Afternoon Tom
I’ll take a pint of whatever you recommend from your local micro brewery, and a drink for yourself.
All I can say is thanks for your thanks. The good thing here at Our Place is the typical hospitality I’ve come to know in various parts of North America – this dates back to several visits to North America due to family links and the fact that my parents worked in Chicago back in the 60s (before I was born) so we’ve had some great family visits there with long time friends – and I must say the Windy City is one of my favourite cities – just happens to be convenient that it also a great hub of the US rail network too!
One of the advantages here is that with our knowledge of the systems we are each familiar with it is quite easy to find good sites and pictures from our home turf – and each to our own on that regard and it works well – Today is a good example - I’d never even heard of the Monon till today – but those posts have been really interesting and informative. I’d certainly be interested to here more about those classic days in the New York area (a city I’ve never visited but a place to head for one day for sure) – so surely the privilege of the proprietor is to hold forth on those subjects when and as they please (or any subject for that matter).
I’ve just been catching up with the last Classic Trains issue on RPO services – so I was thinking about posting some stuff on UK TPO services as we call them (Travelling Post Offices) but maybe an idea could be to have an RPO / TPO Theme day some time?
I was interested to read that the Poppy day tradition has kind of died out in the USA - I'm surprised by that as I often feel that the USA values its heritage in these respects perhaps more than Europeans do - I wonder how it died out? Mind you here in the UK it was on the wane in the 1980s but the British Legion put some effort back in with the national press and media and profile has gone up again in last 10 years - eg you will not find a single news reader or serious current affairs commentator on any TV station from now until 11 Nov not wearing their poppy - and even the pacificst movement promotes the white peace pledge poppy for those who wish to pay their respect in an alternative fashion.
Back on theme I’ll end with a classic poster of a stylish BR Diesel Pullman train from the classic era – the so called Blue Pullman:
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10170757&wwwflag=2&imagepos=1
DL
Guten Morgen allersiets!
What’s to say other than I hope one and all have enjoyed the goings on here at the Saloon by the Siding as we wind down one month and prepare for another. October featured our OKTOBERFEST – the Grudge Match Bragging Rights DARTS CHALLENGE! and now, Halloween. That’s quite a plate full for this Oasis for the overworked, underpaid and somewhat obsessed Classic Train buffs who call this place – “Ours”!
Now that we have added three more to our number, one wonders aloud, where would we be without DL – Eric ‘n James A fine trio for this disparate grouping of souls, all linked by the love of trains, taverns ‘n good times. This time last year our customer base was far different and who wuddathunk that we’d have experienced so many changes Many THANX to you three for keeping things moving forward ‘round the joint!
I see we’ve had some fine Posts deserving of recognition – so let’s get to it!
Beginning with Nick at 7:53 PM and 9:42, Monday – always a happy time to have our Chief Chef aboard! Whaddyamean a check That cash in our upstairs bathtub has disappeared and was supposed to have been used to bail you out. Hmmmmm – sounds like another case for Inspector Clueless of the Local Constabulary and his earstwhile assistant, Mr. Doyle, Private Investigator. Perhaps our Bar Chandler Rob (very much part-time these days) can shed some light into all of this as HE was the last one to have been seen with the sack o’ cash! Hmmmmmmmmm. The Plot Thickens – or is that Thot Plickens
Should mention the Post before the Post – enjoyed those narratives and Pix of the Great Lakes to Hudson Bay!
Your mention of the poppies at this time of year always brings forth memories of my long ago childhood. In New York City, back in the 40s, we too wore those symbols of a time not that long past. The day was called Armistice Day and there were parades and many public ceremonies honoring those who fought the “War to end all wars.” As with so many traditions, the poppy on the American scene seems to have disappeared as have the parades – although St. Louis still has the nation’s largest November 11th parade, in honor of our military veterans – which the day is now named for – Veterans Day. Of course, north of the border, they still do it right and proudly wear the poppy in recognition of the day called Remebrance Day – a tribute to their military vets.
Enjoyed that exchange between you and Wolfman Pete regarding those near-do-wells, called the Beatles. Always learn something new ‘round this place and it’s one of the benefits of being behind the bar – for one never knows what one will pick up just by listening.
Regarding that final Pix on my Sunday spate of photos from my Dallas trip. I’ve been giving some thought to that one. I was told those locos were GEEPS, but ya know, they may not be. Don’t think they were coverted from F7s though – but I’d surely like to know WHAT they are. An outfit named HERZOG owns them – they do all kinds of track and railroad work on consignment throughout the U.S. (they also operate the Trinity Rail Express trains I traveled aboard) I was unable to find a “history” of the locos, but am sure it’s in the Ether somewhere. Just a matter of expendable time, effort and persistence. However, maybe Eric or James could take a closer look at them and come up with an answer. Are they really GEEPS? And what of their “heritage”
I also mislabeled those locomotives! They are NOT F40PHs – they are F59PHs! Apologies all ‘round, gents – mea culpa!
Eric at 12:16 AM today – now I seriously DOUBT that Boris has any knowledge (let’s just leave it there!! <grin>) . . . . okay, where was I Oh yes . . . . any knowledge of the whereabouts of the Bikini Team. He’s very much absorbed with his inflatables and actually becomes rather shy and withdrawn when surrounded by a bevy of beauties in the flesh – so to speak. No – Boris isn’t the key to all of this. BUT, the last time those gals were seen was when our Bar Chandler Rob, with the sack o’ cash, was not-so-stealthily stealing his way toward the back entrance to the joint, followed closely by the scantily clad (and that’s POLITE) Bikini Team gals. Hmmmmmmmmm. This is beginning to look SERIOUS!
All of the RDCs (13) that TRE operates were built by the now defunct Budd Car Company in the U.S. during the 1950s. Those cars were in the inventory of VIA Rail of Canada when a contract was let to have them refurbished in the Montreal AMF car works over a 20 month period, and then transported to Dallas in 1994 for use with their expanding commuter rail system.
Glad you enjoyed the Significant Events in Canadian RR History – with two more editions to go – there will be a complete chronology available at the bar for anyone interested!
Wie ist jeder? Es is OKTOBERFEST! Partei wollen wir!
A fitting end to our month long celebration of good beer, food, cheer and banter at the bar! It's HALLOWEEN!
Be sure to stop by the Tavern by the Tracks after dark - special HALLOWEEN Bash! for all of our regulars . . . . Be back in a bit with some comments 'n acknowledgments!
Ruth opens up at 9 AM until Leon comes in at 5 PM ‘til closing.
Boris, serve ‘em all of the “spiked” OJ they can handle!
Auf Wiedersehen!
Tom
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Cool, clear morning in the coalfields today, although there is some talk of rain later on this evening. Thanks to all for kind words re dart reporting. It may take a year of recovery to get ready for the next tournament. In the meantime we can go jackalope hunting on the M&SNG – I didn’t see any signs in the coaches which said we couldn’t shoot from the car windows.
So we will try for the Monon today.
The Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville (after 1955, better known as the Monon) looked like a big letter X One side of the X operated between Hammond, IN and Indianapolis, and the other leg ran between Michigan City, IN and Louisville. The legs of the X crossed at Monon, IN.
Branches ran from Orleans to French Lick (aka home of Larry Bird)
Another branch ran between Wallace Jct. and Victoria, IN.
I was living in L&N land when they swallowed up the Monon. It didn’t take too long to see Monon equipment show up, mostly cabeese at first and later, some locomotives. These always seemed to pass through Nashville in the dark hours, so I was never able to get any really good pictures.
Monon used several different liveries on their locomotives. These were a tasteful black and gold (for Purdue University), and red/white/gray (for Indiana University). The Purdue Boilermakers got their nickname because the Monon shops were in Lafayette, IN; home of Purdue.
