"OUR" PLACE - SEE NEW THREAD!

[siberianmo]

G'day!

My finale for this day . . . .

BNSF SD75M #8229 (foto: R. Cody Erben)



REMINDER:
Leon the Night Man takes the bar at 9 PM (Central)!

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[Anonymous]

Good evening Tom and friends! I'll have a bottomless draught, and buy a round for the house. I'll tell ya, where else can you go to get all this great information in one day? Looks like a mix of BNSF and Santa Fe right now .... here's a unit you can explore at the IRM:

AT&SF 92 1968 FP45 (SDFP45) Diesel-Electric Cowl Unit



Electro-Motive’s FP45 was the last pre-Amtrak passenger locomotive, and the first “cowl” unit. Unlike earlier cab units, the full width cab behind the cab is non-structural



Only 14 FP45s were built (9 ATSF, 5 Milwaukee Road), but the design led to later cowl units now in service on Amtrak and commuter lines.





In the late 1960s, ATSF need to replace its aging cab units. The resulting FP45 was similar to an SD45 freight unit, but with a full-width cowl, a steam generator for passenger car heating and cooling, gearing for higher speeds, and the famous “Warbonnet” paint scheme. After Amtrak took over passenger service in 1971, the FP45s were rebuilt as SDFP45 freight units.

Prime mover: 20 cylinder 645E 3600 hp


Weight: 398,000 pounds


[:I] A man walked in to a bar after a long day at work. As he began to drink his beer, he heard a voice say seductively "You've got great hair!" The man looked around but couldn't see where the voice was coming from, so he went back to his beer.

A minute later, he heard the same soft voice say "You're a handsome man!" The man looked around, but still couldn't see where the voice was coming from.

When he went back to his beer, the voice said again "What a stud you are!" The man was so baffled by this that he asked the bartender what was going on.

The bartender said "Oh, it's the nuts--they're complimentary." [:I]

[Anonymous]

Happy Birthday America !!!

Good morning Tom and friends! I'll have Corn Flakes in red/white/blue (tomato juice, milk and blueberry juice), if there's any left! Fine BN posting yesterday Tom. Really like the looks of your articles. No Mike, that was not a picture of a vacant lot. If you look closely, there are three large rocks, a sign, and some parked construction equipment. The tree isn't even on the property. Liked your Double Diner post yesterday. Thanks for the words yesterday Ted! You always have great things to say

And now, here's a bit of theme related stuff for ya'll:

As the Twentieth Century began, use of air brakes and knuckle couplers led to much longer and heavier trains. Locomotives became much bigger to cope. This 2-8-0 was built in 1910 by Brooks as No. 2976 for the New York Central, which soon discovered that larger 2-8-2 engines were better for its use. It was then sold to the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient as No. 66. Santa Fe took over the Orient in 1929, and No. 66 became AT&SF No. 2522. The engine was put on display in Fairview, Okla. in 1954. This photo was taken at the AT&SF roundhouse, Kansas City, on Aug. 2, 1929.



The streamlined locomotives designed by Henry Dreyfus for the lightweight Twentieth Century Limited of 1938 became “the” symbol of the New York Central’s thrust into modernity. The Central already had a superb series of 4-6-4 Hudson locomotives in service, and it was the J-3a class to which Dreyfus styling was applied. It was so distinctive and individual that no other railroad dared develop a locomotive that looked like it. These locomotives made the statement “New York Central,” and were recognized far beyond railroad circles as most tasteful and evocative in concept, especially as the lines of the basic locomotive were not hidden. The exposed driving rods flashing alongside the polished aluminum-finish wheels made an unmistakable and dramatic image.

This posed view is of Nos. 5445, 5446 and 5447 at the Rensselaer, N.Y. roundhouse and engine terminal in March, 1938. They were brand new from Alco, part of a delivery of ten locomotives with this Dreyfus styling, and sat resplendently for numerous publicity shots. Seldom would these locomotives be so clean again, as they hauled their high-speed trains on the Water Level Route in all kinds of weather. Starting in 1943, the NYC began intermixing L-4 class “Mohawks” in the power assignments for the Century, and in 1945 diesels began to be assigned. Between 1943 and 1947, all the J-3a’s were de-steam-lined. They ended their service looking like their non-streamlined sisters.



[:I] John Smith lived in Staten Island, New York and worked in Manhattan. He had to take the ferryboat home every night. One evening, he got down to the ferry and found there was a wait for the next boat, so John decided to stop at a nearby tavern. Before long he was feeling no pain.

When he got back to the ferry slip, the ferryboat was just eight feet from the dock. Smith, afraid of missing this one and being late for dinner, took a running leap and landed right on the deck of the boat.

"How did you like that jump, buddy?" said a proud John to a deck hand.

"It was great," said the sailor. "But why didn't you wait? We were just pulling in!" [:I]

[siberianmo]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE Day 2006!

(Click to enlarge)


Since this is the 4th of July and America’s Birthday ”Our” Place invites our friends and their families to celebrate with us today …. Start with a free lunch and good times followed by fireworks at dusk! [wow] [yeah]

Come join us! [tup] [swg]


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


TUESDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of POSTS


4th of July and a holidayTuesday! C’mon in – enjoy a cup of freshly ground ‘n brewed coffee – a <light or <traditional breakfast from the Menu Board and of course one or two goodies from The Mentor Village Bakery!



Daily Wisdom


”Dad, the guy is here for the Venetian blinds.” “Look in my pants pocket and give him five bucks.
ENCORE! Yogi-ism



Info for the Day:


Railroads from Yesteryear –
Arrives TODAY! – watch for it!


* Weekly Calendar:


TODAY: RR Theme for the Day!
Wednesday: Toy ‘n Model Trains Day!
Thursday: Fish ‘n Chips Nite!
Friday: Pizza Nite! & Steak Nite!
Saturday: Steak ‘n Trimmin’s Nite! – and –
ENCORE! Saturday



MVP Award Winners

April 2006 . . . LoveDome Lars
May – June . . . . barndad Doug



[tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]


Comedy Corner

Reasons “things” happen!


Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.


Law of Footwear: If the shoe fits, it's ugly.


Law of the Orient: A closed mouth gathers no feet.


Law of Shopping: As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.


[tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]



The Mentor Village Emporium Theatre


NOW SHOWING:
Double Features and Three Stooges Short Subject!

. . . Sunday, July 2nd thru 8th: 1776 (1972): starring: William Daniels & Howard Da Silva – and – The Patriot (2000) starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger & Joely Richardson. SHORT: Movie Maniacs (1936).

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

. . . Sunday, July 9th thru 15th: The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch – and – M*A*S*H (The Movie - 1970) starring: Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt. SHORT: Half-Shot Shooters (1936)



SUMMARY

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

(1) barndad Doug Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 06:09:19 (369) BNSF & Railfans ‘n Joke!

(2) barndad Doug Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 06:36:22 (369) BNSF Chicago Subdivision ‘n Joke!

(3) siberianmo Tom Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 06:50:02 (369) Monday’s Info & 11-Post Summary

(4) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 07:50:23 (369) Bearman’s Inclusive Gulf Coast Report!

(5) wanswheel Mike Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 08:44:12 (369) Inclusive Post – NYC Double Diners ‘n URLs! [wow]

(6) siberianmo Tom Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 10:25:18 (369) RRs of Today #1 – BNSF

(7) BudKarr BK Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 11:54:19 (369) Mountain Report!

(8) BudKarr BK Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 12:05:06 (369) UP turbines!

(9) siberianmo Tom Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 14:31:48 (369) BNSF Pix – Acknowledgments & Comments

(10) siberianmo Tom Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 17:32:21 (369) BNSF Pix!

(11) siberianmo Tom Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 19:02:30 (370) BNSF Pix!

(12) barndad Doug Posted: 03 Jul 2006, 20:58:37 (370) 6 ATSF Pix ‘n Joke!



That’s it![tup][;)]


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

[siberianmo]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE Day 2006!



Now arriving on track #1 …..
Railroads from Yesteryear! Number Four
first Posted on page 240


Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements. Some heralds from other sources.


New York Central Railroad


Locale: Chicago, IL to New York, NY and Boston, MA

Reporting marks: NYC

Dates of operation: 1831 – 1968

Track gauge: 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)

Headquarters: New York, New York


The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting mark NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the North-Eastern United States. Headquartered in New York, the railroad served a large proportion of the area, including extensive trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts and much of New England and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec. Its primary connections included Chicago and Boston. The NYC's Grand Central Terminal in New York City is one of its best known extant landmarks.

The New York Central was known as the "Water Level Route" as its mainline to New York City ran along the Hudson River.

The famous Water Level Route of the NYC, from New York City to upstate New York, was the first four-track long-distance railroad in the world.

In 1968 the New York Central merged with its former rival, the Pennsylvania Railroad, to form Penn Central (the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad joined in 1969). That company soon went bankrupt and was taken over by the federal government and merged into Conrail in 1976. Conrail was broken up in 1998, and much of its system was transferred to the newly-formed New York Central Lines LLC, a subsidiary of CSX. That company's lines include the original New York Central main line, but outside that area it includes lines that were never part of the New York Central system.

History

Pre-New York Central: 1826-1853

The oldest part of the New York Central was the first permanent railroad in the state of New York and one of the first railroads in the United States. The Mohawk and Hudson Railroad was chartered in 1826 to connect the Mohawk River at Schenectady to the Hudson River at Albany, providing a way for cargo on steamboats to avoid the Erie Canal. The Mohawk and Hudson opened on September 24, 1831, and changed its name to the Albany and Schenectady Railroad on April 19, 1847.

The Utica and Schenectady Railroad was chartered April 29, 1833; as the railroad paralleled the Erie Canal it was prohibited from carrying freight. Revenue service began August 2, 1836, extending the line of the Albany and Schenectady Railroad west from Schenectady along the north side of the Mohawk River, opposite the Erie Canal, to Utica. On May 7, 1844 the railroad was authorized to carry freight with some restrictions, and on May 12, 1847 the ban was fully dropped, but the company still had to pay the equivalent in canal tolls to the state.

The Syracuse and Utica Railroad was chartered May 1, 1836 and similarly had to pay the state for any freight displaced from the canal. The full line opened July 3, 1839, extending the line further to Syracuse via Rome (and further to Auburn via the already-opened Auburn and Syracuse Railroad). This line was not direct, going out of its way to stay near the Erie Canal and serve Rome, and so the Syracuse and Utica Direct Railroad was chartered January 26, 1853. Nothing of that line was ever built, though the later West Shore Railroad, acquired by the New York Central in 1885, served the same purpose.

The Auburn and Syracuse Railroad was chartered May 1, 1834 and opened mostly in 1838, the remaining 4 miles (6 km) opening on June 4, 1839. A month later, with the opening of the Syracuse and Utica Railroad, this formed a complete line from Albany west via Syracuse to Auburn, about halfway to Geneva. The Auburn and Rochester Railroad was chartered May 13, 1836 as a further extension via Geneva and Canandaigua to Rochester, opening on November 4, 1841. The two lines merged on August 1, 1850 to form the rather indirect Rochester and Syracuse Railroad (known later as the Auburn Road). To fix this, the Rochester and Syracuse Direct Railroad was chartered and immediately merged into the Rochester and Syracuse on August 6, 1850. That line opened June 1, 1853, running much more directly between those two cities, roughly parallel to the Erie Canal.

To the west of Rochester, the Tonawanda Railroad was chartered April 24, 1832 to build from Rochester to Attica. The first section, from Rochester southwest to Batavia, opened May 5, 1837, and the rest of the line to Attica opened on January 8, 1843. The Attica and Buffalo Railroad was chartered in 1836 and opened on November 24, 1842, running from Buffalo east to Attica. When the Auburn and Rochester Railroad opened in 1841, there was no connection at Rochester to the Tonawanda Railroad, but with that exception, there was now an all-rail line between Buffalo and Albany with the completion of the Tonawanda Railroad. On March 19, 1844 the Tonawanda Railroad was authorized to build the connection, and it opened later that year. The Albany and Schenectady Railroad bought all the baggage, mail and emigrant cars of the other railroads between Albany and Buffalo on February 17, 1848 and began operating through cars.

