Good evening Leon , glad to see you still awake. I'll grab a nice frosty Keith's and a medium steak if there are any left . Just a quick pop by for me , not much turn around between shifts so I'll sneak in again latter tomorrow.
Tom-Those train and boat trips we have disscussed are alway's on the table, we'll wait until the times right ( hopefully not when I retire ! ) You are right I'm not all that normal, but that's what makes me interesting and lovable .
Don't get me started on outsorced customer support lines, far too many like that up here as well I concider all the one's based in Montreal and Quebec city as part of another world as well our lot in life I suppose.
BK-Nice to see your return sir and with two interesting days of Lionel catalouges as well. Seeing those brings back memories of lionel trains in Eaton's and Sear's catalogues when I was a kid.Time marches on though. I've noticed that you folks really have been hammered by the weather so far this summer. We've had little snow so far ( not all that unusual anymore )I know that our family in BC are complaining bitterly on how much "eweather " they have gotten so far this winter.
Pete- Loved the article and url on that steamer paddle boat,always nice to see vessels like that. In fact the Seguin was originally built as a paddle wheeler called the Nippissing 2, when she was rebuilt to the ship you see now she recieved the triple expansion steam engine she still usues. The whole ship was rebuilt from the hull up in the 20's to modernize her so therefore she got the new name as it was essentially a new ship. Here's a link if anyone wishes to look into it further.
http://www.muskokafleet.com/
Mike-Wonderfull urls. And as to your warning I've been hooked by this placxe for far to long to just not come in more than once a week. Besoides I'd miss the place too much if I didn't maximize my time in the bar.It's actually really the only reason I stay a member of this forum.
Doug-Loved the lionel article and the rock photo's were very poinant
DL-Interesting conyti uing boat train info, as I said the other day , I love learning about the "big rail" companies and ops from your side of the pond that both you and Pete continue to bless us with.
Lars-sounds like Tom has your back, justa s well sidearms are likely non-transportable by air ! I'm a bit shocked to hear that the guy being shot over beer was actually a real story. Mind you up here if someone changed the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast at the wrong time, I could see it happeneing more often up here as well.
CM3-Yes I did resurface ( unlike our navies non-operational subs ) Loved the snake in the pot story the second time around. A classic fer sure fer sure
Rob
ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE !
Just a quick encore to get saturday off and rolling. This is an ooold classic juice from back in the pre history days of the bar. From page 140 to be exact. Hopefully it formats okay as it was first posted before the first new improvemnets by the Kalmbach folks.
trolleyboy wrote:Well it seems to have been another semi slow day so i figured that it was time to get "juiced up again" So from the vaults of the Brock street railway(road) library I give you ( Nick will be interested in this one )"Nipissing Central" A bit of local history first. Early last century one could find one of Northern Ontario's most colourfull boom and bust area's around the town of Cobalt Ontario.In 1903 extensiver silver mines were discouvered and the town of Cobalt was built on top of some of the roughest inhospitable portions of the North woods ,and canadian shield one could imagine. The town was literally built ontop of rock out croppings with the roads strewn in and about the rocky terrain.The building of the Temiskaming and northern ontario railway T&NO ( now known as the Ontario Northland )ensured a route out of the mines for the silver producers. So the town soared to a pop of 10,000 people and 52 silver mines boared into the shield rock.This is where the history gets a bit interesting.The railway decided that an electric rail line needed to be built to provide transportation to the ever growing mining camps in the area.Also beacause the town of Cobalt literally sat on so many of the minning claims no alcohol was allowed in the town for safety reasons and the nearest watering hole was in the next town of Haileyberry about 40 miles away as the crow flies. In 1910 the first cars started carrying thirsty minors from Cobalt to Haileyberry at the first terminal which was fittingly the local hotel the Vendome! In 1911 the NC was officailly purchased by the T&NO this was to get a federal charter to build into the crown lands in northeastern Ontario and Quebec. In 1912 the NC ws extended to New Liskeard with it's new terminal on the wabi river. From there branches were built at Kerr lake ,and Crown reserve. It was a fairly short livered interurban. In 1917 a fire destryoed the main carbarns and most of the fleet in Cobalt. The Kerr lake branch was closed in 1925 and a new highway was built in 1927 conecting Timmons and Toronto, so the Crown reserve line was closed. By 1935 a new paved highway ( 11 & 17 ) was completed and the TN&O began running bus service ( ONR still does today )In 1924 the disaterous Hailyberry fire destroyed most of the town. Many of the interurbans cars and several hundred retired TTC wood cars were brought into serve as homes and businesses. After the fire rail ,service ended between the last of the used route between Cobalt, Haileyberry and New Liskeard. The rolling stock was all double trucked built predominantly by Preston Car and coach and Ottawa car co. The line was standard railway guage. None of the equipment still exists todaybut the large "new" carbarns built in North cobalt still stands on Lakeview drive justwest of highway 11B. I'll try to dig up some pictures of the NC cars. More info should be able to be found on the official ONR sites as well. Rob
Good morning Tom and friends! I'll have a light breakfast please. Seems like days since I last posted. Maybe because it's true! Glad ya'll liked the painted rock and Daylight article. I'm always looking around for things to share, including some photos I'm whipping together for tomorrow. The CM3 snake report was good reading as well. Seems like something that could happen to anyone, really. DL, my railroad navy article isn't done. Hope you'll like the balance. Good to see an appearance from BK. My bride promises me that I'll get my Polar Express set next holiday season (with the additional cars)! Great to see manager Lars pop in with words of encouragement. Always enjoy the insites and experiences of Pete. I have no idea what the G2 cost in 1991, but I've got another collectable for your consideration. It's a hand-built Shay, which apparently the creator only made 5. He'll accept a starting bid of $3,000. I left your name. Wow, Mike. Those URLs of ships buring and exploding in Pearl Harbor were certainly sobering, as well as the captured troops. You find the most interesting pix to share. I actually met a former general who survived the Bataan Death March. He was guest speaker at an Eagle (BSA) dinner. Yepiree, Tom ... it's mighty cold in these parts. I won't be adding any more decorations this year. Today will mostly be an indoor day for me. Going through boxes, finding places for long-lost stuff and making room for a workbench in the basement. Had to completely empty the garage in order to fit the cars comfortably. We just got an Explorer, and it barely fits! Now you're in trouble with the boss, James. You've encouraged my joke-telling, and everyone else here was hoping that would die. I know what you mean about the price of toy trains in relation to the materials used to build them. I look at the models these days, and wonder how it's possible that they're really a quality product in comparrison to former fabrications. Are they really worth the money? I certainly hope so. Anyhow, thanks for the St. Paul Union Depot post. I'm sure you all heard about the lunatic at our Olgilvie station yesterday. Why can't these psychos just take their own lives and not drag others into it? I would have been at the station yesterday about the time time happened if my train club met in December, but I would not have seen anything but the evacuation of the building. The shooter was on the 36th floor, I believe. Can't wait to see Eric's pictures from the Orange Empire Railway Museum. The IRM is soon to get another car, or at least remnants of it. A McDonalds in Crystal Lake is closing down today that used a train car for seating.
Good to see Rob and his Classic Juice ENCORE ! Here's mine:
August 1945 Railroad Stories Memories of the winter of 1908 are recalled by John F. Roden, c/o Mrs. Lena Hilton, Fair Haven, N.Y. He was then working on the old Ho-Jack Line, (the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg, now in the New York Central system). One morning as they were starting out from Rome, N.Y., snow mantled the ground; the weather was crisp and cold. “We backed our train into a freight yard at Oswego,” he writes, “near where an Adirondack Mountains guide named Gill lived with his family. Mr. Gill’s dog, Spot, liked to ride in the engine cab with us. He’d sit on the little drop seat ahead of the seatbox of Fireman Pat Rogan. Pat taught the animal to hold a corncob pipe in his mouth. It was comical to see the two of them, man and dog, sitting there, each with a corncob pipe.” “On this particular morning we took Spot with us as usual, while we picked up cars from various manufacturing concerns. The weather continued sunshiny until about 2 p.m. Then a few snow flurries drifted down. As soon as the snowfall started, our four-legged railroader disappeared, much to our surprise, but we kept on with the job of making up our train.” “Without any warning, a fierce north-western wind blew in from Lake Ontario. It was almost impossible for us to see signals in the swirling snowstorm. This slowed up our work. Not until about 5:30 did we get the train ready. Then we set out to the junction three miles away, where the Gill family lived and where stood a telegraph station at which we received orders before entering the main track. By this time the drifts had piled up so high that we had to do a regular snow-bucking job to get our train through.” “When we arrived at the junction we decided we could go no further without a helper engine; so our conductor, David Knight, barged into the operator’s shanty to explain the problem to the yardmaster on the west side. He was told, in reply, there would be no helper engines available until 8:30 p.m. . It was then about seven. The op went home immediately after our arrival. This left us alone. There was nothing else for us to do, so we climbed into the engine, pulled the storm curtain tight, and sat around telling yarns.” “That morning, as we learned later, Mrs. Gill had been fooled by the nice weather into taking a shopping trip with her small daughter. Of course, she had not expected the blizzard. The two of them had walked three-quarters of a mile to the trolley car and boarded it for a ride to the city.” “But getting back to our party in the engine cab: while we were entertaining each other and keeping warm as we could, we suddenly heard loud and persistent barking. We thought Spot wanted us to take him into the cab. I got down to lift him up, but he would not let me do it. He ran away a few feet, still barking vociferously.” “Well,” I said, “if you don’t care to come up here where it is warm, you can stay there and bark your head off.” “With that I climbed back into the engine and made myself comfortable again. The dog returned, barking louder than ever, a sharp persistent bark. It was still snowing and blowing: you could not see more than 10 or 15 feet ahead. Spot really howled. At length Conductor Knight said: “Boys, there’s something wrong. That dog wouldn’t stay out there barking for fun on a terrible night like this. I’m going to find out what this is. Our helper won’t be here before ten o’clock anyway.” “So Dave started out and I followed. Yelping excitedly, Spot ran ahead of us, occasionally running back to see if we were trailing along. He led us up the road a half-mile. There we found Mrs. Gill and her daughter. The lady had fallen down from exhaustion and the child was too small to help her. Dave and I carried them to their home. We phoned for a doctor and stayed until he came. Mrs. Gill gave birth to a boy. “That boy is now 36. His mother is still living. Both owe their lives to Spot. The dog died long ago. I hope he had gone to some railway beyond the sunset. Only two of my old crew are left. I often visualize that gang in the engine cab, with Spot on his accustomed seat, and he and the fireman grinning happily, each with a corncob pipe in his mouth.”