You can see vestiges of the Monon today when you ride Amtrak’s Cardinal. Before the line in Lafayette was relocated the train ran down the middle of the street in Lafayette and passed right by the old shop buildings. I always enjoyed that part of the trip.
The Monon got out of the passenger business fairly quickly, but they were running scheduled freights in the late ‘60s.
We’ll start with southbound traffic
Train 71 departed Hammond at 900 p.m. with a 10:40 p.m. arrival in Monon. It departed Monon at 1050p.m., arrived in Lafayette at 1135 p.m. and Louisville at 630a.m.
Train 91 left Monon at 330 a.m. and reached Indianapolis at 700 a.m.
Train 73 left Lafayette at 835 a.m. arriving Louisville at 430p.m.
Train 57 departed Michigan City at 1000 p.m., Monon at 101 a.m. and reached Lafayette at 200a.m.
Train 56 left Lafayette at 400a.m., Monon at 600a.m., arriving Michigan City at 930 a.m.
Train 70 departed Louisville at 6:00p.m., Indianapolis at 1000 p.m., Monon at 355a.m., with a 615a.m. arrival at Hammond.
Train 72 left Louisville at 900a.m. with a 420 p.m. arrival at Lafayette.
Train 90 departed Indianapolis at 1000p.m., and arrived in Monon at 300a.m.
The Monon carefully noted that “Freight schedule shown indicates the service that may be expected, but not guaranteed.”
For those who model, check out the June, 2001 Model Railroader for the article. “The Hoosier Line in N Scale.”
Work safe
THEME for the DAY! - THEME for the DAY!
Now Arriving on track #1
Railroads from Yesteryear!
Number Twenty Four
Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encylopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requiremensts. Some heralds from other sources.
Monon Railroad
Reporting marks CIL, MON Locale Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky Dates of operation 1847 – 1971 Track gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) Headquarters Chicago, Illinois
Reporting marks
CIL, MON
Locale
Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky
Dates of operation
1847 – 1971
Track gauge
4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
The Monon Railroad (AAR reporting marks CIL, MON), also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railway from 1897-1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana. The Monon was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971, and much of the former Monon right of way is operated today by CSX Transportation.
Monon route
The railroad earned the name Monon due to the convergence of its four main routes in Monon, IN. From Monon, the mainlines reached out to Chicago, Michigan City, Indiana, Indianapolis and Louisville. In Chicago, the Monon's passenger trains served Dearborn Station. Smaller branches connected points on the Louisville mainline to Victoria, Indiana and French Lick, Indiana.
The Monon directly served five colleges and universities along its line:
· Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana
· Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana
· DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana
· Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
· Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana
The university traffic was important enough to the Monon, that the railroad used the schools' colors on its rolling stock as the railroad's official paint schemes. The red and gray of Wabash College (and very similar to the colors of Indiana University) was used on the railroad's passenger equipment, and the black and gold used by both DePauw University and Purdue University adorned the railroad's diesel
freight locomotives.
The Monon line was unusual in that its main line ran down the middle of streets in several cities, most notably Lafayette, New Albany and Bedford. It also installed an unusual "home grown" warning signal at many grade crossings; these utilized a green signal light (similar to and adapted from a standard highway traffic signal) that stayed lit at all times, except when a train was approaching. A sign below or to the side of the signal read, "STOP When Signal Is Out." This design had an inherent fail-safe mechanism, in that when the signal bulb was burned out, an approaching vehicle driver would assume a train was coming — and, it must be assumed, that same driver would
Hello Tom
Light breakfast for me please. I’ll take one of those Poppies Nick has placed on the bar – collecting tin starting to fill nicely too.
Tom, glad you’ve enjoyed the UK stuff – but to all you stateside contributors please be aware how enjoyable those links and info are from North America. Posts and links like that Hiawatha one from James are great to my mind.
Tom, hope you can make it to the UK some time though – armed with a Brit Rail pass. We can work up your itinerary here – I’m thinking some of the fast Inter City runs with scenic lengths, and good dining of course, a sleeper journey to or from Scotland or Cornwall, then some time on selected scenic rural lines, maybe in Scotland but also some of the more remote parts of Wales, a few interludes at some of the larger preserved railways (Bluebell, Great Central, Severn Valley or North York Moors might all be possibilities), then maybe one or two of the Welsh narrow Gauge lines Nick has flagged up in the past.
Just to catch up on points being made.
Pete – Despite it being very close to where I grew up I’ve never been on Volks railway – an omission I admit. If it went via the nudist beach in the 1980s I expect it still does – after all knowing Brighton the nudist beach has probably expanded since then. Sounds like it has the Makings of a British farce film somewhere along the lines of a cross between The Titfield Thunderbolt and Carry on Camping!!!
OVS Bullied – certainly seemed a fascinating chap – a few bizarre designs, but some great ones too. You probably had the opportunity to ride on some Bullied designed cars on the Bluebell – a nice design I think. Interesting to note that I think some derivative designs of his coaching stock were still running as suburban EMUs in the south London area as late as the early 1990s I believe. No doubt Nick will have ridden them in South London Purley area too.
Yes, big Beer festival here – mix of micro brewery stuff and some of the larger trad regional brewers, probably almost 300 to choose from, ciders and perrys too as well as Bitters Milds Porters Stouts etc etc.
Incidentally Pete – did you manage to get a pint of Harvey’s Bitter at the Bar on the Bluebell at Sheffield Park? I hope you did – a classic Sussex beer.
Tavern Cars: Glad people liked those pics. Eric, never mind Tavern Cars on Swedish State railways, what about Sauna Cars – ever run any of those - after all plenty of steam heating at one time?
Glad the idea of a Darts Car for the next match seems to have been considered as a distinct possibility – I guess we need the journalists input too se if that is feasible - can you broadcast from a rolling car??
Nick – yep – time to shorten the handle to DL – the UK bit dates back from when I first scanned the web for info on Canadian passenger trains and needed to signal that I was not a native to those parts. I posted on the somewhat out of use thread after a Google search, but Tom replied and also invited me over to Our Place, where the English accent seems to get the friendly hospitality one comes to expect (and appreciate) in most of North America.
I can endorse what you say about Sheffield Park Garden – but never managed to combine it with the Bluebell – both large enough to occupy a day!. As far as I know the aggregate depot is still beside the line near Purley. I think there is another one south of there on the now freight only Ardingly Branch near Hayward heath further south on the Brighton Line.
Bad news though Nick – I can see everyone else’s pics from the last few days but those article scans don’t show up to me. Typical – but frustrating – any other ideas?
Anyway – recent trip report.
I’d hoped to find a web page with some good technical data and class lists on the London Midland and Scottish Coronation Class locos, but not really come up with much. A superb picture of the loco we rode behind on Saturday back in the 1950s is here:
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10323146&wwwflag=2&imagepos=6
I wonder if Pete, as an ex Rugby resident (LMS mainline where these locos were designed to run) can perhaps add a few comments and corrections if required?
Anyway, these Pacifics were the LMSR’s most powerful locos and probably the most powerful loco constructed in Britain before WW2. Designed for express passenger work on the London Glasgow main line there is the suggestion that they never were tested to peak performance as it was not possible for the fireman to stoke the engine fast enough to meet its full coal burning capacity (UK never really adopted mechanical stoking).
Some pics of the loco on recent steam specials – this is how it looked last Saturday:
http://www.steamtraingalleries.co.uk/pic_special_trains_196.html
http://www.steamtraingalleries.co.uk/pic_special_trains_168.html
Made an early start from Derby with 12 coaches (2 support cars, 2 x 1st class dining, 1 kitchen car, 3 x 1st class cars, 4 x second class cars) + an idling diesel loco at the rear in case emergency assistance required (it wasn’t). Weather rather dull and overcast so steam effects not as spectacular as they could have been.
