"OUR" PLACE - SEE NEW THREAD!

[passengerfan]

PS: I am sending a completed manuscript on the CB&Q streamliners and their cars to a publisher as this is written.

[passengerfan]

Good Evening Tom and the rest of the gang. Time for one more CR anjd a round for the House.

Would not be fair to have given tribute to the Santa Fe and not do the same for thr CB&Q.

After all they were the first to place a diesel powered streamliner in service the Pioneer Zephyr.

This train was the first constucted of shotwelded stainless steel. After several million miles of service the train was retired to the Museum of Science and Industry in 1960. It was rebuilt a couple of years back and it was found that not a single shotweld had failed.

The CB&Q introduced the first streamlined Dome car Silver Dome. They also were the first RR to place Vista Dome streamliners in service the Vista Dome Twin Zephyrs.

The first RR to introduce Gallery commuter cars.

Introduced with partners D&RGW and WP America's first and only streamlined cruise train operated by Railroads the Vista Dome California Zephyr with the major scenic attractions Feather River Canyon and the Colorado Rockies viewed in Daylight both directions.

Introduced the last full service streamlined trains in the US prior to Amtrak the 1956 Vista Dome Denver Zephyrs.The only trains in America that featured Coaches, Slumbercoaches, Sleeping and Parlor car services in the same trains.

And as previously mentioned introduced the Slumbercoach to the public.

Not only were they loyal to Budd but they were the only Railroad in America whose Budd built cars were the deluxe models with full skirting.

Truly a class act wouldn't you agree.

TTFN Al

[siberianmo]

Good Evenin’ Gents!


First, B4 I completely forget – let me address a comment made by Wolfman Pete regarding the name of a Burlington Zephyr train, “Ak-Sar-Ben.” Check out this URL http://www.aksarben.org/the-knights/history.htm and let me know when you’ve uncovered the “secret!” [swg]

Many congrats to our friend, LoveDomes Lars for being the first recipient of the bar’s MVP Award! [tup][tup][tup]

You are simply amazin’ Al when your “switch is flicked,” there’s no stopping the flow of great info! [tup][tup][tup]

Pete A fine inclusive Post, filled with info and a pleasure to read – thanx! [tup][tup] If you are indeed our “Promotions Manager,” then let’s see if you can come back from “Merry Olde” with at least one new customer for us! [yeah] [swg]

Lars “Ditto” regarding your fine report this afternoon! [tup][tup] Considering the efforts you put forth in trying to get support for our 1st Year Anniversary – the last B’day Bash, Sunday Photo Posting Days and our ENCORE! Saturdays – I’d say you can skip a Tuesday “theme” now ‘n then! [swg]

Thanx to all who bought rounds! Ka-ching, ka-ching – “music” to my ears! [swg]


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


Tom [4:-)] [oX)]


BE SMARTER, use the “Reload/Refresh” as soon as you get to ”Our” Place It’s the only way to get the most current Posts!

[pwolfe]

Hi Tom and all

A pint of the usual and a round for another great Theme Day.[tup].

Before the theme day may I catch up on yesterdays posts.

DOUG Another fascinating article from the Vintage Rails. The two writers have captured the magic of steam for a youngster. "Any chance of a look Mister" would sometimes get a nod and invite into the magic world of the footplate, more often on the loco on the local service than on one of the pacifics on the main line expresses as the crew would be busy preparing the engine for the next leg of the journey. Life seem to move at a slower pace back then.

NICK Thanks for the descriptions of the pics. [tup].It would be interesting to know why BR kept hold of and more importantly kept running the steam locos on the V of R, after so many lines had closed in the 60s and they had got rid of standard guage steam in 1968. There must be an interesting story there.

MIKE Great links again[tup]. Good shots of Davenport, which brought memories to TOM and the loco named after the city. There does not seem to that many named locos over here [?].
The newspaper article on the SN is a good read thanks. I was able to view the SN links you sent me but when I had a look later it would not let me back on. I will try again.

Another great Theme Day TOM A railroad that always made a profit must be quite a rare thing.
This is really a great way to learn about the great RR companies of the past in N America [^][tup][tup][tup].

As well as Tom's info, many thanks AL for the Zephyr cars, the ones with the showers built in, what a civilised way to travel, The Denver Zephers with there Slumbercoaches seemed a good effort to combat compition from the air-lines. I would have thought though that the publicity people could have come up with a better name for a Zephyr service than Ak- Sar- Ben.
Thanks CM3 for the info on some of the other CB&Q services. The link to the Mid West bridges is a good one [tup]. You cansee how that bridge cost so much in 1917.

TED Good to see you. I trust the check up goes OK.

LARS Thanks for the heads up for the 9th.

TOM I will gladly be the Can- Am promotion agent no pay neccessary just let the beer warm up a little[:)].
I see in the CB&Q post it mentions the first railway Post Office a replica of the car uesd on this service is at the Pattee museum in St Joseph MO.
No one has ever accused me of being Norman Einstein [:D]

Just caught your post TOM. WELL DONE LARS ON THE MVP AWARDand congratulations it is very well deserved[^][wow][yeah][tup][tup][tup].

AL Thanks for the round I will read the Streamlined domes in a while PETE.

[passengerfan]

Good Afternoon Tom and Congratulations to Lars. Well deserved. Time for another CR and a round for the house.

Don't give up on the CB&Q theme for the day . Will complete the Domes and thats it for me this day.

CB&Q Streamlined Domes Part Two
By Al

The CB&Q Aurora Shops were busy once again in July 1949 rebuilding another prewar Budd built streamlined coach into another of the so-called pattern dome cars identical to the earlier 4714 SILVER DOME. This second pattern dome 4709-SILVER CASTLE another coach originally constructed by Budd in June 1940 retained its name and number. After being rebuilt to a dome the 4709 SILVER CASTLE was assigned to one of the VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS. In fact the CB&Q operated both of their pattern domes in the VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS. No picture has ever surfaced of the two pattern domes operating in the same consist while in CB&Q or BN service. But pictures exist of the two TWIN ZEPHYRS passing with each having one pattern dome in each consist.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 34-REVENUE SEAT COACH Budd Company June 1940 Rebuilt to Dome in CB&Q Aurora Shop July 1949 (Rebuilt for and assigned to VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYR)

4709 SILVER CASTLE

In December 1952 the CB&Q received a single 24-seat Vista-Dome 3-Double Bedroom 1-Drawing Room Bar 12-seat lounge 18- seat lounge Observation from Budd lettered for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. This car was delivered with a shower in the annex of the drawing room. The shower feature had been added to the drawing room annexes of the earlier Vista-Dome Sleeper lounge Observations built for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR in 1951.
The CB&Q purchased this car and three sleeping cars for the VISTA–DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR pool so two 10-6 sleeping cars, one 16-section sleeping car and one of the Vista-Dome Sleeper lounge Observations could be utilized in their Chicago layover to operate to Lincoln overnight on the rear of the VISTA-DOME AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR. These cars would then return to Chicago the following night and after arrival the next morning in Chicago the four cars would be assigned to that afternoons departing westbound VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. This was the last round end observation ever built for the CB&Q all future Observations built for ZEPHYRS would be blunt ended with diaphragms fitted for use mid-train if necessary.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 3 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1-DRAWING ROOM BAR 12-SEAT LOUNGE 18-SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Budd Company December 1952 Plan: 9433 Lot: 9659-112 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

378 SILVER LOOKOUT

The next CB&Q Vista-Domes delivered were four in 1952 for the startup of a new daylight ZEPHYR between Chicago and Kansas City made possible by the new Kansas City shortcut. The old route left the direct line to St. Joseph at Cameron Junction and proceeded to Kansas City. This route was 490 miles from Chicago to Kansas City and the track south of Cameron Junction was built for anything but fast running. The new Kansas City shortcut left the St. Joseph mainline at Brookfield and headed over new high-speed trackage on a far more direct route to Kansas City. The route cut 24 miles from the old route but had none of the slow running of the old route. This new shortcut permitted the CB&Q to at last compete with the Santa Fe between Kansas City and Chicago. The CB&Q was not concerned about their overnight service as it departed at a late hour and arrived at the other city in the early morning in time for a full day’s business. The overnight service did not require the speed of a daytime operation but never the less the CB&Q was going to upgrade the overnight AMERICAN ROYAL to ZEPHYR status at the same time. Some of the equipment operated in the new daytime Chicago to Kansas City service would also be utilized in the overnight VISTA-DOME AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR as well. The new daytime train was named the VISTA-DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR and each of this trains two-train sets was comprised of six cars each as follows:

1601 SILVER MAIL
Baggage 30’Railway Post Office car
4702 SILVER SPRING
52-Revenue seat Coach
4732 SILVER SHIELD
50-Revenue seat Coach
320 SILVER GARDEN
24-seat Vista Dome Coffee Shop Lounge Buffet Crew Dormitory 24-seat Coach
199 SILVER INN
48-seat Dining Car
366 SILVER TOWER
24-seat Vista Dome 5-seat Parlor Drawing Room 27- Seat Parlor Observation


1604 SILVER POUCH
Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office car
4715 SILVER CASCADE
52-Revenue seat Coach
4733 SILVER SPEAR
50-Revenue seat Coach
321 SILVER PATIO
24-seat Vista Dome Coffee Shop Lounge Buffet Crew Dormitory 24- seat Coach
200 SILVER MANOR
48-seat Dining Car
365 SILVER TERRACE
24-seat Vista Dome 5-seat Parlor Drawing Room 27-seat Parlor Observation

The Vista Dome Coffee Shop Lounge Buffet crew Dormitory coaches operated in both the new VISTA-DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYRS and new VISTA-DOME AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYRS.
The interiors of these two cars featured the 24-Vista Dome seats and the forward end of these cars featured a 24 revenue seat coach section and a small Crew Dormitory space (3-Crew) just ahead of the cars depressed center. Beneath the dome was a large Buffet and six seat Lounge with one table for four and one table for two to the rear of the depressed area of the car was a 17-seat Coffee Shop arranged with two tables for four, and three tables for three located on the cars main level, with the stairs leading to the dome.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 24-REVENUE SEAT COACH 3-CREW DORMITORY BUFFET LOUNGE COFFEE SHOP CARS Budd Company December 1952 (Built for and assigned to KANSAS CITY ZEPHYRS and AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYRS)

320 SILVER GARDEN

321 SILVER PATIO

The other dome car assigned to each VISTA-DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR was a Vista-Dome Parlor Observation. These were the first of four blunt ended observations Budd would build for the CB&Q. The CB&Q Vista-Dome blunt end cars featured windows on either side of the rear door fitted with a diaphragm. This afforded the passengers viewing to the rear. In many ways it was better than the view from the rounded end observations as the view through the glass was not distorted as the panes on the rounded end observations often were.
The interiors of these two cars featured the standard 24-seats in the Vista-Dome, forward of the dome on the main level was seven Parlor seats. Beneath the dome was a 5-seat Parlor drawing Room with private annex and a pair of restrooms for the other parlor car patrons. In the main level area to the rear of the dome was another parlor lounge area with 20-Parlor seats.
In the 1960’s the VISTA-DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYRS ran combined with the NEBRASKA ZEPHYRS between Chicago and Galesburg both eastbound and westbound. This was probably the only assignment these cars operated in that they were used mid-train.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 5-SEAT PARLOR DRAWING ROOM 27-SEAT PARLOR OBSERVATIONS Budd Company November – December 1952 (Built for and assigned to KANSAS CITY ZEPHYRS)

365 SILVER TERRACE

366 SILVER TOWER

The next new Vista-Domes to arrive were ten 46-leg rest seat cars for the NP VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED fully painted in the new Raymond Loewy two-tone green with white separation stripe scheme. The Budd built domes delivered to the NP were smooth sided cars not fluted side panels as on all previous domes built by Budd. The CB&Q owned two of these cars as they operated the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED between Chicago and St. Paul daily in each direction. The NP assigned these Vista-domes to replace two of that trains 56-revenue seat Leg Rest Coaches. The NP train-lined a flat top Coach between the dome coaches in order to assure the passengers a more unobstructed view. This was certainly something that would have benefited other train operating with domes. . The NP operated the new Vista-Dome coaches two per consist with one a Chicago – Portland car the other a through Chicago – Seattle car.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 46-REVENUE SEAT LEG-REST COACHES Budd Company July – August 1954 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED)

NP

550-556

CB&Q

557,558

SP&S

559

Between September and November 1954 the NP received 10 Vista-Dome Sleeping cars for the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED. These like the earlier Vista-Dome coaches were assigned in pairs to the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED. The interiors of these cars featured 4 Roomettes 4 Double Bedrooms and 4 Duplex Single Rooms beneath the Dome. The revenue space was for a maximum 16 passengers, not much when the cars they replaced had revenue space for 22. This gave the NP premier trains two Vista-Domes between Chicago and Portland and two between Chicago and Seattle. Rare were Dome Sleeping cars that were not observations, only the B&O would own three dome sleeping cars originally built for the C&O CHESSIE. In fact their was only a total of fifteen built and the one constructed for the TRAIN OF TOMORROW spent its entire revenue career operating in Parlor car service for the UP between Portland and Seattle. For further information on these Vista-Dome Sleeping cars see the NP chapter.