On December 7, 1850 the Tonawanda Railroad and Attica and Buffalo Railroad merged to form the Buffalo and Rochester Railroad. A new direct line opened from Buffalo east to Batavia on April 26, 1852, and the old line between Depew (east of Buffalo) and Attica was sold to the Buffalo and New York City Railroad on November 1. The line was added to the New York and Erie Railroad system and converted to the Erie's 6 foot (1829 mm) wide gauge.

The Schenectady and Troy Railroad was chartered in 1836 and opened in 1842, providing another route between the Hudson River and Schenectady, with its Hudson River terminal at Troy.

The Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad was chartered in 1834 to build from Lockport on the Erie Canal west to Niagara Falls; it opened in 1838. On December 14, 1850 it was reorganized as the Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad, and an extension east to Rochester opened on July 1, 1852.

The Buffalo and Lockport Railroad was chartered April 27, 1852 to build a branch of the Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls from Lockport towards Buffalo. It opened in 1854, running from Lockport to Tonawanda, where it junctioned with the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad, opened 1837, for the rest of the way to Buffalo.

In addition to the Syracuse and Utica Direct, another never-built company - the Mohawk Valley Railroad - was chartered January 21, 1851 and reorganized December 28, 1852, to build a railroad on the south side of the Mohawk River from Schenectady to Utica, next to the Erie Canal and opposite the Utica and Schenectady. The West Shore Railroad later built on that location.

Albany industrialist and Mohawk Valley Railroad owner Erastus Corning got the above railroads together into one system, and on March 17, 1853 they agreed to merge. The merger was approved by the state legislature on April 2, and ten of the remaining companies merged to form the New York Central Railroad on May 17, 1853. The following companies were consolidated into this system, including the main line from Albany to Buffalo:

1. Albany and Schenectady Railroad
2. Utica and Schenectady Railroad
3. Syracuse and Utica Railroad
4. Rochester and Syracuse Railroad
5. Buffalo and Rochester Railroad

The Rochester and Syracuse also owned the old alignment via Auburn, Geneva and Canandaigua, known as the "Auburn Road". The Buffalo and Rochester included a branch from Batavia to Attica, part of the main line until 1852. Also included in the merger were three other railroads:

6. Schenectady and Troy Railroad, a branch from Schenectady east to Troy
7. Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad, a major branch from Rochester west to Niagara Falls
8. Buffalo and Lockport Railroad, a branch from the Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls at Lockport south to Buffalo via trackage rights on the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad from Tonawanda
As well as two that had not built any road, and never would:
9. Mohawk Valley Railroad
10. Syracuse and Utica Direct Railroad

Soon the Buffalo and State Line Railroad and Erie and North East Railroad converted to standard gauge from 6 foot (1829 mm) broad gauge and connected directly with the NYC in Buffalo, providing a through route to Erie, Pennsylvania.

Erastus Corning years: 1853-1867

The Rochester and Lake Ontario Railroad was organized in 1852 and opened in Fall 1853; it was leased to the Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad, which became part of the New York Central, before opening. In 1855 it was merged into the New York Central, providing a branch from Rochester north to Charlotte on Lake Ontario.

The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was also merged into the New York Central in 1855. It had been chartered in 1834 and opened in 1837, providing a line between Buffalo and Niagara Falls. It was leased to the New York Central in 1853 and merged in 1855.

Also in 1855 came the merger of the Lewiston Railroad, running from Niagara Falls north to Lewiston. It was chartered in 1836 and opened in 1837 without connections to other railroads. In 1854 a southern extension opened to the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad and the line was leased to the New York Central; it was merged in 1855.

The Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad was chartered in 1851. The first stage opened in 1853 from Canandaigua on the Auburn Road west to Batavia on the main line. A continuation west to North Tonawanda opened later that year, and in 1854 a section opened in Niagara Falls connecting it to the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge. The New York Central bought the company at bankruptcy in 1858 and reorganized it as the Niagara Bridge and Canandaigua Railroad, merging it into itself in 1890.

The Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad was chartered in 1864 and opened in 1866 as a branch of the New York Central from Athens Junction, southeast of Schenectady, southeast and south to Athens on the west side of the Hudson River. On September 9, 1867 the company was merged into the New York Central, but in 1867 the terminal at Athens burned and the line was abandoned. In the 1880s the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway leased the line and incorporated it into their main line, taken over by the New York Central in 1885 as the West Shore Railroad.

The Hudson River Railroad

The Troy and Greenbush Railroad was chartered in 1845 and opened later that year, connecting Troy south to East Albany on the east side of the Hudson River. The Hudson River Railroad was chartered May 12, 1846 to extend this line south to New York City; the full line opened October 3, 1851. Prior to completion, on June 1, the Hudson River leased the Troy and Greenbush.

Cornelius Vanderbilt obtained control of the Hudson River Railroad in 1864, soon after he bought the parallel New York and Harlem Railroad.

Along the line of the Hudson River Railroad, the High Line was built in the 1930s in New York City as an elevated bypass to the existing street-running trackage on Eleventh Avenue, at the time called "Death Avenue" due to the large number of accidents involving trains. The elevated section has since been abandoned, and the tunnel to the north, built at the same time, is only used by Amtrak trains to New York Penn Station (all other trains use the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad to access the New York and Harlem Railroad).

Vanderbilt years: 1867-1954

In 1867 Vanderbilt acquired control of the New York Central, with the help of maneuverings related to the Hudson River Bridge in Albany. On November 1, 1869 he merged the New York Central with his Hudson River Railroad into the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. This extended the system south from Albany along the east bank of the Hudson River to New York City, with the leased Troy and Greenbush Railroad running from Albany north to Troy.

Vanderbilt's other lines were operated as part of the New York Central Railroad; these included the New York and Harlem Railroad, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, Canada Southern Railway and Michigan Central Railroad.

The Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad was chartered in 1869 and opened in 1871, providing a route on the north side of the Harlem River for trains along the Hudson River to head southeast to the New York and Harlem Railroad towards Grand Central Terminal or the freight facilities at Port Morris. From opening it was leased by the New York Central.

The Geneva and Lyons Railroad was organized in 1877 and opened in 1878, leased by the New York Central from opening. This was a north-south connection between Syracuse and Rochester, running from the main line at Lyons south to the Auburn Road at Geneva. It was merged into the New York Central in 1890.

On July 1, 1900, the Boston and Albany Railroad was leased by the New York Central, although it retained a separate identity. In 1914 the name was changed again forming the modern New York Central Railroad.

The New York Central had a distinctive character; unlike its arch rival the Pennsylvania Railroad's mountainous terrain, the NYC was best known as the Water Level Route; most of its major routes, including New York to Chicago, followed rivers and had no significant grades. This influenced many things, including advertising and most notably locomotive design.

Steam locomotives of the New York Central were optimized for speed on that flat raceway of a main line, rather than slow mountain lugging. Famous locomotives of the System included the well-known 4-6-4 Hudsons, and the postwar Niagaras, fast 4-8-4 locomotives often considered the epitome of their breed by steam locomotive aficionados.

Despite having some of the most modern steam locomotives anywhere, the NYC dieselized rapidly, conscious of its by then difficult financial position and the potential relief that more economical diesel-electric power could bring. Very few New York Central steam locomotives still exist. All Hudsons and Niagaras were sent to the scrapper's torch. In 2004, the only surviving big modern steam locomotives are two 4-8-2 Mohawk dual-purpose locomotives.

The financial situation of northeastern railroading soon became so dire that not even the economies of the new diesel-electric locomotives could change things.

Bypasses

A number of bypasses and cutoffs were built around congested areas.

The Junction Railroad's Buffalo Belt Line opened in 1871, providing a bypass of Buffalo, New York to the northeast, as well as a loop route for passenger trains via downtown. The West Shore Railroad, acquired in 1885, provided a bypass around Rochester, New York. The Terminal Railway's Gardenville Cutoff, allowing through traffic to bypass Buffalo to the southeast, opened in 1898.

The Schenectady Detour consisted of two connections to the West Shore Railroad, allowing through trains to bypass the steep grades at Schenectady, New York. The full project opened in 1902. The Cleveland Short Line Railway built a bypass of Cleveland, Ohio, completed in 1912. In 1924, the Alfred H. Smith Memorial Bridge was constructed as part of the Hudson River Connecting Railroad's Castleton Cut-Off, a 27.5-mile-long freight bypass of the congested Albany terminal area.

An unrelated realignment was made in the 1910s at Rome, when the Erie Canal was realigned and widened onto a new alignment south of downtown Rome. The NYC main line was shifted south out of downtown to the south bank of the new canal. A bridge was built southeast of downtown, roughly where the old main line crossed the path of the canal, to keep access to Rome from the southeast. West of downtown, the old main line was abandoned, but a brand new railroad line was built, running north from the NYC main line to the NYC's former Watertown and Rome Railroad, allowing all NYC through traffic to bypass Rome.

Robert R. Young: 1954-1958

The Vanderbilt interests, having steadily reduced their shareholdings, lost a proxy fight in 1954 to Robert Ralph Young and his Alleghany Corporation. Unable to keep his promises, Young was forced to suspend dividend payments in January 1958 and committed suicide that month.

Alfred E. Perlman: 1958-1968

After his death, Young's role in NYC management was assumed by Alfred E. Perlman, who had been working with the NYC under Young since 1954. Although much had been accomplished to streamline NYC operations, in those tough economic times, mergers with other railroads were seen as the only possible road to financial stability. The most likely suitor became the NYC's former arch-rival Pennsylvania Railroad.

Penn Central, Conrail, CSX: 1968-2004

The New York Central became a fallen flag on February 1, 1968 when it joined with its old enemy, the Pennsylvania Railroad, in the ill-fated merger that produced Penn Central. Slightly over two years later, on June 21, 1970, the Penn Central Transportation Company filed for bankruptcy.

Conrail, officially the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was created by the U.S. Government to salvage Penn Central, and on April 1, 1976, it began operations.

On June 6, 1998, most of Conrail was split between Norfolk Southern and CSX. New York Central Lines LLC was formed as a subsidiary of Conrail, containing the lines to be operated by CSX; this included the old Water Level Route and many other lines of the New York Central, as well as various lines from other companies. CSX also assumed the NYC reporting mark.

References:

Railroad History Database

Surface Transportation Board Decision FD-33388, which created New York Central Lines LLC

PRR Chronology


Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements. Some heralds from other sources.


***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom and the rest of the gang. Time for a coffee and then its going to be one of those Honey Do days.

Can't ignore the NYC so here is my post for that road.

Happy fourth to everyone and especially to all the men and women in the armed forces who continue to protect te freedoms we in this great country enjoy and sometimes take for granted.

NEW
YORK
CENTRAL
Streamlined Head End Cars
by Al

The NYC was one of the largest railroads in the eastern United States with lines running to Toronto, New York City, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, St. Louis and Chicago with many cities in between.
The first streamlined train to enter service on the NYC was the MERCURY rebuilt and streamlined from old heavyweight cars in the roads Beech Grove shops outside Indianapolis. The MERCURY was built to operate a round trip between Cleveland and Detroit daily. The new nine-car train entered service July 15, 1936. The first car in the train was a Baggage 12 seat Smoker 40 Revenue seat Coach Combination numbered 1001 that had originally been a heavyweight Baggage Coach number 90.
The second streamlined trains to enter NYC service were the TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED trains of June 13, 1938. The NYC assigned enough new streamlined cars to the 1938 TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED that they could operate in two sections daily in each direction between Chicago and New York. Each train could operate with 15 cars per consist. Each TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED train was assigned one head end car a Baggage 60' Railway Post Office Car delivered in May 1938 by Pullman Standard. Since their was only one RPO required in each direction nightly the others traveled for the use of the Baggage Compartment only and the RPO was non-operating.