Train travelled east to Grantham via Nottingham Midland Station. Immediately it was possible to note the service was very smooth running – the loco seemed to be working impeccably. Wearing the same Royal Scot Tartan headboard in picture above (The Royal Scot was the premier train on the LMS London Glasgow Route – so I presume it was headed up with this just to wind people up since the run to London was on the rival LNER Edinburgh London Route).
We had first class dining seats so breakfast was served after Nottingham and very good it was too. At Grantham we joined the ex LNER route to London mentioned above and picked up more passengers.
On departure from Grantham heading south we climbed tot eh top of Stoke Summit and then start the descent down Stoke bank towards Peterborough. This is the stretch of line where the LNER took the world speed record for steam in 1938 – and we had some good fast running (probably at least 70 mph). Stopped north of Peterborough in the freight yards there where a road water tanker could access the train for a tender fill up. After a 30 minute break here we headed south towards London but we must have been under signal checks as speed was slower and we arrived about 15 mins late.
Even on the fast running stretches it was interesting to be overtaken by modern GNER electric expresses doing over 100 up to line speed of 125 – nice also to hear most drivers of overtaking or approaching trains pay their respects to the old machine on their horns. Our train driver was pretty quiet on the whistle most of the time, which was shame since a good steam whistle through most of the stations we passed through would have been appreciated by watching passengers and those on board. At various stations on the line and in some adjacent fields photographers were out to record our passing.
Departure from Kings Cross was at 17.15 and this time the engine was head boarded with The White Rose head board – this was a premier London Yorkshire LNER train so this must have been to pay respects to the route and make amends.
Fairly soon after departure dusk was settling down and our 4 course evening meal was served. Journey back was smooth again with excellent performance by the engine. Some guys sitting near us had some sort of digital speed measuring device and recorded speeds in the high 60s and up to 74mph.
Well after dark I was able to take a good view out of the window at Grantham as we curved round to the left (we were at the back of the train on the return) getting a great view of the whole consist and plenty of steam against the by now cold dark night sky.
Arrival back was only marred by a Jobsworth member of station staff manically trying to enforce a ‘no flash photography’ rule on the station premises, he was doing this with the utmost rudeness possible and picked on my friends wife to have a go at – despite her being a good photographer who would not be of the view that using a flash after dark made for a decent picture anyway! This guy must have been related to the unhelpful guy I ran into at Halifax (NS) VIA station.
Highlights – great food and on board service, excellent performance from the engine, speed comparable with these trip reports I found on the web from the 1950s and 60s with the same class of engine – pretty good for a machine 70 odd years old!
http://www.locoperformance.co.uk/edition22/lmspacificsscots.htm
Criticisms – only one – the 1950s / 60s BR Mark 1 coaches used for the service – whilst historically right for the job and thus the stock to use, need some attention to the interiors. Ideally a decent restoration, but that costs a lot of money – however a darned good clean would go a long way to making the difference. Toilets, upholstery etc were a bit on the tatty side, and it did not look like anyone had bothered to even clean the windows in the recent past. If you want to attract customers for whom you need a bit more than just the steam engine to impress then paying attention to these sorts of details would be worth the effort.
Whist it is rude to mention money, I thought you might be interested in the fare for this jaunt. 1st class with 2 cooked meals included as above was not cheap at £150 ($284 US or $321 Can). For 300 miles of fast steam haulage behind one of the UK’s most famous express engines I thought we got our money's worth - after all you don't do this every day. A standard class ticket with no dining would have been about £70 so quite good value I feel.
Right Leon,more absurdly large tankards of foaming golden ale please,
Chefs log-supplementary,stardate269577.0000000003 (just before supper )
ROB-fine trolley shots there mate-as ever ,the party starter
TOM-A real nice selection from Trinity rail-as the only operator of Bi-levels in the group I particulally apreciate the pix-now can anybody tell me-were those units in the last pic those Santa Fe conversions of F7`s to road switchers ??????..P.S-loved the Canadian data too
PETE-Man,those German steamers are well kept-and a lovely looking background as well
MIKE-that #701 is a pure brute-I would hate to have to keep that fire stoked-can just imagine the ring of her in full cry-now thats a drumbeat for any rock`n`roll song you please............
JAMES-A fine job of work on Boris`s lair-it`s so clean even he won`t sleep in there -fantastic pix also-really caught the spirit of `big` railroading-----No underage drinking in the bar but it`s a warm(ish) night so the odd bottle of Czech pilsner might be available for an acoustic guitar jam session round the fire in the rubbish bin in the yard-you`ve earned it
Right-I`ve got the old `Countryman` acoustic tuned to open `G` and the glass slide on my courting finger (!) so I`m gonna go on out back and listen to the rhythym of the rails and watch the stars for a bit-lets start with Dead Flowers and Love in Vain and go from there
Happy Monday Gentlemen all-safe journey home.....................................................
nick
Good evening gentlemen all-many thanks for paying the ransom (although for future reference cash is the preferred medium-waiting the extra 5 working days for the cheque to clear was a touch tedious.....still,alls well that ends well..
Leon- Huge foaming steins of deutscher lager all round if you please....good man
Right-A huge weekend for the bar,a fine spread of pix (which I have yet to study,so will reserve comment)-an awesome victory in the inter-bar nails (with an acceptably low casualty rate )-L.G.B steam on the Mentor & Southern and pretty much a full crew around to celebrate-last I saw,Boris & Copperkettle were shovelling glowing green ballast into a condemned gondola (separated from the switcher by 3 barrier flats ) with the track gangs offering advice via bull-horn from behind the shed
So:-
CM3-A truly masterful coverage-the spirit of Lake Woebegone lives on,with that extra touch of Spike Milligan ambient weirdness that makes this little enterprise truly worth while--A fine effort mate-thank you for taking the time to make it happen ...!!!!
MIKE-Spot on URL-I`m sure I saw my old Veedub Beetle in there.....
PETE-Delighted you had a chance to ride behind both the old ladies-I knew the `Earl` was at Sheffield Park but had no idea `Truro` was back in steam-treat ---Note for anyone in the area,Sheffield Park gardens are well worth a visit-loads of interesting plants and some very nicely laid out lakes and `formal` gardens-an echo of a lost era --So you stopped at Purley then-2 stops along from my old `spotting` point -have they still got the aggregate yard on the down side -that whole section,from East Croydon down to Redhill is as familiar as my tattoos-was born next to Caterham stn (the end of one of the Purley branch lines)...Loved the spookey halloween tale by the way--gonna call your bluff now-`The one after 909` was the bus that Paul & George used to get home after practices with John in the Quarrymen-the skiffle band they had before they became the silver beetles & then The Beatles--thought you would catch me out eh........Loved those DVD clips by the way-lets raise a glass to Bill Hoole-one cool guy...!!!!
TOM-What Ho mate !-you mentioned Armistice day,its something of a tradition over here to wear a poppy up to and including-would you mind if we had a box of them and a collecting jar on the bar between now and then ---The history is,the Royal British Legion set up workshops for the most seriously disabled ex-servicemen from the great war making poppy buttonholes ( amongst other things ) to give them a reason to get up in the morning ( the poppy represents the poppy fields of Flanders,where so many died for so little....) and the tradition continues-perhaps you have it over there,I don`t know..........................
DL-UK--(we have to find an easier `handle` for you)-find above the O.N.R/A.C.R article,as promised,hopefully it should enlarge to a readable size.....If you want specialist cars the O.N.R has them-during the various seasons they attach a `moose car` -a 50` box for moose carcasses shot by alleged `sportsmen` ( give the moose a gun then you have a sport says I) and a `canoe car` -50` bulkhead flat with special racking to the Little Bear.......Personally I rather liked those `Mock Tudor` bar cars on the Southern-they had that `30`s` ambience that so much of south-east suburbia has-at least from the outside
Right,I know I`ve missed several people,not least JAMES-all I have on my note here is `shed` which may or may not mean anything-will post this and go back and check-and look at the pix whilst I`m there
back in a bit
Gute Nacht allersiets!