24-SEAT VISTA –DOME 4-ROOMETTES 4-DUPLEX SINGLE ROOMS 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company Plan: 9535 Lot: 9669-141 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED)

CB&Q

304,305

SP&S

306

NP

307-313

The next domes to arrive that the CB&Q owned were three 46-leg-rest seat Vista-Domes built as part of an order for sixteen for the GN EMPIRE BUILDER. They were delivered by Budd and entered service in May 1955. The GN assigned three to each consist of the EMPIRE BUILDER replacing three 48-seat Coaches in each consist. Unfortunately like the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR they were all coupled together. Two of the Great Domes as the GN referred to them were assigned to Chicago – Seattle service and the third was assigned to Chicago – Portland service operating via the SP&S between Spokane and Portland in each direction.. As with the NP domes these cars were flat-sided stainless steel cars from Budd painted in the Omaha Orange, Pullman Green scheme with Dulux Gold separation stripes and lettering of the Great Northern.

24-SEAT GREAT DOME 46-REVENUE SEAT LEG-REST COACHES Budd Company May 1955 (Built for and assigned to GREAT DOME EMPIRE BUILDER)

GN

1320 – 1331

SP&S

1332

CB&Q

1333-1335

In October 1955 Budd delivered six full-length dome Lounge cars to the GN for the Pullman passengers of the GREAT-DOME EMPIRE BUILDER. They were coupled behind the GREAT-DOME EMPIRE BUILDER 36-seat dining car in each train set. The upper level of these huge cars seated 75, 57 in single and double seats for viewing and an 18-seat lounge. The lounge centered beneath the dome seated 32 with a large Buffet. An electric dumbwaiter operated between the lower level buffet and the upper level lounge area to serve those passengers drinks from the lower level. These cars operated on six wheel trucks to spread their weight. The cars were smooth side stainless steel cars from Budd and as with the earlier short domes were fully painted and lettered for the EMPIRE BUILDER. After the full compliment of three short domes and one full dome was added to the EMPIRE BUILDERS they were advertised as the Incomparable GREAT-DOME EMPIRE BUILDER. The GREAT-DOME EMPIRE BUILDER was the only train prior to Amtrak and Auto-Train to operate with both short domes and a full-dome in each consist. For further details of these cars see the Great Northern chapter.

75-SEAT GREAT DOME BUFFET 32 SEAT LOUNGE CARS Budd Company October 1955 (Built for and assigned to GREAT DOME EMPIRE BUILDER)

GN

1390 GLACIER VIEW

1391 OCEAN VIEW

1392 MOUNTAIN VIEW

1393 LAKE VIEW

1394 PRAIRIE VIEW

CB&Q

1395 RIVER VIEW

The CB&Q stunned the railroad world of the day with the announcement in February 1955 they were ordering two new twelve car trains as replacements for the 1936 streamlined DENVER ZEPHYRS. These would be the last full service trains built for overnight service in the United States before the Amtrak Superliners. The new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS were actually fourteen car trains when they entered service October 28, 1956.
Unusual were the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR trains, as they not only carried first class sleeping car passengers but Parlor Car passengers as well. This was true of the 1936 versions of the DENVER ZEPHYR and the same was offered in the 1956 versions of the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS. Eastbound the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS offered Parlor car seating between Denver and Lincoln, while westbound parlor car space was sold between Chicago and Omaha. These new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS provided reserved Coach seating for 146, the Slumbercoaches provided space for another 80 coach passengers. The first class section of the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS provided parlor space for 16 passengers and sleeping car space for 88. The Colorado Springs section of the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS provided one coach with 50-seats, a 24-seat Vista-Dome Coffee Shop Crew Dormitory, one Slumbercoach with economy sleeping space for 40, and a 10-roomette 6-double bedroom sleeping car with first class sleeping space for 22. This gave the new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS space for 330 passengers between Chicago and Omaha, while its eastbound counterpart provided space for 330 between Denver and Lincoln.
The two head end car in each consist were built by Budd for other CB&Q trains. Being stainless steel they looked as good as the new Budd built cars fresh from the factory that inaugurated the new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS. The new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS not only operated between Chicago and Denver in each direction nightly, operating four through cars beyond Denver to Colorado Springs added to the rear of the D&RGW ROYAL GORGE between the two Colorado cities daily in each direction. Each consist of the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS were assigned three Vista-Domes, a 46 seat leg rest coach, a dormitory buffet lounge Car, and a parlor buffet Observation bringing up the markers. The two initial consists are listed below with all four Slumbercoaches listed even though two were not delivered until November 1956. The consists had not changed since their inaugural, the two new Slumbercoaches were the Denver cars. Through cars to and from Colorado Springs are shown in parenthesis.

1601 SILVER MAIL
Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office Car
906 ARGO
Baggage Car
4741 SILVER REIN
50-Revenue Seat Leg-Rest Coach
4736 SILVER BRAND
24-seat Vista-Dome 46-Revenue Seat Leg-Rest Coach
4901 SILVER SLUMBER
24-Single Room 8-Double Room Slumbercoach
4737 SILVER BIT
50-Revenue Seat Leg-Rest Coach
(Chicago – Colorado Springs)
254 SILVER KETTLE
24-Seat Vista-Dome Coffee Shop Lunch Counter Crew Dormitory Car
(Chicago – Colorado Springs)
4902 SILVER REST
24-Single Room 8 Double Room Slumbercoach
(Chicago – Colorado Springs)
493 SILVER RIDGE
10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
(Chicago – Colorado Springs)
201 SILVER CHEF
48-Seat Dining Car
453 SILVER SWAN
5-Compartment 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
486 SILVER PLATEAU
10-Roomette 6-Double bedroom Sleeping Car
487 SILVER HOLLOW
10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
236 SILVER VERANDA
24-Seat Vista-Dome 11-Seat Parlor 5-Seat Parlor Drawing Room Bar Lounge-Lounge Observation


1604 SILVER POUCH
Baggage 30” Railway Post Office Car
907 OLYMPUS
Baggage Car
4739 SILVER HALTER
50-Seat Leg-Rest Coach
4735 SILVER BUCKLE
24-Seat Vista-Dome 46-Seat Leg-Rest Coach
4900 SILVER SIESTA
24-Single Room 8-Double Room Slumbercoach
4738 SILVER BLANKET
50-Seat Leg-Rest Coach
(Colorado Springs – Chicago)
253 SILVER CUP
24-Seat Vista-Dome Coffee Shop Lunch Counter Crew Dormitory Car
(Colorado Springs – Chicago)
4903 SILVER REPOSE
24-Single Room 8 Double Room Slumbercoach
(Colorado Springs – Chicago)
485 SILVER TERRAIN
10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
(Colorado Springs – Chicago)
202 SILVER TUREEN
48-Seat Dining Car
454 SILVER PELICAN
5-Compartment 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
491 SILVER RAVINE
10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
488 SILVER BOULDER
10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
235 SILVER CHATEAU
24-Seat Vista-Dome 11-Seat Parlor 5 Seat Parlor Drawing Room Bar Lounge – Lounge Observation

The first Vista Dome in each of the new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS was a 46-seat Leg-Rest Coach the same as they had built for the VISTA–DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYRS in 1948 by Budd. These would be the last fluted side stainless steel domes of this type built by Budd. They would construct one smooth sided painted Vista-Dome 46-Leg-Rest Seat Coach for the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED in December 1957 along with another of their Vista-Dome Sleeping Cars. These would be the final two short Domes delivered by Budd.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 46-SEAT LEG REST COACHES Budd Company August 1956 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS)

4735 SILVER BUCKLE

4736 SILVER BRAND

The second Vista-Dome in each new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR featured the standard 24 seats in the dome, forward of the dome on the main level of the cars was a 19-seat Coffee Shop made up of four tables for four and one table for three. Beneath the dome was a table for four and an 8 seat Lunch Counter. To the rear of the depressed section beneath the dome was the Kitchen, stairway to the dome level and seventeen Crew dormitory space, a steward’s bedroom completed the cars floor plan. These cars operated as through cars to Colorado Springs.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 19 SEAT COFFEE SHOP 8 SEAT LUNCH COUNTER 18-CREW DORMITORY CARS Budd Company October 1956 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS)

253 SILVER CUP

254 SILVER KETTLE

The last car in each VISTA–DOME DENVER ZEPHYR was a Vista-Dome blunt end observation for first class passengers only. These cars featured the standard 24-seats in the Vista-Dome with an 11-seat Parlor section on the main level forward of the dome along with a 5-seat Parlor drawing room. Beneath the Dome was the “Colorado Room” a 12 seat Cocktail Lounge with Bar. The rear of the cars main level was occupied by a 13-seat lounge one at a desk. This completed the Vista-Dome deliveries to the CB&Q.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 11-SEAT PARLOR 5 SEAT PARLOR DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 12-SEAT LOUNGE 13 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS Budd Company September 1956 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS)

235 SILVER CHATEAU

236 SILVER VERANDA

The CB&Q owned one Full Length Budd built dome and thirty-six short domes including the two pattern domes they constructed from flattop coaches in their own Aurora shops. Only the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern would own more before Amtrak. The Union Pacific owned forty-four and Burlington Northern owned seventy-three.
All CB&Q domes passed into Burlington Northern ownership following the March 1970 merger of the CB&Q-GN-NP-SP&S-FW&D-C&S.
For further details of the history of the CB&Q domes see the Burlington Northern chapter.

TTFN Al

[siberianmo]

[bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup]


”Our” Place has a new award recognizing patrons of the bar for contributions made during a given month. The award is known as the MVP – Most Valuable Patron.


The April winner is: LoveDomes Lars!!! - first recipient of the MVP!




Congratulations, Lars – all food ‘n drink is on the house between the hours of 2 – 4 AM. Oh, I see we’re closed then – sorry ‘bout that! [swg]

In the gift basket accompanying the handsomely designed and framed Award Certificate you will find “chits” for food ‘n drink at ”Our” Place redeemable at your pleasure. [tup][tup][tup]


The criteria used for the MVP selection:
(not necessarily in order shown)

1. Quality of Posts
(offering info relevant to the “theme” of the bar: Classic Trains)

2. Inclusiveness of Posts
(recognizing the efforts of others)

3. Acknowledgment of others
(addressing the questions, comments & contributions of others)

4. Banter at the bar
(engaging in good natured exchanges of humor)

5. Dependability of Posts
(regular participation and relevance to events taking place)

6. Behind the scenes support
(Emails, help with organizing events, etc.)

7. Special events support
(Birthday Bashes - Sunday Photo Posting Day - Encore! Saturday, etc.)

8. Number of Posts
(self explanatory)


It wasn’t an easy selection as several others were “neck ‘n neck” for consideration!


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


[bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup][bow][tup]

[passengerfan]

Good Afternoon one more time Tom and the rest of the gang. Time for a CR and a round for the house.
How about the CB&Q domes in parts.

Chicago
Burlington
&
Quincy
(CB&Q)
Streamlined Dome Cars Part One
By Al


The Chicago Burlington & Quincy would be the largest owner of Budd built dome cars prior to Burlington Northern and a year later Amtrak.
The Burlington as previously mentioned built the first modern dome car in their own Aurora Shops in Illinois. Actually this was a rebuild from a prewar Budd built stainless steel streamlined coach. The completed car was the 4714 SILVER DOME so named upon completion of the conversion to dome. The CB&Q named the car a Vista-Dome a name they would use for all of the domes they owned except for the one VIEW series full-dome they operated in the GN EMPIRE BUILDERS.

