39:15

Sorry, but Leon had the weekend off – previously announced. [swg] Nonetheless, I’m sure that the Gals of “Our” Place took care of YOU! [yeah][wow]

Toronto is a marvelous place to visit and yes, it has most certainly undergone many changes over the decades. What city hasn’t [?] My experiences date back some, but over the past 15 or more years, usually get there at least once a year, sometimes more. Here’s the “thing” I’ve found with any of my travels and interests in other places – just keep the “politics” out – remove any biases from one’s mind about this ‘n that, and I’ve always found the visits to be splendid. Appreciating the differences is far better than criticizing them, wouldn’t you agree [?]

Your connection with real railroading is something that adds much to the credibility of our group and we are most happy to have you on board! [tup][tup][tup]

barndad Doug
Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 06:38:55

I think perhaps you need to edit your Post – something didn’t come through in the opening line.

Oh, I knew you were going to work in heated spaces, but getting that loco to the other location, etc., involves outdoor work and winding up in unheated places! [swg] Just “jangling” your chain, Mate! [swg]

Your series on “Maintaining the Way” surely is something that has provided me with insights never before realized. Lots of effort goes into that kind of work – something many who ride the rails simply take for granted. That’s life – what goes on behind the scenes in order to make everything function as it is supposed to is relatively easy to ignore. We are all guilty from time to time. Thanx for the series! [tup][tup]

Theodorebear Ted
Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 07:03:31

Power outage, again [?] What gives ‘down there’ with your utility company [?] That IS worth a stay in the Rat’s Patoot Room indeed! Hope you were in the word processor and not directly on the thread, for at least some of your work would be retrievable.

We’re off to catch some live theatre this fine afternoon at one of the mid-west’s finest venues. The St. Louis Fox Theatre is a throwback to the glory days of not only movie going, but the vaudeville and live entertainment from decades past. Today we’ll be entertained with a touring company’s version of “A Christmas Carol.” Then Tuesday it’s the “Andy Williams Christmas Show” at the same venue. Friday we’ll be downtown at the Savvis Center for some holiday music by the “Trans Siberian Orchestra.” So, this year, rather than travel away from St. Louis, we’ll be taking in the entertainment here. Most times we are in KCity for some part of November/December, but we’ve decided to give Juneau a respite from the kennel and remain close to home. Priorities! [swg]


Catch y’all later on this ENCORE! Day.

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

. . . . . . . . . . ENCORE! ENCORE! . . . . . . . . . .

Here’s another Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads: (first Posted on page 114)

Atlantic Coast Line (ACL)

Headquarters: Jacksonville, FL

Route mileage in 1950: 5,528

Locomotives in 1963 (all diesel-electric):

Freight: 170
Passenger: 62
Dual mode (freight/passenger): 234
Switchers: 119

Rolling stock in 1963: Freight cars – 28,847; Passenger cars – 405

Principal routes in 1950:

Richmond, VA-Tampa, FL, via Jacksonville and Orlando.
Wilson-Wilmington, NC
Wilmington-Pee Dee (Florence) SC
Winston-Salem, NC-Florence
Florence-Atlanta
Brunswick, GA-Montgomery, AL
Birmingham, AL-Waycross, GA
Albany-Dunnellon, FL
Jacksonville-St. Petersburg, FLA via Gainesville, Leesburg and Trilby
Dupont, GA-Naples, FL

Passenger trains of note:

East Coast Champion (New York-Miami)
West Coast Champion (New York-Tampa & St. Petersburg & Sarasota)
Tamiami Champion – Predecessor of East and West Coast Champions
Florida Special (New York-Miami & St. Petersburg)
Miamian (Washington-Miami)
Vacationer (New York-Miami)
Havana Special (New York-Key West, FL)
Palmetto (New York-Savannah & Augusta & Wilmington)
Everglades (New York-Jacksonville)
Gulf Coast Special (New York-Tampa & Ft. Myers & St. Petersburg; formerly Havana Special)

Of note: North of Richmond, RF&P and PRR handled passenger trains.
South of Jacksonville, FEC handled trains bound for Miami and Key West.
SAL handled trains headed for Miami south of Auburndale, FL in 1963.