A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office. After his checkup, the doctor called the wife into his office alone. He said, "Your husband is suffering from a very severe stress disorder. If you don't do the following, your husband will surely die." "Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant at all times. For lunch make him a nutritious meal. For dinner prepare an especially nice meal for him. Don&#
G’day Gents!
A blue sky morning, temps hovering at 20 (F) but a warm up is on the way, as we’ll be in the 40s later on and 50s tomorrow. Fair-thee-well ice shield – RIP! At last sighting, petrol was $2.28 (rounded) up at “collusion corner.”
A reminder: The bar will be CLOSED for CHRISTMAS and of course is always CLOSED on Sunday, which this year will be CHRISTMAS EVE. So, here’s the deal – if anyone wants to Post Pix, fine – but I’ll be gone for both days. Just slip your messages and Pix through the mail slots on either set of front doors.
There will be NO breakfast – brunch – lunch on CHRISTMAS EVE, Sunday, December 24th.
Tuesday’s ENCORE Theme for the Day! will be Santa Fe (passenger ops).
To the acknowledgments:
Eric at 10:50 PM yesterday: Don’t leave us in suspense! That photo sure looks like it was taken somewhere along the NE Corridor. Yes/no
Heading west to Orange County, eh My last assignment was in SoCal – based out of Long Beach. Didn’t spend a single day engaging in anything involving railroads, although I saw plenty of trains during my travels by land vehicles. Enjoy and we’ll be looking forward to your “report.”
Rob at 12:59 & 1:05 AM today: As I said, maybe one day . . . Travel for us to Canada has become so overly priced that what used to be round trips for the both of us have now been dwindled down to my going it alone, or remaining here with Juneau while the bride visits with her mom in Halifax. That last trip I made for my late friend’s memorial service pretty much netted me an aircraft of my very own – an Air Canada regional jet. Too bad the fill ups are so costly! <grin>
Yes, that shooting incident did in fact take place. A wonderment indeed, but in this day and age, I’m hardly surprised at anything that goes on.
Thanx for the ENCORE! – something I’ll get to a bit later on today.
Doug at 8:24 AM today: And they say baseball is a game of inches, eh Well, you cudda wound up in a mess had your travels put you in the location of yesterday’s shootings in Chicago. How many times in life have we blindly avoided, simply by chance, those situations where danger lurked Many, I’d say.
Why do these lunatics do what they do Aside from the mental derangement, I’d say quite a bit has to do with getting their 15 minutes of “fame.” I concur, why can’t they simply check out and not take others with them I suppose there’s a reason for these things, but darned if I know what it is!
Thanx for the ENCORE! and it will be added to my “list” of readings for the day!
Ruth comes in at 9 AM and stays behind the bar ‘til 5 PM when Leon the Night Man takes over ‘til closing. Remember guys, tonight is Steak ‘n all the trimmings nite! begins at 5 PM.
Boris, serve ‘em all of the “spiked” OJ they can handle!
Tom
ENCORE! Saturday - ENCORE! Saturday
PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #68
from Page 249 Here’s something to enjoy regarding the New York Central (NYC) in a 1954 advertisement from my private collection: A Natural for Slumber Nature made only one low-level route between East and Midwest. And for a hundred years, New York Central has improved on Nature for your comfort. Start your trip with refreshments in the lounge. Chat, read, relax as your diesel-electric dreamliner glides over a roadbed smooth as a garden path. Later, sit at leisure over a famous New York Central dinner. Enjoy it in the diner . . . or in the privacy of your own Pullman hotel-room-on-wheels. Bedtime is best of all! Your big, soft bed is waiting. So drift off to dreamland with a deep-down sense of all weather security no skyway or highway can match. For you’re traveling the naturally gentle Water Level Route. And on the level, you can sleep! For a Headstart on Tomorrow, Go New York Central Tonight! CHICAGO – NEW YORK 20th Century Limited – Commodore Vanderbilt CHICAGO – BOSTON New England States NEW YORK – St. LOUIS Southwestern Limited – The Knickerbocker NEW YORK – CLEVELAND Cleveland Limited NEW YORK – DETROIT The Detroiter CINCINNATI – NEW YORK Ohio State Limited DETROIT – CHICAGO Motor City Special CLEVELAND – CHICAGO] The Forest City New York Central’s Water Level Route Enjoy! Tom
PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #51
from Page 209
Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Canadian Pacific (CP) from a 1963 advertisement in my personal collection. Sail away to Europe in a Canadian Pacific White Empress. Come aboard at Montreal, and discover a 1000 miles of beauty as you sail up the St. Lawrence, past Québec’s historic Château Frontenac and on to Greenock and Liverpool. Ride away to the Canadian Rockies aboard Canada’s only scenic doomed streamliner, “The Canadian.” Discover 2,881 miles of spectacular scenery along the Banff-Lake Louise route as you cross Canada in streamlined comfort. Hide away at Banff Springs Hotel a mile high in the Canadian Rockies. You’ll enjoy gourmet food, gracious service. And you’ll find golf, tennis, swimming, fishing – every resort facility. Open May 31 to September 14. Holiday all the way with Canadian Pacific Trains/Trucks/Ships/Planes/Hotels/Telecommunications. WORLD’S MOST COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Enjoy! Tom
Hi Tom and all.
I have a coffee and a bacon sarnie this morning RUTH.I had a check up at theDocs yesterday, then I was in Columbia for the evening.
JAMES it seems mighty cold in your part at the moment, but like Tom I can take the cold better than the heat, although perhaps not that cold. Of course the legal age for drinking in the UK is 18, whether is a good thing or not I am not sure. I thought it was a good thing at the time.
Thanks for the post and pics on the Saint Paul Union Station. The 1886 station really is a fine building, and it is good that the William Crooks loco was preserved.
MIKE Thanks for the links I have looked at a few of the Falls River pics and will go back to them and the link that CM3 posted I was able to view this time very interesting and well written.
They were very sobering photos of Pearl Harbor.
As you say the Jacobean was a named train that ran from Inverness to the Kyle of Lochalsh although I cannot find any info on it at the moment. Today the Jacobite is the name the 6 days a week steam train uses on its journey from Fort William to Mallaig in the summer months.
BK Glad you was OK in the power cut. I too sometimes think of the guys who were at the bar when I joined, they all seemed great guys who were very helpful to a novice to N.American railways. Perhaps seeing the number of Views Our Place gets they look through the windows of the bar from time to time.
Thanks for the Lionel covers and it is always good to see you in the bar.
LARS That looks a great book on the Lionel trains. I had hoped after you had got some of the old regulars to call in for the birthday they may have started to call in again but it was not to be. Still we have some great new guys at the bar.
ERIC I too am looking forward to the Orange Empire Railway museum report and pics, I confess I had not heard of the museum before.
ROB Thanks for the links to Muskoka Fleet. The VandaIII looks a great little vessel. I will find something on the vessels that are on Lake Windermere in the English Lake District next week.
Enjoyed the Nipissing Central Encore.I bet it was very popular on a Saturday night heading for the nearest bar 40 miles away, I wonder what the journey back to Cobolt..
DOUG I, m afraid the exchange rate will have to favor the pound a lot more before I can get that Shay.
The car going to the IRM does not look in too bad condition although I guess there will be a lot of work to get it back into original condition.
Bad news about Ogalvie. I have not seen any news or read the paper yet, that was the first I had heard.
Lovely story of the pipe smoking Spot the dog, very apt with the snow lately.
TOM A bit more on the Maglev at Birmingham.
http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=T0NaZj9WNoU=&id=5sqdhXe0N48=
Thanks for the info on the voltage converters it seems they start about $20 so shound,t be a problem just to get the bride to get me the set..
Thanks for the NYC and the Canadian Pacific Encores, while I was looking at the NYC page I came across this from nearly a year ago, I hope you dont mind me 'borrowing' it TOM.