BAGGAGE 60’ RAILWAY POST OFFICE CARS Pullman Standard May 1938 (Built for and assigned to TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED)

5017 – 5020

The next streamlined head end car on the NYC was another Baggage 12 seat Smoker 40 revenue seat Coach Combination rebuilt from a heavyweight commuter baggage Coach Combination number 91. This car was assigned to the second MERCURY consist inaugurated November 12, 1939. This was a ten car consist and a extra car was rebuilt at the same time for assignment to the original MERCURY so both were nearly identical ten-car trains. The Baggage 12 seat Smoker 40 revenue seat Coach Combination was numbered 1007. Now each morning one MERCURY departed from Chicago and one from Cleveland daily meeting in Detroit for a lengthy layover before continuing on to the opposite terminal.
The NYC next had Beech Grove shops streamline a heavyweight Baggage Car 3078 and renumber the car 8551. The Beech Grove shops streamlined a heavyweight 44 seat Dining Car number 576 and a Buffet observation Car number 52 at the same time. These three cars along with four Budd stainless steel coaches that had been delivered previously by Budd would comprise the new JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY between Cincinnati and Chicago round trip daily.
In November 1941 the Budd Company delivered 32 lightweight streamlined cars to the NYC for the new EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains operating between Cleveland – Detroit and New York with west bound train sections splitting for Detroit and Cleveland at Buffalo. The same was true for eastbound sections from Cleveland and Detroit coming together at Buffalo for the remainder of the trip to Grand Central Station New York. Each of the two consists departing and arriving in New York City had two head end cars. The first was a Baggage 60’ Railway Post Office Car. This was a through New York – Cleveland car they were named ALONZO B. CORNELL and JOHN A. DIX. The other head end car in each consist was a Baggage Tavern Lounge Car named GROVER CLEVELAND or MARTIN VAN BUREN. These two cars were assigned to operate New York – Detroit.

BAGGAGE 60’ RAILWAY POST OFFICE CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

ALONZO B. CORNELL

JOHN A. DIX

BAGGAGE BUFFET 47 SEAT TAVERN LOUNGE CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

GROVER CLEVELAND

MARTIN VAN BUREN

Following WW II the NYC placed orders with American Car & Foundry, Budd and Pullman Standard for some of the largest postwar car orders. Head end car orders were placed with all three major passenger car manufacturers with the bulk of the head end cars coming from American Car & Foundry.
The first of the postwar head end cars to begin delivering were a group of one hundred Baggage cars numbered 9100 to 9199 from American Car & Foundry delivered between October 1946 and May 1947. These cars were built for assignment to General Service.

BAGGAGE CARS American Car & Foundry October 1946 – May 1947 (Built for and assigned to General Service)

9100 – 9199

Beginning in February and finishing in March 1947 American Car & foundry delivered twenty Baggage 48 revenue seat Coach combinations numbered 280 – 299. These twenty cars were assigned to general service.
One month later in April 1947 American Car & Foundry delivered another pair of Baggage 48 revenue seat Coaches to the NYC for assignment to the postwar MERCURY trains. These cars were numbered 344 and 345.

BAGGAGE 48 REVENUE SEAT COACH COMBINATIONS American Car & Foundry February – March 1947 (Built for and assigned to General service)

380 – 299

BAGGAGE 48 REVENUE SEAT COACH COMBINATIONS American Car & Foundry April 1947 (Built for and assigned to MERCURY’S)

344, 345

In July 1947 American Car & Foundry delivered four 60’ Railway Post Office cars 4907 – 4910 for assignment to the TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED. The prewar cars from the TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED were than assigned to the COMMODORE VANDERBILT between New York and Chicago.
In addition a pair of Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office Cars 5014 and 5015 were delivered by American Car & Foundry in July 1947 to the NYC for assignment to the WOLVERINE. This was another overnight train between New York and Chicago except the WOLVERINE operated across Southern Ontario between Buffalo and Detroit.

60’ RAILWAY POST OFFICE CARS American Car & Foundry July 1947 (Built for and assigned to TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED)

4907 – 4910

BAGGAGE 30’ RAILWAY POST OFFICE CARS American Car & Foundry July 1947 (Built for and assigned to WOLVERINE)

5014, 5015

Two lots of Baggage 16 Crew Dormitory cars were delivered to the NYC one lot from Budd consisted of twelve cars numbered 8970 – 8981. These stainless steel cars were assigned to the NEW ENGLAND STATES between Boston and Chicago, the SOUTHWESTERN LIMITED between New York and St. Louis and the OHIO STATE LIMITED between New York and Cincinnati. Due to the NEW ENGLAND STATES and OHIO STATE LIMITED often operating in two sections the extra Baggage 16 Crew Dormitory cars were kept in reserve for those trains.
The other lot of Baggage 16 Crew Dormitory cars 8961 - 8969 were delivered by Pullman Standard between March and May, 1948 for assignment to the COMMODORE VANDERBILT between New York and Chicago, THE DETROITER between New York and Detroit, WOLVERINE between New York and Chicago via Detroit and the remainder general service.

BAGGAGE 16 CREW DORMITORY CARS Budd Company August – October 1947 (Built for and assigned to NEW ENGLAND STATES – OHIO STATE LIMITED – SOUTHWESTERN LIMITED)

8970 – 8981

BAGGAGE 16 CREW DORMITORY CARS Pullman Standard March – May 1948 (Built for and assigned to COMMODORE VANDERBILT – DETROITER – WOLVERINE)

8961 - 8969

TTFN Al

[siberianmo]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE Day 2006!


Here’s another Passenger RR Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads:
first Posted on page 122

New York Central System (NYC)


Headquarters: New York City

Locomotives in 1963:

Diesel: 1,965 Electric: 65

Rolling stock in 1963:

Freight cars: 94,115 Passenger cars: 2,905

Principal routes in 1950:

New York-Buffalo, NY-Cleveland, OH-Chicago, IL
Buffalo-Detroit, MI-Porter, IN (Chicago)
Boston, MA-Albany, NY
Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati, OH
Gallion, OH-St. Louis, MO
Chicago-Indianapolis, IN-Cincinnati
Indianapolis-Peoria, IL
Cleveland-Pittsburgh, PA
Detroit-Toledo, OH-Springfield, OH
Toledo-Columbus, OH-Charleston, WVA
Utica, NY-Montreal, QC

Passenger trains of note:

Chicagoan (New York-Cleveland-Chicago)
Chicago Mercury (Chicago-Detroit)
Cincinnati Mercury (Cleveland-Cincinnati)
Cleveland Mercury (Detroit-Cleveland)
Cleveland Limited (New York-Cleveland)
Commodore Vanderbilt (New York-Chicago)
Detroiter (New York-Detroit)
Detroit Mercury (Cleveland-Detroit)
Empire State Express (New York-Buffalo)
James Whitcomb Riley (Chicago-Cincinnati)
Knickerbocker (New York-St. Louis)
Lake Shore Limited (New York-Cleveland-Chicago)
The Michigan (Chicago-Detroit)
Motor City Special (Chicago-Detroit)
New England States (Chicago-Cleveland-Boston)
Ohio State Limited (New York-Cleveland-Cincinnati)
Pacemaker (New York-Cleveland-Chicago)
Southwestern Limited (New York-St. Louis)
20th Century Limited (New York Chicago)
Twilight Limited (Chicago-Detroit)
Wolverine (Chicago-Detroit-New York)


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[siberianmo]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE Day 2006!


PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #27

Here’s something to ponder with regard to our appreciation and fascination with
Classic Trains. Check this advertisement out (from The Official Guide of the Railways – 1956)
first Posted on page 169


Something new for veteran travelers
THROUGH SEPT. 29th

NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD

For a limited time only
AEROTRAIN CLEVELAND-CHICAGO

This much-talked about, lightweight train offers a new experience in travel – provides fast, conveniently scheduled coach service between Cleveland and Chicago . . . with many attractive New York Central features.

* Hostess service
* Seat service for light meals from a rolling buffet
* Separate bar car
* Air cooled
* Reclining contour seats

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Standard Time) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Train #201 – Lv. Cleveland 6:35 AM – Ar. Chicago 12:15 PM
Train #200 – Lv. Chicago 4:00 Pm – Ar. Cleveland 10:45 PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Also serving 12 cities in between . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[Anonymous]

Good afternoon all aboard. A very special day for Americans and their families. I suspect that is where most of our numbers may be found, with their families, that is.[tup] Tom, I am duty bound to select an American whiskey on this Inedepenence Day, so please make it a Jack Daniels Black Label straight up with a "branch water back." HEEVAHGEEVAHSHEEVA....man that's smooth whiskey.![xx(] They may be the few but "they" are the mighty with thouroghly absorbing data from the N.Y.C. to Santa Fe, to B.N.S.F., to, {must I say it?} Penn Central.[v] Seriously, with just a few posts, I dare say, more has been covered through Tom, Barndad, Mike and Al than on the heaviest of volume days.[bow] Let me not forget the excellent coverage of the U.P. steam and gas turbines prior to that.[^] I don't know the reason but "turbines" have never scored a big "hit" among r.r. Buffs compared to conventional steam and diesel. Thanks Tom for the up-date on the whereabouts of our Chief Chef [C=:-)] Nick and, of course, our active duty serviceman, John. We salute you on this special day sir. Mike, for a "one finger" treatise, yours was a tour de force indeed and very much appreciated.[tup] X bazillion.

Looking foward to the fireworks display at dusk with the possible exception of what antics Boris might blunder into this year.[:O] This must be my last entry for this 4th. A Rep. from the "reverse motgage" people will be here tomorrow and there are a few "loose ends" still pending. Okay, hit 'er Boris! ...SQUEAL!!! Cretin, not Ruthy and defintely...not there![:(!]

[siberianmo]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE Day 2006!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #28

Here’s something to ponder with regard to our appreciation and fascination with
Classic Trains. Check this advertisement out (from The Official Guide of the Railways – 1956)
first Posted on page 170



Extra service at no extra fare!

Route your passengers on the Central’s newest train

OHIO XPLORER CLEVELAND-CINCINNATI

Built for the Central by Pullman-Standard, the beautiful, lightweight all-coach Xplorer brings a new look to American railroading. Travelers will appreciate being introduced to this train and its convenient schedule.

*Hostess service
*Seat service for light meals from a rolling buffet
*Air cooled
*Reclining contour seats
*Separate bar-lounge car

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Standard Time) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Train #421 – Lv. Cleveland 6:45 AM – Ar. Cincinnati 12:15 PM
Train #422 – Lv. Cincinnati 1:45 PM – Ar Cleveland 7:15 PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Also serving 8 cities in between . . . . . . . . . .

NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE Day 2006!


PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #38

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the New York Central (NYC) in a 1948 advertisement from my private collection:

World Premiere!
the New 20th Century Limited

First of New York Central’s new Dreamliner Fleet

NEW Lookout Lounge – Modern setting for the club-like availability that’s long been a Century tradition.

New – from its streamlined Diesel to its raised “Lookout Lounge” . . .

New King-Size Diner – So spacious it needs a separate kitchen car! Smart designing gives each table privacy plus a perfect outlook. There’s a festive feel about the Century’s dinner lounge and a sense of being served with distinction.

New 1948 Century Rooms – Whether you travel in a roomette, a bedroom or with a party in a suite, you can work, or relax in air-conditioned privacy by day – then sleep the miles away by night on Central’s smooth Water Level Route.

NEW NEW YORK CENTRAL

BETWEEN THE HEART OF CHICAGO AND THE HEART OF NEW YORK
Vacation overnight aboard the new Century. Arrive refreshed – with no business time lost.





Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

No point in Posting any more NYC features - doesn't appear to be anyone 'round the tavern by the tracks.

So I'll take my leave and go outside for the fireworks display . . .