24-SEAT VISTA DOME 34 REVENUE SEAT COACH Budd Company June 1940 Rebuilt to Dome in CB&Q Aurora Shops June 1945 (World’s first modern dome car referred to as the pattern dome assigned to TWIN ZEPHYR)

4714 SILVER DOME original name SILVER ALCHEMY)

From this single car the CB&Q would order ten Vista-Domes for the two consists of the postwar VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYR. Each consist would have no less than five of the new VISTA-DOMES in each consist. There was three 54 revenue seat Vista-Dome coaches, one 50 revenue seat Vista-Dome coach and a single 29-revenue seat Parlor with 5-revenue seat Parlor Drawing Room Vista-Dome Observation. In addition their were two additional seats located at the rear of the Observation that were only a little less plu***han the other parlor seats that were sold as parlor seating when all other parlor seats were sold out. In actual fact the two observations actually sold 31-parlor seats not counting the five in the parlor drawing room located beneath the dome with its own private bathroom. In actual fact rare was the occasion when all 31 of these seats were not sold out as parlor car seating. All three types of dome cars had 24-non revenue seats in the domes.
The 54-revenue seat Vista-Dome coach’s featured 20-reclining seats forward of the dome, a large Women’s and Men’s restrooms were located beneath the dome. To the rear of the dome was located another 34-reclining seats.
The other Vista-Dome coach carried in each VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYR featured a Hostess room on the right side of the car forward on the main level. To the rear of the small Hostess room was 18-seats on the main level forward of the dome. Beneath the dome of these cars was a crew dayroom with 4-chairs and locker with a crew restroom annex. A small pair of passenger restrooms occupied the remaining space beneath the dome. To the rear of the dome on the cars main level were 32 –reclining seats, and a small conductors office.
The trains originally operated with two flat top cars as well one a 48-seat dining car the other a baggage-buffet 39-seat lounge car, bringing the original consists to seven cars each.
The VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS entered service December 19, 1947 becoming the first Vista-Dome trains in the world to enter scheduled service. Each train set would complete a round trip daily between Chicago and Minneapolis. In the mornings they operated as the MORNING VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS and in the afternoons as the AFTERNOON VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 54-REVENUE SEAT COACHES Budd Company July – October 1947 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS)

4725 SILVER ISLAND

4726 SILVER RIVER

4727 SILVER STREAM

4728 SILVER WAVE

4729 SILVER SCENE

4730 SILVER VISION

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME CREW ROOMS 50-REVENUE SEAT COACHES Budd Company October 1947 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS)

4723 SILVER BLUFF

4725 SILVER GLADE

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 5-SEAT PARLOR DRAWING ROOM 31-SEAT PARLOR OBSERVATIONS Budd Company November – December 1947 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS)

360 SILVER VIEW

361 SILVER VISTA

The following is a list of the two consists of the initial VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS.

800 SILVER BUFFET
Baggage-Buffet 39-seat Lounge Car
4726 SILVER RIVER
24-seat Vista-Dome 54-revenue seat Coach
4727 SILVER STREAM
24-seat Vista-Dome 54-revenue seat Coach
4728 SILVER WAVE
24-seat Vista-Dome 54-Revenue seat Coach
4723 SILVER BLUFF
24-seat Vista-Dome 50-Revenue seat Coach
197 SILVER FEAST
48-seat Dining Car
360 SILVER VIEW
24-seat Vista-Dome 5-seat Parlor Drawing Room 31-seat Parlor Observation

801 SILVER SALON
Baggage Buffet 39-seat Lounge Car
4729 SILVER SCENE
24-seat Vista-Dome 54-revenue seat Coach
4725 SILVER ISLAND
24-seat Vista-Dome 54-revenue seat Coach
4730 SILVER VISION
24-seat Vista-Dome 54-revenue seat Coach
4724 SILVER GLADE
24-seat Vista-Dome 50-revenue seat Coach
196 SILVER SALVER
48-seat Dining Car
361 SILVER VISTA
24-seat Vista-Dome 5-seat parlor Drawing Room 31-seat Parlor Observation

The CB&Q along with the D&RGW and WP ordered the most famous dome equipped streamliners of all in October 1945 two months after the CB&Q ordered the first two VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYR streamliners. This second order for Vista-Dome cars was for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR, the train that would become a legend in its own right, America”s first cruise train
Each of the six VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR train sets were initially eleven cars in length; five of those cars were domes. Each VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR initially carried four types of different domes per consist, a women & children’s Vista Dome Coach, standard Vista Dome coaches, Vista Dome Buffet Lounge crew Dormitory and Vista-Dome 3-DBR 1 DR Bar Lounge and Lounge observation.
The first Vista-Dome 46-leg-rest seat coach in each of the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR consists was a designated women and Children’s car. The forward 18-seat coach area had a passageway door beneath the dome just forward of the men’s restroom to segregate this part of the car from the rest of the car. The remainder of these cars seated the standard 24 in the dome and 24 leg-rest seats on the main level aft of the dome. There were six of these cars built by Budd for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. Two were CB&Q cars, one a D&RGW car and the remaining three WP owned. It is believed the cars lasted about two years as designated Women and Children’s car before the passageway door was removed and they were operated just as if they were any other dome coach in the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 46-SEAT LEG-REST COACHES (designated Women & Children’s) Budd Company (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME CALIFORNA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q
Delivered January – February 1948

4721 SILVER SADDLE

4722 SILVER STIRRUP

D&RGW
Delivered February 1948

1108 SILVER PONY

WP
Delivered February – March 1948

815 SILVER SCHOONER

816 SILVER SCOUT

817 SILVER THISTLE

The remaining eighteen Vista-Dome Coaches were 46-Leg-Rest Seat Cars without the passageway door beneath the dome. Eighteen Leg-rest seats forward of the dome on the main level and 28 on the main level aft of the depressed center beneath the dome. One each men’s and ladies restroom was located beneath the 24-seat Vista Dome. These restrooms were quite large with make-up area and bench in the ladies room, two sinks, and one separate toilet room, the men’s restroom provided two toilets with a bench and 4 sinks. This became the standard Budd arrangement for long distance dome coaches that would follow over the ensuing years. Since the Vista Dome Coaches were delivered to the operating roads before the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR entered service they were assigned to the heavyweight EXPOSITION FLYER between Chicago and Oakland. The EXPOSITION FLYER would be discontinued with the inauguration of the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 46-SEAT LEG-REST COACHES Budd Company (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q
Delivered March – April 1948

4716 SILVER BRIDLE

4717 SILVER LODGE

4718 SILVER LARIAT

4719 SILVER RANCH

4720 SILVER RIFLE

D&RGW
Delivered March – April 1948

1106 SILVER COLT

1107 SILVER MUSTANG

1108 SILVER BRONCO

WP
Delivered March – May 1948

811 SILVER DOLLAR

812 SILVER FEATHER

813 SILVER PALACE

814 SILVER SAGE

The fourth dome in the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR was the Vista-Dome Buffet Lounge Crew Dormitory car. The dome seated the usual 24 beneath the glass, in the short forward section of the cars main level was the Coffee Shop with seating for 19 arranged around four tables for four and one table for three. Beneath the dome was a 7-seat lounge area and the small kitchen pantry that served the Coffee Shop and Lounge area. The dome level of these cars was restricted to use by sleeping car passengers only who reached the dome by using the passageway alongside the Crew Dormitory space. To the rear of the dome on the main level was the crew dormitory area providing space for 15 in the main bunk area for the Dining car and Buffet lounge crew. To the rear of the general dormitory were two bedrooms, one for the dining car steward, and the other for the Zephyrette. The Zephyrette was the train hostess assigned to the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYRS. Initially these stewardesses were either College graduates or registered nurses, later these requirements were relaxed when many would be stewardesses turned to the airlines instead of the trains for work. The VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR Zephyrettes were home based in Oakland.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 19-SEAT COFFEE SHOP 7-SEAT LOUNGE BUFFET-PANTRY 19-CREW DORMITORY CARS Budd Company (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q
Delivered October-November 1948

250 SILVER CLUB

251 SILVER LOUNGE

252 SILVER ROUNDUP

D&RGW
Delivered November 1948

1140 SILVER SHOP

WP
Delivered November 1948

831 SILVER CHALET

832 SILVER HOSTEL

The last car and last Vista-Dome in each VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR was among the most beautiful cars ever built for railroad use. These cars besides having a dome that seated the standard 24, featured three Double Bedrooms one Drawing Room all forward of the dome on the main level. Beneath the dome was a twelve-passenger lounge with seating at tables for eight at tables for two and one table for four and bar. To the rear of the depressed area of the car was a lounge with seating for 18 one of these at a small writing desk providing complimentary VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR stationary. This latter lounge was in the rounded observation end. There were six of these cars built initially for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. The Drawing Room Annex in each of these cars was retrofitted with a shower in 1951 after the cars had been in service for about two years.

24-SEAT VISTA-DOME 3-DOUBLE BEDROOM 1-DRAWING ROOM BAR 12-SEAT LOUNGE 18-SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS Budd Company Plan: 9511 Lots: 9659-019-020-021 (Built for and assigned to VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q
Delivered December 1948

375 SILVER HORIZON

376 SILVER PENTHOUSE

377 SILVER SOLARIUM

D&RGW
Delivered December 1948

1145 SILVER SKY

WP
Delivered December 1948

881 SILVER CRESCENT

882 SILVER PLANET


TTFN Al

[LoveDomes]

G’day Kapitan Tom and fellow travelers at the bar!


A great “Theme” selection for this institutionalized day! Didn’t take 20 Fingers long to revert back to the those looooooooooooooong winded data dumps that we’ve all come to “revere!” <ugh> Kinda like watching your mother-in-law drive off a cliff in your new car – mixed emotions! [swg]

Truly enjoyed browsing through the Burlington Route submissions and always like the way you are able to weave in those “Wikipedia” facts with your “Fallen Flags,” and so forth. Tells a complete story. Good job! [tup][tup][tup]

Sorry that I haven’t got anything to provide today – been a bit behind the curve with the time available for the research. Weekend my best effort! [swg]

Also want to make mention of that “theme” going on over on your “other thread.” Now, that too is a winnAH – a double whammy for sure on the Forum today! [tup][tup][tup] Maybe you could make that road a selection for your “RR from Yesteryear” down the tracks . . . . huh[?]


Got a kick out of Coalminer3 (I’m not Shane!) coal-what’s-his-face’s post of today! <phew> Anyway, lotsa good stuff crammed in his morning missives and always good to read! [tup]

Must add my kudos to the rest with regard to the URLs provided by wanswheel Mike – very, very enjoyable. [tup][tup][tup]

Liked the “reading assignment” from barndad Doug (aka: whatdoyouthinkthisisabarn?) Captivating and good stuff! [tup][tup][tup] Unfortunately, I see you are back to the attempts at jokes again! <uhg>

Had to do a bit of research to figure out what the Bear Man was talking about – now I’ve figurered it out. Hope all is well with you and that your “countdown” to Toronto goes off without a hitch. Would dearly love to “splice the mainbrace” with you Gents up thataway! Oh boy, if you only knew how much!! [tup]


Tom Received your email of this day and thank you for it. We definitely need to come up with a workable scheme to keep the bar functioning in light of all those planned absences. Perhaps those of us who received Tom’s Words will communicate amongst ourselves to work it all out. Worth a try, huh[?]

Pete ‘n BK received your replies! [tup]

Nick over there in Wales – one of these days we’re just going to have to get you to America! We’d have a blast, for sure! Always enjoy reading your ‘wisdom,’ and am actually beginning to understand you! [swg] Don’t know how you manage to keep those late hours – once upon a time, but no more for me. <groan>

Count Robulla What in the world is the deal, mate[?] All work and no play makes for a somewhat less-than-acceptable environment around the bar! Now, this has got to cease – you can always get a new job, a new car, a new . . . . well, maybe not THAT – but you sure in heck can’t find a cyber bar better ‘n this one! So, c’mon and resume with the interaction! [tup]

Looks like my “bookend” skipped another day – now that’s serious stuff, this marriage preparation! <grin> Times getting a bit ‘short’ for the man – so perhaps we should consider a bunch of “well wishes” on the 9th. He said that from the 10th on, he’s “gone.” I know the wedding is that Saturday . . . Sound ok[?]

Barkeep, a round of “good stuff” for the guys and I’ll take a Keiths Pale Ale! Nothing to eat today – as the Mrs. and I are planning a night out. Nothing special – just keeping her off balance! [swg]


Until the next time!

Lars

[passengerfan]

Good Afternoon Tom and the rest of the gang. Time for a CR and a round for the house.

If you haven't guessed CB&Q was another favorite of mine.