ENCORE! Saturday - ENCORE! Saturday first Posted on page 188 . . . . . . Mentor Village Gazette . . . . . . Vol. I, Number 2 . . . . . . . . Monday, December 12, 2005 . . . . . . . . . Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANNIVERSARY EDITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Our" Place reaches milestone See Editorial barndad Doug Inducted into the ORDER OF THE STOOLS Dec 12th , Mentor Village By: Verbal Funderburk barndad Doug was inducted into the Order of the Stools - Reserved on Nov 22nd. With a crowd of free-loaders on hand along with the list of "usual suspects" (aka: customers), the induction ceremonies were carried out by the Selection Committee. This rather nebulous group of societal wannabees commanded about as much attention as a refrigerator salesman in the Klondike. The induction ceremony was held in the Pool Room of the village bar and grill known as "Our" Place and was attended by the municipalities leadership, janitorial staff and Bee Keepers society. A rather boisterous gathering toasted the new inductee with song and praise. "Who is this guy " was the overriding theme of the background singers, as the party raged on into the late afternoon. Throughout the ceremony, there appeared to be several distractions, least of which were the "buzzing" of the group by an animal resembling a Parrot, and some "quick steps" by the crowd to avoid being bitten by what appeared to be a crazed Armadillo. barndad Doug insisted that his acceptance into the group came as a complete surprise, and rejected any notion that his substantial cash "donation" to the Committee's Railfan Vacation Fund," had any influence on his selection. As has been the practice, a spirited bout of pushing, shoving, punching, kicking and gauging broke about amongst the track gangs of the CN, CP and Can-Am railroads. With considerable help from the cloven-footed mutant known as Boris and the rather quiet and somewhat sullen giant of a man called Leon, Inspector Clueless of the Local Constabularly and his sidekick, Mr. Doyle, Private Investigator, restored order by using a tested strategy. Free drinks and a dance with any one of the "Our" Place staff of beauties. (More on page 17.) Scandal looms, as inquiry widens Local Constabulary Caught Out By Typo Dec 12th, Mentor Village By: Nickin Westwales (and staff reporters) Mentor`s finest,Clueless & Doyle are expected to be called in to head offi
Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Back from Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, CA! A long day, about 700 miles and 5 hours at the museum. It was a nice day and this museum was a positive experience. Visitors are allowed to get around as they wish with very few exceptions. This Saturday they were running a Christmas Train pulled by a steam engine. I did not ride it though. Instead I rode the old interurban from Pacific Electric, #418, a Blimp and an old Brill streetcar, #10.
Orange Empire Railway Museum has a lot of streetcars/interurbans, steam engines, diesels, electrics and cars of all kinds. Plus a number of electric trolley buses. In other words, there is a lot of equipment to see. Here are a few of the 150 pictures I took this sunny day.
Streetcar built by Brill. Do not have any more info at this moment.
PCC 3001. First PCC delivered to Los Angeles, built by St Louis Car Company 1937. In service until 1963 when all streetcar service was abandonmed. Came to the Museum same year.
The rear end of the same car.
Pacific Electric, “Blimp” #418. Built 1913 by Pullman Car Co. Retired 1961. Seats 80.
Ventura County Railway #2, 2-6-2, built by Baldwin 1922. Was used in the Christmas Train.
Santa’s private car last in the Christams Train!
Busy station.
Union Pacific 942, EMD E8-A. Built May 1953. After 19 years of service on the UP this locomotive came to Chicago & North Western Ry. Renumbered to 510, used in commuter train operations in the Chicago area. Metra took later over the service and the engine. Retired in 1988, came to the museum in 1997. Operational.
A few weeks ago we had pictures of old Railway Post Office cars. Here is another one, Santa Fe #2055.
I will be back later today with an inclusive post.
Eric.
Good morning Tom and all. I'll just help myself to some sticky buns fresh-baked at the Mentor bakery. I wrote to Bergie, as promised Tom, and that's all I'll say here about that. We've more important things to discuss here than that sort of thing. Nice couple of ENCORE posts with the NYC and CP. Good to see Peter make the rounds and turn in an old copy of the Gazette. There should be a Pulitzer awarded for creating it. A few things came to mind as I read it, but then, my memory, being what it is anymore, quickly forgot what those thoughts could have been. Too many nights with Leon's "hit-me" shots might be responsible.
On the birthday front this month, we have CM3, who says he will be 61-years-young on the 29th. This Santa Fe theme Tuesday will also be the 20-month anniversary of Our Place! Weapons will be collected at the door for all patrons that day, and not just the track crew. Looks like you had an excellent day, Eric for taking pictures at the museum. Your pix were a real treat! The museum looks like an active place, and obviously has some great stock. Imagine how that Santa Fe RPO would look with a little TLC. Here are some random shots from me this AM. All pix are from "Night Trains", by Peter T. Maiken
Pullman cars also served as destination hotels. Here, West Point cadets assemble for inauguration of President Truman in 1949
V-J Day was just a month away when this photograph was taken in the soaring rotunda of Cincinnati Union Terminal
Canadian National set up its own radio stations when the medium was young; Maple Leaf passengers tuned in for this PR shot.
Seven sections of Santa Fe's California Limited line up for this classic publicity shot in Los Angeles of the 1920's
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's 4-6-4 Aeolus brings the Black Hawk into Chicago with nine cars on Aug. 10, 1939
A man phones home from his office and says to his wife, "I have the chance to go fishing for a week. It's the opportunity of a lifetime. I have to leave right away. Pack my clothes, my fishing equipment, and especially my blue silk pajamas. I'll be home in an hour to pick them up." The man rushes home to grab everything. He hugs his wife, apologizes for the short notice, and then hurries off.
A week later, the man returns and his wife asks, "Did you have a good trip, dear?" The man replies, "Yep, the fishing was great... but you forgot to pack my blue silk pajamas." His wife smiles and says, "Oh, no I didn't... I put them in your tackle box!"
On the birthday front this month, we have CM3, who says he will be 61-years-young on the 29th. This Santa Fe theme Tuesday will also be the 20-month anniversary of Our Place! Weapons will be collected at the door for all patrons that day, and not just the track crew. Looks like you had an excellent day, Eric for taking pictures at the museum. Your pix were a real treat! The museum looks like an active place, and obviously have some great stock. Imagine how that Santa Fe RPO would look with a little TLC. Here are some random shots from me this AM:
Yes, it’s Sunday once again and the bar is CLOSED! But, as usual, we have our breakfast – lunch ‘n brunch ‘til 2 PM AND today is Sunday Photo Posting Day!
Yesterday was a nice day here in mid-continent USA and today promises to be more of the same as the temps rise to the 50s (F) and the ice shield begins to give way. <awwwright!>
Let me get to a few brief acknowledgments:
Pete at 1:38 PM yesterday: Double treat – another fine Post from you and we had another one of our enjoyable phone conversations! Looking forward to see you and your bride on Saturday!
Running the Mentor Village Gazette from December 2005 as an ENCORE! was a treat. I found myself reading it almost as if it was “news” to me! <grin>
Eric at 12:45 AM today: Back so soon AND with some great Pix at that! A 5- salute to you, Sir! Really appreciate your patronage.
Rob is going to love those shots and my guess is he’ll provide additional background info . . . can’t talk trolleys without our Ontario (Canada) connection jumping in! <grin>
Doug at 5:38 AM today: A double treat as it appears your fingers got stuck between the keys and your Post appeared TWICE! <grin> Nevertheless, a fine spate of nostalgia Pix and descriptions, as always!
Appreciate your picking up on our 20th month anniversary (the 12th) and CM3s B’day on the 29th! A “Pulitzer” for the Gazette! I’d settle for a beer!
Thanx for the SUPPORT!
Tuesday’s ENCORE Theme for the Day! willl be Santa Fe (passenger ops).
Be back later with the Emporium Theatre’s slate for the week!
Good morning again Tom. I'll try to get this to post just once. The big thing I noticed that was missing from my original post this a.m. was my guess for when this thread hits 9,000 posts. I say it will be January 4th. Now I must be off to the stable to muck some stalls and bring in the frozen water buckets. Here are some more pix!
Santa Fe's answer to streamlined steam was its "Blue Goose" locomotives, this shown getting the Chief underway
Santa Fe's famed train-stop complex at Albuquerque included the Alvarado Hotel and Fred Harvey Indian Museum. While such trains at the De Luxe, California Limited, Chief, and Super Chief paused for brief servicing, passengers engaged in the railroad's ritual of wandering the platforms and stations at Albuquerque to buy native American arts and crafts.The Indian-detours were a favorite promotion of the Santa Fe in New Mexico. "Harveycars" and buses met the trains at Albuquerque, Lamy and other stations and took passengers on two- or three-day guided tours of "hidden primitive Indian pueblos, Spanish missions, pre-historic cliff dwellings and buried cities," according to the ads.
A dry snow glistens as the eastbound, all-room, all-Pullman Super Chief glides over the highlands near Flagstaff
CLOSED on Sundays -
We do observe Sunday Photo Posting Day!
Now Playing at the Mentor Village Emporium Theatre!
In tribute to all who sacrificed during WWII . . .
. . . Sunday, December 10th thru 16th: Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) Starring: Martin Balsam, Sô Yamamura, Joseph Cotten, and Tatsuya Mihashi – and – The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Starring:: William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Alec Guinness, and Sessue Hayakawa. SHORT: The Three Stooges – Healthy, Wealthy, and Dumb (1938).
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)
PLOT SUMMARY:
In 1941 the Japanese are at odds with the United States on a number of issues which they are attempting to resolve via their Washington embassy. In case this diplomacy fails, the military are hatching plans for a surprise early Sunday morning air attack on the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor. American intelligence is breaking the Japanese diplomatic messages but few high-ups are prepared to believe that an attack is likely, let alone where or how it might come.
from: amazon.com
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) PLOT SUMMARY:
British WW2 prisoners of war are given the task, by their Japanese captors, of building a railway bridge in a harsh Asian jungle. Led by Col Nicholson, a stereotypical British officer, the prisoners score a moral victory over the Japanese by not only building the bridge, but running the whole show. Unknown to Nicholson, an allied demolition team are planning a spectacular opening for the bridge.