Other carrier’s trains destined to Florida, such as the City of Miami – South Wind – Flamingo – Dixie Limited – Dixie Flyer – Seminole and Southland were combined with named ACL trains.

Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[Anonymous]

Its me again, having regained some composure from the last effort. Hi Tom, alas no, I was on the Thread with the labors. Progress Energy Florida is much like some remote area in say, lower Slobovia. The rates however have jumped a third higher since the last hurricanes "boped" through. A real bargain in anyone's ledger, right?[xx(] Please, a Crown in a cuppa Joe. That Irish Cafe au Laite is way too sweet. My blood sugar broke the hydrometer last time.[tdn] Hey, I love the idea of an I.C. model Pike and the chores assigned seem ideal.[tup] You Rob and Nick can "duke it out" over the track plan while I watch the "details."[(-D] A.C.L. another Road seldom heard from but certainly an innovative group here in Dixieland. Sounds like you guys are "linning up your ducks" for splendid Holiday entertainments. Andy William's show can't be surpassed for solid musical content and fine Yuletide spirit.

Barndad Doug, never saw so many gargantuan contraptions in all me born daze. The Spreader takes the prize for over-all ambience and "classy" look...right out of "The Twilight Zone."[tup] I will definetly add a 120 ton crane as a gaulking piece eventually. Thanks for bringing "reality" home with all of your submissions.[^] Mike, never apologize for participating hereabouts. As I mentioned before, "Our" Place is not that kind of thread with the preditory instincts of so many others, relax and enjoy.[:D]

Rob, you were right on we need better sound proofing for the upstairs rooms. I just heard Awk shriek "Boris, get your patoot up here."[:)] Hope your not snowed under yet, another 6 or so days 'til the Fat Man hits the chimney. If my electric bill gets any higher, I'll take all the coal Santa has in his duffle bag.[swg] Well, I'd best move along 'cause I need to buy some Stockin' Stuffers for friends around town. I won't go into where I'd like to see the things "stuffed." Okay Boris, glad you found Tex and the rounds are on me for the next ten minutes. So "have at it."[^] I said, 'have at it' Boris.... Bink. Gimme dat lanyard [alien]...CLANG, CLANG, CLANG Oh my gosh, how much is that Tom? [:(!] Let's see thirty minutes at......

[siberianmo]

G'day Gents!

Hey Ted you have emerged from the Rat's Patoot Room feeling a bit less stressed and ready to meet what's left of this fine day! Well, have one on me and don't let the b-tards get ya down! [swg]

In my model RR preferences, for some strange reason, I've always enjoyed the track planning, laying and the rest. The electrical just comes naturally and if one were to look on the underside of my control panel - well spaghetti might be a good way to describe the myriad of wires running hither and yon! I do it all the "old fashioned" way - straight DC - kinda the way I like my JD - straight! [swg]

I got into the landscaping end of the hobby only because my neighbor and friend backed off his promise to to that aspect of my Can-Am layout. In fairness to him, I did wind up building quite an ambitious layout at 35 ft in length, multi level and a width of 15 1/2 at its widest point. [yeah] I can understand a bit of trepidation. [swg] Anyway, after waiting for what seemed to be an interminable amount of time for him to "show up," I decided to have a go myself. The pix speak for themselves. Hardly anything that would make the magazines, but to me and a handful who have seen the operation - well, it satisfies. (Sounds like an old cigarette commercial, eh [?]) Anyway, since that humble beginning, the Polar Express shelf system and the S-Capades have been added. So, now I'm comfortable with it, I suppose. Have to admit that I really enjoy the details - the little things along trackside, evidence of realism - nice.

Well, we've got a few things to get finished 'round here before departing. CINDY HAS THE BAR, Gentlemen! Behave! [swg][}:)][;)][:-,]

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

. . . . . . . . . . ENCORE! ENCORE! . . . . . . . . . .