CB&Q
Streamlined Sleeping Cars Part Two
By Al

The next group of sleeping cars delivered to the CB&Q were for another joint operation. These cars were for the all stainless steel VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR a Chicago - San Francisco daily train requiring six sets of equipment. The CB&Q operated the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR between Chicago and Denver where the Denver and Rio Grande Western took over for the daylight run through the Rockies to Salt Lake City. At Salt Lake City power was once again exchanged and the Western Pacific operated the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR to and from Oakland where passengers boarded either buses or boarded a ferry for the ride to San Francisco. The VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR became America's first long distance streamlined cruise train. Each train operated with five Vista- Domes in each consist. There were three Dome Coaches for the Coach passengers and the remaining two domes were for the exclusive use of the Sleeping car passengers. Each of the three operating roads provided their own diesels for the trip over their rails. A typical VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR consist as inaugurated March 20, 1949 follows.

VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR

9960A EMD F3A 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

9960B EMD F3B 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Booster Unit

9960C EMD F3A 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

903 SILVER BEAR 70" Baggage Car

4718 SILVER LARIAT 24 Seat Vista Dome 46 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Women and Children's Coach

4719 SILVER RANCH 24 Seat Vista Dome 46 Revenue Seat Leg rest Coach

4720 SILVER RIFLE 24 Seat Vista Dome 46 Revenue Seat Leg rest Coach

250 SILVER CLUB 24 Seat Vista Dome 19 Seat Coffee Shop 8 Seat Lounge 19 Crew Dormitory Car

423 SILVER POINT 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

424 SILVER SHORE 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

193 SILVER CAFÉ 48 Seat Dining Car

400 SILVER MAPLE 16 Section Sleeping Car

425 SILVER BUTTE 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (Through New York - San Francisco)

375 SILVER HORIZON 24 Seat Vista Dome 3 Double Bedroom 1 Drawing Room 12 Seat Lounge W/Bar 14 Seat Lounge Observation

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR cars were owned by four railroads the CB&Q, D&RGW, WP and a lone 10-6 sleeping car owned by the PRR used as a through car. The following lists the new VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR sleeping cars by owning road.

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company September - November 1948 Plan: 9509 Lot: 9659 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q

423 SILVER POINT

424 SILVER SHORE

425 SILVER BUTTE

426 SILVER CLIFF

427 SILVER FALLS

428 SILVER VALLEY

D&RGW

1130 SILVER PASS

1131 SILVER SUMMIT

1132 SILVER GORGE

1133 SILVER CREEK

1134 SILVER GLACIER

WP
861 SILVER ARROYO

862 SILVER CANYON

863 SILVER MOUNTAIN

864 SILVER PALISADE

865 SILVER RANGE

866 SILVER BAY

867 SILVER SURF

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CAR Budd Company November 1948 Plan: 9520 Lot: 9662-031 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

PRR

8449 SILVER RAPIDS

16 SECTION SLEEPING CARS Budd Company October - November 1948 Plan: 9507 Lot: 9639 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q

400 SILVER MAPLE

401 SILVER LARCH

D&RGW

1120 SILVER ASPEN

1121 SILVER PINE

WP

871 SILVER PALM

872 SILVER POPLAR

24 SEAT VISTA DOME 3 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 DRAWING ROOM 12 SEAT LOUNGE W/BAR 14 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Budd Company December 1948 - January 1949 Plan: 9511 Lot: 9660 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q
375 SILVER HORIZON

376 SILVER PENTHOUSE

377 SILVER SOLARIUM

D&RGW

1145 SILVER SKY

WP

881 SILVER CRESCENT

882 SILVER PLANET

Shortly after the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR entered service a decision was made to equip the one Drawing Rooms annex with a shower for passengers using the most expensive sleeping car space on the train. The installation of the showers was done in Chicago on the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR layovers by CB&Q maintenance crews. The Budd Company supplied kits and it took the CB&Q crews about 12 hours for each shower installation.
The VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR added a new sleeping car to each consist in August 1952. This was an all room sleeping car with 6 Double Bedrooms and 5 Compartments. With the addition of these cars the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR offered Sections with Uppers and Lowers, Roomettes, Double Bedrooms, Compartments, and a single Drawing Room. Two Double Bedrooms could be opened up ensuite for additional Drawing Room space if necessary otherwise there was just the one drawing room with its own private shower. The addition of the all room sleeping car to each consist gave more private room space to the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR.
6 DOUBLE BEDROOM 5 COMPARTMENT SLEEPING CARS Budd Company July - August 1952 Plan: 9534 Lot: 9641 - 112 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR)

CB&Q

450 SILVER DOVE

451 SILVER QUAIL

452 SILVER THRUSH

D&RGW

1135 SILVER GULL

WP

851 SILVER CRANE

852 SILVER SWALLOW

In addition the CB&Q purchased four additional sleeping cars for CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR - AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR service. With each CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR arriving in Chicago in the AM and not departing until the next afternoon, sleeping cars from the VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR were able to operate to Omaha- Lincoln overnight in the AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR with the additional sleeping cars of 1952. The returning AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR from the west would give up its sleeping cars for that days departing VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. Due to this arrangement the CB&Q was able to operate two trains by buying only one additional set of sleeping cars. The sleeping cars operated in the AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR were lettered for the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. Those cars purchased for the additional sleeping car section of the AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR were two 10-Roomette 6 Double Bedroom cars, one 16 Section Sleeping car and a 234 seat Vista Dome 3 Double Bedroom 1 Drawing Room 12 Seat Lounge w/bar 13 seat Lounge Observation. In addition to the new Sleeping cars for the joint AK-SAR-BEN - CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR operation the CB&Q received 12 other new sleeping cars for other CB&Q overnight services as follows.

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company June 1952 Plan: 9531 Lot: 9660-112 (Built for and assigned to the following CB&Q trains)

AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR

431 SILVER DALE

436 SILVER SLOPE

BLACKHAWK

432 SILVER ISLE

433 SILVER MEADOW

434 SILVER PLAIN

435 SILVER PRAIRIE

VISTA - DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR
AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR

429 SILVER CRAG

430 SILVER CHASM

6 SECTION 6 ROOMETTE 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company August - September 1952 Plan: 9530 Lot: 9658-112 (Built for and assigned to AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR and BLACKHAWK)

AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR

460 SILVER FLOWER

462 SILVER HYACINTH

463 SILVER IRIS

465 SILVER TULIP

BLACKHAWK

461 SILVER GLADIOLA

464 SILVER ORCHID

16 SECTION SLEEPING CAR Budd Company September 1952 Plan: 9532 Lot: 9639-112 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR - AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR pool)

402 SILVER CEDAR

24 SEAT VISTA - DOME 3 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 DRAWING ROOM 12 SEAT LOUNGE W/BAR 13 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Budd Company December 1952 Plan: 9533 Lot: 9659-112 (Built for and assigned to VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR - AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR pool)

378 SILVER LOOKOUT

The BLACKHAWK was the CB&Q overnight train between Chicago and St. Paul-Minneapolis. It was an assortment of heavyweight cars and lightweight stainless steel cars for much of its career and ran combined with the GN WESTERN STAR and NP MAINSTREETER as well. The BLACKHAWKS operated with two of the previously mentioned lightweight streamlined 10-6 Sleeping cars in each consist and one of the new 6 Section 6 Roomette 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars in each consist. The ^ section 6 Roomette 4 double Bedroom cars were built with the Bedrooms in the center of the car with Roomettes located at one end and Sections at the other end of these cars.
Beginning February 1, 1953 the CB&Q inaugurated two new streamliners the KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR between Chicago and Kansas City with a connecting service between St. Joseph and Brookfield in each direction. This was a daylight operation so carried no sleeping cars. The other new train on that date was the AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR an overnight train between Chicago and Kansas City with a section to and from St. Joseph split or joined at Brookfield. Consists of the initial streamlined AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYRS follow.

9969 EMD E8A 2,250 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

9936A EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel passenger Cab Unit (St. Joseph - Chicago)

996 Heavyweight Baggage Express Car
(St. Joseph - Chicago)

1581 Heavyweight Storage Mail Car

1033 Heavyweight Baggage Express Car

4733 SILVER SPEAR 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach

321 SILVER PATIO 24 Seat Vista dome 28 Revenue Seat Coach Buffet 28 seat Coffee Shop - Lounge Car

462 SILVER HYACINTH 6 Section 6 roomette 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

436 SILVER SLOPE 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

465 SILVER TULIP 6 Section 6 Roomette 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
(St. Joseph - Chicago)

4734 SILVER SWORD 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach
(St. Joseph - Chicago)

SECOND CONSIST

9964 EMD E8A 2,250 HP Diesel Passenger cab Unit

9932B EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
(Chicago - St. Joseph)

1012 Heavyweight Baggage Express Car
(Chicago - St. Joseph

1586 Heavyweight Storage Mail Car

998 Heavyweight Baggage - Express Car

4732 SILVER SHIELD 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach

320 SILVER GARDEN 24 Seat Vista Dome 28 Revenue Seat Coach Buffet 28 Seat Lounge Car

460 SILVER FLOWER 6 Section 6 Roomette 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

431 SILVER DALE 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

463 SILVER IRIS 6 Section 6 Roomette 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
(Chicago - St. Joseph)

4731 SILVER SHAFT 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach
(Chicago - St. Joseph)

In June 1951 the Great Northern introduced an all-new Mid-Century EMPIRE BUILDER between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. Initially the CB&Q owned none of the cars of the 15 car consists. The CB&Q did own one complete consist of the 1947 EMPIRE BUILDER equipment that now operated as the WESTERN STAR a secondary train between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. In September 1953 the Great Northern transferred one complete set of the new EMPIRE BUILDER equipment to the CB&Q. Sleeping cars transferred to the CB&Q with no change of numbers were as follows.

6 ROOMETTE 5 DOUBLE BEDROOM 2 COMPARTMENT SLEPPING CARS Pullman Standard October - November 1950 Plan: 4180 Lot: 6877 (Built for GN Mid-Century EMPIRE BUILDER transferred to CB&Q ownership September 1953)

1371 PITAMAKIN PASS

1378 FIREBRAND PASS

1382 BLEWETT PASS

4 SECTIONS 1 COMPARTMENT 7 DUPLEX ROOMETTES 3 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Pullman Standard November - December 1950 Plan: 4181 Lot: 6889 (Built for and assigned to GN Mid-Century EMPIRE BUILDER transferred to CB&Q ownership September 1953)

1266 SHEYENNE RIVER

1269 POPLAR RIVER

1273 PEND ORIELLE RIVER

In 1954 the Northern Pacific added Dome Coaches and Dome Sleeping cars to the NORTH OAST LIMITED. At the same time the new Raymond Loewy paint scheme of two tone green with a white separation stripe and lettering was introduced. From that point on the NORTH COAST LIMITED was referred to as the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED. Two of the new VISTA - DOME Sleeping cars from Budd were owned by the CB&Q as follows.

24 SEAT ISTA DOME 4 ROOMETTE 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM 4 DUPLEX ROOMETTE SLEEPING CARS Budd Company September - November 1954 Plan: 9535 Lot: 9669 - 141 (Built for and assigned to NP VISTA DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED owned by CB&Q)

304, 305

In July 1955 the CB&Q 1194 MARIAS RIVER a WESTERN STAR Sleeper Lounge Observation was rebuilt by Pullman to a COULEE series sleeper lounge Observation and transferred to the EMPIRE BUILDER. The same work was completed on the other Five RIVER series Sleeper Lounge Observations and all were then assigned to the EMPIRE BUILDER. The new COULEE series Observations became the only lightweight streamlined sleeper Lounge Observations with Roomettes.