SHORT: Healthy, Wealthy, and Dumb (1938) PLOT SUMMARY: Featuring Moe, Larry & Curly
Curly wins a radio contest for $50,000 and the Stooges move into the Costa Plente hotel. They wreck havoc by destroying a very valuable bed and a $5000 vase. After the stooges receive their letter from the Coffin Nail Cigarette Company, they discover that after all the taxes they have only won $4.85.
from: threestooges.net Enjoy! Tom
Good Morning Captain Tom and fellow sophisticates!
I see the bar remains closed on Sundays, which is a good thing. But something has been added that Lydia and I have enjoyed, the Sunday breakfast, brunch and lunch idea. We shall have two #3s if you please. Coffee for me, tea for my lady, thank you!
Without delving too far into your email, I will do my part.
Appears as if the contributions are high in quality but rather short in frequency, a far cry from the "old days." So, we are approaching month twenty in the life span of the bar. Amazing, given the twists and turns it has taken. Good show to all who have made it happen!
Those motion picture selections for the week are good ones, and appropriate for the time of the month with Pearl Harbour Day being on the 7th. I always have appreciated the film Bridge on the River Kwai and although somewhat dated in terms of when it was first released, it is a great story of what happened back in the 1940s.
Nice selection of photos from Doug and Eric. You two do something I have never gotten into the habit of, which is having a camera with me on my excursions here and there. It is a good idea, but just something I have not gotten around to doing. Appreciate your efforts in providing such fine entertainment and railroading education at no cost to all who visit here.
Some random photos from my limited files:
SAL EMD E7A #3025 (from: www.trainweb.org)
Hope to see you tomorrow and of course on Tuesday for our 20th month anniversary!
BK in Alberta, Canada's beautiful high mountain country!
G'day Cap'n Tom & fellow travelers waiting for the bar to open!
Message received, WILCO!
These Jints aren't my father's Jints, but they got it done today and at least are still in the hunt for a wild card spot. Can't say that I'm enjoying this season, but still, there's football involved somewhere. <ugh> Shouldn't really be that hard on 'em, for there were more bright moments than not.
Looks like Pete watched a losing cause out their in Arrowhead! Nice day for the game, too bad the Chiefs couldn't pull out a win. That pretty much does 'em in, huh
Nice to see my "bookend" BK on a Sunday at that!! Been awhile, huh Also, some nice stuff from Eric last night and Doug this morning.
9,000 responses Let's shoot for 10,000, that's more like it! How about it Cap'n Tom A contest in the making Also, picked up on the B'day for CM3 I'm NOT Shane! on 29 Dec and of course our Twentieth month of business on the Twelfth! Nice going, Doug!
I put together these pix some weeks ago, figured they'd come to good use. Enjoy my New York Central book and video covers!
Until the next time!
Lars
Good morning Captain Tom and all!!
An early visit to push this in under the door before I go to bed. I spent a good portion of the evening catching up on what happened here the last few days. Very interesting indeed!
Doug – Nice pictures of the painted rocks! I did not realize the size of them until I saw the last one.
Lionel and SP Daylight colors, I actually got a chance to take a picture of one of those cars yesterday (see picture below). Not a Lionel car, but a real one. I have never seen those locomotive(s) live though.
Come on, how could you present such a bad story about Green Bay Packers? They are just a little down right now. That is all!
What kind of changes did McDonald’s do to that car? It looks nice from the outside. Nice story about Spot! We have some animals and they are smart!I wonder who was allowed to operate that radio in the Maple Leaf car? I like that picture of the all-Pullman Super Chief outside Flagstaff. Just two hours from here. I am glad you liked the pictures. It is a very active museum and they have finished building a huge new car barn (the size of two football fields) and after laying the rails they will be able to put most (or all?) cars and locomotives (that now are stored outside) indoors. Tom - I agree 100 % with you about all this outsourcing of customer services, etc. I think it is too important to be able to understand everything a customer representative says to outsource it. I hope we will find the four stub tracks at Union Station occupied by private cars in May next year. Yes, the picture from Thursday night is from the NE Corridor, New Haven to be more exact. New York Central’s Water level Route, why did they called it that? Was it because they never had to "climb" over any mountains?Good movies this Sunday. I have Tora Tora Tora on DVD and The Bridge on the River Kwai on tape. Very good choice!
I am adding a picture of an old Navy locomotive, US Navy No 8. It is a VO-1000 switcher that ended its active life in the Port of Los Angeles.
CM3 – There is only one thing to say, leave your plants outside and beware of snakes! <grin> DL – Swedish State Railwas had the same problem when most railroads in Sweden were nationalised. In 1951 they had 190 different classes of steam locomotives in service! I would say Dover Marine has been downgraded! No tracks, just a cruise terminal.BK – Nice Lionel catalog covers! I’ll probaly buy a Lionel set one day just to be able to say I have a Lionel train!I have always brought my camera on my vacations and ecursions. What I regret is that I almost never brought it to work. I missed a lot of good RR-pictures because of that. Thanks for nice pictures of nice looking locomotives!Lars – That book, Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains, what kind of info does it have about trains? Is it about the real locomotives and cars or just the models?Nice book covers! I almost bought Santa Fe Facilities In Color yesterday, but picked The Electric Interurban Railways In America instead.Pete – Interesting story about Lord Nelson and the Royal Scot Class. They certainly are kind of lookalikes. I learned about the Orange Empire Railway Museum from a friend in Sweden who wants a lot of information about Pacific Electric’s old interurban Blimps. I am glad you borrowed the Mentor Village Gazette. Now I know more about what happened at the bar before “my” time. Barndad is having his 1 year annivarsary on Tuesday being Inducted into the Order of the Stools!!!Mike – Thanks for the kind words, but I think I solved because I am so stubborn! Sometimes too much so.
Interesting pictures from WWII! I have a copy of a Japanese picture taken during hte Pearl Habor raid from a high altitude. James – I guess one could say that the old car on the club layout was an oldtimer already in the 50’s! By reading your Friday post about the Saint Paul Union Depot I learned that we stopped at the Midway Station in 1993 with the X2000! Rob – Interesting story about a short lived railway. I understand that all cars are gone, even the ones that was used for homes and businesses?
That will be all for tonite!
Eric
Good morning Tom and friends. Gotta do the work thing once again, so I’ll be needing a few light breakfasts. I hope everyone plans to pop in for the 20month anniversary of Our Place tomorrow! The Santa Fe theme should be popular. Good flicks from Tom as usual, but I believe the Stooge short is an ENCORE from last week? Nice groups of pix from BK and book covers from manager Lars yesterday. I managed to score a few more books off E-Bay yesterday, but lost out on several as well. Can’t win ‘em all, and certainly can’t afford to. Nice picture of the SP car Eric. We only have two pieces of SP equipment at the IRM, and they’re both locomotives. We use the 1518 diesel a lot, and it needs painting badly. I’m guessing it will be taken out of service when the newly painted BN 5383 is back underway, which should be soon. Green Bay Packers are the NFL’s loathsome and lowly creatures that the NFL Gods have chosen to punish by making them Green Bay Packers. It is possible for the members of that team to redeem themselves through superior play and exemplary behavior, but not likely, even though the bar has been set pretty low in the NFL. Do we care? What can we do to help? You can be a part of their rehabilitation by generating Green Bay Packer jokes. These jokes are the very tools needed to snap these lowly players out from their delusions and denials of being Green Bay Packers. Once they come to terms with their lowly position in the NFL, healing can begin. Anyhow, enough of that. Getting back to the rail car at the Crystal Lake McDonalds, I really don’t know all that was changed. I should have gotten back to it for some pictures, because I remember there being articles inside the car that showed what it used to be. I can tell you that whatever was inside, was removed to make table seating.
Everyone have a good day … I must be off! Here’s the last of my railroad navy post:
When ice piles up in Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, the Canadian National’s Abegwelt, world’s mightiest icebreaker, plows through. Her capacity is 19 railroad cars, 69 automobiles, and 950 passengers Diesel power accounts for much of the strengthening of railroad naval companies. Comparatively new on land, this power has been driving marine engines for many years. In 1924 the Pennsylvania Railroad commissioned its first diesel-powered tugboat, the Erie coming second. One dramatic gain was in the time-cost of refueling. Take the case of a steam boat requiring twelve tons of coal a day. She was out of service for a substantial part of every 24 hours while voyaging to and from the coaling dock., blowing out her tubes, and having tons of ashes hauled out of her hold – woe to any man who dropped ashes into a harbor! – and while her water tanks were filling up and while she was recoiling. But the diesel jobs, even the earliest ones, refueled but once a week. A modern craft carries enough fuel and lubricating oil to keep her running 24 hours a day for as many as 61 consecutive days. Radio and radar have also brought about huge gains in the over-all efficiency of fleet operations. Back in the late 1920’s, radio first enabled the railroads to apply the principles of train dispatching to their water-borne units. The saving of tugboat time and power by this means alone, according to Marine Department men, has passed beyond their ability to count. Painting day on an Erie tug. The Erie was the first railroad to operate a navy In the old days there had been no way to change the running orders of a tugboat captain except by sending a faster tug in pursuits of him. Today, with radio dispatching, it’s standard practice to assign the next job to a tugboat skipper before the old job is finished, to change the destination of a carfloat or coal barge while the tow is in mid-course, or even to direct a captain in midstream to turn over part of his tow to another tugboat. In 1947 both the Pennsy and the New Haven took up radar. Up till that time fog had a way of halting tugboat operation, sometimes for three or four days at a stretch. The railroads paid dearly for that. Freight piled up in boatyards and on the sidings for as much as 100 miles back from the coast. That never happens anymore. Today, no matter how thick the fog, the tugboat fleets continue to move, and the freight goes through to its destination with hardly a pause. Yes, the passenger ferries are sailing into the sunset, but the rest of the railroad navy faces a bright future. With modern carfloats and giant barges, with radar and radio tugs and trainferries, the navy continues to knife its way through billowing waves and howling gales. With the Baltimore & Ohio Navy in New York Harbor: the tug W.L. Price moves carfloats from the Jersey Central waterfront in New Jersey to the big city.