Hope one and all enjoyed the long holiday weekend, and of course holidays at either end of it! [tup]

My appreciation to the few who showed up and of course for the contributions of relevant "theme" material! [tup]

REMINDER:
Leon the Night man takes the bar - NOW!

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[trolleyboy]

Good evening gentlemen. I see that after this weekend of holiday reverie we will have quite a bit of cleaning up to do. seems the Independance Day decor was pasted roght over the Dominion Day decorations. I wonder who would have done that Boris [?][tdn]

I hope that everyone had a wonderfull holiday with your families, and thanks again for all the Dominion day wishes that flowed from everyone as well. Yes Doug I still refer to it as such , being the non-Liberal politically correct WASP that I am. [:O] i also refer to our national flag as Mr Pearson's underware ( another Liberal party rebranding of the country )To my mind the red ensign should still be our national flag but I digress.

Tom Thanks for all the Red 'n' White railroad encores from saturday. They were all good reads, and a pointiant reminder of my countries rail past and the histroy the rail industry has made up here.

I'm glad that you posted the Bergie report as well. I do hope that the new format removes the annoying bugs & glitches many of us have been experiancing the last year.
or so

Great info on the NYC and the BNSF as well. Always nice to see infoion my fav US road the NYC.nothings more American than it I feel, well maybe the Pennsey[swg]

Doug Thanks for posting that article.. there are a lot opf people up here that feel that way.The changes most likely won't go over well in the modern politically correct socoety of today [tdn] more the pity. As to me we should be embracing our uniquness and our history not conforming it to other peoples needs and sensibilities.

Wonderfull work on that GE unit. By the time your shop boys are done with it it will look better than the day it rolled out of Erie.

Tom and Doug a 10x[tup] for the Sunday picture extravaganza you folks pushed forward.I should be able to put forward some decent shots next sunday from our little excursion north. Our hotel in North bay was only 4 blocks from the ONR's main shops ( I assure you it was a coincidence ) At any rate three of tthe refurbed Cat powered F units were parked in front in the storage lines along with a couple of HH geeps.I manged to get shots of te old TNO station and their Consolidation and the Tee train that are part of the water front rail musuem. ( the laters in very rough shape )

Ted wow I think I will take my cahnces with H&H's cooking that, oml;ette Boris made you is beyond bizzare , beyond sureal and definatly beyond the pallet of anything human [alien]I do hope that you stayed clear pf Boris's Independance day flaminf Carpathian show [O][xx(]. I have to say that the "big blows" were not a huge draw for me, but I do see their impressive and attractive lines as a locomotive, truly a piece of railroadianna.

Dave Thanks for the follow up on the SP mergers and trials and tribulations. I've always found that it is the beancounters that win in the end. Those and cockroaches and the odd lawyer will liley be the only survivers of a nuclear blast ( either via a nuke train or plane LOL )

Thanks for the greatest rail inventions list as well. Here's a couple more.
1) The first usage of the safety or north american cab on diesel locomotives. CN ordered SD402w's in 1972 with the full width nose followed by orders for GP40-2's and GP38-2's also with the "safety" cab two decades before they became the norm.

2) The TH&B insatlled the first functioning and usuefull "pre heat " system in a roundhouse. In 1900 they installed a statuionary boiler with steam lines to preheat steam locomotives in their John street roundhouse ( Hamilton Ontario ) This eleiminated the need for a frie watcher to be on duty all night as they would let the fore go down and inject a hot steam blast to get the kettle cooking in the morning. this was later used on it's parent companies the NYC and the MC as well as a few other rr's later.

Mike Great article on the NYC dining cars sir. Thanbks for the NS&T pix as well.

Well that should just about get me back into the curve.

Leon here's a sack o ca***o repleni***he tills for the morning after a weekend of freebies.

Rob

[siberianmo]

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


WEDNESDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of POSTS


Mid-week is upon us! C’mon in – enjoy a cup of freshly ground ‘n brewed coffee – a <light or <traditional breakfast from the Menu Board and of course one or two goodies from The Mentor Village Bakery!



Daily Wisdom


If people don’t want to come to the ballpark, how are you going to stop them?
ENCORE! Yogi-ism



Info for the Day:


* Weekly Calendar:


TODAY: Toy ‘n Model Trains Day!
Thursday: Fish ‘n Chips Nite!
Friday: Pizza Nite! & Steak Nite!
Saturday: Steak ‘n Trimmin’s Nite! – and –
ENCORE! Saturday



MVP Award Winners

April 2006 . . . LoveDome Lars
May – June . . . . barndad Doug



[tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]


Comedy Corner

Take any word, add – subtract or change one letter – provide a new definition and you get:

1. Cashtration (n): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

2. Intaxication : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

3. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

4. Bozone (n): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

5. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting “prone.”

6. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.


[tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]



The Mentor Village Emporium Theatre


NOW SHOWING:
Double Features and Three Stooges Short Subject!

. . . Sunday, July 2nd thru 8th: 1776 (1972): starring: William Daniels & Howard Da Silva – and – The Patriot (2000) starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger & Joely Richardson. SHORT: Movie Maniacs (1936).

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

. . . Sunday, July 9th thru 15th: The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch – and – M*A*S*H (The Movie - 1970) starring: Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt. SHORT: Half-Shot Shooters (1936)



SUMMARY

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

(1) barndad Doug Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 06:31:44 (370) THEME: NYC – early stylish steam locos

(2) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 07:26:25 (370) Tuesday’s Info & 12-Post Summary

(3) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 08:53:24 (370) THEME: NYC – RRs from Yesteryear

(4) passengerfan Al Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 09:52:24 (370) THEME: NYC – Streamlined head end cars

(5) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 13:16:09 (370) THEME: NYC – Fallen Flag

(6) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 13:29:40 (370) THEME: NYC Aerotrain ad (1956)

(7) Theodorebear Ted Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 14:16:57 (370) Gulf Coast Report!

(8) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 15:20:12 (370) THEME: NYC Ohio Xplorer ad (1956)

(9) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 18:55:34 (370) THEME: NYC 20th Century Ltd ad (1948)

(10) siberianmo Tom Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 20:13:50 (370) Comments

(11) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 22:40:34 (370) Count Robulla’s return!



That’s it![tup][;)]


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

[Anonymous]

Good morning Tom and friends! I'll have two light breakfasts and a trash bag to clean-up after the 4-day party, which is now sadly over. Surely enjoyed yesterdays NYC posts from Tom and Al yesterday. I still can't find several boxes of my train literature, so I really need recent E-Bay transactions to get to me soon! Here's a little something (part I) for today's theme:

War Comes to Lionel Vintage Rail No. 8 1997

When the United States found itself drawn into two world wars in the first half of the century, American industry rapidly geared up for its supporting role. Even the nation’s toy makers joined the ranks, curtailing or ceasing normal production and often refitting tools, machinery, and assembly lines to produce equipment needed by the armed forces. One of the nation’s foremost toy manufacturers emerged from each period of wartime production in better shape than when it entered.

Indeed, the Lionel Manufacturing Company had reaped the benefits of a good relationship with the military before its involvement with toy trains. Founded in 1900 by Joshua Lionel Cowen, the seed money for his new business had come from Navy contracts for Cowen’s patented inventions of electrically triggered explosive fuses. Flush with the success of his premier business venture, Cowen turned his attention to the creation of “electrical novelties.”

Before World War I, most of the electrically powered toy trains sold in the U.S. were imports – primarily from Germany, but also from several other European nations. The eruption of hostilities on the continent in 1914, followed by America’s entry into the fray in 1917, seriously disrupted the flow of foreign-made playthings and other consumer products to America’s shores. Although closing the door to imports certainly benefited domestic manufacturers in the short term, this competitive advantage was quickly offset by the shortage of, and increased prices for, the raw materials needed to produce new toys. The impact was felt in the miniature, model railroading world known as Lionelville as early as 1916, when Cowen announced a revised price structure for all trains and accessories via a loose sheet inserted in that year’s consumer catalog. Therein, the firm’s patriarch apologized for the price increases, placing blame squarely on the shoulders of “Old Mister War.”

In spite of Cowen’s attempt to paint a negative image of the war’s impact on Lionel’s wartime fortunes, and despite an actual shortage of raw materials for toy making, the firm fared well during those turbulent times. Even before America’s entry into the war, the Lionel Manufacturing Company had stockpiled parts and wisely secured a new set of lucrative governments contracts to produce a variety of items for the U.S. military. When was declared, even the toy train line itself was used (in retrospect, some might say misused) to further exploit the full potential of a wartime footing.

In 1917, Lionel introduced an armored military train set in O gauge, headed by a twin-cannon-equipped locomotive that resembled no existing prototype used by friend or foe, and which looked more like an early battlefield tank with flanged rather than treaded, wheels. The No. 203 armored locomotive was actually available in two sets: one with two ammunition cars, and the other with two supply cars. Both the locomotive and all of the cars were painted a bland, uniform battleship gray, devoid of any lettering or graphics.



Perhaps more interesting than the armored train itself, and certainly far more colorful, was Lionel’s blatantly jingoistic catalog announcement of this new item. A bold headline extolling the nation’s youth to “Play War!” was accompanied by equally hawkish advertising text.

Regardless of whether one considers the armored train to have been a prudent venture, morally or otherwise, it nevertheless was the most significant new item added to Lionel’s toy train lineup during the war years. The remaining trains and accessories presented in the 1917 and 1918 catalogs (catalogs were published in both years) were largely carry-over products from the prewar period. In any event, and despite the lackluster train offerings, the Lionel Manufacturing Company prospered during the war – to the point where further expansion dictated a corporate reorganization. In July 1918, some four months before the war’s end, the Lionel Manufacturing Company was restructured as The Lionel Corporation, with Joshua Lionel Cowen as its president.

After the war, Cowen’s attitude toward the appropriateness of war toys in childhood development apparently changed. The armored train disappeared from the catalog at war’s end, and it would be some 37 years before it was replaced by any train or accessory with a distinctly military bent. Ron Hollander, in his book All Aboard The Story of Joshua Lionel Cowen & His Lionel Train Company, recounts an instance where a customer had written to Cowen after the war, requesting that the firm manufacture a military train. Cowen rejected the idea with a response that essentially set the tone for Lionel’s prevailing attitude regarding war-related trains until long after World War II:

“We have given considerable thought to the production of a military gun mounted on a flat car, but we have not placed it on the market for the reason that we are most desirous of bringing the idea of war to the minds of children. We would much prefer to devote our efforts and energy to the development of toys that are more elevating to the mind of a child.”

[:I] The Real Man Test

1. Alien beings from a highly advanced society visit the Earth, and you are the first human they encounter. As a token of intergalactic friendship, they present you with a small but incredibly sophisticated device that is capable of curing all disease, providing an infinite supply of clean energy, wiping out hunger and poverty, and permanently eliminating oppression and violence all over the entire Earth. You decide to:
A. Present it to the President of the United States.
B. Present it to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
C. Take it apart.

2. As you grow older, what lost quality of your youthful life do you miss the most?
A. Innocence.
B. Idealism.
C. Cherry bombs.

3. When is it okay to kiss another male?
A. When you wi***o display simple and pure affection without regard for narrow-minded social conventions.
B. When he is the pope. (Not on the lips.)
C. When he is your brother and you are Al Pacino and this is the only really sportsmanlike way to let him know that, for business reasons, you have to have him killed.

4. What about hugging another male?
A. If he’s your father and at least one of you has a fatal disease.
B. If you’re performing the Heimlich maneuver. (And even in this case, you should repeatedly shout: "I am just dislodging food trapped in this male’s trachea! I am not in any way aroused!"
C. If you’re a professional baseball player and a teammate hits a home run to win the World Series, you may hug him provided that:
1. He is legally within the base path,
2. Both of you are wearing protective cups, and
3. You also pound him fraternally with your fist hard enough to cause fractures.