4 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 6 ROOMETTE 9 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION New Pullman Plan: 4109K (Rebuilt for and assigned to Mid-Century EMPIRE BUILDER)

CB&Q 1194 TRAIL COULEE originally CB&Q 1194 MARIAS RIVER

On October 28, 1956 the CB&Q inaugurated new Budd built streamlined DENVER ZEPHYRS overnight between Chicago and Denver in both directions using two consists. The new DENVER ZEPHYRS were the last long distance full service trains built in the United States prior to Amtrak introducing the SUPERLINERS. The new DENVER ZEPHYRS offered reclining seat leg rest Coaches, Parlor Car Service, All room first class sleeping Car service, introduced the Slumbercoach to the traveling public.
The Slumbercoach was a Budd idea whose time had come. Here was a car that could carry Coach passengers in private rooms at Coach fare plus a small room charge. No need to upgrade to first class for this car and the capacity of the new Slumbercoach was a an astounding 40 passengers. There were 24 Single Rooms and 8 Double Rooms complete with Bed, Toilet facilities, music, individual air conditioning and heating controls, and drinking water. Although the single room was smaller than a duplex Roomette there was no wasted space and surprisingly the rooms were very comfortable. The new DENVER ZEPHYR consists would receive two of these new Slumbercoaches per consist one a Chicago - Denver car the other a Chicago - Colorado Springs car. The second Slumbercoach for each DENVER ZEPHYR consist was not delivered to the CB&Q until December 1956 in time for the Christmas rush, this became the Colorado Springs car in each consist.
In addition to the Slumbercoaches the CB&Q received new 10-6 Sleeping cars and 6 Double Bedroom 5 Compartment sleeping cars were also delivered by Budd for the first class sleeping car patrons of the new DENVER ZEPHYRS. The 10-6 Sleeping cars were different than previous 10-6 sleeping cars delivered to the CB&Q as the Bedrooms were in the center of the car with 5 Roomettes located at each end of the cars. As with all Budd cars built for the CB&Q they were all so called deluxe cars with full skirting. The following is the inaugural new 1956 DENVER ZEPHYRS with the two Colorado Springs Slumbercoaches sown but they were not added to the consists until December 1956. It should be mentioned that the DENVER ZEPHYR was a double destination train with four of the cars in each consist forwarded by the D&RGW ROYAL GORGE to and from Colorado Springs from Denver. This Colorado Springs service by way of Denver was faster than the direct route between Chicago and Colorado Springs provided by the Rock Island ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROCKET.

9987A EMD E9A 2,400 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

9993 EMD E9A 2,400 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

1601 SILVER MAIL Baggage 30' Railway Post Office Car

906 ARGO Baggage Express Car

4741 SILVER REIN 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach

4736 SILVER BRAND 24 Seat Vista Dome 46 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach

4901 SILVER SLUMBER 24 Single Room 8 Double Room Slumbercoach

4737 SILVER BIT
50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach
(Chicago - Colorado Springs)

254 SILVER KETTLE 24 Seat Vista Dome 8 Seat Lunch Counter 23 Seat Coffee Shop Buffet 16 Crew Dormitory Car
(Chicago - Colorado Springs)

4902 SILVER REST 24 Single Room 8 Double Room Slumbercoach
(Chicago - Colorado Springs)

493 SILVER RIDGE 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
(Chicago - Colorado Springs)

201 SILVER CHEF 48 Seat Dining Car

453 SILVER SWAN
6 Double Bedroom 5 Compartment Sleeping Car

486 SILVER PLATEAU 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

487 SILVER HOLLOW 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

236 SILVER VERANDA 24 Seat Vista Dome 11 Seat Parlor 5 Seat Parlor Drawing Room Buffet 24 Seat Lounge Observation

EASTBOUND

9990 EMD E9A 2,400 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

9988B EMD E9A 2,400 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

1604 SILVER POUCH Baggage 30' Railway Post Office

907 OLYMPUS Baggage Express Car

4739 SILVER HALTER 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach

4735 SILVER BUCKLE 24 Seat Vista Dome 46 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach

4900 SILVER SIESTA 24 Single Room 8 Double Room Slumber Coach

4738 SILVER BLANKET 50 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coach
(Colorado Springs - Chicago)

253 SILVER CUP
24 Seat Vista Dome 8 Seat Lunch Counter 23 Seat Coffee Shop Buffet 16 Crew Dormitory Car
(Colorado Springs - Chicago)

4903 SILVER REPOSE 24 Single Room 8 Double Room Slumbercoach
(Colorado Springs - Chicago)

485 SILVER TERRAIN 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
(Colorado Springs - Chicago)

202 SILVER TUREEN 48 Seat Dining Car

454 SILVER PELICAN 6 Double Bedroom 5 Compartment Sleeping Car

491 SILVER RAVINE 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

488 SILVER BOULDER 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

235 SILVER CHATEAU 24 Seat Vista Dome 11 Seat Parlor 5 Seat Parlor Drawing Room Buffet 24 Seat Lounge Observation

24 SINGLE ROOM 8 DOUBLE ROOM SLUMBERCOACHES Budd Company October 1956 Plan: 9540 Lot: 9691 - 169 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS)

4900 SILVER SIESTA

4901 SILVER SLUMBER

24 SINGLE ROOM 8 DOUBLE ROOM SLUMBERCOACHES Budd Company December 1956 Plan: 9540 Lot: 9691 - 169 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS)

4902 SILVER REST

4903 SILVER REPOSE

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company June - July 1956 Plan: 9538 Lot: 9641 - 169 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS with spares)

485 SILVER TERRAIN

486 SILVER PLATEAU

487 SILVER HOLLOW

488 SILVER BOULDER

489 SILVER CHANNEL

490 SILVER VALE

491 SILVER RAVINE

492 SILVER BASIN

493 SILVER RIDGE

6 DOUBLE BEDROOM 5 COMPARTMENT SLEEPING CARS Budd Company September 1956 Plan: 9539 Lot: 9641 - 169 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS)

453 SILVER SWAN

454 SILVER PELICAN

The three 16 Section Sleeping Cars owned by the CB&Q and assigned to CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR service were rebuilt to 48 Revenue Seat Leg Rest Coaches in 1963-64 as follows. They received new 4700 series numbers but retained their original names.

November 1963

4742 SILVER MAPLE originally CB&Q 400 SILVER MAPLE

January 1964

4743 SILVER LARCH originally CB&Q 401 SILVER LARCH

February 1964

4744 SILVER CEDAR originally CB&Q 402 SILVER CEDAR

The CB&Q purchased a pair of used 24 Single 8 Double Room Slumbercoaches from the NP in March 1965 and retained their NP numbers and names as follows.

CB&Q 335 LOCH ARKAIG ex NP 335 LOCH ARKAIG originally NYC 10802

CB&Q 336 LOCH AWE ex NP 336 LOCH AWE originally NYC 10803

CB&Q owned VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED Sleeping Car 304 was remodeled in May 1967 to a Vista Dome Cocktail Lounge In The Sky Sleeping car with two of the under dome Single rooms were removed replaced by a Buffet. The Dome seating was replaced with 24 seats at tables for four. The car was renumbered 380 after completion of the work. Car 380 and the others rebuilt to Vista Dome Cocktail Lounge In The Sky cars were operated at the rear of all VISTA DOME NORTH OAST LIMITED train sets.
All CB&Q lightweight streamlined Sleeping cars passed to Burlington Northern ownership in the 1970 merger of the GN, NP, SP&S, CB&Q, C&S, and FW&D railroads. Many of the former CB&Q lightweight streamlined Sleeping cars were assigned BN numbers, but not all numbers were actually painted on the cars before Amtrak took over the nations passenger trains in 1971. At that time all BN lightweight-streamlined Budd built sleeping cars passed to Amtrak.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Good Mornin’ Gents!

Appears that the storms have passed through and left us with blue skies – temps expected to reach the 80s (F) today as things begin to dry a bit after some much needed rain these past few days (on ‘n off). Don’t have a first-hand observation for “Collusion Corner,” but last time I saw it, petrol was at $2.75 (rounded) – radio sez that’s the average ‘round these parts.

Getting a bit “concerned” over no response to Emails – especially since most of my outgoing are REPLIES! C’mon guys, this is liking waiting for the mailman! [swg]

I see we’ve had a couple of participants jump on the Burlington Route this AM – so, let’s get started with the acknowledgments:

But first – for Mike – Those URLs from last night were absolutely terrific and as always, “right on!” Don’t know how you do it (of course I really do!) with regard to finding pretty much anything and everything you are thinking about – but what counts is the objective is attained. Good job! [tup][tup][tup]

It’s been a couple of decades, but that one shot of the Lock & Dam looks to be #15 at Davenport. Could be wrong. Back in the early 80s, I was part of a joint governmental study looking at the locks & dams along the Mississippi for reasons not needed to be expounded upon here in the Ether. Anyway, I met with each ‘n every lockmaster from the north to the south. An interesting and time consuming round of trips – but extremely “eye opening.”

Also got a kick out of the Hiawatha shots. Presumed they were “commemorative runs” or excursions. Nevertheless, great looking fer sure, fer sure! Kudos, Mike! [tup][tup][tup]


Theodorebear Ted
Posted: 02 May 2006, 07:23:12 & 07:27:52

The Bear man has returned! [swg] Missed your comments these past couple of days – but figured you were either “hornswaggled” into helping a friend, or working on whatever it is that keeps you busy. Wrong on both accounts! Hope the weekend was enjoyable! [swg]

Your comments regarding trying to catch up on the Posts brings to mind a thought or two for all the guys:

An impetus for starting this Thread was to get away from those situations where info Posted quickly vanishes as multiple pages rack up in only a matter of hours. Not so ‘round here – exception being “special events” like Bashes and Vets/Memorial Day. And yet, it IS time consuming to catch up on what one may have missed between visits.

Use of the Summaries and Indexes should be of assistance though . . .

For the most part the guys who frequent this bar have been pretty good about answering questions – acknowledging others and maintaining an inclusiveness with their Posts. Of course, we’re always going to have the “centric few,” but such is life.

As mentioned in one of my previous Posts, I expect things to slow down, considerably, ‘round here as the guys take leave of the place for parts of this month and the next. Hopefully, we’ll be able to muster up some “regularity” amongst those left behind.

Going in for your “15,000 mile:”check-up, eh[?] Glad to know the “benefits” are still working for “some” of us. From what I’ve been reading, that “free medical care for life” for military retirees simply isn’t and hasn’t been. I could write a book! But that’s another story – good luck with your visit! [tup]


passengerfan Al
Posted: 02 May 2006, 08:11:17 & 08:15:53

Figgered you’d be the 1st to leap all over the Burlington Route! [swg] And I’m sure there’s more where that came from! [tup]

No harm, no foul – as the saying goes. You “recovered” quickly enough to avoid receiving a Tweeeeeting! [swg]


coalminer3 CM3
Posted: 02 May 2006, 08:23:01

It’s been many a moon since I last saw a Yanks – Red Sox game at either place. Always tried to take in at least one game in the season series when living in “Beantown,” and same for when in “The Big Apple.” (‘course, they didn’t call it that when I lived and worked there – that’s how long back it was!) From what I’ve witnessed on TV, the stuff going on in the stands has really taken on a different dimension from the days I recall. But, same can be said ‘round here as well.

A couple of weeks ago there was a rather lengthy account of what had happened to a grandfather and his grand daughter at a Cardinals game. It was really sad, infuriating and indicative of the times we live in. Won’t get into it all here – but the “low lites” concerned the profanity being directed at the opposing players, along with the home team as well! – excessive drinking – pot smoking, and it goes downhill from there. Apparently the people overseeing the crowds in the bleachers weren’t very interested in controlling the situation. Not good. Kinda bolsters a thing I have within me that sez, “If I could only select those for whom I would fight and die for . . . .”

A bound folio of the Gazettes wouldn’t bring in enough to fill a thimble with what I’m planning on consuming in Toronto! Nice thought, though . . . [swg]

I remember when “Willie Sutton” was somewhat of a “folk hero’ back when he was making headlines. Funny comment attributed to him, and that’s the stuff movies come from. Let’s see, who do you think could portray him in film[?]

That story you told about your “ex,” brings to mind a still-vivid pix in my mind of an accident I witnessed on the PA turnpike back in 1971. Was heading east when I happened to see a west bound station wagon run right into and beneath a tractor trailer that had slowed for a traffic situation. As my speed took me rapidly from the scene, I recall seeing the station wagon disappear beneath the rear of the trailer. Never did see or hear anything about it during my drive to NYC or in the papers when I got there. No way anyone survived that. Grim.

Nice stuff on the Burlington and that URL on the bridges is a gold mine! Thanx. [tup][tup][tup]

Thanx, as always, for the quarters and the round! [tup]


Okay boyz – I’ll be here for the remainder of the day.


Tom [4:-)] [oX)]


BE SMARTER, use the “Reload/Refresh” as soon as you get to ”Our” Place It’s the only way to get the most current Posts!

[siberianmo]

Now arriving on track #1 …..
Railroads from Yesteryear! Number Seventeen


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


Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (The Burlington Route)




Reporting marks: CBQ

Locale: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Wyoming

Dates of operation: 1849 – 1970

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

Headquarters: Chicago, IL


The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (AAR reporting mark CBQ) was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the railroad served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Its primary connections included Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver. Because of this extensive tracking in the midwest and mountain states the Q used the slogans "Everywhere West"; "Way of the Zephyrs" and "The Way West".