How come Green Bay Packer gingerbread men can’t run? Because they have crummy legs
A drizzly morning, temps hovering in the mid-40s (F) with our continuing warm up doing it’s thing to the ice shield! <yay>
Good day for some hot coffee, breakfast selections from our Menu Board and of course a couple of pastries from the Mentor Village Bakery case!
Doug - Thanx for the correction to the Emporium Theatre’s bill o’ fare for the week! Took care of it . . .
No time for acknowledgments right now – gotta get going for an early AM appointment.
Be back later . . . .
Ruth comes in at 9 AM and stays behind the bar ‘til 5 PM when Leon the Night Man takes over ‘til closing.
Good Morning Barkeep and All Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Decent weather this a.m. It is supposed to get into the 50s today.
Lots of posts to read through so here goes (anyone that got missed, I apologize).
Eric - The shot of New Haven goes back a bit as it was taken before the overhead was changed, more high level platforms installed, etc. I enjoyed your Orange Empire material; a PCC, and a PE car, and a gorgeous little 2-6-2.
Barndad provided a plethora of material (and lots of stuff, too). The Hojack story was a good one. Lots of history up there (and the Rutland as well). A member my wife's tribe was a NY State trooper all over that part of the world for more than a few years including such garden spots as Watertown and Malone, arguably the coldest spots on the NYC outside of the Tupper Lake line which served such frozen climes as Saranac Lake.
That was a most interesting shot of the Pullmans at DC. IIRC, that part the rail complex around Washington was usually the produce terminal. If you look in the background to the left of all of the Pullmans, you can see a long cut of refrigerator cars.
Then we have tugs and carfloats - excellent!
Aeolus - I have not seen a shot of her in a long time. Check out the hw cars behind the streamlined locomotive.
Also enjoyed the shot of the Blue Goose.
BK dropped in with some interesting pictures. The SAL material brought back more than a few memories.
Lars - Got to see the boys play yesterday; scary stuff as more than a few of them seem to have Tikiitis (can't hold onto the ball for those of you who don't follow the Giants); says a lot for the NFC East that they can stink out the place for about a month and still be in contention. Also thanks for the book covers and video cover. The 20th Century book is magnificent. I do have the book on NYC electrics as well. I picked up a good one on Cleveland Union Terminal electrification when I was at the train show in Buffalo over Thanksgiving.
Tom: e-mail rec'd. Thanks for the NYC and CP ads. I'm ready to book a trip on the New England States. Also a good choice of "'moom pichers" for the Mentor Theatuh. Maybe we can do a Battle of the Atlantic evening some time. Choice among "Sink the Bismarck, The Cruel Sea, In Which We Serve, and Action in the North Atlantic." Also let's put in a request for "Away All Boats," and "The Enemy Below."
BTW, it's 60 - not 61 - most days I don't feel over 112. Maybe we can postpone the celebration till after the first of the year as most everybody will be busy doing other stuff.
New for something completely different
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas(?)
Greetings from our studios high atop Mighty Mount Mentor (no Boris, studios, not witness protection program safe house). It's a beautiful day here as the sun is glistening off new fallen snow, the gob piles are steaming quietly, old number 1 is stuck nose down in the turntable pit (Frostbite, I'm referring to the Mentor and Southern Narrow Gauge's fast flying, frolicking Forney; not the division superintendent), and all's right with the world.
We are still in recovery from the Mentor Pro Musica's Holiday Extravaganza, and All Round Wassail Workout and Wing Ding. My head. Boris, why does Awk have to breathe so loud - almost forgot, that's what happens to parrots when they smoke cigars.
The Christmas follies (er, festivities) began bright and early with a flyover by the Mentor Flying Circus, aka Those Magnificent Lads in Their Fokkers and Spads. This was followed by the annual Santa drop from the Zepplin which floated majestically over the freight yards.
It wouldn't seem like the Holidays if Santa's parachute did not fail to open. This year was no exception, as the jolly old red-suited gentleman did a cannonball into the tempering tubs at the Mentor and Southern Narrow Gauge's blacksmith shop.
It looked to this reporter that Santa really didn't need to go see the blacksmith as he seemed to be well-hammered before he was unceremoniously tossed out of the Zeppelin. Anyway, he was pretty relaxed when he landed, so the damage was minimal.
The reindeer, however, failed to hit the drop zone and were scattered all over the GMMA (Greater Mentor Metropolitan Area). It's our understanding that the Second Class Rod and Gun Club plans a reindeer hunt later this week; weapons will be participant's choice. Nothing like being into (I mean, in) the Holiday spirit. BTW, this reporter noted how tastefully the Second Class boys spelled out "Bah Humbug" in lighted fusees in front of their hovel (I mean, establishment).
The highlight of the celebration, as always was the Mentor Pro Musica's holiday songfest. This year they did some fine, old classics which catered to the peculiar tastes of the audience, many of whom were festively attired in chain mail, bowler hats, pickelhaubs, streamers, elf shoes, and tree lights. The float with the pictures of Queen Victoria and the Kaiser was a nice touch - not something you see every day.
Herewith a sampling of the choir's offerings.
For the hypochondriacs, they led off with the old favorite, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Johnson's Pills Are Just the Thing." About three verses in, the Mentor police, using water cannons, had to break up a theological debate among the groundlings as to who Harold Angel was. It was not a pretty sight.
Order restored, they continued with the ever popular paranoia medley featuring a classic blending of animal howls and voices in two songs: "Do You Hear What I Hear," and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me."
All those who partook of too much stimulation before and during the concert were able to work off some of their excess energy by participating in a sing-along featuring two rounds (your reporter had to have several rounds after this one) "Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Office and Town and Trains and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees," and Silent Night, Holy oooh Look at the Froggy, Can I Have a Chocolate, Why Is France So Far Away?" The fire engine sirens were a splendid counterpoint to these ditties as the crowd had to be hosed down.
Then followed a short break with "Coney Island Washboard Rondelay." All joined enthusiastically in the chorus as the hillsides and scrap piles echoed the well known refrain, "Thimbles on her fingers made the noise, she played Charleston on the laundry for the boys, she could rag a tune right through the knees of a brand-new pair of BVD,s..." well, you get the picture. The high point on this was when the trap door on Boris's union suit exploded, but we will defer description of this as we don't want to frighten the younger set who might be listening. Just think of the Hindenburg.
The final selections included "We Three Kings Disoriented Are," and "You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why."
The program included lighting the tree which was done by the Mentor Fusiliers Auxiliary Flame Thrower Corps. Marshmallows were toasted from several hundred yards away as the tree fell down and the flames spread to the Mentor and Southern Narrow Gauge Tie Treatment Plant.
My, my creosote does add a certain something to eggnog. The chorus rose to the occasion by singing an a capella version of "Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire" As the flames rose higher, the crowd was dispersed by several whiffs of grapeshot fired over their heads by the Ancient and Dishonorable Mentor Artillery and Trebuchet Corps. All in all a fitting conclusion to the afternoon's activities.
Your reporter, wishing to beat the traffic (and the dragnet) headed up the mountain via sedan chair and is eagerly awaiting the annual Mentor New Year's Manhole Cover Toss and Belated Winter Solstice Festival. It should be a most noteworthy event.
Thank you for listening - say goodnight, Tex!
Work safe
2006 BIRTHDAY WATCH LIST
(rev. Dec 11th)
March 5th (Nick – 46)
March 13th (Doug – 50)
March 31st (Lars – 66)
May 18th (Tom - 68)
August 11th (Pete – 55)
September 8th (Rob - 35)
October 18th (BK – 66)
December 29th (CM3 – 60)
Not on the list Send me an Email with your birth date (month-day-year) Corrections too! I'll ensure that Doug gets the "word" . . . .
Tom (Siberianmo)
Proprietor of “Our” Place, an adult eating & drinking establishment!
Back again and time for a few acknowledgments:
Doug at 7:37 AM yesterday: Some interesting AT&SF Pix along with descriptions! Many thanx for helping to keep the Sunday Photo Posting Day! event up ‘n running!
BK at 1:28 PM yesterday: A rare Sunday visit AND some fine Pix as well! Like those diesels and from roads we don’t normally get to see ‘round here. Good job!
Lars at 3:21 PM yesterday: Very nice spate of NYC book covers and video Pix ! Sundays and book covers are becoming one in the same and we LOVE it!
Eric at 1:50 AM today: Outstanding thoroughly inclusive Post! Enjoyed the SP smoothside and USN switcher!
Was hoping CM3 would pick up on your question – but I’ll give it a try. Water Level Route, I believe, had to do with the run from New York City up to Albany along the Hudson River, pretty much at water level. Then too, the NYC operated along several of the Great Lakes, again at water level. Just my best guess . . .
Doug at 5:54 AM today: More on the RR Navy! Something to read a bit later on – thanx!
CM3 at 8:44 AM today: A terrific reporting job on the Sunday matinee only performance over at the Emporium Theatre for the live, on stage, Mentor Pro Musica's Holiday Extravaganza! Glad you were there, as I didn’t catch ANY references at all by our guys – but the place was jammed with tuxedos and evening gowns. The all reserved show was a hit, but quickly degenerated into a parking lot brawl – but I digress. Your report sez it all! <grin>
No more B’day Bash celebrations that I’m aware of. At least as far as my coordination is concerned. Doug is in charge. I did re-Post the B’day Watch List and noted that you were in fact listed at 60 in it. Hmmmmm, perhaps Doug is operating in another dimension. Well, considering he’s in Illinois . . . <grin>
Movie recommendations added to the list . . . thanx!
g-day Tom and all present.