5. Complete this sentence: A funeral is a good time to...
A. ...remember the deceased and console his loved ones.
B. ...reflect upon the fleeting transience of earthly life.
C. ...tell the joke about the guy who has Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

6. In your opinion, the ideal pet is:
A. A cat.
B. A dog.
C. A dog that eats cats.

7. You have been seeing a woman for several years. She is attractive and intelligent, and you always enjoy being with her. One leisurely Sunday afternoon the two of you are taking it easy-you’re watching a football game; she’s reading the papers-when she suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, tells you that she thinks she really loves you, but she can no longer bear the uncertainty of not knowing where your relationship is going. She says she’s not asking whether you want to get married; only whether you believe that you have some kind of future together. What do you say?
A. That you sincerely believe the two of you do have a future, but you don’t want to rush it.
B. That although you also have strong feelings for her, you cannot honestly say that you’ll be ready anytime soon to make a lasting commitment, and you don’t want to hurt her by holding out false hope.
C. That you cannot believe the Jets called a draw play on third and seventeen.

8. Okay, so you have decided that you truly love a woman and you want to spend the rest of your life with her - sharing the joys and the sorrows, the triumphs and the tragedies, and all the adventures and opportunities that the world has to offer, come what may. How do you tell her?
A. You take her to a nice restaurant and tell her after dinner.
B. You take her for a walk on a moonlit beach, and you say her name, and when she turns to you, with the sea breeze blowing her hair and the stars in her eyes, you tell her.
C. Tell her what?

9. One weekday morning your wife wakes up feeling ill and asks you to get your three children ready for school. Your first question to her is:
A. "Do they need to eat or anything?"
B. "They’re in school already?"
C. "There are three of them?"

10. When is it okay to throw away a set of veteran underwear?
A. When it has turned the color of a dead whale and developed new holes so large that you’re not sure which ones were originally intended for your legs.
B. When it is down to eight loosely connected underwear molecules and has to be handled with tweezers.
C. It is never okay to throw away veteran underwear. A real guy checks the garbage regularly in case somebody-and we are not naming names, but this would be his wife-is quietly trying to discard his underwear, which she is frankly jealous of, because the guy seems to have a more intimate relationship with it than with her.

11. What, in your opinion, is the most reasonable explanation for the fact that Moses led the Israelites all over the place for forty years before they finally got to the Promised Land?
A. He was being tested.
B. He wanted them to really appreciate the Promised Land when they finally got there.
C. He refused to ask for directions.

12. What is the human race’s single greatest achievement?
A. Democracy.
B. Religion.
C. Remote control.

How to Score...
Give yourself one point for every time you picked answer "C."
A real guy would score at least 10 on this test.
Give yourself a bonus 5 points for knowing the Alzheimer’s joke. [:I]

[wanswheel]

Good morning Tom and everyone, a round for the house.

Hope it's not too late for New York Central stuff. Great reading yesterday. Glad Rob's back.

The first Niagara Suspension Bridge was officially opened to the public on August 1st 1848. This bridge was 762 feet long (232m) and 8 feet (2.4m) wide. It had a heavy oak plank roadway suspended 220 feet above the river below.

The bridge consisted of four massive wooden towers each 80 feet (24.3m) high, two on each side of the bank, from which cables were suspended. There were four cables - each comprised approximately 120 strands of Number 10 wire. Each cable had been stretched at an equal tension at each side, with wire passing around an iron yoke at each end as a means of anchoring the cables to the rock. Suspending wires connected the cross cable to the wooden superstructure below.

http://alphabetilately.com/Trains/0961.jpg
http://alphabetilately.com/Trains/0961-knapp-priv.jpg
http://alphabetilately.com/Trains/0961-essay.jpg
http://alphabetilately.com/Trains/Thumbs/0961-fulton-fdc.jpg

Ferdinand Richardt painting
http://alphabetilately.com/Trains/0961-source.jpg

Courier & Ives lithograph
http://alphabetilately.com/Trains/0961-CandI.jpg

NYC locomotive David Upton, named for master mechanic and superintendent of motive power of western division of New York Central.
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rochpublib/rpf/rpf00/rpf00684.jpg

NYC Steam at La Salle St. Station in Chicago
http://muse.museum.montana.edu/rvndb/rvn-jpgs/RVN14713.jpg

NYC Steam in Syracuse
http://www.cnyhistory.org/graphics/enetrainfromsalina_.jpg

NYC train hooked up to Cleveland Union Terminal electric locomotive
http://muse.museum.montana.edu/rvndb/rvn-jpgs/RVN10355.jpg

NYC's 1st Rochester Station
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rochpublib/rpf/rpf01/rpf01887.jpg
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm00/scm00678.jpg

NYC's 2nd Rochester Station
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/archives/early/e0000/e0000337.jpg

NYC's site for 3rd Rochester Station in 1911
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08478.jpg

NYC's new Rochester Station in 1913
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm01/scm01333.jpg
Interior views
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08481.jpg
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rochpublib/rpf/rpf00/rpf00346.jpg

NYC train on bridge south of Upper Falls of Genesee River in Rochester
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rochpublib/rpf/rpf00/rpf00962.jpg

Barnum & Bailey Zebras detrain at Rochester
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm03/scm03089.jpg

Rochester's Charlotte Station
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/photolab/vintage/v0000/v0000098.jpg

Rochester's Lake Ontario beach station
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/photolab/vintage/v0000/v0000127.jpg

NY National Guard Companies A and B, 106th Machine Gun Battalion and their families at Rochester Station, 1917
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm06/scm06631.jpg
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm06/scm06545.jpg
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm06/scm06546.jpg

Telephone & Telegraph on dispatcher's desk 1919
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm01/scm01783.jpg

Governor Al Smith
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm03/scm03459.jpg

George Eastman Kodak
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm03/scm03535.jpg

Conductor Frederick Ware retiring in 1924. Hired as a brakeman on the Auburn road in1873, he became a freight conductor in 1883, and a passenger train conductor in 1890.
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm01/scm01590.jpg

Charles H. Hogan in 1921, the engineer who set a world's record 112.5 MPH on the Empire State Express in 1893.
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm07/scm07680.jpg

NYC locomotive 999 at New York World's Fair 1940
http://muse.museum.montana.edu/rvndb/rvn-jpgs/RVN10453.jpg

I rode hundreds of miles on the Central for free as a kid, twice from Chicago to Massachusetts and back (to Davenport on the Rock Island). Then we moved by train to Rochester, where I went to first grade and half of the second. There were railroad tracks to cross every day on the way to school, New York Central. No lights or gates, so had to "stop, look and listen."
Mike

[siberianmo]

Railroad Stations – Terminals & Depots

Number Three – Montreal’s Central Station


Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements.


Central Station (Montreal)


Gare Centrale is the primary railway station in Montreal. It is most commonly known by its French name, however the title is officially bilingual and is also frequently referred to by its English name Central Station.

The station is owned by CN and is situated in the heart of downtown Montreal at 895 De La Gauchetière St. W. (45°30#8242;0.30#8243;N, 73°33#8242;59.50#8243;W), in the borough of Ville-Marie.

With the closure of Windsor Station, Gare Centrale is the main passenger railway hub in Montreal.


Embarqument area
•

History

Gare Centrale sits above and next to the old Canadian Northern Railway's now-demolished Tunnel Terminal.


CNR plans for terminal consolidation

At the end of the 1920s, the newly formed Canadian National Railways struggled with disparate Montréal terminals (Bonaventure station, Tunnel Terminal, Moreau Street Station, and McGill Street) and sought to consolidate them. The solution chosen was to take advantage of the Mount-Royal tunnel and bring all western trains through the tunnel to a big electrified central station, which would then allow the development of air-rights, exactly like for Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

Construction started at the end of the 1920s, but was halted during the Great Depression. Construction resumed during World War II and the new station finally opened on July 14, 1943 as the first of a series of large-scale urban redevelopment projects undertaken by CNR and the federal government in downtown Montreal.

The opening of a 'central' station was part of a consolidation project undertaken by CNR since 1929 with the enactment of the Canadian National Montreal Terminals Act, 1929 by Parliament; this saw the closure of former temporary stations operated by CNR predecessors Grand Trunk (Bonaventure Station) and Canadian Northern.

Gare Centrale was an important CN passenger station from 1943 until the creation of VIA Rail in 1978. Following VIA's full absorption of CP's passenger trains in 1979, intercity rail traffic from Windsor Station was consolidated at Gare Centrale.

Intercity transport

VIA Rail runs trains from Gare Centrale along the Windsor-Québec corridor to Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City, as well as long-distance services to Saguenay, Senneterre, Gaspé, and Halifax. Amtrak offers daily service to New York City.


Preceding station . . . . . . . . VIA Rail Lines . . . . . . Following station

Dorval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toronto – Montréal . . . . . . . . . . . . Terminus

Dorval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ottawa – Montréal. . . . . . . . . . . . . Terminus

Terminus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montréal – Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . Saint-Lambert

Terminus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montréal – Halifax. . . . . . . . . . . . . Saint-Lambert
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Ocean

Terminus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montréal – Gaspé . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saint-Lambert
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Chaleur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terminus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montréal – Jonquière. . . . . . . . . . . Anhuntsic
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Saguenay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terminus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montréal – Senneterre. . . . . . . . . . Anhuntsic
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Abitibi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amtrak Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Saint-Lambert . . . . . . . . . . . . New York – Montréal . . . . . . . . . . . Terminus
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adirondack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Commuter rail

Gare Centrale also serves passengers using Montreal's commuter rail service known as AMT. The station is a hub for the Deux-Montagnes and Mont-Saint-Hilaire lines. Gare Centrale is in Fare Zone 1. It is one of the two downtown terminals for Montreal commuter trains, the other being Lucien L'Allier


***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements.


Information from other sources


Bustling Hub of Activity

An integral part of Montreal's world-renowned transportation network, Central Station is a microcosm of life in the 'underground' city. Featuring a number of restaurants, nearby hotels, shops, offices and other services, the station is a bustling hub of activity that remains open to workers and travellers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Although not built until the mid-20th century, plans for a major downtown train terminal began with the construction in 1913 of an underground tunnel that ran through Mount Royal and under McGill College Road.

Underground City

By 1938, construction start on Gare Centrale or Central Station and it was officially opened to the public in 1941. This marked Montreal's entry onto the world stage as a major cosmopolitan centre. Constructed underground, Gare Centrale became the central point of what was later to be known as Montreal's famous 'underground city' that now stretches several kilometres in all directions. Owned by Canadian National Railways (CN), Central Station also provides tourists and commuters with access to the nearby Windsor Station owned by Canadian Pacific Railways (CP), and is conveniently located adjacent to the Hilton Bonaventure and Queen Elizabeth hotels.


My personal Pix


Montreal Central Station



Montreal Central Station



Montreal Central Station



VIA Rail’s “Ocean” w/Budd streamliner cars at Montreal’s Central Station



VIA Rail’s “Ocean” w/Renaissance cars at Montreal’s Central Station


***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]


Did you miss the previous two Click on the URL:

#1 – Toronto’s Union Station
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=289&TOPIC_ID=35270

#2 – New York City’s Grand Central Terminal
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=354&TOPIC_ID=35270

[siberianmo]

ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!

OO gauge and British Model Trains
first Posted on page 288


Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements.


OO gauge


Hornby Railways Flying Scotsman locomotive on an OO gauge layout
(photo: Les Chatfield – Wikimedia Commons)

OO gauge model railways are the most popular standard in the United Kingdom, being one of several 4 mm scale standards (4 mm to the foot (305 mm), or 1:76.2) in use, but the only one served by mass market manufacturers. OO uses 16.5 mm gauge track, which is inaccurate for 4 mm scale (it is accurate for HO scale). Many experienced modellers therefore find the OO standard inadequate, and they tend to model using the older EM gauge or the modern, exact scale P4 scale.

History

Double-O scale model railways were first launched by Bing in 1921 as 'The Table Railway', running on 16.5mm track and scaled at 4 mm to the foot (305 mm). In 1922, the first models of British prototypes appeared. Initially all locomotives were powered by clockwork, but the first electric power appeared in the Autumn of 1923.