Here’s another Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads: (first appeared on page 115)

Seaboard Air Line (SAL)

Headquarters: Norfolk, VA

Route mileage in 1950: 4,146

Locomotives in 1963: Diesels – 531

Rolling stock in 1963: Freight cars - 27,560; Passenger cars – 446

Principal routes in 1950:

Richmond, VA-Homestead, FL (Miami) via Columbia, SC & Jacksonville & Auburndale, FL
Coleman-St. Petersburg, Fl
Hamlet, NC-Savannah, GA
Norlina, NC-Norfolk
Hamlet-Birmingham, AL
Savannah, GA – Montgomery, AL
Baldwin-Chattahoochee, FL
Baldwin-Gross, FL (bypass of Jacksonville)
Waldo-Sulphur Springs, FL
Plant City-Fort Myers, FL
Durant-Venice, FL
Hull-Port Boca Grande, FL
Valrico-West Lake Wales, FL

Passenger trains of note:

Cotton Blossom (Washington, DC-Atlanta)
Gulf Wind (Jacksonville-New Orleans)
New York-Florida Limited (New York-Miami)
Orange Blossom Special (New York-Miami)
Palmland (New York-Tampa & Boca Grande, FL)
Silver Meteor (New York-Miami & St. Petersburg & Venice & Ft. Myers)
Silver Comet (New York- & Portsmouth, VA-Birmingham)
Silver Star (New York-Miami & St. Petersburg & Venice & Boca Grande, FL)
Sunland (Washington & Portsmouth-Miami & Venice; formerly Southern States Special, Sun Queen & Camellia)
Suwannee River Special (Cincinnati-Florida destinations)

Of note: SAL passenger trains were handled by RF&P & PRR north of Richmond.
L&N handled the Gulf Wind west of Chattahoochee.

Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[wanswheel]

Tom you caught me, I don't actually read your stuff. You did give Leon the night off, and surely the gals did take care of me but somehow I just don't remember last night. Must have been the gin. Maybe I'd have a better grasp of the distaff staff if you'd post their pictures.

Ted it wasn't so much an apology as a frank admission that I know when I'm playing out of my league. Not the first time. If nothing else Our Place has re-charged some dead brain cells. Before reading Rob, it never occurred to me that those wires and contraptions on the roof of the New Haven might have interestingly catchy words like caternary and pantograph. And from the atlas, Fife is found by the Firth of Forth, who knew?

Seaboard Air Line, ironic name for a railroad. Often just across the platform from an LIRR train at Penn Station. I believe I was aboard in 1966. After my first time home in the Army, Christmas 3-day pass. I rode north in a '64 Mustang convertible but I took the train back, and on it, the troops about took over the club car, a 700-mile party. Who bought the drinks I'll never know. It wouldn't have been me, I was underage. Train was coming into Columbia late at night, after the city buses had stopped running. Rather than drop a hundred soldiers downtown, somebody smart detoured the train to Ft. Jackson. Easy walk, tracks not too far from the barracks.

Mr. Spam-Man is not too far off topic. Those hogs didn't walk to the slaughterhouse. There was an excellent documentary about Chicago on PBS. In the late 1800s Swift Premium shipped dressed beef under rudimentary refrigeration, with ice stations strategically placed along the route through Canada. Cheaper to ship by the pound than livestock in cattle cars.

Roaring Camp car in the consists brings to mind the Bret Harte short stories. http://www.Roaringcamp.com/steam.html

[siberianmo]

Evenin' Gents!

Cindy Thanx for watching the store - I'll take it 'til closing. What's that [?] Do I MIND if you stick around - weeeeeeeellllllllllll, of course noooooooooooot! [wow]

Just the thought of Spam, no matter how packaged, makes me want to had for the rail. <yuck> Not today, not tomorrow, not ever! [tdn] How nice of you, Doug to bring that wonderful thought and image back to the fore. [swg] And, you Mike just keeping it going. Oh, but then again, you don't read my stuff - so what's the point! [?] <grin>

We the "scenic route" back from our afternoon/evening out. Traveled a road that is parallel to a double track mainline that used to be quite active back in the apex of passenger rail in these parts. Didn't see one train - zip, zero, zilch. All of those "Eagles" that MoPAC used to operate traveled those tracks along with many others heading west out of downtown St. Louis. That was then and this is now. Also passed right by the "Trainwreck Saloon," which was originally call the Nine Mile House, which is the model building that "Our" Place is fashioned after. Kinda neat living so close to something that relevant to what this cyber bar 'n grill is patterned after.