I'm sorry for the weekend absence. I have been out and about.
Ruth- Make a coffee for me and a sandwich, Please.
Lars- Glad you liked my Article on the Twin cities station. I was quite interesting read about and learn actually how many depots were built at that location.
Tom- Still glad to see the Nostalgia going around. Good little part on the NYC and the CP.
Eric- You posted an interesting picture with a Amtrak train in it. But the train looked like a bullet train. What kind of passenger train do you have there?
Your pics on the street cars were really cool. But.. That pic with the E8 in it was really cool. Glad to see that the locomotive is still around. I was also surprised to see that you have visited the Midway station. Thats pretty cool. For me, I have never been to the Midway station or the Union station in the Twin cities. Your pic with the Southern Pacific passenger car was pretty cool. Was that one of the cars that road with the daylight?
Barndad- It still surprises me about the price of that model passenger train. But It's a collectible and it's obviously wanted by many. But I don't know if I would be willing to spend that much on a model!! You had quite a story there, 1945 story! Had fun reading that. Thanks.
Also a good selection of pictures. Especially the Santa Fe Super Chief! That had to have been quite a passenger train. I would have liked to ride it, but I would have liked to ride a lot of the passemger trains back in the 40s and 50s.
Pete- It's getting quite cold. But it did warm up here over the week end. I was a little surprised when you told me that you a person would need to be 18 to drink in the UK. I would have never guessed but I won't do so since I'm in The U.S.
budkarr- Good selection of pics you have there. Especially the Milwaukee road Pioneer limited. Nice going!
I have an article about the Milwaukee but, i'm not going to consider it a news since it's not a Sunday.
The Milwaukee Road appeared as the Milwaukee and Waukesha Railroad when incorporated in 1847, but soon changed its name to Milwaukee and Mississippi. After three years, the first train ran from Milwaukee to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and the first passenger train ran on February 25, 1851. In 1874 the name was changed to Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul. By 1887, the railroad had lines running through Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and the upper peninsula of Michigan.
Expansion
In the 1890s, the Milwaukee's directors increasingly felt that they had to extend the railroad to the Pacific in order to remain competitive with other roads. A survey in 1901 estimated costs to build to the Pacific Northwest as $45 million. In 1905, the board approved the Pacific Extension, now estimated at $60 million. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1909. The route chosen was to be 18 miles shorter than the shortest competitor's, as well as better grades than some. It was an expensive route, however, since the Milwaukee, receiving no land grants, had to buy the land or acquire smaller railroads. In addition, the five mountain ranges that had to be crossed (the Saddles, Belts, Rockies, Cascades, and Bitterroots) required major civil engineering works and the use of additional locomotive power. The completion of 2,300 miles of railroad in only three years was a major feat.
Some historians question the choice of route, however, since it bypassed some population centers and passed through areas with limited local traffic potential. Much of the line paralleled the Northern Pacific Railroad. It was primarily a long-haul route.
Electrification
The Milwaukee soon found that operation of steam locomotives over the mountain passes was difficult, with winter temperatures that reached -40°F. Electrification seemed to be the answer, especially with abundant hydro-electric power in the mountains and a ready source of copper on-line at
Good Afternoon Barkeep and All Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
James - Thanks for the MILW history. Much of that road never should have been built, IMHO, but it had a lot to interest folks.
I apologize for not picking up on the Water Level Route question earlier today, but am still in recovery from the Pro Musica's performance (LOL).
"The Water Level Route - You Can Sleep" was the NYC's "signature" slogan for years. As is the case with much of the NYC's story, the history of this bit of advertising goes back to the never-ending rivalry and competition with the Great Tuscan Father. It implied that NYC passengers would not be tossed around as their trains did not go up and downhill as they did on the PRR.
In truth, the Central did have some rugged terrain on the Boston and Albany. You can get a sample of this today by riding ATK 448/449 between the B&A's namesake cities. I recommend this trip if you have not done it before.
They also had some tough grades in western PA and, as you might expect, in WV. On the main line, Albany Hill was the big headache as some train used helpers heading west out of Albany, that short grade past, they rolled.
Hope that answers your questions.
G'day Cap'n Tom & fellow travelers at the bar!
Ruth, a Keiths Ale if you please and slide the snack tray down my way, wudja please
A bit of activity this day from Doug - James 'n CM3 I'm NOT Shane! (twice!!), and of course our Proprietor, Cap'n Tom. By the way, I really like the Christmas tree added to the morning wake-us-up from Tom!
New York Central has been my favorite road since I was a kid, which in my family was really going against the grain, since there's a couple of generations tied to the Baltimore & Ohio. Guess it was those lightning bolt stripes that got me! <grin> I think that Water Level Route - You Can Sleep slogan of theirs was a combination of what Tom 'n CM3 had to offer.
Water level implying that there were no grades to worry about interrupting sleep and dining pleasure. In fact, the trackage did follow the Hudson and the lakes, thereby remaining at water level. Did a cursory check of the net, but couldn't come up with anything more definitive than that for Eric's question.
Enjoyed the reading from Doug 'n James but the highlight of the day just has to be the submission by CM3 I'm NOT Shane! and that report of the"Mentor Pro Musica's Holiday Extravaganza" over at the Emporium. Really a great read and lotsa laffs! Well done, mate and perhaps if Tom brings back the Gazette, you'll consider doing a column.
Not much to offer today other than gab, and I hope everyone is doing well and gearing up for this whirlwind of a holiday season. Christmas presents - ho, ho, ho! <groan>
Monday night football, St. Louis & Chicago out in Tom's part of the country. My guess is that it won't be much of a contest, the Bears are on a roll.
Drinks on me, Boris ring the bell!
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house.
Doug's picture of a boat has induced some copying and pasting here with a tad of editing.
Abegweit is from the Mi'kmaq word for Prince Edward Island, Epekwit'k, meaning "cradled (or cradle) on the waves."
At launch a school holiday was declared and almost half of the population of the province turned out to see the boat, 372 feet long and 61 feet wide. In 35 years "The Abby" made 123,207 crossings and sailed almost 1,145,585 miles. Nowadays she lives in Chicago at the Columbia Yacht Club.
From wwwAlliant.net: Captain Herb McKenzie crossed the strait, over and back, thousands of times in his lifetime. Born on the Island, the 87 year old retired ferry captain now lives in Halifax. He was, for almost 30 years, a ship's Master sailing PEI ferries. He began making crossings the year the old Abby started, in 1947.
An impressive vessel, the Abegweit carried about 100 cars, 21 train cars and almost a thousand passengers on the voyages between Borden, PEI and Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick. McKenzie recalls trips through heavy ice that took 8 hours; one was 13 hours. But Abegweit was built for it.
"She was the biggest and best ice breaking car ferry in the world," said Captain McKenzie.
This workhorse of the Strait boasted 13,500 horsepower, with propellers 13 feet across. Two props at the front would pull the water from beneath the heavy ice, allowing the bow of the ship to bully its way on top of the thick ice, crushing it under the bulk of the vessel.
"When she really got stuck, I just let her claw away at it," said Captain McKenzie.
http://members.aol.com/trackdogs/abby3.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Bay/8898/ABBLU.jpg
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/marine/index_view.cfm?photoid=40660686&id=100
http://imagescn.technomuses.ca/marine/index_view.cfm?photoid=-786506481&id=115
Pete, the Glenfinnan viaduct train in Scotland is the one for me.
http://www.paradiseconnections.com/barges/uk/scottishhighlander/images/sh-glenfinnanviaduct.jpg
http://www.steamtraingalleries.co.uk/jacobite.html
William Crooks, probably James has seen it once or twice.
http://content.lib.washington.edu/curtis/image/1695.jpg
http://muse.museum.montana.edu/rvndb/rvn-jpgs/RVN12533.jpg
http://muse.museum.montana.edu/rvndb/rvn-jpgs/RVN31126.jpg
http://collections.mnhs.org/VisualResources/VRDbimages/pf031/pf031111.jpg
http://collections.mnhs.org/VisualResources/VRDbimages/pf033/pf033092.jpg
http://collections.mnhs.org/VisualResources/VRDbimages/pf032/pf032359.jpg
Mike
A pint of the usual please LEON and a round for Sunday Photo Day.
ERIC Great pics at the Orange Empire Railway Museum, you had real good sunshine for the day. As Tom says Rob will love those Trolleys with the PCC and the blimp #418 looks a great car and with #2 in steam and working as well. Looking forward to some more pics of more stock at the Museum out of the 150 you took.Great pics of the Daylight car and the Navy diesel as well.
DOUG As Eric said it is coming up to your 1st anniversary of the Order of the Stools as noted in the Gazette. Really enjoyed the pics . I wonder how succesful the radio cars were?
A great set of pics to set the scene for the Santa Fe Theme day. and thanks for Part 3 of the Railroad Navy.
What did the Packers do wrong?
BK Thanks for the selections of the Classic Diesels.As to carrying a camera, it seems when I take a walk, with the pooch, down to the small park that overlooks the Missouri River and the railroad tracks here in town when I take the camera it seems there are no trains about, if I dont take it there is something worth takiing a photo of, last time it was a diesel in Cotton Belt livery in a perfect position for a pic.