OO gauge was based on HO scale (3.5 mm:1 ft (305 mm)), and kept the same gauge. However, the large propulsion mechanisms could not fit into the small British prototypes, so the scale was enlarged to (4 mm:1 ft (305 mm)) without altering the gauge. This means that the scale gauge represents 4'1½", seven inches narrower than the prototype 4'8½" gauge. It is also used to represent the 5'3" Irish broad gauge where it is a scale 13½ inches too narrow. This difference is noticeable, especially when looking down the track.

In 1932, the Bing company collapsed, but the Table Railway continued to be manufactured by the new Trix company. However, Trix decided to use a new standard of 3.5mm to the foot or 1:87, and this scale came to be known as 'HO'. (It is thought that this may have originated as 'Half-O' gauge, but there is no proof of this.) In 1938, the Meccano Company launched a new range of OO models under the trade name of Hornby DublO, and the OO scale has remained as the UK's most popular ever since.

In the United States, Lionel Corporation introduced a range of OO models in 1938 as well. It did not prove popular and only remained on the market until 1942. OO gauge was quickly eclipsed by HO scale.

OO today

The two main manufacturers of ready-to-run model railways are Hornby Railways and Bachmann Branchline, a subsidiary of Bachmann Trains. A third major manufacturer of accessories (particularly track) is Peco.

External links

Manufacturers

• Bachmann Branchline
• Dapol
• Heljan
• Hornby Railways
• Lima
• Peco
• Duha

Tri-ang Railways

Triang Railways was an English manufacturer of toy trains, one of the elements of the Tri-ang company.


Tri-Ang model railroad set from 1961 (GNU Free Documentation)

History

Tri-ang name

The brothers George and Joseph Lines made wooden toys in the Victorian age, their company being G & J lines Ltd. Joseph was the active partner while George went into farming. Joseph (or Joe) had four sons. Three of these — William, Walter and Arthur Edwin Lines — formed Lines Bros Ltd soon after World War I. Three Lines make a triangle, hence the Tri-ang. Arthur's son, Richard Lines, was largely responsible for the Tri-ang Railways system.

Foundation of Tri-ang Railways


A 1960s Book of Trains. (fair use)

Rovex Plastics Ltd was founded just after the World War II in 1946 by Alexander Venetzian, who made toys for Marks & Spencer. Venetzian was asked to develop an electric toy train set for Christmas 1950. He delivered the product but although the company had found larger premises in a former Brewery in Richmond, it was constrained financially. Line Bros were looking to expand into railways and so they purchased Rovex. Their products would be sold under the Tri-ang Railways name from 1951. To give room for development they moved the company now Rovex Scale Models Ltd to a brand new factory built at Margate, in Kent, in 1954.

The success of Tri-ang mean that British competitors Trix and Hornby-Dublo were affected. In 1964, Hornby Dublo, a division of Meccano Ltd, had stopped production and Meccano Ltd invited Lines Bros. Ltd to buy them out. Tri-ang purchased the company including a large amount of stock. The combined toy railways was marketed as Triang-Hornby although the vast majority of the models was all Tri-ang. The Hornby name being more established and recognised, the Tri-ang part was later dropped and it was sold as Hornby Railways.

Tri-ang later made TT gauge models as well as OO/HO gauge. The 3mm Society[1] supports those who still model Tri-ang TT.

Australian and New Zealand models

A number of Tri-ang models specific to Australia were produced by Moldex in Melbourne during the 1960s, including

• NSW 1955 type suburban electric motor car and driving trailer car.
• A blue version of NSW 1955 type suburban cars pretending to be a faux Victoria EMU was planned but never produced
• Victorian B class double-ended diesel also came in 'Transaustralia' livery.

Other models were manufactured in Auckland, New Zealand, but were mainly the same as those made in England but there were interesting variations

The Australian and New Zealand models were produced in OO gauge only.

South African models

A limited number of models were manufactured in Durban, South Africa. These are very rare.


Hornby Railways

Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom, and its company roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy.

Hornby, then known as Meccano Ltd, released its first train, a clockwork O gauge model, in 1920. An electric train followed in 1925, operating on AC power, and Hornby switched to DC in 1929.

From 1927 to 1929, Hornby sold clockwork trains in the United States as well as in the UK. Although the trains, manufactured in a factory in Elizabeth, New Jersey, were colourful and attractive, they failed in the marketplace because several established U.S. firms undercut its prices. In late 1929, Meccano Ltd. sold its New Jersey factory to the A. C. Gilbert Company, and Hornby trains had vanished from the U.S. market by 1930. The leftover inventory was sold in Canada and in the UK, and some of the tooling was reused for products in other markets.

Hornby introduced its OO gauge trains in 1938, under the trade name Hornby Dublo, only to discontinue all train production the next year due to World War II. Production resumed after the war but did not reach full capacity until 1948. The locomotives were die-cast, and the cars were generally made of tinplate.

Like its counterparts Bassett-Lowke and Exley in the UK and Lionel and American Flyer in the US, Hornby thrived in the first half of the decade but struggled in the late 1950s. In 1959, Hornby abandoned 3-rail track in favor of more realistic two-rail track.


A 1960s book of trains. (fair use)

In 1964, the parent company of rival Tri-ang Railways purchased Meccano Ltd., and merged Hornby and Tri-ang into Tri-ang Hornby. The former Hornby line was discontinued in favour of Tri-ang's less costly plastic designs. The former Hornby products and modules were sold to G&R Wrenn. In 1967 Hornby was merged internally into Rovex Industries, which by 1969 was Rovex Tri-ang Ltd.

The Tri-ang group was disbanded in 1971 when Meccano Ltd's owner Lines Bros. filed for bankruptcy. The former Tri-ang Hornby was sold to Dunbee-Combex-Marx becoming Hornby Railways in 1972. By 1976 Hornby was facing challenges from Palitoy and Airfix both of whom were producing high quality detailed models. Detail on the models was upgraded to make the product line more attractive to adult hobbyists. A multiple train control system named Zero 1 was introduced in the early 1980s. This analogue system was a forerunner to the Digital Command Control (DCC) system, an NMRA open standard, which appeared in the 1990s.

By 1980 the market was extremely tough and Dunbee-Combex-Marx was liquidated placing Rovex in receivership. In 1980 Hornby became ""Hornby Hobbies"" and in 1981 a management buyout saw the company back on a sound footing. It went public in 1986.

By the early 1990s Hornby again faced competition from newcomers like Dapol and established foreign manufacturers including Lima and Bachmann Industries. Manufacturing was moved to Guangdong province in China in 1995, and was complete by 1999, cutting costs and improving quality according to the company. As part of the process Hornby also bought in some of Dapol's products and also some of the old Airfix moulds (by then owned by Dapol). Train sets associated with Thomas the Tank Engine and Harry Potter (the "Hogwarts Express") have been particularly profitable ventures. In September 2003 Hornby released its first steam-powered OO gauge locomotive, a model of the record-breaking Mallard. Several other "Live Steam" locomotives have now been produced.

Since then, Hornby has bought Lima, an Italian model railway equipment manufacturer that previously acquired Jouef, a French manufacturer. Its items have yet to be integrated into the main Hornby products list.

References

• Schneider, Lewis (May 2000). Hornby's Made in USA Trains. Classic Toy Trains, page 84.


Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[LoveDomes]

Good Afternoon Captain Tom and fellow travelers at the bar!

‘Tis I, the Larsman with greetings and a round for one and all . . . oh my, I don’t see anyone here except for the barkeep! [swg] Looks like I saved a “bundle” once again. [swg] I’ll take TWO frosty cold bottles of Keith’s Ale – a foot long “Lars special” and a bag of chips. Thanks! [tup]

Yes, I know it’s been awhile and there’s all kinds of things to catch up on – but not that much insofar as the pages on the thread go – been rather sparse as of late so it seems.

Took in one of the Mets games against the Yankees up at the stadium – and man oh man did the Mets jump all over Randy Johnson. [swg] However, the Yanks got the best of ‘em for the series – in fact, the AL has done a number on most NL teams. Looks like the All-Star game is going to have New York flavor to it. Anyone notice that last year’s NL champs, the Astros have no one in the starting lineup [?] Same for the World Champ White Sox. Go figure that!

Tom rather than my listing each and every one of your posts – just let me say that without you, this place just wouldn’t be. Post after post after post – all pretty much timed to keep things running – is what keeps this place afloat. OUTSTANDING effort! [tup] The JOs out there are all over this Forum – just check it out – just look at the same guys posting the same crap, over and over and over. And you know what [?] It absolutely ticks me off to see any of our guys responding to them. My guess is it bothers our leader as well. [tdn]

I really enjoyed your Montreal Central Station pix and article. It is a great place for those who appreciate “live” train stations. It’s really busier than Toronto’s Union Station, from what I recall – but then again, that may have all changed. It’s been awhile for me. Always enjoyed Montreal and while I wouldn’t dare take Amtrak up that way, given the routine of being late, late, late – it used to be a great trip. Isn’t that life? All full of “used to be this, used to be that.” Also got quite a nostalgia kick from yesterday’s feature and theme on the NYC – MY favorite! [tup] No way do you get equal billing, my friend – you provided so much info and I for one appreciated each submission. Good stuff from the ‘supporting cast’ as well! [tup] Just fewer of ‘em . . . .

This business of Kalmbach shutting down for a bit can’t be all that bad. From what I’m seeing, a rest is in order for the guys who are doing the Lion’s share of the contributions – and that ain’t me. Speaking of which – I have doubts regarding the regularity of my visits for awhile. Sorry to have to drop that on you – but my email goes into greater detail. I’m feeling a bit awkward ‘round the place too – meaning, if I cannot support what you would like in terms of engaging in chat and providing classic trains material – well, you know what I’m driving at.

So, my friend from “the island,” I hope this isn’t farewell – but if I’m not to frequent the bar regularly, perhaps we can maintain contact by other means from time to time.

Best to the guys – wherever they are!


Until the next time!


Lars

[pwolfe]

Hi Tom and all.

A pint of Bathams and a round please.

Back from the 4th of July weekend away. I hope everyone had a great Canada and Indepenance Days.

Caught up with most of the chores at home and I will catch up with the weekend posts at Our Place and hope to call in later. PETE.

[siberianmo]

And speaking of toy trains . . . .

Lionel's Polar Express in the Can-Am trainroom
]


Lionel's Polar Express in the Can-Am trainroom


Once again - a reminder: Our Wednesday Toy & Model RR Day! is NOT a "theme" for the day - but simply an opportunity for those engaged in the hobby to exhibit a little of this 'n that about their RR hobby interests.

Of course one can Post whatever one wishes . . . . as long as the Classic Trains idea remains the foucs. [tup]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[Anonymous]

Good evening Tom and friends! Looks like I made it just under the wire before Leon gets here. I'll have a bottomless draught, and buy a round for ya'll. Good to see Lars and Pete today. Another fine batch of URLs from Mike as well. And then there's our proprietor Tom who submitted excellent posts of Montreal's Central Station, OO English gauge ENCORE and fantastic pix of his Polar Express. I need one of those!

Here's part II of my Lionel submission for today:

When Lionel once again began shifting to wartime production even before the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was a prudent move. Soon after Congress formally declared war, new government restrictions effectively stopped all toy production for the duration, both for Lionel and its competitors. As was the case in the preceding worldwide conflict, men left the company for service on the battlefields in Europe and the Pacific, and increasing numbers of women workers filled their ranks on Lionel’s assembly lines.

Page two of the 1942 Lionel consumer catalog – the last publication of its type to be released until after the conclusion of hostilities in 1945 – proudly touted the firm’s renewed involvement in the production of compensating binnacles for ships’ compasses, navigational instruments, lifeboat binnacles, and primers for the Navy’s anti-aircraft shells – a product line with which the company had obviously gained much experience in the earlier world war.