Oh, yes - the play, "A Christmas Carol" was well done and most entertaining. The troupe is out of Nebraska and they really put on qujite a show with some wonderful sets as well. Slowly but surely, we'll ultimately get to Fa-La-La Land! [swg]

The one bit of trivia I read about SAL is that the name had absolutely nothing to do with airlines, ergo the name Air (space) Line - traveling on air so to speak.. I concur, it is a rather strange name given the definition most would apply to it.

I too traveled by rail in my early days in the service - then from New London, CT to NYC and back. Many of those trips were in the tavern or club cars and I can't remember buying a drink. It was surely a different time and place.for the serviceman. When [?] 1957.

Okay guys - I'm here 'til closing.

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

. . . . . . . . . . ENCORE! ENCORE! . . . . . . . . . .

Here’s another Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads: (first appeared on page 116)

Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) [img]

Headquarters: Denver, CO

Mileage:

1950: 2,413
1995: 2,238 including trackage rights routes

Rolling stock as of 1963: Freight cars – 12,610 Passenger cars – 96

Principal lines in 1950:

Denver-Bond, CO-Salt Lake City, UT
Denver-Pueblo-Dotsero, CO
Pueblo-Trinidad, CO
Walsenburg-Alamosa, CO
Alamosa-Durango, CO
Salida-Gunnison, CO
Mears Junction-Alamosa
Alamosa-Creede, CO
Bond-Craig, CO
Grand Junction-Ouray, CO
Thistle-Marysvale, UT
Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT

Passenger trains of note:

California Zephyr (Chicago-Oakland, joint w/Burlington & Western Pacific)
Colorado Eagle (St. Louis-Pueblo-Denver, joint w/MoPac)
Exposition Flyer (Chicago-Oakland, joint w/Burlington & WP, replaced by California Zephyr in 1949)
Mountaineer (Denver-Montrose, CO, via Moffat Tunnel)
Panoramic (Denver-Ogden)
Prospector (Denver-Salt Lake City)
Rio Grande Zephyr (Denver-Ogden [later cut back to Salt Lake City], replaced California Zephyr 1970-83)
Royal Gorge (Denver-Pueblo-Ogden)
San Juan (Alamosa-Durango, CO)
The Silverton (Durango-Silverton, CO)
The Yampa Valley (Denver-Craig)

Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[Anonymous]

Evening Tom, I'll take a tequila sunrise, please. Is there anything going on here tonight?Awful quiet. I'll walk over to the jukebox and find some Hank Snow--been wanting to hear him sing Canadian Pacific, then perhaps some Johnny Cash.
The fallen flags segment are informative. I find myself connecting bits and pieces of railroad trivia in my head with the facts presented and DUH the light bulb goes off in my fogged brain and something clicks.
When to the local hobby emporium today to pick up Theodorebear's book and kibitzed while all the regulars there. Despite not being a modeler myself, I'm picking up some about model rrs. I did work at a hobby shop right out of high school many moons ago, however. I prefer my railroading in 12'to 1' scale.

[Anonymous]

The following pix are from a series called “Caboose Watch”, which was started September 1988 in Rail Classics magazine.

Wooden Union Pacific caboose was photographed in Grand Island, Nebraska in 1898. Union Pacific Historical Collection


Southern Pacific uses bay window cabooses on main line trains. Older cupola caboose may show up on branch lines. Ed Stauss photo.


This modern Union Pacific caboose was painted silver for service on a train wreck. Ed Stauss photo


Detroit, Toledo & Ironton caboose was street running in Cincinnati in 1983. Ed Stauss photo


During Penn Central’s brief existence, their caboose fleet was a widely varied collection from their predecessor roads, but all painted in New York Central green. Walter Olevsky photo.


Erie-Lackawanna Railway caboose in classic maroon, gray, and yellow is former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western unit built on the frame of an old steam locomotive tender. They had a reputation for being hard riding. Walter Olevsky photo.