LARS Enjoyed the day out at the Chiefs, I see they are saying that the Chiefs still have an outside chance of making the playoffs but it will be very hard after the last 2 weeks. The Ravens are a good team but for the 2 interceptions near the end zone it could have been a different result.Still glad the Giants won.
Great set of NYC book and video covers, thanks.
JAMES Very good Milwaukee history. It seems the Milwaukee was like the Great Central railway of England in that it was late on the scene and the large cities were already served by other lines.
It seems the way the Milwaukee de-electrified the line was very badly handled it seems the $39 million it cost to buy the diesels would have paid for the refurbishment of the electrified system.
CM3 Really enjoyed the Christmas Extravaganza report,such mayhem I think the Second Class Saloon lot have got it in for us Mentors, and no doubt the Mentor police will have a good party when they have collected all the fines.
Great selection of Atlantic movies,In Which We Serve was on Turner Classic Movies lately and IMHO The Cruel Sea was one of the best navel films ever made.
MIKE Thanks for the info and pics on the Abegweit, and also many thanks for the links to steam in the West Highlands of Scotland, the three classes of loco shown all worked the line in B.R. days, so the locos look at home on the line, especially the class B1 # 61264.
TOM It WAS great fun to read the Gazette again although it is hard to believe it was a year ago.
It was good to talk to you on Saturday and we got to Lee Summit in time to see the concert of the local Symphony Orchestra in which the bride's friend plays in. The highlight for me was when they played an illustrated suite from the Polar Express, it was a very good concert indeed .
I have booked the ticket on Amtrak for this Saturday and looking forward to seeing you.
Another two great films at the Emporium this week. I think Tora Tora Tora has some of the best air action scenes of any film, and Bridge On The River Kwai is another classic.
I,m afraid I am running late again but I thought I would post four of Alans Pics of some Industrial tank locos. I believe they are on the Cannock railway in the Midlands of England. the last pic is on the Tanfield railway in the North east.
Well LEON I'll have a Bathams XXX to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Our Place tomorrow.
Pete.
Time again for a visit to "Our Place." Thanks Boris, yeah that is enough! No, no, keep the change.
Found several very interesting posts this morning.
Doug – Happy Anniversary!!! I was afraid that McDonald’s would have ripped out all chairs etc But since it wasn’t a diner I guess they did not have much of a choice. There is a McDonald’s in Barstow, CA, that is also using a rail car for seating. Not to talk about a restaurant in Eugene, OR, that is using a number of cars. Had dinner there once. Interesting article about the RR tug boats. Never seen barges with tracks live, only on pictures. CM3 – The picture of New Haven was taken in 1993. Just 13 years ago! Like yesterday. Wow, that Mentor Pro Musica’s Holiday Extravaganza must have been something very special!!! The best report I have read for a long time!!! I can understand it will take some time to recover. Thanks for the answer about the Water Level Route! It is always interesting to learn the background.
Highest point on the Boston - Albany line.
Tom – I thought that was the explanation and reason for NYC slogan. I have traveled along the Hudson River and it is flat. James – The train in the picture with the Amtrak train is the X2000. I took that picture when we stopped in New Haven on our way from Boston to Washington D.C. The E8 seems to need some paint but otherwise it looked great. The SP car is a Daylight car.
This is the Midway station.
Thank you for the Milwaukee history. Interesting about the car leasing they practiced. I think that is a bad way to go in the long run. Too bad they decided to scrap its electrification scheme. Lars – Yes, I think you are right about NYC’s Water Level Route - You Can Sleep slogan.
The Water Level Route.Mike – Thanks for the links! I like the picture of the Glenfinnan viduct in Scotland!Pete – Glad you liked the pictures. The weather was almost perfect, a little bit chilly in the morning though. Thanks for the pictures of the tank locos! #917 seems to be out of service.
Today it is Santa Fe that is the theme! I'll give it a soft start with this old picture from 1981.
Good morning Tom, friends, and 20month HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Our Place! Please forgive this unworthy one's hasty post, but I must be off. I'll be back later to party properly and comment on the many fine posts. Here's a little something for me:
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe started construction in 1868, the year before Promontory, with the relatively modest ambition of hauling cattle in its home state of Kansas. But with a land grant and prospects of Colorado minerals over the horizon, it soon raised its sights and, despite Indian thievery and stampeding buffaloes, continued pushing west.
In Colorado, the Santa Fe encountered the Denver & Rio Grande, whose goal was to reach El Paso. Both railroads wanted Raton Pass - on the border of Colorado and New Mexico - through which the historic trail to Santa Fe passed, but the AT&SF crews beat their rivals to it one day in 1878 and forged on, south and west.. by 1883, the Santa Fe had reached California, and two years later, with the opening of its line to San Diego, it became a transcontinental with its eastern terminus in Kansas City.
Within the next few years, the railroad built a line to Chicago, straight and fast, and in 1888 began operating vestibuled trains from Lake Michigan to the Pacific. The time was right, for Southern California was in the midst of a land boom. The year before, a rate war had broken out between the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, and both sold tickets at bargain levels. Town sites were hurriedly laid out on the railroads' land-grant holdings, and passengers flocked West in every sort of conveyance, from luxury sleepers to Zulu cars, which were designed to carry the heads of families and their livestock. Los Angeles added 120,000 new landowners, San Diego 50,000.
The Santa Fe's Hopi, a Los Angeles-Chicago train, departs Kansas City Union station with 11 cars on Sept. 13, 1931.
One of the great attractions of the Santa Fe line was a longtime railroad tradition, the Harvey Houses. During the early years, western cooks were generally innocent of what later became known as quality control. The well-to-do, eating in posh dining cars of the period, did quite well, stuffing themselves with the abundant prairie game and the already rich selection of food and beverage brought from the East. In lower circles, however, the food could be gritty and mean.
Before dining cars were common, railroads stopped their trains at appointed restaurants, usually their own, and allowed their passengers all of 20 or 30 minutes to wolf down a meal before the whistle sounded. Fred Harvey, a man of sensibilities, was appalled by what he saw the Santa Fe's dining halls dishing out, and he persuaded the railroad to give him control of all its restaurants, in return for which he would operate them under the same high standards set at hi Harvey House in Topeka.
Harvey advertised in the eastern and Midwestern press for well-mannered young women to come work as waitresses, thereby giving restaurants the aura of gentility they had lacked. The quality of the food was high, and prices reasonable.
Harvey Girls came west in ample numbers, and luckily so, for they were in great demand among the local men of means who wanted to marry well. The girls thrived and so did the houses, even though dining cars eventually reduced their numbers. But even with change, the Santa Fe continued to label its dining car cuisine with the proud hallmark of the Fred Harvey name.
The Santa Fe had trains that offered more luxury and panache, but none ever performed the sheer volume of yeoman service between Chicago and Los Angeles that the California Limited did. This all-Pullman train operated from 1892, with minor interruptions, until well into the post-World War II era. Although it boasted such amenities as valet, maid, barber, and bath service, the California Limited also wrote the book on doing volume business.
Santa Fe's northbound Texas Chief departs Oklahoma City with 11 cars on July 8, 1948.
During summers of the 1920's, as many as seven section of the train - each carrying eleven Pullmans - operated within a half hour of one another. The Santa Fe achieved a record with twenty-two westbound and twenty-three eastbound sections of the train under way at one time. Each section required at least fifteen locomotives and train crews over the length of the route.
But while I relied on the California Limited to do heavy work, the Santa Fe took pride in operating some of its trains, the Santa Fe took pride in operating some of its trains for the select few. In December 1911, the railroad inaugurated its first train in this class, the De Luxe, which operated once weekly during winters on a sixty-three-hour schedule, five hours faster than usual The service, which carried a twenty-five-dollar surcharge, was far beyond the usual. The De Luxe offered all manner of personal attendants, and at Cajon Pass in California, a flower boy boarded the westbound section and gave complimentary bouquets to the women and boutonnieres to the men. The luxurious Pullman accommodations for the train's maximum of sixty passengers included some of the earliest all-room sleepers. The De Luxe was discontinued during World War I.
In November 1926, the Santa Fe introduced the Chief as its new standard bearer. An all-Pullman train with a ten-dollar extra fair, the Chief immediately became the favorite of Hollywood celebrities, and Variety picked up the scent by publishing the train's daily "sailing" list. But despite the full retinue of servants and the comforts the heavyweight Chief provided, its fifty-eight-hour travel time would not be good enough in the era that was dawning. Something even finer and more fleet-of-foot was necessary, and the Super Chief was the answer.
From the yellow and red herald on its diesel units to the purple and red drumhead on the observation car, the Super Chief was one shimmering, energized shaft of stainless steel. Its external dress was brash and exciting, as if the train were the sun's own centurion. Inside, it bore a muted elegance derived from tones of the earth, from veneers of ebony, rosewood, and teak, among other exotic woods used in the Pullmans, to the turquoise ceiling and copper walls of the lounge.
While greeting passengers in the diner, where yellow roses graced the tables, the maitre d'hotel always wore the appropriate morning coat or dinner jacket. This who knew the Fred Harvey favored the freshly caught Colorado mountain trout. The extra fare from Chicago to Los Angeles was the considerable Depression-era sum of fifteen dollars. But the sort of person who rode the train was not the sort who would think twice about such an expenditure, for this was the Super Chief. If the New York Central's Twentieth Century Limited was the train of choice in the East, then the West belonged to the Santa Fe's new super-star.
Bumper stickers 16
"All generalizations are false.""Time is what keeps everything from happening at once."Seen on an old, beat-up car: "This is not an abandoned vehicle.""Born Free. . . . .Taxed to Death""Cover me. I'm changing lanes.""The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.""Sometimes I wake up grumpy; Other times I let her sleep""Work is for people who don't know how to fish""Montana --- At least our cows are sane!""I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."