History

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad began operation in the 1840s by running a single passenger lashup over recycled rails from Aurora to Chicago. However, within the next three years, the railroad was able to expand into the true namesake - holding trackage extending through the cities of Chicago, Burlington, Quincy, and Aurora. The CB&Q became well known as one of the finest "granger roads" or a railroad which served agricultural areas, often through smaller branch trackage. In 1849, the Burlington Route staged its last spike ceremony. Before that, they had been operating to whatever the current end of trackage was.

With a steady acquisition of locomotives, cars, equipment, and trackage, the Burlington Route was able to enter the trade markets in 1862. As of this year, that railroad has been the only Class I US railroad to constantly pay dividends and never run into debt or default on a loan.

In 1868 the CB&Q completed bridges over the Mississippi River both at Burlington, Iowa and Quincy, Illinois giving the railroad through connections with the Burlington and Missouri River (B&MR) Railroad in Iowa and the Hannibal & St, Joseph (H&St.J) Railroad in Missouri. The first Railway Post Office was inaugurated on the H&St.J to sort mail on the trains way across Missouri, passing the mail to the Pony Express upon reaching the Missouri River at St. Joseph, Missouri. The B&MR continued building westward into Nebraska as a separate company, the Burlington & Missouri River Rail Road in Nebraska, founded in 1869. During the summer of 1870 it reached Lincoln, the newly designated capital of Nebraska and by 1872 it reached Kearney, Nebraska. That same year the B&MR across Iowa was absorbed by the CB&Q. By the time the Missouri River bridge at Plattsmouth, Nebraska was completed the B&MR in Nebraska was well on its way to the Mile High city of Denver, Colorado. That same year, the Nebraska B&MR was purchased by the CB&Q which completed the line to Denver by 1882, the first direct rail line from Chicago to Denver.

Burlington's rapid expansion after the Civil War was based upon sound financial management, dominated by John Murray Forbes of Boston and assisted by Charles E. Perkins. Perkins was a powerful administrator who eventually forged a system out of previously loosely-held affiliates, virtually tripling Burlington's size during his presidency from 1881 to 1901.

With the First World War having the same effect on the Burlington as on all other railroads, during the 1920s the Burlington Route had an increasingly heavy amount of equipment flooding the yards. With the advent of the Great Depression, the CB&Q held a good portion of this for scrap. Despite the decrease of passengers, it was during this time that the Q introduced the famed Zephyrs.

After the Second World War, the CB&Q was inundated by the overworked steam locomotives existent in a fleet that was already beginning to dieselize. The CB&Q began dieselization with the General Motors Electro-Motive-Division equipment, whose major manufacturing and assembly plant was in McCook, Illinois, convinently just south of the CB&Q triple track main-line at LaGrange, Illinois. By 1959, dieselization was compelte with the last steam trains retiring from regular service over the Q.

As the financial situation of American railroading continued to decline through the 1960s, the Burlington merged with the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle railroads on March 2, 1970 to form the Burlington Northern Railroad.

The Burlington Zephyrs

The railroad operated a number of streamlined passenger trains known as the Zephyrs which were the most famous and largest fleet of streamliners in the United States. The Pioneer Zephyr, America's first diesel-electric powered streamlined passenger train, made its famous "Dawn-to-Dusk" run from Denver, Colorado to Chicago, Illinois on May 26, 1934. On November 11, 1934 the train was put into regularly scheduled service between Lincoln, Nebraska and Kansas City, Missouri. Although the distinctive, articulated stainless steel trainsets were well known, and the railroad adopted the "Way of the Zephyrs" slogan, they did not attract passengers back to the rails, and the last one stopped running with the advent of Amtrak.

The Zephyr service included

• Pioneer Zephyr (Lincoln–Omaha–Kansas City),
• Twin Cities Zephyr (Chicago–Minneapolis-St. Paul),
• Mark Twain Zephyr (St. Louis–Burlington),
• Denver Zephyr (Chicago–Denver),



The Burlington Zephyr in April, 1934.

• Nebraska Zephyr (Chicago–Lincoln),
• Sam Houston Zephyr (Houston–Dallas-Ft. Worth),
• Ozark State Zephyr (Kansas City–St. Louis),
• General Pershing Zephyr (Kansas City–St. Louis),
• Silver Streak Zephyr (Kansas City–Omaha–Lincoln),
• Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr (Kansas City–Omaha–Lincoln),
• Zephyr-Rocket (St. Louis–Minneapolis-St. Paul),
• Texas Zephyr (Denver–Dallas-Ft. Worth),
• American Royal Zephyr (Chicago–Kansas City),
• Kansas City Zephyr (Chicago–Kansas City),
• California Zephyr (Chicago–Oakland).

Innovations

The Burlington was a leader in implementing technological innovation; among its firsts were use of the printing telegraph (1910), train radio communications (1915), streamlined passenger diesel power (1934) and vista-dome coaches (1939). In 1927, the Burlington was one of the first to utilize Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and by the end of 1957 had equipped 1,500 miles of its right-of-way for this advanced type of signaling.

References

• Burlington Route Historical Society
• North American Railroad Slogans


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)]



Did you miss any of the previous sixteen[?] Click the URL:

#1: Baltimore & Ohio (B&O
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=233&TOPIC_ID=35270
#2: Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=234&TOPIC_ID=35270
#3: Pennsylvania (PRR)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=237&TOPIC_ID=35270
#4: New York Central (NYC)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=240&TOPIC_ID=35270
#5: New Haven (NYNH&H)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=242&TOPIC_ID=35270
#6: Santa Fe (ATSF) (Two Parts)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=246&TOPIC_ID=35270
#7: Southern Pacific (SP)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=253&TOPIC_ID=35270
#8: Northern Pacific (NP)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=259&TOPIC_ID=35270
#9: Coastline/Seaboard (ACL – SCL – SAL) (Two Parts)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=267&TOPIC_ID=35270
#10: Southern Railway (SOU)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=276&TOPIC_ID=35270
#11: Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RG)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=282&TOPIC_ID=35270
#12: Great Northern Railway (GN)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=287&TOPIC_ID=35270
#13: Missouri Pacific (MP)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=293&TOPIC_ID=35270
#14: Illinois Central (IC)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=299&TOPIC_ID=35270
#15: Boston & Maine (B&M)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=307&TOPIC_ID=35270
#16: Western Pacific (WP)
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=313&TOPIC_ID=35270

[coalminer3]

Good Morning Barkeep and All Present: Coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.

Survived the first game with the!@#$ Yankees last night – it’s gonna be a long season.

Tom’s index is most helpful. I just wonder of there’s any truth to him raffling off a bound folio of the Mentor Village Gazette to help float his trip to Toronto....also, some more daily wisdom for you. This is the famous question the interviewer put to Willie Sutton. “Why do you rob banks?” Sutton replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” BTW. Don’t feel so bad abt. Boris’s automotive escapade. My ex scalped a Cavalier when she drove it under a coal truck – wonder she wasn’t killed – she told the officer when he came to take the accident report, “I never saw it.” ‘Nuff said.

Barndad – Open house? Yikes! Nice to see VR material again – that was one of my favorite magazines

Lars – Back in your April 30 post you mentioned “Cobb” not being favorably rec’d by the p.c. crowd in your part of the world. I know what confused you – I agreed with you! (LOL).

Nick @ Nite – With captions. Thanks!

Wanswheel – Ware Palmer? Heart of B&A and CV country for certain. My paternal grandfather worked in Palmer for awhile back in the day...Also many thanks for the picture of Providence – Union station in the lower left corner – and the square in front of the building with the statue of General Burnside – I always thought it appropriate that the first thing the traveler saw upon exiting the station was the west end of Burnside’s eastbound horse.

Theodorebear – Hang in there.

Now on to the Burlington – How about something other than Zephyrs and other streamliners?

The Burlington (CB&Q) had a variety of motor cars built in the late 1920s. For the most part, these cars were built by Electro Motive Corporation (EMC), although a handful was built by Edwards, and one by Mack. Some of these motor cars lasted until the mid 1960s. CB&Q subsidiaries operating motor cars included the Colorado and Southern Fort Worth and Denver City and the Wichita Valley. Our interest here, however, is some of the Q’s motor car services in the southern Illinois coalfields.

The story of the Burlington’s entry into southern Illinois goes back to the turn of the 20th century when James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern, in order to ensure a supply of good coal for his railroad, took control of approximately 30 thousand acres of coal properties which quickly came under Burlington control.

The CB&Q, in 1904, took control of a rail line from Concord to Centralia, Illinois. By 1906, the Q had built south from Centralia to Herrin. This track ran through the heart of coal country in southern Illinois. Three years later the Burlington had built to Neilson, Illinois. The Q then reached Metropolis via 16 miles of trackage rights on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois to W. Vienna. Burlington itself built the rest of the way from W. Vienna to Metropolis. The Paducah and Illinois Railroad was chartered in Kentucky in 1910 to build a bridge across the Ohio River to connect Metropolis and Paducah. The bridge was finished in December, 1917. The P&I gave the Burlington access to the south via the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis and gave them a coal route to the north. The bridge cost approximately $5.5 million (in 1917 dollars!).

You can see some pictures of the bridge at http://bridges.midwestplaces.com/ Click on Illinois and then click on Massac County (at the bottom of the map) and follow the links. This site has lots of fascinating material.

Jumping ahead to 1930, the Burlington’s line to southern Illinois had changed very little. It began at Buda, Illinois (about midway between Aurora and Galesburg). Here, the Q’s line to East St. Louis broke off from the main line. Another line broke away at Concord to head southeast toward the coalfields and the Q’s Ohio River bridge. The mines in southern Illinois were extremely productive even though some of the mining towns such as Centralia and West Frankfort came to have a legacy of tragedy.

Motor cars provided passenger service on the Burlington’s Illinois coal lines in 1930.

Motor cars operated between Buda and Rushville. It took about five hours for the motor car to make the 111-mile trip. Additional service ran between Yates City and Vermont; and Yates City and Rushville.

Trains 11 and 12 were the longest of the coalfield passenger runs. They covered the 173 miles between Beardstown and Herrin in approximately7 hours and 15 minutes. The second part of the run (same train numbers and presumably the same equipment) plied the 57 miles between Herrin and Metropolis. Passengers choosing to ride the entire distance between Beardstown and Metropolis could expect (if the train was on time) to spend 9 hours en route. Additional service operated between Beardstown and Litchfield.

It certainly was not the Zephyr, but these runs provided needed service to area towns.

For those who want to find out more about Burlington motor cars, two books are useful.

Edmund Kielty’s book Doodlebug Country (1982) is an excellent source for technical information on the Q’s motor cars. It has an extremely detailed roster along with color and black and white equipment pictures.

Kielty’s first book, Interurbans Without Wires (1979) has a most of a Burlington 4-6-2 hauling a dead motor car near Centralia.

The Burlington Historical Society has a book about CB&Q mining activity in Illinois. I have not seen it, but it is on my wish list.

work safe

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom and the rest of the gang. Forgot my manners in the previous post . Guess that will cost me a round when the bar starts serving the good stuff. In the mean time I'll have a coffee and a crumpet from the Mentor Village Bakery.

PS see how excited i get with CB&Q

[passengerfan]

CHICAGO
BURLINGTON
&
QUINCY
Streamlined Sleeping Cars Part One
by Al
The CB&Q was the pioneer in streamlined diesel powered lightweight articulated trains with the 9900 ZEPHYR and its two car train. The 9900 ZEPHYR unveiled in May 1934 to a nation deep in the throes of the depression offered a glimmer of hope in its glistening stainless steel finish and showed that nation that a brighter future lay ahead.
The CB&Q were one of the so-called granger roads that traversed the American wheat belt the breadbasket of the nation. Other granger roads were the Milwaukee Road, Chicago & North Western, Chicago Rock Island & Pacific, Chicago Great Western, Missouri-Kansas-Texas, and St. Louis - San Francisco. All of these roads have disappeared by now either merged out of existence or bankrupt. For one of these roads to be a major factor and pioneer in streamlining is even more amazing.
After the CB&Q purchased the 9900 ZEPHYR they followed it with three more articulated train sets built by the Budd Company before questioning the future of the articulated train sets. The CB&Q was becoming disillusioned with the articulated trains as there fixed consists did not permit the expansion of the passenger capacity by adding additional cars, if part of the articulated train set was out of service for whatever reason then the entire train set was out of service.
The first ZEPHYRS with sleeping cars were the DENVER ZEPHYRS inaugurated November 7, 1936. These were the first ZEPHYRS to have no more than any three cars articulated together, and the power could simply be uncoupled. The new DENVER ZEPHYRS provided fast 16 hour overnight scheduling between Chicago and Denver a distance of just over a thousand miles. Each of the two consists are listed below.