A fine day it was and now the night has arrived along with the beginnings of a cold front. By the morrow, we should be windy, wet and 25 degrees cooler. More leaves! <arggggggggggggggh>
I see that it is time, once again, to remind our crew about the way things are done 'round the Tavern by the Tracks. This has been Posted numerous times throughout our Pages . . . but, it doesn't hurt to keep reminding:
The Hours and Food Service at "Our" Place
We open at 6 AM - Monday thru Saturday - close when the last man standing has departed (or fallen!).
Bar is CLOSED on SUNDAY's and CHRISTMAS Day
The Food Service at ”Our” Place
…Monday thru Saturday: Light breakfasts – bakery goods from The Mentor Village Bakery and sandwiches all day long made from the freshest lunchmeats in the county along with freshly baked bread for the grinders - hoagies - heros - subs……
....NO evening meals Monday thru Wednesday - sandwiches only!
…Thursday: Fish ‘n Chips nite and Nick’s Picks or whatever our Chief Chef conjures up!.
…Friday: Pizza nite – steak ‘n fries and…….
…Saturday: Steak ‘n fries and ……..
....Sunday breakfast - brunch - lunch 'til 2 PM
Nice selection of Posts today, still operating on only "one burner," but thanx to CM3 at 8:28 AM - DL at 8:38 AM - Pete at 3:14 PM and James at 5:26 PM we've managed to remain vibrant!
And so - WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! The 2006 Grudge Match Bragging Rights DARTS CHALLENGE! is now history. The trophy has been inscribed with the names of those who made the championship possible, along with these words to ponder: Who Darted
Many thanx to those of you who got into the spirit of this idea, for that was the intention. I'd say it all played out quite well here at the Bar by the Ballast. With Nick 'n CM3 keeping us "on edge," how could it be anything other than a good time We look forward to the 2007 edition of the GMBRDC! And, yes - you can keep the shirts, leather jeans and associated team gear! Drinks for the remainder of the week for all who particpated - and of course, our Ace Reporter, CM3!
DL - really enjoyed your Post from this AM - spent a great deal of time perusing those URLs - well done! The more I see 'n read about the passenger railways of GB, the more I would love to experience a trip or three! <grin>
Pete - good to see you engaging in conversation with a fellow Brit! Add Nick to the mix, and we're OUTNUMBERED!
James - always appreciate your contributions and it seems that the guys do as well. Given that we are a CLASSIC TRAINS Thread first and foremost, with current day stuff pretty much kept on the sidings, feel free to expound on your favorite road whenever you please . . . Sundays are really for Pix - narratives should be limited to descriptions of the photos - but whatever "works" will be fine with us! And those video clips were enjoyable . . . .
Nick - is that YOU at 7:07 PM Just caught the Pix and narrative - well done!
REMINDER: Tomorrow is Tuesday and that means THEME for the Day - MONON (try again!)
That's it for me - Leon, set 'em up! Drinks on me - Boris ring the ding!
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G-day Captain Tom and all present.
Leon- Set me up with some fish 'n chips, and I nice refreshing Coke, Please.
Well, Tom, I think The Milwaukee Road News Issue 1, is going quite well. I think once per week, on Sunday, I will be adding in Milwaukee Road News. I will try to get some good info each week. I think it would be a good idea to get the explorers out to see who were the orginal owners of those geeps. But I am pretty sure they are Santa Fe units.
DL-UK- I am glad you liked the news and the pics I posted. I think to bring back and preserve a Hiawatha Baltic would take all of Bill Gates money. To completely build this set would cost over 1 million dollars per car. The locomotive, Umm lets not go there. BTW: I like the fact that you noticed the shed It was a pain to clean.
Pete- Those German locos closely resemble a japanese built steamer. There are some features that don't match but otherwise there really close. I could do some researching.
I thought you guys might want to see some of these video clips.
http://www.trillium-video.com/mpg/cornhusk.mpg
This train is cruising at 75 mph. This is located in Cornhusk, Nebraska. The Intermodals, The one in the video clip, are some of the fastest frieght trains in North America. A 150 car intermodal train, over a mile and a half long can wiegh 7000 tons. That is light compaired to some of the trains that run along, such as a Coal train. The first locomotive on the train is a Union Pacific SD60M, followed by a Southern Pacific GP40 or GP50 and then a Union Pacific Dash 9.
http://www.trillium-video.com/mpg/cen1.mpg
This is a Canadain ational manifest train. Two Dash 9s lead this train, followed by two GP40s. I don't really know where this is. But I know it's near a crossing.
Happy railroading!
James
Hi Tom and all.
I'll start with a Holden's Mild please RUTH.
Great finish to yesterdays Photo Day.
ERIC I was able to view your pics and the slide show feature is great.Really interesting showing the locos controls. Where was the Big Boy taken at and that Budd car looks superb.
JAMES I am afraid I dont know very much about the German locos, althought the Pacific I think was built in Germany. I will try and find out about the narrow guage loco.
Great Info and pics on the Hiawatha locos and cars. The train must have been a wonderful sight especially passing by at high speed, the livery seems to suit the cars very well.
MIKE Thanks for the pics of those Central Vermont large steam locos they look very impressive.
CM3 SO WE WON, never in doubt. Do the think the mysterious liquid could have been the only known remains of the H&H's Hammer that BORIS brewed for the 1st Anniversary of Our Place in which the vat exploded( page 302)..
Well we have a year to admire our trophy, recover and prepare to defend the trophy,perhaps as DL says we could build a bar car on the M&S narrow guage as a neutral venue, if the next contest is tied.
I hear the talk shows are in danger of cancellation as the fees of the winning side, no money but as much beer as they can drink, as already put one TV company in severe financtial straits.
May I say MANY Thanks for the fine and very enjoyable reports of the matches.
It is a pity the Armadillo Mud Wrestling is on Pay Per View as it deserves a far wider audiance..
DL Great post, and links to the Volk's and the Daddy Long Legs railways. Do you know if the Volks still goes through the nudist beach at Brighton, it did last time I travelled on it in the 80s.
Those Tavern cars must have been a great way to travel home after work.O.V.S. Bullied certainly had some unique ideas with locomotives as well as coaching stock. I read a book about his career and it was fascinating reading , he even designed a peat burning loco when he was at the Inchicore works of the Irish Railway CIE.
Yes the Watford to Brighton train is well worth knowing about. When it was introduced it ran from Rugby using the duel-volt class 319 multiple units, but has since been cut back to Watford Junction. It is an interesting journey through Kensing Olympia and passing under all the lines at Clapham Junction, on the trip Alan had a book which showed the line years ago and the amount of tracks and junctions that were about then was remarkable.
I will post a piece on our trip to the Bluebell when I get my pics back if it is OK with the regulars.
Looking forward to hearing about your trip on the Duchess, and did I read that you had gone to a Real Ale festival any details of that would be great..
The Duchess.
TOM I will pass your comments to Alan.Thanks for the Canadian RR History for October, some great info.It was very interesting to see the part about steam heating of cars in 1891as this in some ways this important part of steam railroading is seldom mentioned, and it was in this month, in 1917, that the Quebec bridge was opened after all the trouble in its construction.
Well Ruth let me get a round in and I'll try a bitter this time.
Pete.
Significant events in Canadian RR History
during the month of October.
Caveat: Much of the information appearing was gathered from internet sources, with credit to “Colin Churcher’s Railway Pages” at http://www.railways.incanada.net/
* 1854, October 25th: - opening of the Carillon and Grenville Railway.