Good Morning Barkkep and All Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Just a quick stop this a.m. I will try and write more later today. Herewith a combined encore ATSF offering. First is some ad copy from 1930, the second item is something I put together from different ATSF train brochures, ads, etc. in my stack of stuff.
Santa Fe/Fred Harvey Railway Meal Service - It Stands Alone
The Santa Fe Dining Station Service, managed by Fred Harvey, is a distinctive feature of this Railroad.
Conceived with high ideals and proceeding consistently upon the principle that nothing but the best is satisfactory, it is an examples of a complete unit developed with rare genius by a master caterer working for superiority, It has been almost fifty years in the building.
Convinced of the value of an outstanding service of this character, the Santa Fe early provided appropriate locations for its dining-stations, affording sufficient frequency to meet varying schedules and emergencies, and determined to feature such stations in the character of its improvements and the standard of its service.
Each year refinements have been introduced and important improvements effected until today, in consequence of wise foresight and the pursuit of broad liberal policies, the Santa Fe Dining Station System has a achieved a reputation for excellence and efficiency in providing for the wants of the overland traveler which has become international and without a parallel in American railroading.
Trains 9 and 2 - the Navajo - Nos. 1 and 10 - The Scout - Nos. 21 and 22 - The Missionary - and No. 8 - the Hopi are served at dining-stations west of Kansas City. These dining-stations are located about 125 miles apart and ample time is allowed for meals - the average stop being about thirty minutes. The dollar table d'hote meals have no equal the world over. East of Kansas City meals for these trains are served in dining cars.
For those desiring a light repast, there are lunch room with a la carte service, operated in connection with the dining-rooms, serving same quality of food.
Trains 3 and 4, the California Limiteds, and Nos. 23 and 24, the Grand Canyon Limiteds, carry a dining-car through between Chicago and Los Angeles. Frequently these trains are stopped at dining-stations for the evening meal, offering patrons choice of dining either aboard the train or at one of our artistic station-hotels - a unique feature.
Trains Nos. 19 and 20 - The Chief - carry a dining-car through between Chicago and Los Angeles.
1930 - Santa Fe ad copy.
Remembrance of Things Past
Services on the El Capitan, San Francisco Chief, and the Super Chief
In its advertising copy the Santa Fe billed the El Capitan as "...America's most popular economy service between Chicago and California." The railroad assured potential passengers that they would do their "...best to make" a trip on the El Capitan "...an enjoyable travel experience." What could the passenger expect?
The El Capitan had a hi-level diner which offered a "...fine selection of food at popular prices." Breakfast started early and lunch was served beginning at 11:30 a.m. Dinner was "served immediately on departure from Los Angeles (7:30 p.m.) and Chicago (6:30 p.m.), at and 5:30 p.m. the next day."
The lounge car on the El Capitan was "...a friendly meeting place for all passengers with attendants serving "...refreshments from morning to midnight." The car also featured current magazines and newspapers and a writing desk. In the Kachina Coffee-Shop Lounge (located on the lower level of the lounge car) passengers could purchase "...coffee, milk, fruit juice, sweet rolls and sandwiches." Service was available throughout the day "until late at night."
A courier-nurse traveled on the El Capitan. She was an RN whose job was to "assist mothers traveling with children and any other passengers requiring her assistance."
The El Capitan was an all-coach train. Chair car attendants were on duty to "...assist passengers with their luggage at no charge." They would also assist passengers who needed help in operating the chair car's leg rest seats. Pillows (50 cent rental) were available. Dressing rooms and lavatories were "...on the lower level of each chair car." Lavatories could also be found on the upper level of the lounge car. Passenger's luggage was carried in the lower level of each chair car. Luggage was checked and could be retrieved by the car attendant en route as needed. The Santa Fe recommended that passengers not "...store heavy luggage in racks...on the upper level of chair cars" as the racks were "...designed for personal items needed during" the trip. Although it was an all-coach train, the El Capitan featured "radio, music and train announcements throughout all cars."
Last, the Santa Fe explained why the conductor collected passenger's tickets. Tickets were collected to "...avoid bothering" passengers "each time there [was] a change of crews. If part of the ticket was to be returned, the passenger would get it back before reaching their destination.
Now, let's take a look at the "San Francisco Chief."
This train was advertised as "Sleeping Car and Chair Car Service - Chicago, Kansas City, and California." The consist included hi-level chair cars, dining car, a big dome lounge, and 10 rtte/6 db sleepers between Chicago and Los Angeles and Chicago and Richmond. Cars were added and subtracted at Barstow depending upon their destinations.
The dining car was at the "...center of the train serving meals at popular prices." Breakfast was at "...an early hour; Lunch 12 noon; Dinner 5:30 p.m."
The Big Dome Lounge Car was also at the center of the train. Upper level seats were "...arranged to give an excellent view of the passing scenery. The lower level ha[d] a lounge section for refreshment service until midnight. Magazines and newspapers [were available]."
Sleeping car porters were "...anxious to make your trip pleasant and comfortable." They provided a range of services such as handling luggage, "placing your hats in dust-free bags; shin[ing] shoes at night, and furnish[ing] pillows for daytime riding comfort. In addition, he will prepare your room for daytime or nighttime at your request, arrange refreshments or meal service in your rooms, and perform other similar services for your travel pleasure."
Chair car attendants were on duty to "...assist passengers with their luggage at no charge." They would also assist passengers who needed help in operating the chair car's leg rest seats. The San Francisco Chief's chair cars had seats equipped either with fixed headrests or adjustable headrests. Pillows (50 cent rental) were available. Passenger's luggage was carried in the lower level of each chair car. Luggage was checked and could be retrieved by the car attendant en route as needed. The Santa Fe recommended that passengers not "...store heavy luggage in racks...on the upper level of chair cars" as the racks were "...designed for personal items needed during" the trip.
Porters and chair car attendants took car of San Francisco-bound passenger's luggage. Their bags were tagged, unloaded at Richmond and trucked "...direct to the Santa Fe passenger terminal in downtown San Francisco to arrive when you arrive."
Again, the Santa Fe explained why the conductor collected passenger's tickets. Tickets were collected to "...avoid bothering" passengers "each time there [was] a change of crews. If part of the ticket was to be returned, the passenger would get it back before reaching their destination.
The "Super Chief," of course, was the Santa Fe's premiere train. This was listed as "All Private Room Sleeping Car Service, Chicago, Kansas City, and Los Angeles." In the late 60's passengers could select among 10 rtte/6 db cars; 11 double bedroom cars, or a 4 compartment/4 double bedroom/drawing room sleeper. The railroad their goal to "...make the Super Chief a train you'll always remember providing the type of service you'll never forget." Each sleeper had radio and music available. Passengers if they desired could use their "...personal portable dictating machines" in their rooms.
The dining car featured "...delicious food served in the traditionally fine Santa Fe manner." Meals could be served in passenger's rooms for a small service charge.
The Pleasure Dome Lounge provided "...a delightful dome observation, as well as a specious main lounge and lower cocktail lounge." Market bulletins were posted in the lounge, and the lounge car porter handled telegrams and mail service.
Passengers could consult with the steward to reserve the Super Chief's Turquoise Room, a "...distinctive private dining room located in the Pleasure Dome car." The Turquoise Room was designed to "...serve private parties of 6 to 10 persons." It had to be reserved in advance for "...private dining parties at night, or private cocktail parties in the afternoon."
The Super Chief also carried a courier nurse.
work safe
Happy 20th Month Anniversary to “Our” Place and all who have helped to keep us “up on the Forum Page” ever since April 12th, 2005! I suggest reviewing Page One of this Thread just to refresh your memory regarding our humble beginnings . . . .
Tuesday and time for a cuppa Joe, pastries from the Mentor Village Bakery case and a selection from the Menu Board for a <light> or <traditional> breakfast!
Warm up is here with temps expected to reach 60 (F) and the ice shield is but a memory. The Ice Storm of “Ought Six” is history! <yay>
Today’s theme is “Santa Fe (passenger ops)” so let’s see what we can do to keep things movin’ forward!
James at 2:17 PM yesterday: In what has to be one of your longest Posts (reminiscent of the days of “20 Fingers Al”) we were treated to some Wikipedia narratives on the Milwaukee Road.
CM3 at 3:21 PM yesterday: Fine follow-up regarding Eric’s question regarding the Water Level Route . . . . always learn something new ‘round here.
Lars at 4:06 PM yesterday: I neglected to pick up on your suggestion regarding a contest for the 10,000th Post on this Thread – good idea, more on it later.
You were half correct regarding last night’s NFL game – the Lambs (aka: Rams) made a game out of it for the 1st half – 2nd half, no contest. Da Bears are THE class of the NFC.
Mike at 6:07 PM yesterday: And the Boat Trains continue, along with other innovations in the form of URLs!
Pete at 10:09 PM yesterday: Good to have you back in the fold – and appreciate the Pix from your friend, Alan!
Eric at 1:03 AM today: Always enjoyable Post from you and the Pix were well placed and relevant to the points being made! Thanx.
Barndad at 6:02 AM today: Many thanx for kicking off our “Theme for the Day! – AT&SF (passenger ops)!! Sets a good pace for the rest of us to follow . . . .
CM3 at 8:54 AM today: Looks like we Posted pretty much on top of one another. Anyway, many thanx for your efforts in providing some fine input on the AT&SF in support of our "theme."
Reminder: Ruth opens up at 9 AM until Leon the night man comes in at 5 PM ‘til closing.
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