9906A SILVER KING Shovelnose 1,800 hp Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

9906B SILVER QUEEN 1,200 hp Diesel Passenger Booster Unit

950 SILVER COURIER Auxiliary Power 30' Railway Post Office Baggage Car

980 SILVER LINING Baggage 15 Crew Dormitory Buffet 16 Seat Lounge Car

4852 SILVER BEAM 64 Revenue Seat Coach 16 Seat Dinette Car (added May 1938)

4631 SILVER CITY Articulated 64 Revenue Seat Coach
4632 SILVER LAKE Articulated 38 Revenue Seat Coach
152 SILVER GRILL Articulated 40 Seat Dining Car

410 SILVER STATE Articulated 12 Section Sleeping Car
411 SILVER TIP Articulated 12 Section Sleeping Car

412 SILVER ARROW Articulated 12 Section Sleeping Car
440 SILVER SIDES Articulated 3 Compartment 1 Drawing Room 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

445 SILVER SLIPPER 4 Roomette 4 Chambrette 1 Drawing Room 1 Compartment 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (added April 1939)

230 SILVER FLASH 10 Revenue Seat Parlor Buffet 31 Seat Lounge Observation

SECOND CONSIST

9907A SILVER KNIGHT Shovelnose 1,800 hp Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

9907B SILVER PRINCESS 1,200 hp Diesel Passenger Booster Unit

951 SILVER HERALD Auxiliary Power 30' Railway Post Office Baggage Car

981 SILVER BAR Baggage 12 Crew Dormitory 16 Seat Lounge Car

4853 SILVER BELL 64 Revenue Seat Coach 16 Seat Dinette Car (added May 1938)

4633 SILVER SPRUCE Articulated 64 Revenue Seat Coach
4634 SILVER PLUME Articulated 38 Revenue Seat Coach
153 SILVER SERVICE Articulated 40 Seat Dining Car

413 SILVER SKATES Articulated 12 Section Sleeping Car
414 SILVER SCREEN Articulated 12 Section Sleeping Car

415 SILVER TONE Articulated 12 Section Sleeping Car
441 SILVER THREADS Articulated 3 Compartment 1 Drawing Room 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

446 SILVER MOON 4 Roomette 4 Chambrette 1 Drawing Room 1 Compartment 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (added April 1939)

231 SILVER STREAK 10 Revenue Seat Parlor Buffet 31 Seat Lounge Observation

As can be seen by the DENVER ZEPHYR consists above each train set received one additional Sleeping car in April 1939 from Budd. These two cars 445 SILVER SLIPPERS and 446 SILVER MOON the last new cars added to the DENVER ZEPHYRS. In 1938 two Coaches were added to the Denver Zephyrs one per consist.

ARTICULATED 12 SECTION SLEEPING CARS Budd Company October 1936 Plan: 9512 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS transferred 1956 to TEXAS ZEPHYRS)

410 SILVER STATE

412 SILVER ARROW

413 SILVER SKATES

415 SILVER TONE

ARTICULATED 12 SECTION SLEEPING CARS October 1936 Plan: 9514 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS transferred 1956 to TEXAS ZEPHYRS)

411 SILVER TIP

414 SILVER SCREEN

ARTICULATED 3 COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company October 1936 Plan: 9515 (Built for and assigned to DENVER ZEPHYRS transferred 1956 to TEXAS ZEPHYRS)

440 SILVER SIDES

441 SILVER THREADS

4 ROOMETTE 4 CHAMBRETTES 1 DRAWING ROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Budd Company April 1939 Plan: 9516 (Built for and added to DENVER ZEPHYRS transferred 1956 to TEXAS ZEPHYRS)

445 SILVER SLIPPER

446 SILVER MOON

The Burlington and Rock Island inaugurated the ZEPHYR-ROCKET January 7, 1941 between Minneapolis and St. Louis overnight in each direction. The CB&Q handled the trains between St. Louis and Burlington a distance of 221 miles and the Rock Island handled the train between Burlington and Minneapolis a distance of 366 miles for a total of 587 miles. Each of the two railroads provided one 2,000 hp diesel unit and one set of equipment except for the Dining Lounge Observations 432 ST. LOUIS and 433 ST. PAUL they were both Rock Island owned. The modernized Pullman heavyweight sleeping cars were painted light gray to match the rest of the stainless steel cars in consists. Initially each consist carried one modernized heavy-weight 10 Section 3 Double Bedroom Sleeping car MINNEAPOLIS or CEDAR RAPIDS, and in June 1941 a second modernized heavy-weight sleeping car with 8 Section 1 Drawing Room and 3 Double Bedrooms was added to each ZEPHYR-ROCKET consist ZEPHYR TOWER or ROCKET TOWER. In December 1948 ownership of the sleeping cars was transferred to the two railroads. ZEPHYR TOWER and MINNEAPOLIS became CB&Q cars while ROCKET TOWER and CEDAR RAPIDS became Rock Island cars.
The two consist are listed below.

CB&Q
9913 SILVER WINGS EMD E5A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

1601 SILVER MAIL Baggage 30 " Railway Post Office Car

902 SILVER EXPRESS Baggage Car

4709 SILVER CASTLE 52 Revenue Seat Coach

MINNEAPOLIS Modernized Heavy-weight 10 Section 3 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car

ZEPHYR TOWER Modernized Heavy-weight 8 Section 1 Drawing Room 3 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (added June 1941)

432 ST. LOUIS (CRI&P) 24 Seat Dining 16 Seat Parlor Lounge Observation

CRI&P

627 EMD E6A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

500 Modernized Heavyweight Baggage 30' Railway Post Office Car

861 Modernized Heavyweight Baggage Car

312 WATERLOU 52 Revenue Seat Coach

CEDAR RAPIDS Modernized Heavy-weight 10 Section 3 double Bedroom Sleeping Car

ROCKET TOWER Modernized Heavy-weight 8 Section 1 Drawing Room 3 Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (added June 1941)

433 ST. PAUL 24 Seat Dining 16 Seat Parlor Lounge Observation

The next new CB&Q streamlined sleeping cars would come to the road in 1947 but not in the stainless steel finish of their other cars. Instead the five sleeping cars with CB&Q in the letter board at the ends were painted in the new Omaha Orange Pullman Green with Dulux Gold separation Stripes and lettered for the EMPIRE BUILDER. The CB&Q owned one complete consist of the new Chicago - Seattle, Portland streamliner delivered in February 1947 except for power, which the CB&Q provided themselves between St. Paul and Chicago. The CB&Q EMPIRE BUILDER Sleeping cars were as follows.

4 SECTION 8 DUPLEX ROOMETTE 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Pullman Standard December 1946 - January 1947 Plan: 4107 Lot: 6751 (Built for and assigned to 1947 EMPIRE BUILDER transferred to WESTERN STAR in 1951)
1167 CUT BANK
PASS
1168 RED GAP PASS

16 DUPLEX ROOMETTE 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Pullman Standard January - February 1947 Plan: 4108 Lot: 6751 (Built for and assigned to GN EMPIRE BUILDER transferred to GN WESTERN STAR in 1951)

1178 SPERRY GLACIER

1179 SIYEH GLACIER

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 20 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Pullman Standard January - February 1947 Plan: 4109 Lot: 6751 (Built for and assigned to GN EMPIRE BUILDER transferred to GN WESTERN STAR in 1951)

1194 MARIAS RIVER

Beginning in June 1948 the CB&Q began receiving the first of four more Pullman Standard built sleeping cars painted for the Northern Pacific NORTH COAST LIMITED. The CB&Q would own one of the six streamlined consists of this train but would provide their own power between Chicago and St. Paul. The NORTH COAST LIMITED was a Chicago - Seattle, Portland streamliner with the CB&Q responsible for its operation between Chicago and St. Paul. The four CB&Q owned sleeping cars for the NORTH COAST LIMITED were initially named only. These cars were all numbered in 1954 as they were repainted in the new Raymond Loewy two tone green with white separation stripe paint scheme of the NORTH COAST LIMITED.

6 ROOMETTE 8 DUPLEX ROOMETTE 1 COMPARTMENT 3 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CARS Pullman Standard July - September 1948 Plan: 4119 Lot: 6781 (Built for and assigned to NP NORTH COAST LIMITED)

CHICAGO

DUBUQUE

SAVANNA

1 COMPARTMENT 4 DOUBLE BEDROOM BUFFET 25 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Pullman Standard June - July 1948 Plan: 4120 Lot: 6781 (Built for and assigned to NP NORTH COAST LIMITED)

MINNEAPOLIS CLUB

The numbering and loss of names of the NP cars occurred as follows.

February 1954

480 originally CB&Q CHICAGO

June 1954

482 originally CB&Q DUBUQUE

483 originally CB&Q MINNEAPOLIS CLUB

October 1954

481 originally CB&Q SAVANNA

TTFN AL

[Anonymous]

P.S. The change of nomeclature from "Pikes Perspective" to "Toy and Model Train Day" is not only appropriate but altogether fitting. See ya's soon.

[Anonymous]

Good Tuesday mornin' to each and all. Tom, I'll grab a couple of the Crullers and a splash of green tea, thanks. To say I'm behind the "curve" would be wishful thinking. The weekend is still a blurr for me, what with house guests straining an already "thin as a dime" schedule. After returning to my last post and then scrolling to the top of this page, I realized the hoplessness of posting a thoroughly inclusive synopsis. For now, I'll just say that my meager efforts are little needed for either volume or substance considerations.

Going back to the Frisco, SAL, Seaboard, ACL coverage, then the addition of Santa Fe, not to mention the fnatastic photos Sunday, plus URL's, Tom's Index and a myriad of diverse commentary on anything from U.K steam to N. California traction- -"throwing in the towel" is my only option at this point. I dare say, to do the Thread any justice, it would require "avocation" status on my end.[:O] At the minimum, all I can offer now is profound gratitude to all who have made "Our" Place such a lush oasis in a, otherwise arid, featureless landscape.[^] Tom and Rob, eight days and counting until "Big T" Redesvous.[tup] It will be therapy for yours truly. Which reminds me, I have another V.A. Hospital appointment later this morning. Still in "follow up" status from previous surgery and "so far, so good." Okay Boris, the next 2 hours are open bar on me so how about 2 reports from old "99?" Ding, ding, ding, ding...Hold it you Ninny!!! I've only got a Grant here. Happy rails all.

[siberianmo]

THEME for the DAY! - THEME for the DAY!

first Posted on page 129

Here’s another Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads:

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) Burlington Route



Headquarters: Chicago, IL

Mileage:

1950: 11,000 (includes subsidiaries, Fort Worth & Denver and Colorado & Southern)

Locomotives in 1963:

Steam: 10 Diesel: 691

Rolling stock in 1963:

Freight cars: 41,099 Passenger cars: 925

Principal lines in 1950:

Aurora, IL-Minneapolis, MN via Rochelle, IL
Chicago-Omaha-Denver via Lincoln, NE
Galesburg, IL-Kansas City & St. Joseph, MO via Quincy, IL
Savanna & Rock Island, IL-Paducah, KY
Burlington, IA-St. Louis via Quincy
Omaha-Kansas City via St. Joseph
Napier, MO (St. Joseph)-Oxford,NE
Table Rock, NE-Billings, MT via Lincoln
Billings-Galveston, TX via Thermopolis & Cheyenne, WY & Denver
Ashland, NE-Sioux City, IA
Galesburg-Peoria, IL
Kansas City-St. Louis (trackage rights on GM&) Kansas City-Mexico, MO)

Passenger trains of note:

Afternoon Zephyr (Chicago-Twin Cities)
Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr (Chicago-Lincoln)
American Royal Zephyr (Chicago-Kansas City)
Black Hawk (Chicago-Twin Cities
California Zephyr (Chicago-Oakland, CA; jointly operated with D&RGW and WP)
Denver Zephyr (Chicago-Denver-Colorado Springs
Empire Builder (Chicago-Seattle & Portland, jointly operated with GN and SP&S)
Exposition Flyer (Chicago-Oakland; jointly operated with DR&GW and WP; replaced by California Zephyr in 1949)
Kansas City Zephyr (Chicago-Kansas City)
Mainstreeter (Chicago-Seattle & Portland, operated jointly with NP and SP&S)
Morning Zephyr (Chicago-Kansas City
Nebraska Zephyr (Chicago-Lincoln)
North Coast Limited (Chicago-Seattle & Portland, jointly operated with NP and SP&S)
Pioneer Zephyr (West Quincy-Hannibal, MO)
Sam Houston Zephyr (Dallas-Houston)
Texas Zephyr (Denver-Dallas)
Western Star (Chicago-Seattle & Portland, jointly operated with GN and SP&S)
Zephyr Rocket (Minneapolis-St. Louis; jointly operated with RI


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]


THEME for the DAY! - THEME for the DAY!