* 1856, October 27th: - The Grand Trunk Railway opens its broad gauge line throughout between Montreal and Toronto – Brockville to Oshawa secton.
* 1873, October 3rd – 4th: - The Grand Trunk Railway converts the gauge of its line between Stratford and Montreal, 421 miles together with 60 miles of sidings, from 5' 6" to the standard gauge of 4' 8 1/2". The track work was completed in 24 hours and occasioned but 16 hours interruption in the use of the main line.
* 1874, October 26th: - All Grand Trunk Railway lines east of Montreal, 542 miles, are converted from 5' 6" to standard gauge.
* 1877, October 9th: - Locomotive Countess of Dufferin arrives at St. Boniface on a barge towed by the steamer "Selkirk". It was brought in by the contractor Joseph Whitehead to work on the Selkirk - Emerson line and was the first locomotive in Manitoba and on the Prairies.
* 1891, October: - Canada Atlantic Railway completed the conversion of its entire passenger fleet thus becoming the first railway in Canada to use steam exclusively to heat its passenger rolling stock.
* 1902, October 13th: - First demonstration of wireless communication between a moving train and a station. This was on a Grand Trunk Railway special train between Chicago and Portland for the American Association of General Passenger and Ticket Agents. While en route between Toronto and Montreal a wireless telegraphy station was set up by Professor Ernest Rutherford of McGill University.
* 1903, October 24th: - The National Transcontinental Railway Act is passed. In order to expand into Western Canada the Grand Trunk Railway agrees to build a line from Moncton, New Brunswick to Quebec, then on a more northerly route than on any other transcontinental line to a point on the British Columbia Coast, which was to become Prince Rupert. The part between Moncton and Winnipeg was to be known as the National Transcontinental Railway and was to be built by the government. The line west of Winnipeg, to be known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, was to be built by the Grand Trunk itself.
* 1905, October 1st: - The Grand Trunk assumes control of the 460 mile Canada Atlantic system by agreement dated August 15th , 1904.
* 1909, October 17th: - first passenger train is operated over the National Transcontinental Railway east of Quebec City between Edmundston and Baker Lake, NB.
* 1914, October 13th: - The Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway is opened throughout between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst, Ont.
* 1917, October 17th: - First train over the Quebec Bridge over the St. Lawrence. This was constructed by the Dominion Government for use by the National Transcontinental Railway. This bridge was notorious in that it fell down twice during construction:
* 1917, October 23rd: - The Canadian Railway War Board holds its first meeting in the Canadian Pacific Boardroom in Windsor Station, Montreal. The name was changed to the Railway Association of Canada in 1919. The RAC represents the interests of all railways operating in Canada.
* 1918, October 21st: - The Mount Royal Tunnel, Montreal, is opened for regular traffic by the Canadian Northern Railway which commences a through service between Montreal and Toronto via Hawkesbury and Ottawa. The first east bound train left Toronto at 23:00 on October 20 and the first westbound left Montreal at 08:15 on October 21.
* 1922, October 4th: - The Canadian National Railway Company becomes a corporate entity (order in council P.C. 2094).
* 1927, October: - A report prepared by Frederick Palmer of London recommends that Churchill should be selected as the terminal port for the Hudson Bay Railway. As a result, the work previously carried out at Port Nelson is abandoned in favour of Churchill.
*1933, October: - London, Midland and Scottish Railway (UK) 4-6-0 steam locomotive Royal Scot departed the Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago October 11th and ran via the US to Vancouver: Oct 27th - Vancouver (19,885); Oct 29th - Kamloops; Oct 30th - Calgary (16,000); Oct 31st - Moose Jaw; Oct 31st - Regina (6,986).
* 1949, October: - The General Motors Train of Tomorrow makes a return visit to Canada as follows: Montreal, Sept. 30th - Oct.4th; Quebec, Oct.6th – 8th; Sherbrooke, Oct. 9th – 10th; Oshawa, Oct. 12th - 13th; Toronto, Oct. 14th – 15th, 17th – 19th; Hamilton, Oct. 20th – 22nd; St. Catharines, Oct. 24th – 25th; Stratford, Oct.26th; Chatham, Oct. 27th; Windsor, Oct. 28th – 29th.
I’ll take a cooked breakfast, no coffee, but plenty of grapefruit juice.
Few posts to catch up on so I think I’ll contribute to them before giving you a run down of my mainline steam trip 2 days back.
Nice to review everyone’s input.
Tom, I’ll start off with your Silver Jubilee Post. I think this comes from this image does it not – a very stylish poster:
Of course part of the route of this service is part of the route of the steam special I took on Saturday.
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10173050
By the way Tom, all your most recent pics were viewable to me, and those pics inside the service sheds were most enjoyable.
Eric – glad you enjoyed the closed stations link – it looks like a life’s work does it not – and when started presumably back in the 60s he would have had no knowledge that the web would come along and allow all those great pics to be published. It’s a fascinating site. If I’ve been through or near a location where the service is now abandoned I often check the site to see what once was. There’s probably a few locations on there Pete will know of old too.
Rob – Thanks for your comments on Sault Ste Marie – sounds a place of interest. Good point also about Hamilton air museum. My relative who lives in Toronto is ex RAF (in fact that is why he first came to Canada to be trained as a pilot in 1942 or 43 – went on to fly seaplanes – Catalinas and Short Sunderlands). I recall reading they have an airworthy Lancaster at Hamilton too. In the past I think I had suggested to my relative we pay a visit there but for some reason we ran out of time, maybe this should be a definite next time I’m in the area. It would be good to see any of those pictures you mention from your own visit.
Your mention of the Daddy Long Legs Railway in Brighton was of interest, since I grew up in Sussex – some good pics on this site:
http://www.urban75.org/railway/brighton-sea-railway.html
And you probably know it, but thought you’d enjoy this site too about the other seashore ‘tram line’ that operates in Brighton – Volks Electric Railway
http://www.volkselectricrailway.co.uk/
James – you’ve sure done a good job on that shed – shows you are guy happy to put a shoulder to the grindstone when required! Those pics you posted are great ones, and that info on the Hiawatha was superb, enjoyed the link to the page with those car diags and interior pictures too – what would a preserved line give to have a consist of one of those to run as a set today?
Lars – on the darts, yes, hard to follow through the cut and thrust of the action – what I’m wondering was – did any railway ever operate a darts car in service? (ha ha) Tom, is this something you can advise on? The empty space in VIA Renaissance Transition Car between the train and the Budd Park car would be an obvious location for a game of darts with that long empty interior and the darts board at one end?
The closest thing I can think of are the frankly slightly surreal ‘Tavern Cars’ introduced by the UK Southern Railway after WW2 – which fitted out the interiors like a trad British Pub (I think they had the pub sign painted on the outside of the car as well as over the bar as seen here) – hard to convey the sense of this any better than these amusing official photograph from the national Railway Museum archive on this link
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10323923&wwwflag=2&imagepos=2
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10459903&wwwflag=2&imagepos=1
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10459904&wwwflag=2&imagepos=2
I think this would have been the ideal place for a darts match on wheels!!!
Incidentally – this is a fantastic archive of images – if you click any of the key word links on the RHS of the pic you get to a great selection you can look over – click a keyword here like ‘Southern Railway’ and the choice is pretty unlimited!
Try this one for some Trans Atlantic Flavour – ‘American Tourists being served drinks on the Devon Belle – 1953’ – Do any of you statesiders know these guys?
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10310580&wwwflag=2&imagepos=5
The archive is so good because the NRM inherited the picture archive of British Railways on privatisation I think, BR itself having inherited the picture archive of the private companies back in 1948. With the NRM being part of the UK national museum service they have put the image library (or a lot of it) up on the web for us to enjoy – moreover if you like a pic you can buy a print I think. So even with the Devon Belle there are about 14 official looking pics taken on board this run in 1953 which are very evocative of that era.