In 1943, Lionel’s on-schedule wartime production contributions earned the toymaker-turned-defense-contractor the United States Maritime Commission’s coveted “M” Pennant (three gold stars were added to it before war’s end) and the Victory Fleet Flag. Of course, Lionel’s manufacturing involvement in World War II – as in the First World War – was dictated as much or more by economic necessity as it was by an abiding spirit of patriotism among corporate officials. Joshua Lionel Cowen really had little choice but to adhere to government restrictions relating to the strict conservation and use of strategic materials such as metals, rubber, fuel, and even paper. Wisely, he again anticipated the problem, and proceeded accordingly. Even after the war, Lionel continued to seek out and obtain defense contract work, supplementing its toy-making revenues with a more secure form of income not subject to the whims of the unpredictable consuming public.

Lionel’s first military-oriented release since the armored train of 1917 was an all new model: A small gas turbine switcher bearing U.S. Army Transportation Corps markings. It made its somewhat understated debut in the 1955 catalog, all the way back on page 31, competing for attention with Lionel’s new O gauge trolley. Far from the imposing type of motive power that might normally be associated with military muscle, this diminutive locomotive model was nevertheless based on a prototype built by Davenport Locomotive Works.



The No. 41 U.S. Army switcher from 1955 previewed what would thereafter become a nearly unbroken stream of action-packed military and space-related trains and accessories. Over the last 42 years, Lionel had produced a wide assortment of military items including locomotives decorated for each of the armed services; missiles and helicopter launching cars; exploding boxcars; rocket, submarine, tank, helicopter, and boat toting flatcars; and a plethora of operating accessories including a rotating radar antenna, a cannon firing range set, a missile platform with ammunition dump, and even a U.S. Navy submarine base. Available at Lionel dealers today is a complete U.S. Coast Guard train set, the first such item to be named for that particular service branch.

Why the turnaround in Lionel’s earlier anti-military-train stance? It’s likely the result of at least two important factors. First, ownership of Lionel Trains has changed hands three times since the late 1960s, and each new owner has, of course, been able to set and follow its own agenda. Second, the public’s image of the military has softened somewhat over time, with many now viewing the armed forces as “peace enforcers” rather than wagers of war. Whatever the reason, those who enjoy operating and collecting Lionel Trains continually respond to the new offerings. And, most importantly, the ¼-inch sale residents of the town of Lionelville are once again able to rest peacefully, secure in the knowledge that their defenses are intact.

[wanswheel]

Good morning Tom and everyone, a round for the house.
Some links here, hope will be of interest

Montreal Central Station
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=1043958312&id=37
The neighborhood
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=1410879606&id=37
Entrance
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=1936767072&id=37
Concourse
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=-724091215&id=37
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=-638151201&id=37
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=-931747615&id=37
Mural
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=1022067831&id=37
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=83725224&id=37
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=237410160&id=37
Tracks
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=-744437153&id=37
Train
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/railways/index_view.cfm?photoid=953801518&id=58
Mail
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=-1228740351&id=37
Parcel trucks
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=-1078010235&id=37
Mike

[siberianmo]

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


THURSDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of POSTS


Thursday and we’re nearing week’s end! C’mon in – enjoy a cuppa freshly ground ‘n brewed coffee – a <light or <traditional breakfast from the Menu Board and one or two pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery!



Daily Wisdom


The other team could make trouble for us if they win.
ENCORE! Yogi-ism



Info for the Day:


* Weekly Calendar:


TODAY: Fish ‘n Chips Nite!
Friday: Pizza Nite! & Steak Nite!
Saturday: Steak ‘n Trimmin’s Nite! – and –
ENCORE! Saturday



MVP Award Winners

April 2006 . . . LoveDome Lars
May – June . . . . barndad Doug



[tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]


Comedy Corner

Not what most folks think of when talking about a "Living Will".....
Me and my better half were sitting in the living room and I said to her,
" Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."
She got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all my beer!


[tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]



The Mentor Village Emporium Theatre


NOW SHOWING:
Double Features and Three Stooges Short Subject!

. . . Sunday, July 2nd thru 8th: 1776 (1972): starring: William Daniels & Howard Da Silva – and – The Patriot (2000) starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger & Joely Richardson. SHORT: Movie Maniacs (1936).

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

. . . Sunday, July 9th thru 15th: The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch – and – M*A*S*H (The Movie - 1970) starring: Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt. SHORT: Half-Shot Shooters (1936)



SUMMARY

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

(1) siberianmo Tom Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 00:19:26 (370) Thursday’s Info & 11-Post Summary

(2) barndad Doug Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 04:56:16 (370) War comes to Lionel ‘n Real man test!

(3) wanswheel Mike Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 06:02:41 (370) NYC info ‘n URLs!

(4) siberianmo Tom Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 07:09:51 (370) Stations - Depots & Terminals: Montreal’s Central Station

(5) siberianmo Tom Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 11:48:36 (370) ENCORE: OO gauge & British Model Trains

(6) LoveDomes Lars Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 14:53 (370) Island Report ‘n adieu [?]

(7) pwolfe Pete Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 16:42:34 (370) Brief visit

(8) siberianmo Tom Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 19:32:41 (370) Lionel’s Polar Express Pix!

(9) barndad Doug Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 20:59:32 (371) War comes to Lionel, part deux, etc.!

(10) wanswheel Mike Posted: 05 Jul 2006, 21:20:35 (371) Montreal’s Central Station URLs!





That’s it![tup][;)]


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

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

A special THANX to Doug 'n Mike for this week's consistency and contributions here at the tavern by the tracks! [tup] [tup] Much appreciated. Amazing - our MVP Doug and our newest member of the Order of the Stools - Reserved seem to be holding the fort - so to speak! Again - much appreciated! [tup]

A blue sky day here in mid-continent USA - temps are presently in the upper 60s (F) and expected to be rather comfortable throughout the day. There's that word again - amazing - for this time of year! Petrol - don't ask! Haven't been out yet this day, but I expect it to be at the three dollar level . . .

Appears as if our number will be reduced by one as LoveDomes Lars may be winding down his association with us. I can assure one and all that it isn't by choice, as his Emails to me have indicated otherwise. About all that I can come up with is we may be seeing him now 'n again - but it doesn't appear that he'll be perched upon his stool during what has become HIS afternoon time slot. We'll surely miss him. As Lars was known to say: "A five-[tup] Salute to you, Sir! [tup] [tup] [tup] [tup] [tup]

Noted the return of Rob night before last and Pete's visit, albeit brief, yesterday. Hope these are indicators of better times ahead as we limp towards our 16th month anniversary (July 12th).

REMINDER:
Kalmbach will be shutting down the Forums on Monday thru Wednesday.

Later! [tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

Significant events in Canadian RR History during the month of July.


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/


* July 21st, 1836: – Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad opened. This was Canada's first public railroad. The inaugural train was pulled by the locomotive the "Dorchester". In 1857 the Champlain and St. Lawrence became part of the Montreal and Champlain Railroad which was leased to the Grand Trunk in 1864 and now forms part of the Canadian National system.


* July, 1847: – Incorporation, by the Legislature of the Province of Canada, of La Compagnie du Chemin à Rails du Saint-Laurent et du Village d'Industrie, to build from Lanoraie, on the Saint Lawrence downstream from Montreal, to Village d'Industrie, 12 miles. Village d'Industrie was later renamed Joliette after its founder, Barthelemy Joliette. This railway originally had wooden rails surmounted by iron straps. It was taken over by the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway in 1878 and acquired by CP in 1884.


* July 31st, 1851: – The 5'6" gauge, broad gauge, is adopted as the standard gauge for Ontario and Quebec. The broad gauge was used until about 1870 after which time there was a gradual change to the now standard 4' 8 1/2" gauge.


* July 15th, 1853: – Grand Trunk Railway is formed by the amalgamation of the following companies:

Grand Trunk Railway of Canada
Grand Junction Railway
Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada East
Quebec and Richmond Railway
St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway
Toronto and Guelph Railway

The Grand Trunk also leased the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railway giving access to Portland, Maine.


* July, 1856: – first section of the Grand Trunk Railway west of Toronto is opened between Toronto and Guelph.


* July 1st, 1867: – Dominion of Canada is formed by Confederation of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. One of the conditions of Confederation was the building of a railway by the newly constituted Dominion Government to connect Halifax with the St. Lawrence at or near Quebec. Sir Sandford Fleming directed the surveying and construction of the trackage to fill in the gap in the railway system between Rivière du Loup and Truro, the Grand Trunk having previously constructed eastwards as far as Rivière du Loup and the Province of Nova Scotia having built a line between Halifax and Truro.

The Canadian Government Railway, also known as the Intercolonial Railway, was formed to take over the lines in Nova Scotia and to construct the trackage between Rivière du Loup and Truro.


* July 12th, 1871: – North America's first public narrow gauge railway, the Toronto and Nipissing, is opened for traffic between Toronto and Uxbridge. The 3'6" gauge line was converted to standard by 1884.


* July 20th, 1871: – British Columbia is admitted to the Dominion of Canada. One of the conditions of entry is that the Dominion Government should, within two years from the date of union, commence the construction of a railway from the Pacific towards the Rocky Mountains and from a point east of the Rocky Mountains towards the Pacific to connect the seaboard of British Columbia with the railway system of Canada.


* July 1st, 1873: – Prince Edward Island joins Confederation. One of the conditions was that the Dominion Government take over and complete the Prince Edward Island Railway which had been commenced in 1871. The Intercolonial Railway became responsible for the Prince Edward Island Railway and opened the line between Charlottetown and Tignish for traffic on January 4, 1875.


* July 1st, 1876: – Through rail travel between Halifax, Quebec and the rest of the Canadian rail system is made possible.


* July 3rd, 1904: – First run of the Ocean Limited passenger train between Montreal, Que. and Halifax. N.S. This is the longest running train in Canada having operated continuously over the same 840 mile route.


* July 22nd, 1906: – The Grand Trunk Railway changes from left to right hand running on double track sections. The change involved considerable alteration in crossovers, switches and semaphore signals.


* July 1st, 1912: – Canadian Pacific leases the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Company, Vancouver Island.


* July 31st, 1916: – through service commences on the CPR Kettle Valley line between Nelson and Vancouver, BC., the first regular passenger train having run between Midway and Merritt on 31 May 1915.


* July 15th, 1932: – The Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway is opened throughout between North Bay and Moosonee, Ont. Construction was started on May 10, 1902. The name was subsequently changed to Ontario Northland Transportation.


* July 14th, 1943: – Central Station, Montreal is opened by Canadian National. This completed a project originally begun in 1929.


* July 16th, 1945: – Canadian National opens the high ore dock at Port Arthur whch was built to handle ore from the Steep Rock Iron Mines near Atikokan, ON. The first shipment left the dock on July 20 on the vessel Marquette.


* July, 1950: – Canadian Pacific opens the first retarder hump yard in Canada at St. Luc, Montreal.


* July 8th,, 1955: – Canadian National officially opens its line from Terrace to Kitimat, BC, with a "last spike" ceremony, the spike was made from aluminum produced at the Kitimat plant.


* July 27th, 1955: – Canadian National opens a branch line from Hillsport to Manitowadge, ON.


* July 25th, 1958: – Pacific Great Eastern on its line to Fort St. John, BC. Construction on the line to Dawson Creek was completed a few weeks later.


* July 17th, 1962: – Following testing on the "Ocean," Canadian National's transcontinental train, the “Super Continental,” appears for the first time in the new black and white colour scheme, with orange-red locomotive fronts. This ultimately replaced the traditional olive green, gold and black design.


* July 11th, 1967: – The first major "unit train" movement in Canada is inaugurated by Canadian Pacific - 3,700 tons of sulphuric acid from the Copper Cliff plant of CIL nr. Sudbury to Sarnia, Ontario.


* July 2nd, 1969: – Canadian National abandons Newfoundland passenger trains 101-102.


* July 20th, 1973: – a former Canadian National turbo train is wrecked at Lachine, QC. It had been sold to Amtrak and was painted in Amtrak colours, units 54 and 55.