Western Pacific bay-window caboose is at Reno, Nevada. Walter Olevsky photo.


Ontario Northland caboose seen at Northbay, Ontario. Walter Olevsky photo.

[siberianmo]

SUNDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of RECENT POSTS

We are CLOSED on SUNDAY! We open at 6 AM Monday all time zones. (Don’t ask how we do that!) [swg]

This is Sunday Photo Posting Day! Post ‘em if you got ‘em – and REMEMBER, we DO NOT engage in two-way dialogue on this day. Slip your pix through the slots on either set of front doors, and they will get Posted!


Daily Wisdom:

You never know your luck ‘til the wheel stops.


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: 17 Dec 2005, 06:38:55 (195) Maintaining the Way, Part V, etc.

(2) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 06:47:39 (195) Saturday’s Info & Summary

(3) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 07:03:31 (195) He’s not amused!

(4) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 08:24:33 (195) Acknowledgments, etc.

(5) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 08:32:01 (195) ENCORE! Fallen Flag – ACL

(6) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 11:34:58 (195) Inclusive Post, etc.

(7) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 12:15:54 (195) reply to Theodore Bear, etc.

(8) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 12:26:41 (195) ENCORE! Fallen Flag – SAL

(9) wanswheel Mike Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 14:34:13 (195) Inclusive Post, etc.

(10) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 19:38:28 (195) reply to wanswheel, etc.

(11) siberianmo Tom Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 19:44:54 (195) ENCORE! Fallen Flag – D&RGW

(12) earlydiesels Dan Posted: 17 Dec 2005, 19:56:23 (195)

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

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

[Anonymous]

From railroad Magazine – November 1972


Huge swarms of caterpillars caused problems on one of the Cumbres & Toltec Railway’s steep grades near Cumbres Pass on Sunday, June 24, 1972. With one man pounding the sand dome and another sweeping the rails, narrow-gage 2-8-2 484 tries to get train up mountain. Trip finally completed after lots of “seashore” was used on the rails. Jerrol F. Hilton.

Philadelphia, Pa. : looking west at 10th and Market streets on December 21, 1907. Trolley destination sign says “Market St. Ferries.” We see horses and wagons, Christmas shoppers, boys in short pants, and Market Street subway construction. (Collection of Harry P. Albrecht, publisher)



Last coaling tower still standing on the Denver & Rio Granda Western’s narrow-gage line is this oldtimer at Chama, New Mexico, pictured as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway’s train pulled out of Chama on June 24th. Engine is No. 484. Jerrold F. Hilton


Tom working on his $-Capades layout? Photo by Jeff Bryer.

I took these pix at IRM this last Friday


Here’s the new grating for IRM’s Three-Truck Shay


Here’s the steam shop extension at IRM, all set for the County to inspect for occupancy.

[siberianmo]

Even though ”Our” Place is CLOSED on SUNDAY’s we do observe Sunday Photo Posting Day!!

This is the FINAL Photo Posting Day of 2005 – next up is January 8th, 2006!

Part I of IIHere are 6 pix from Pete while in Kansas City on Wednesday, May 12th (sorry, but detailed descriptions are unavailable at this time)

click to enlarge

(1) At KCity Union Station


(2) At KCity Union Station


(3) At KCity Union Station


(4) At KCity Union Station


(5) At KCity Union Station


(6) At KCity Union Station


To view Pete’s album on my photo site, click on:
http://photobucket.com/albums/b222/siberianmo/RR%20pix%20from%20Pete/


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

REMINDER! Read the SUMMARY!

[siberianmo]

Even though ”Our” Place is CLOSED on SUNDAY’s we do observe Sunday Photo Posting Day!!

This is the FINAL Photo Posting Day of 2005 – next up is January 8th, 2006!

Here are 5 pix from Dan for this fine day: These pix were taken at the Midland Railway earlier in the year by Dan’s other half. They show Dan at the throttle of Katy (MKT) RS3 #142.


click to enlarge

(1)


(2)


(3)


(4)


(5)



To view the Midland Railway site, click on:
http://www.midland-ry.org/


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

REMINDER! Read the SUMMARY!