Pete – enjoyed that Halloween story – spine chilling!! That Watford to Brighton service is a smart way round London which I’ve not done – I imagine the scenery is rather interesting too (in a sort of urban backyard kind of way) – is it essentially an extension of the old Clapham Jct - Watford Jct service that we used to know unofficially as the ‘Kenny Belle’ as it went via Kensington Olympia Station?
Bluebell Giants of Steam eh – what a classic day out – you sure know how to slip a trump card into the conversation Pete!! For readers who don’t know it the Bluebell is one of the UK’s best preserved railways – easily accessible from London. I’m biased because it was the nearest preserved line to where I grew up (it has been preserved since about 1960 or 1962), so it was the favoured family trip out throughout much of the childhood (and beyond). Secondly, the folks there pride themselves on the high standards of restoration, not just of the locos – which is common through UK preservation – but the passenger cars too – so you usually find yourself riding in a 1930s to 1950s passenger car fixed up just like the day it was first built – reproduction period upholstery, period interior pictures and images – the works. In my mind that really makes the grade.
Worth a look are the stock lists of cars:
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/car_list.html
and locos:
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/locos.html
No doubt Pete will give us a full report in due course (hope you can shake that cold Pete). I for one look forward to reading that.
Recharge your glasses for that Duchess of Sutherland Trip Report later on.
DL - UK
Nice day here today as well. We had a wicked storm Friday night through Saturday p.m., but it headed north and hammered the home front on the northern division.
Thanks for the post re Red Auerbach's passing. Let us return to the thrilling days of yore when I'm listening to the old Emerson as raspy-voiced Johnny Most broadcasts from "High above courtside, where we have another 15,909 on hand to watch the Celtics." We listen to the game and then wait for the announcement, "There it goes, the victory cigar is lighted." My, my! All I can say is whatever his new team may be, they'll do well, if only because they know where the soft spots are in the parquet floor. Last dart news follows - it'll seem funny to get back to the railroad.
Are We There Yet?
Greetings from our studios high atop Majestic Mount Mentor where we are watching a parade of armored vehicles escorting a garrulous gathering of garbage trucks and swift street sweepers as they clean up the remains of the first IMWWD. Boris! Stop throwing bottles at the vultures! They have work to do!
The Our Place d’artistes won the trophy and will hold it for a year; assuming it’s not stolen, pawned, melted down or sold for scrap. The match wasn’t even close this time as the Second Class team was distracted, not only by the cheerleader’s antics, but also by the bottle car of refreshments set out on the Mentor and Southern Narrow Gauge siding down by the sheep pens. Whatever that stuff was, it sure worked. The Second Classers couldn’t even see the board, and the Our Place team rolled to an easy victory, afterwards rolling the Second Classers out into the street where they were set upon by the mascots.
Incidentally the M&S NG track crew does have some work to do as some of the contents of the bottle car spilled onto the roadbed. The melted rail is not too tough to handle, but the Mentor Hazmats team is presently at a loss as to what to do about the ballast at the spill site which has a lovely greenish glow during the dark hours. The area has been cordoned off, traffic rerouted, and cultures taken for further examination. Your reporter suggests that it’s as close to culture as some of those folks have been in a long time.
All hail the stumbling (make that conquering) heroes. Your reporter has found out that the Our Place team is going on a talk show and book promotional tour to celebrate their forthcoming commemorative volume, How to Do Whatever at Takes to Win at Darts, or Smoky the Bar.
When asked why a book tour, various team members responded. One said, “I have nothing to say bout it, and don’t quote me on that!” A second remarked cryptically, “If nominated, I will not run, if elected I will not serve!” A third pulled his coat over his head saying, “Talk to my attorney.” The remaining two said at the same time, “I never saw those tapes before.”
Certainly there is some additional work to be done to ferret out the story behind the story. However, your reporter will follow Vito and Leon’s advice, “The boys need a change of scenery. It’ll do ‘em good. Anyway, people forget after awhile.” If anybody knows about rapid departures under cover of darkness it has to be Vito and Leon. We thank them for their insight.
One last note regarding the tour. The team has a well-known interest in things old. Usually the longer aged the better. As part of their talk show and book tour they will be giving demonstrations of “old school” darts. Your reporter, after diligent consultation with the Greater Mentor Historical, Genealogical Sipping Society and Garden Club (their motto, throw the empties in the flower beds), is given to understand that “old school” darts involves bows, arrows, and an empty wine barrel. All of the consultants suggested that the Our Place team was certainly up to the challenge as none of them had ever been observed to have trouble emptying a barrel of anything.
Well, that about wraps it up from our studios high atop Majestic Mount Mentor. Thank you for listening – we now return you to our regularly scheduled programming, “Armadillo Mud Wrestling.” Good night, all.
work safe
And a glorious beginning to another great day here in mid-continent USA – blue skies, temps expected to be in the upper 70s – just a fine day to be outdoors, which I’m planning to be. The leaves are on the ground and in the air – have lots to pick up and with over 3 dozen deciduous trees just waiting to let loose <grin> this will continue for a couple of more weeks. <groan>
I see where St. Louis has been ‘crowned’ the World Series Champion city AND the #1 in crime as well. At a time like this it’s easy to say that I DON’T reside in the city – but we all take “credit” for being Cardinals fans! Go figger! Not a great distinction regarding the crime rate – but something that has been constant since I moved to this part of the country nearly 30 years ago. It’s not as if one is going to get themselves in serious trouble while in downtown – but then again, one has to KNOW their surroundings and remain with the “flow” – a bit of “streetwise” stuff from my youth in NYC.
Some acknowledgments are in order:
Lars -10-28-2006, 2:02 PM: Good to see ya and hope yoru trip home is uneventful. I concur with your assessment of the "series" as the Cards took every advantage whereas the Tigers didn't. Throwing the ball away so many times didn't help their cause either . . . Appears as if you're interested in the Delson 'n Gaspe ida. What you put together is pretty much "on the mark" as it is what I had planned to do. The Delson Museum is an extra for me, and I'll only partake should either you or Pete make the trip. Otherise, I'll just "do" the Gaspe run; not interested in a night in Montreal - alone. Much rather spend my nights aboard a rolling train!
Eric - 10-29-2006, 2:09 AM:: Here’s your link:
http://web.mac.com/ericx2000/iWeb/Sunday%20Picts/Sunday%20Pictures.html
Highly recommend the “slide show” – great Pix – many thanx!
Doug – 10-29-2006, 8:08 AM: Your Bears didn’t let you down – they’re doing GREAT! Hope they continue strongly for the second half of the season. Good work with your Sunday Pix – appreciate the time you give us, in spite of everything going on in your personal life.
Rob – 10-29-2006, 11:17 AM and 11:23 AM: Fine inclusive “catch up” and of course wonderful traction Pix!
Pete – 10-29-2006, 5:03 PM: Great shots from Alan (you’ve GOT to get him to stop in!!) – and of course, enjoyed your narrative. And yes, Red Auerbach was the cigar smoking coach who always lit up upon chalking up another Celtics victory. Quite the character and a most revered figure in sports history in this country.
Mike – 10-29-2006, 6:05 PM: Fine selection of CV Pix along with some wonderful URLs. Hope the guys avail themselves of the Red Auerbach spate of Pix – some very insightful stuff indeed.
James – 10-29-2006, 8:24 PM and 10:05 PM: A diverse and well done selections of Pix for our Sunday Photo Posting Day! The GEEPS in my spread very well could’ve been Santa Fe – I’ll have to get our crack research team on that! <grin> My favorite was that “track shot” – really cool!
G-day Captain Tom and all present!
This is a new start.
Milwaukee Road News.