* July 12th, 1997: – Waterloo - St. Jacobs Railway commences passenger service over the former CN Waterloo Spur between Waterloo and Elmira, Ont.


* July 15th, 2004: – the BC Rail becomes a part of Canadian National.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]


Did you miss the previous six “Significant events in Canadian RR History”[?]
Click the URL:

(1) January, page 215:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=215&TOPIC_ID=35270
(2) February, page 243:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=243&TOPIC_ID=35270
(3) March, page 271:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=271&TOPIC_ID=35270
(4) April, page 298:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=298&TOPIC_ID=35270
(5) May, page 331
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=331&TOPIC_ID=35270
(6) June, page 357
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=357&TOPIC_ID=35270




waving flags credit to:www.3DFlags.com

[siberianmo]

Featured Locomotives #2

EMD SD70 series




Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements. Some heralds and logos from other sources.




Two UP SD70M locomotives refueling at Dunsmuir, California – 2004 (GNU Free Documentation – foto credit: Eric Guinther)

Power type: Diesel

Builder: General Motors Electro-Motive Division, now Electro-Motive Diesels (EMD)

Build date: 1992 – present

Total production: over 3,000

AAR wheel arr.: C-C

The EMD SD70 is a series of diesel-electric locomotives produced by General Motors Electro-Motive Division from 1992 to the present. Over 2000 locomotives in this series have been produced, mostly of the SD70M and SD70MAC models. All locomotives of this series are hood units with C-C trucks. The majority of the SD70M and SD70MAC models were produced with 4000 horsepower (2,980 kW) EMD Model 710 prime movers, while later production SD70MACs are rated at 4300 horsepower (3,210 kW). The SD70ACe and SD70M-2 are rated at 4,300 horsepower each.


Models

GM-EMD has produced several different models in the SD70 series for different customer requirements.

SD70

The SD70 is the low-nose model of the series, foregoing the larger new comfort cab for the smaller standard or spartan cab common on older locomotives. This model also has DC traction motors which simplify the electrical system by cutting out the need for computer-controlled inverters. 120 examples of this model locomotive were produced, only for Norfolk Southern, Conrail and Illinois Central. (Conrail was partly absorbed by Norfolk Southern in 1999, and all 24 of Conrail's SD70 engines were acquired by NS.) The standard cab was phased out in 1999 and production of the basic SD70 ended.

SD70M

The SD70M has a wide nose and a large comfort cab, allowing more crew members to ride comfortably inside of the locomotive than the older standard cab designs. Like the SD70, the SD70M also uses DC traction motors. Starting in mid-2000, the SD70M was produced with SD45-style flared radiators exhibiting a new exhaust system due to the enaction of the EPA's Tier I environmental regulations. The SD70M was replaced by the SD70M-2 in late 2004, as the EPA's Tier II went into effect on January 1st, 2005. 1,646 examples of this model locomotive were produced. Purchasers included Union Pacific, Southern Pacific (now UP), CSX, Norfolk Southern and Santa Fe (now BNSF).


A Norfolk Southern SD70M passes through Hair in Dalton, Georgia. (GNU Free Documentation) Jason Trew Photo

This locomotive model is also being built for export. Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) in Brazil has ordered 27 of this model for service in Carajas pulling trainloads of iron ore. Since CVRD track is gauged at 1600 mm, a wider bogie was designed for these units by EMD.[1]


CVRD SD70M #714 (courtesy: www.wikipedia.com)

SD70MAC
The SD70MAC is much like the SD70M. The main difference is that the SD70MAC uses AC traction motors. AC motors, while more simple and reliable than DC motors, require substantially more expensive inverters to generate a variable-frequency AC signal. The SD70MAC is no longer produced due to EPA regulations and has been replaced by the SD70ACe. 1,124 examples of this model locomotive were produced. Purchasers include Burlington Northern (now BNSF), Conrail (engines now owned by CSX), CSX, TFM/Kansas City Southern and the Alaska Railroad.


SD70MAC locomotives at Anchorage, Alaska, June 1st, 2006 (foto credit: Tom Weber)

SD70I

The SD70I is a version of the SD70M which has been fitted with a cab that is isolated from the frame of the locomotive with shock absorbers (officially known as a 'North American Safety Cab', unofficially known as the 'Comfort Cab' - designed and built in EMD's London, Ontario, Canada shops). The isolation gives the crew in the cab a smoother ride. A seam is visible across the nose and on the long hood where the cab connects with the body. Due to EPA regulations, the SD70I is no longer produced. 26 examples of this model locomotive were produced, all for Canadian National.

SD70Ace

The SD70ACe is basically the SD70MAC updated to meet the latest EPA regulations for road locomotives, but several other changes were included as well. The radiator on the locomotive is nearly as wide as the cab, and looks similar to the radiator on the SD90 series of locomotives. The nose has been modified to provide parts compatibility with contemporary GE locomotives, producing a much more angular nose than previous models. The cables and brake lines have been routed beneath the walkways, allowing for easy access by maintenance workers. As of 2005, 185 examples of this model locomotive have been produced. Purchasers include Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Montana Rail Link, Kansas City Southern, and Ferromex.

This locomotive model is also being produced for export. In 2004, BHP Billiton of Australia ordered 14 SD70ACe/lc locomotives for use in iron ore hauling; the "lc" in the model designation stands for "low clearance" as these locomotives are designed to negotiate the tight clearances under the mine equipment.


BHP (Billiton Iron Ore Pty. Ltd., Australia) SD70Ace/1c (courtesy: www.wikipedia.com)

SD70M-2

The SD70M-2 is GM-EMD's DC traction version of the SD70ACe, and the two models are nearly identical in every other respect. As of 2006, 130 examples of this model locomotive have been produced. Examples are owned by Norfolk Southern [1]and Canadian National[2]

References

Electro-Motive Diesels, SD70M for CVRD. Retrieved December 1, 2005.
1. Electro-Motive Diesels, SD70ACe/lc for BHP. Retrieved December 1, 2005.
2. (January 2006). "ACes for Australia". Trains Magazine 66 (1): 12.


***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements. Some heralds and logos from other sources.

Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

Did you miss the first in the series?

(1) PRR GG1 (page 355)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=355&TOPIC_ID=35270

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #89


Here’s something to enjoy regarding the BRITISH RAILWAYS in a 1953 advertisement from my private collection:

See Britain first
– BY RAIL

NEW 9-DAY "Guest Ticket"

for UNLIMITED Rail travel!

Only $24.00 Third class; $56.00 First Class

Not obtainable in Britain -

Purchase before you leave

New Low Cost Features

Bedrooms from LONDON to SCOTLAND

See Scotland's scenic wonderland from Edinburgh to Glasgow

Dine as you ride for as little as $7.00

Britains train services are swift, convenient and so comfortable - the keuy to seeing many places in a limited period. Your Travel Agent can make all arrangements, including reservations at hotels, on trains and channel steamer services to Ireland and the Continent, before you leave.


For literature and complete information please write
Department 27 at any British Railways Office.

NEW YORK 20, N. Y., 9 ROCKEFELLER Pl.
CHICAGO 3, ILL, 39 So. Lasalle St.
LOS ANGELES 14, CAL., 510 W. 6th St.
TORONTO, ONT., 69 Yonge Street


BRITISH
RAILWAYS


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[pwolfe]

Hi Tom and all.

A pint of Bathams and I'll give tonights Fish 'n' Chips a go later.

Back up to date again at Our Place , hopefully now things will settle down and I shall be able to keep up to date and post regular, it seems as though the time as flown by since I got back. [:O].

May I say I though, the Holiday weekend at the bar was brilliant although I missed out on the free food and beer the post and pics were some of the best we have had[tup][tup][tup].

DOUG Great from the caboose encores to the Lionel wartime products and many thanks for the photos with the wonderful model railway to the IRM and the great work going on to restore the locos there. I really must get to Chicago and visit the museum and the roundhouse at Aurora.I had a look at the link but could not find a list of the beers brewed and sold there. Its great to see a historic railroad building put to good use. [^][tup].

AL Very interesting item on the Canadian oil reserves and Tom's link.

DAVE Thanks for the U-BOAT encore and the Canadian railroad innovations, its fascinating to see which each country has added to railroad development.

MIKE I use the same method of typing and it does take ages but great post on the NYC diners[tup]. Many thanks for the great links love the old photos and the one with the lithograph is excellent. I was wondering in the photo of Candian loco #2 what the dome on which the number is on is used for perhaps ROB can help.

ROB Looking forward to the pics for Sunday. I did not know about the change to Canada Day. When was the Canadian flag changed[?]. I see on some of Mike's links they have the old flag, that was in 1948
I will have to get to museum at Delston to see # 60010. I had a look at their web-site but it does not mention her, also Toms article and pics of the Montreal station , and Mike's links it looks well worth a visit.

TED A wise move to keep me out of the kitchen. Thanks for the link to the song, I was having trouble with the audio on the puter but the song played clear as a bell, thanks for sharing it with us.Like you I am glad we have heard from NICK and hopefully he will be calling in at Our Place soon.

LARS I really do hope that you will be able to call in at the bar sometimes. The bar will not be the same without you. In my own humble opinion the bar has really improved since you have been here, with your willingness to step up to the plate during times when folks have been away and the behind the scenes organising of bashes etc as been marvellous and much appriciated, the great response to the One Year Anniversary and Tom's birthday are a fine tribute to you. As TOM says 5X [tup] to you sir.

Last but certainly not least TOM Really great posts and encores and of course the Alaska and Polar Express pics. Really enjoyed the Tri-Ang/Hornby encore[^][tup], in the photo of the model Flying Scotsman behind the loco is a Gresley Teak car a model of one in which I travelled on the Severn Valley Railway, I have a pic of it which I will load into the putor. Great info on the BNSF and the SD40 locos as well as the NYC ads and encores.

Just caught the BR post. Oh for a time machine $24 for 9 nine days of steam Magic.
Well the brides back from work and we are going out so I will call in later. Its good to be back. PETE.

[West Coast S]

Evening Tom and all, have been under the gun with double duty of late, my usual department and all the excitement it entails plus assisting Security Services with a aborted and dead case investigation involving the only major case I never sucessfully concluded before my abrupt departure.

Round of house draft, yeh, that sounds good about now.....

Tom, I still can't fathom UP power in Dunsmuir, heck i've not recovered form the loss of the SP!!! Dunsmuir was a good train watching spot back in the day, someday i'll write about my travels and adventures in the area...Imagine, the SD70 is getting up in years!! One of the more visually appealing design that later was abandoned..Appreciate the shutdown dates you posted, that way I won't spend a half hour cussing out this @#$#&* computer!!!!


Doug, Excellent coverage of Lionel I & II, who didn't have at least one Lionel set growing up? Though we always had HO around the house, dad broke me in on Lionel until I was old enough for scale.
The SDP45 is a classic design, numbers 96-97 were the first to display the revised War Bonnet in 1988, and quickly became the most talked about and photographed diesels in the west, fitting as they were delivered in those same timeless colors twenty five years before. The
SDP45 was not retired due to obsolence, Federal safety rules enacted in 1995, forbade them as lead units due to dimmished visiblity of engineer to observe crewman on the ground and during backup moves, SF reclassified them as B units and restricted them to the rear position.
In 1996 the newly formed Surface Transportation Board issued further restrictions on cowl Units (Amtrak was exempted) that forced SF to retire them prematurely, some had only five years since their last rebuildings.

Pwolf,, Excelllent overview and acknowledgements..I could learn a thing or two from you..have a cold one on me!!!

Mike... I'm going to be here for awhile with those URL's, no doubt comments and enlightments await upon my review.


A belated round for NYC day...Gone but revered by many...

Al, Good to see to around the bar.

Ye blommers Boris, you darn near have enough customers to keep you in trouble...Wait, think I see Leon and Cindy lolygaggin in the back room as my ale goes flat, what could they possibly be up to????

Dave