The 4-6-4 F7 Baltics!
Photo from: www.mylargescale.com/.../introduction.asp
Mostly responsible for the Morning and Evening Hiawathas from Minneapolis to Chicago.
First introduced in 1939 with the third most pronounced Hiawatha streamlined passenger, it was considered the fastest and most bueatiful of passenger trains in North America. Clocking speeds at over 105 mph it made for a sure sight when passing.
Photo from: www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm
In 1939 with the new baltic locomotives, seen above, the train was coonsisted of an Express-Tap car, four coaches and Diners, two parlor cars and a Parlor Observation, also reffered to as a Beaver tail car. (the one shown below) These trains ran up untill the 1948 and 49. Then they became no more.
Photo from: http://www.trainweb.org/hiawatha/tailopening.html
Almost all of the milwaukee roads passenger cars were built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Baltics were built for the Milwaukee road by the American locomotive company, or as we have always know it, ALCO.
Express-Tap lounge
Coach
Dining Car
Parlor Car
Parlor Observation (Beavertail)
The pics above show the interiors of each of the cars used on the Hiawatha. These show some pretty indepth features of each car. These give the arrangement of seats, were the kitchen was and what each looked like inside. The outside of the car is shown in depth also high lighting all the features on these cars. If one notices, Each car as 7 ribs to match the locomotive. Give it a look and see what you think.
Photo's from:www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm
If you have a question on anything let me know.
G-day captain Tom and all present.
Well a very active pics night going on here.
I saw Pete had some interesting steam photos. What it looks like is a couple of Japanese steam engines in the group of pics. If not they closely resemble Japanese steam. BTW, If it's one railroad I know, Its the Milwaukee road. If you need information on it let me know. I will try to answer it to the best of my ability.
Glad you liked my progress on the shed. That was a mess.
Tom- I am also glad you liked the shed. One good deed finished. Now Boris can enjoy it, if... He can recognize it that is. Well, Rob told me there were spiders bigger than a half dollar in there. Am I glad Boris ate them. Also, Tom, Your pics were really cool. I noticed your two Geeps in the one pic and do you think that at one point in time they were Santa Fe?
Eric- Glad you found those Fs. Would there be anyway to post them so I could see them? I just like F-units. There some of the coolest looking loco's.
Barndad- That was a very interesting passenger car. A sleeper lounge. I noticed in one of my books that the milwaukee road a similar car to this sleeper lounge. It was a sleeper with an observation end. The oberservation end of the car has a small lounge area just like the one shown in your picture. But not with the curved glass. The milwaukee road car was a heavy wieght. So it was interesting to get a look into a louge car. It gives me ideas of how a lounge area looks. Even though each railroad differs with interiors. Thanks for the pics.
I would like to thank those who commented on my auto rack. It was quite a heart warmer to win that medal. Never thought I could. But, If you try, There's no telling what you can do.
Great photo's!! But It's time for some more pics.
This has Rock Island written all over it. These signals are classic Rock Island. Very distiguishable by it's three cirrcular lights. This sscene is located in New Mexico, on the now BNSF.
The Union Pacific, and what a picture this is. This is one of those breath taking Dusk shots, with a manifest train in the foreground. Leading unit is an SD90/43MAC, with 3 other units behind it. This is quite a train.
Another one of those breath taking views. Two SD70ACes, (newly delivered this year) are shown shoving a train up a hill. These units are helper sets. This was taken in Montana.
(photo courtesy Divisionpoint)
(photo courtesy Canada Science & Technology Museum)
Red Auerbach photos
http://www.nba.com/celtics/photogallery/red-auerbach-photo-gallery.html
Cigar Aficianado
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/People_Profile/0,2540,33,00.html
The Hick From French Lick (Monon Railroad town)
http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/files/cache/03e1e52839b5cebdc2f3db72b69b6203.jpg
I'll just pop this through the mail slot.
LARS That looks a great intinarary for Montral, hope you have a safe trip back home.
ERIC I will try to put type your link to the pics in so I can have a look. I will try to paste them but I am not sure what I am doing on the computer.
I saw the A4 #60007 very soon after she had been painted into the early BR blue livery she looked superb, I am glad to say she is still in that blue after the recent overhaul.
DOUG I am glad the Halloween House has been very busy although it has meant a lot of work for you.The new house looks great .
Thanks for the pics of the Hollywood Beach car it must have been great to travel on.it.
I actully knew someone who part of his job WAS to put dead chickins in to jet engines, although hopefully not frozen ones..
ROB Glad you liked the story and glad there was a good turn out at the museum again.It must be fun to travel in the Halloween tramcar.
Yes the poor moosehead wont be the same again.
Always good to see the trolley pics.
TOM Some fairly new but good main features on at the Emporium this week, and what the Stooges do with the pepperinos has got me intrigued.
Enjoyed the Dallas pics, some rare shots of the maintainance facility.
Was the coach Red Auerbach who died the one who used to have a large cigar after each win.
Alans pics.
41.1144-9 after a trip down a recenly open branch line.
at Dippoldiswalde
99 1608-1 at Seifersdorf.
Seifersdorf Station
Even though the bar at "Our" Place is
CLOSED on SUNDAYs -
We do observe Sunday Photo Posting Day!
A few more Pix from my 2005 Dallas trip . . . .
TRE bi-levels approaching Centrepoint Station
TRE bi-level at Centrepoint Station
TRE F59PH at rear of bi-levels, Centrepoint Station
Bi-level and RDC at TRE Inspection & Maintenance facility
RDC at TRE Inspection & Maintenance facility
F59PH at TRE Inspection & Maintenance facility
Bi-level consist at TRE Inspection & Maintenance facility
Herzog GP9s at TRE Inspection & Maintenance facility
Enjoy!
Well a few traction shots to keep things perking along on this sunday photo posting day.
NS&T "Curvesider" in St Catharines On in 1949 from OERHA collection
NS&T Interurban Car 623 c1956 from OERHA collection
NS&T Interurban car 83 on last run 1957 from OERHA collection
Enjoy Rob
Good after morning everyone. I'm glad to see that I am in time for the Sunday brunch here at the old saloon by the siding.
Tom-A fine and fitting tribute toRed Auerbach good show and form and all that.I do have fat fingers on occation don't I
Lars-Good to hear that you are soon to be wending your way home, things are indeed rounding hopefully back into form around here.Sounds as though the Montreal trip is rounding into form as well No fear about poor Boris's girls. They were put back right where James found them, he on;y dusted them off
Pete-I loved the "spook" story , just as good the second time around If we do ever get to the old country Crich needs to be on the itinerary.The folks that we have met from their membership over the years are of the top notch variety.I'm just glad that no one suffered any real direct hits from my dart tossing Just that one poor moosehead on the wall I have not got scanable photo's of either of those trolley's , perhaps Eric will be able to scan in his sketches of them.
Doug-Spencers at Halloween ! Good gawd man that's 'bout as insane as my line of work.speaking of oddities at Halloween our last night show went without a hitch last night over seven hundred showed up to be both scarred and entertained by the cast and crew at the museum ( despite the ongoing drizzle )Great dome shots from this morning as well
Eric-yes I survived the flight over , through the force of sheer willpower I might add
Rob
IN TRIBUTE - IN TRIBUTE - IN TRIBUTE
NOW PLAYING at the Mentor Village Emporium Theatre!
. . . Sunday, October 29th thru November 4th: The Usual Suspects (1995) Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro & Kevin Spacey – and – Anger Management (2003) Starring: Adam Sandler & Jack Nicholson. SHORT: The Three Stooges – Playing the Ponies (1937)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
PLOT SUMMARY: After a waterfront explosion, Verbal (Kevin Spacey), an eye-witness and participant tells the story of events leading up to the conflagration. The story begins when five men are rounded up for a line-up, and grilled about a truck hijacking (the usual suspects). Least pleased is Keaton (Gabriel Byrne) a crooked cop - exposed, indicted, but now desperately trying to go straight. The cops won't leave him alone, however, and as they wait for their lawyers to post bail, he is talked into doing one more job with the other four. All goes tolerably well until the influence of the legendary, seemingly omnipotent "Keyser Soze" is felt. Although set in the modern day, it has much of the texture of the forties, plus suspense, intrigue (a fairly high body count), and lots of twists in the plot.
Anger Management (2003)
PLOT SUMMARY: Overworked and undervalued Dave Buznik is a businessman whose life practically seems stuck in second gear. He's got a boss who just as well step on him, as acknowledge the fact that Dave does all the work but the boss gets the credit. He's got a pacifist nature that always gets the best of him, causing him to avoid conflict whenever possible. But it only seems to get worse for Dave when he can't take action and lets everything just sit. However, when a misunderstanding aboard an airplane lands Dave in court, the only way out is through the therapy of Dr. Buddy Rydell, a psychiatrist and anger management expert. While the unconventional Buddy seems harmful and psychotic, he might just be Dave's only solution to a problem that seriously needs to be addressed.
from: www.imdb.com
SHORT: Playing the Ponies (1937)
PLOT SUMMARY: Featuring Moe, Larry and Curly Moe, Larry and Curly are three restaurant owners who want to make money faster through horse racing. They get suckered into buying a broken down nag named Thunderbolt, but fortunately the Stooges have a secret weapon: hot pepperinos!
Moe, Larry and Curly are three restaurant owners who want to make money faster through horse racing. They get suckered into buying a broken down nag named Thunderbolt, but fortunately the Stooges have a secret weapon: hot pepperinos!
from: www.threestooges.net
Good morning Tom and friends! A thousand pardons for my tweetable offense. As Tom noted, I have removed all critter droppings, and "recycled" them to Boris’ shack, where he uses them for bedding (now that we're throwing down my pine chips and peanut shells during regular business hours). Howabout them Cardinals? They surely came through when it counted! I’m hoping my Bears don’t embear*** me tonight, as the TV Gods have moved their game from its usual 12 noon slot, so that more people can see ‘em play in their pumpkin orange costumes. Speaking of which .. I never divulged exactly what job#2 was for me. I work at a Spirit of Halloween Store, which is owned by Spencer. We took over an old Frank’s Nursery, and filled it with all sorts of Halloween costumes, acsessories and other assorted scary stuff about 2 months ago. After Halloween, there’s a one-day 50% off sale, then everything is boxed over the following week to resurface again in another 10 months when the store reopens. The volume of sales this close to Halloween has been insane, and I get to be right in the trenches! I worked a long shift yesterday, and have another to look forward to today.
On the home front, Our walk-through for the new house is this Thursday, and we’ve begun packing. The big project our builder has not begun is installing the water heater and all the plumbing fixtures. Many of the problems we’ve seen have been fixed to our satisfaction, but there are still plenty more to go! Can’t help but notice that the leaves are slowly blanketing the grass surrounding the farm house we’re renting, so I’ll be needing to do something about them. No rest for this wicked boy.
Most amazing coverage of the dart games from CM3. I guess what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. Hats off to partner Nick for somehow staying alive. It’s been an ordeal. Hats off also to the rest of the gang for keeping this thread a pretty darn-good read in spite of the absence of usual contributions. Amazing material as usual, to be sure. I for one will not be full-strength until later into November, events in my life being what they are these days. Here’s a small little something for today:
Pictured is the interior of the lounge of the privately-owned deluxe five-bedroom sleeper/lounge car Hollywood Beach, in Chicago on Sept. 15 in preparation for departure that night to the American Association of Private Railcar Owners convention in Scranton, PA. Just four of these cars were built for the Seaboard Railroad, and this is the only one left in service. Worth noting is that the unique curved windows in the ceiling of this car inspired similar ones in Amtrak’s Superliner lounge cars.
It seems the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a unique device for testing the strength of windshields on airplanes. The device is a gun that launches a dead chicken at a plane's windshield at approximately the speed the plane flies.The theory is that if the windshield doesn't crack from the carcass impact, it'll survive a real collision with a bird during flight. It seems the British were very interested in this and wanted to test a windshield on a brand new, speedy locomotive they're developing.They borrowed the FAA's chicken launcher, loaded the chicken and fired. The ballistic chicken shattered the windshield, went through the engineer's chair, broke an instrument panel and embedded itself in the back wall of the engine cab. The British were stunned and asked the FAA to recheck the test to see if everything was done correctly.The FAA reviewed the test thoroughly and had one recommendation: "Use a thawed chicken."
G'day Cap'n Tom and all assembled!
St. Louis Cardinals are the Champions of the World of Baseball! Fantastic achievement and congratulations to Cap'n Tom and all who claim the Red Birds as their own! 5- to all!
I'm hardly a sportscaster, but here's what I recall: The Tigers botched pretty much every easy play where the potential for a run by the opposition turned to reality. The Cardinals played nearly flawlessly in the field with the exception of that kid in the outfield. What a mess he made of things, huh Fortunately, the Cardinals pitcher saved his bacon on more than one occasion. Anyway, perhaps not the best team in baseball, but for sure the best in the playoffs - which is where it counts the most! A redemption of the 2004 sweep, I'd say.
Ruth, a tall, frosty pilsner - you pick it from the list of German brews please. Just slide the snacks down my way - it's a bit early for lunch for me - and oh yes, a round on me.
Good to see ya up 'n about the decks Pete! That also goes for you too Rob with those late night posts! Perhaps with the two of you back in the saddle, we can resume some normalcy 'round this joint. The way I figger it, we NEED Doug in the AM - Rob whenever we can get him - and Pete as our PM poster. If we can count on those three - we're in good shape for the in betweens. Problem is - you-know-what-happens! Evenings seem to have settled in quite nicely with contributions from Eric - DL 'n Nick on a semi-routine basis. Of course on Mon thru Fri, we have CM3 I'm Not Shane! (xcpt for federal holidays!!) All works to our advantage - the more we have aboard, the better the info exchange, and of course the banter at the bar!
So, we're winding down the month of October - hard to believe, but it's been a looooooooong month in some ways and I'm more than ready to return to my digs in Staten Island.
I noted some serious housekeeping has been done 'round the joint - must've been that TWEETING punishment doled out by our Mentor - Cap'n Tom. Although not acknowledged by Doug (yet) - all of the Awk - Tex 'n Frostbite droppings have been removed. Good show! And I noted that Boris' shed looks like it has had a thorough cleansing and purging of this 'n that. I noted he slept on the roof, probably didn't recognize his lair, huh Hopefully his "inflatibles" weren't disturbed - that would be cause for serious alarms. Boris and his 'girls' cannot be parted!
I was able to do a bit of browsing referencing the Gaspe train and that museum in Quebec that Cap'n Tom and Pete have been discussing. Seems like we could "do" the museum in plenty of time to get back to Montreal for the 6:15 PM departure of the train. One night in Montreal - two nights up 'n back aboard the train - a three-nighter would do it. The Gaspe train returns to Montreal in the monring which would give us plenty of time to jet-away back home without having to spend another night. Just keep me apprised of what you guys are planning by e-mail and perhaps we can hook up. I'm way overdue for something like that.
Enjoyed the Url and your rerun of the Halloween story - somehow, I don't recall viewing it before - but then again, I wasn't a customer last fall! <duh>
Can't stay online for much longer, as the family "divies" up 'puter time quite well. They've been kind to their uncle though - and just as long as I don't hog the "mo-sheen" we all get along quite well.
Enjoy the parade tomorrow Tom and have a great weekend gents!
Until the next time!
Lars
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