[siberianmo]

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


Railroads from Yesteryear –

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) –

The Burlington Route arrives on track #1 at 9 AM today –

WATCH FOR IT!


Tom[4:-)] [oX)]


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

[siberianmo]

courtesy: www.trainweb.org

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


TUESDAY’s INFO & SUMMARY of POSTS


We are CLOSED on SUNDAYs but do observe Sunday Photo Posting Day![tup][tup[tup]


Daily Wisdom

Stealin’ for charity is stealin’.


Info for the Day:


Railways of Europe #6 –
X2000 of Sweden
arrives Thursday!


Railroads from Yesteryear –
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CBQ)
arrives TODAY!


* Weekly Calendar:


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



[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

Brain Cramps


"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix."
--Dan Quayle


"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
--Lee Iacocca


"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
--Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.


[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, April 30th thru May 6th: Cobb (1994) starring: Tommy Lee Jones & Robert Wuhl –and- Hoosiers (1986) starring: Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey & Dennis Hopper. SHORT: Three Little Pigskins (1934).



SUMMARY

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

(1) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 01 May 2006, 01:07:30 (319) Very early morning Incluisve Post!

(2) trolleyboy Rob Posted: 01 May 2006, 01:26:06 (319) 5 very early morning Pix!

(3) siberianmo Tom Posted: 01 May 2006, 05:30:12 (319) Monday’s Info & Summary

(4) siberianmo Tom Posted: 01 May 2006, 07:34:34 (319) Acknowledgments & Comments

(5) passengerfan Al Posted: 01 May 2006, 07:48:22 (319) Back to bed! [zzz]

(6) coalminer3 CM3 Posted: 01 May 2006, 08:45:10 (319) WVA Report ‘n then some!

(7) siberianmo Tom Posted: 01 May 2006, 11:24:42 (319) [navy]Tom’s Index

(8) LoveDomes Posted: 01 May 2006, 14:34:27 (319) Lars Report and then some! [swg]

(9) pwolfe Pete Posted: 01 May 2006, 15:31:23 (319) Wolfman’s reflections!

(10) barndad Doug Posted: 01 May 2006, 17:14:36 (319) Barnyard musings, Growing up Around Steam Locos & Cartoon!

(11) siberianmo Tom Posted: 01 May 2006, 19:15:45 (319) Acknowledgments & Comments

(12) barndad Doug Posted: 01 May 2006, 20:15:56 (319) Growing up Around Steam Locos, pt II & joke!

(13) passengerfan Al Posted: 01 May 2006, 20:30:49 (320) Tribute to Santa Fe!

(14) passengerfan Al Posted: 01 May 2006, 20:33:54 (320) Anticipation!

(15) nickinwestwales Nick Posted: 01 May 2006, 20:38:37 (320) Nick at Nite! & Sunday Pix descriptions

(16) wanswheel Mike Posted: 01 May 2006, 21:25:42 (320) Return of the URLMeister!

(17) siberianmo Tom Posted: 01 May 2006, 21:42:50 (320) Acknowledgments, etc.




That’s it! [tup][;)]


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

[siberianmo]

Good Evening!

I'll have a Keith's Ale Leon and I thank Nick [C=:-)] for the round! [tup]

Doug I'll save up that Part Deux for the 'morrow - a bit late for "heavy reading" for Moi! Old age, donchano! [swg]

Back to jokes, eh[?] <ugh>

Al That impromptu "tribute" to Santa Fe is probably the finest Post you've made here at the bar! That's the WAY to do it, Mate - good job! [tup][tup][tup] Round appreciated too . . .

If you're "excited" about tomorrow's Burlington Route your gonna love what's coming the following Tuesday!! Keep track on the SUMMARIES!

Nick I'll ship you an Email with all of those "zoomie" comments - I'm sure your Dad will love 'em! My brides father was a 30-year RCAF pilot . . . We sailors refer to "bird men" as "zoomies" where I come from! [swg]

Thanx for the descriptions of your Pix . . . one more set to go. Also, two more sets of 6 for my "commemorative run!" Glad you enjoyed the first batch . . . thanx! [tup]

Hey Mike! Just caught your Post . . . I'll saves up those URLs for the mornin' . . . . Take heart, the "flow' 'round the bar will be tapering off to a trickle as the guys take their leave this month and into the next. I doubt we'll see the pages fly by as they seemingly have as of late! [tup]


One more, Leon, then I'm gonna "hit it!" [zzz]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[wanswheel]

Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house.

It's about impossible to keep up with the flow here. In my next life I'm going to arrange to have broadband and a printer. But thanks to all for the deep, not-to-say dense text, and the pretty pictures that get posted here daily and twice on Sunday.

Mayday was a New England thing long before its association with communism, or nautical crisis. I've read a letter written in 1889 by a young Sister Mary Stanislaus (my great-Aunt Grace) to her little brother (my grandfather) joking about something called the Maypole. They were Massachusetts people, from Ware, which is near Palmer if you're coming by train from Davenport. Get your ticket at the staion on the Rock Island Line.
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/il/il0500/il0536/photos/063962pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/il/il0500/il0536/photos/063959pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/fsa/8a13000/8a13000/8a13060r.jpg
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=200014
http://www.airphotona.com/database/stock/images/06853.jpg
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=84798
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/3196/100_2846.JPG

Tom, sorry you missed the SN pix, thanks for trying. That seems to be a website that crashes when too many people show up at once. If you have the time and patience to try again, not necessarily now, this is to
a newspaper article (thanks to Ted) about the Western Pacific electric subsidiary Sacramento Northern, and all the pix are available from there.
http://www.bayarearailfan.org/gallery/v/sn/snrrmontclarion_001.jpg.html
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr4025_contracosta_ferry_so_pacific_rr_suisun_bay_ca_1927.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics35/00037201.jpg Y Bridge WYE NOT, it's a WP pic

For the 75th birthday of the Empire State Building
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/20th/nyc_from_rca.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr4050_long_island_rr_barges_icy_east_river_nyc_1945.jpg
http://www.artland.co.uk/Bonestell_New_York_Central_Building_FB881.jpg

Just for Doug
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr4056_rio_grande_1930s_loading_sheep_.jpg

For Al, an ancient streamlined loco
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr4023_santa_fe_chief_1938.jpg

For CM3, an ancient map of Providence
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/pan/6a09000/6a09500/6a09565r.jpg

For everybody else, if you've had a long day
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsac/1a34000/1a34700/1a34782r.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsac/1a34000/1a34700/1a34791r.jpg
Mike

[nickinwestwales]

Ah-finally made it back,please excuse abrupt departure yesterday-went to refresh glass,returned to find site locked out-could get anything else but not here-then had to re-enter details earlier-has anyone else noticed a `glitch`..?
Anyway,since the bar is open tonight,I`ll have a big green bottle please [4:-)][oX)]TOM,one for yourself and a round for the company.
Thanks for extra detail on pix-looking forward to the next batch. Nice comedy corner today-if you don`t mind I`d like to print it out for my dad ( a former R.A.F man) who will appreciate the finer points.......

ROB-Fine set of pix-just loaded with atmosphere-graceful machines and a window on the past-what more could you want....[tup]

AL & CM3-Hello to you both,nice to see you,if only in passing

PETE-Glad you enjoyed the pix-the `Indian` red livery is growing on me-I`m more used to seeing `Owain Glyndwr` in Swindon green on my last few visits but the red works...even with the choc & cream coaches ( the first time I visited,everything was in `Corporate` blue with full-size double-arrows everywhere-ghastly beyond belief)-see below for more detail

DOUG-A splendid piece-and a groovy `toon-the `faces` do it for me..keep `em coming

Right,finally-pix captions:-

1-Same position as last weeks pix but opposite direction-on left Cambrian coast line to Shrewsbury and the borders-note water crane,suggestive of steam special working.
In centre is the old engine shed,now the V.o.R`s principal running shed (looks good to accomodate three 6 car trains plus engines)-they also have a works facility at Capel Bangor,the next stop.
To the right of that is the site of the former coaling stage and approach ramp-some previous pix were taken from that spot.
The platforms on the right were built for the Carmarthen branch and only fell into the V.o.R`s lap fairly recently.
The train is #9 returning with the 10.00 O`Clock departure
2-Here is the Prince at rest-through a quirk of the lighting the nameplate looks much brighter than `in the metal`-by another quirk of fate,the original terminus was behind the block of 3-story houses in the left of the shot,noted by PETE and ran due south until meeting up with the long-gone harbour branch,swinging under the Carmarthen branch and onto it`s present alignment
3 & 4-Here`s how big an eight-foot wide 25 ton engine can look when you are lying on the platform trying to get an `atmospheric`shot-the guard (conductor) did warn me-PETE-suspect new pump may have been added at Brecon Mountain Rly works-according to builders plate major rebuild there-although also claims Swindon 1924 build-known to be wrong so your guess is as good as mine...
5-And so to #5- the `Prince` posing for photo`s at Devil`s bridge-this shot shows the engine in the beautful condition in which she is kept-a credit to the staff-in fact,the only jarring note to this otherwise timeless view is the presence of that unpleasant looking Japanese car behind the bench seat.....
O.K-A round for all assembled please Boss,apparently,I have the pleasure of my small daughters company all day tomorrow so its the early out for me,moonght mile and all that,take care chaps,speak soon,nick,[C=:-)]

[passengerfan]

P.S Can hardly hold my enthusiasm for tomorrows CB&Q another of my favorites.

[passengerfan]

Good Evening Tom and the rest of the gang. Time for a CR and a round for the house.

It was kind of nice to rest today and I hope I am not getting to used to this.

And you are absolutely right about my liking Santa Fe. What's not to like.

After all what other railroad streamlined most of their major trains prior to WW II. Owned the first fully streamlined coach from Budd and also the first from St. Louis Car. These were not articulated like other roads but full size fully streamlined coaches.

Operated a pair of Boxcab diesels pulling a heavyweight Super Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles in 39 hours 45 minutes. Replaced it with a fully streamlined consist from Budd that was to be the only all Budd built sleeping car train in America.

Introduced the El Capitan all coach streamliners between Chicago and Los Angeles in the same 39 hours 45 minutes.

Continued to buy new passenger power almost to Amtraks start up.

Introduced the Budd built Hi-Level El Capitan in 1956 the only trains of their type prior to Amtrak introducing their Superliners. Long distance coach travel at its finest.

Introduced the last new long distance train in the United States prior to Amtrak the San Francisco Chief at a time when many railroads were discontinuing trains and cutting back service.

And Santa Fe was undecided about joining Amtrak as late as three months before Amtrak start up.

Stood there ground with Amtrak and would not let them use the Super Chief name when service standards were cut.

Yes, I liked Santa Fe.

Good Evening All Al

[Anonymous]

Hi again Tom and guys. Line me up another cold-one if you please. I just popped by to leave you with part II of:

Growing Up Around Steam Locomotives by Robert A. Janz and Darwin Cooper
Vintage Rails No. 17, 1999

At one point I found the North Western depot, where I was invited up to the cab of the very Atlantic that heralded the afternoon rush. What a thrill that was, actually being up in that lofty perch. The heat of the fire, the throbbing of the air compressors, and the smell of hot oil and steam made me determined to gain access to more locomotive cabs. The engineer sat me in his seat and explained the countless details and pointed to the reverse lever, a manual version known as a “Johnson bar” that stood about three feet off the deck, and he asked if I knew what it was. I had been reading about locomotives and was able to respond correctly, to which he responded “That’s right,” but added in a joking manner, “It is also the dividing line between my side of the engine and the fireman’s side.” That old Atlantic, once the pride of the line when it was new, was over 40 years old then but still turning in a good day’s work.

Close to our home I had found a freight yard in which I spent many afternoons in 1946 watching a class M-3 0-6-0 switching various industries. Eventually I was invited up on the engine and allowed to stay on board during switching operations. I soon became a regular rider. Somewhere I read that the first ride on a steam locomotive was like being aboard an elephant, with its lumbering, swaying gait – and that’s exactly what it felt like.

As time went by I was taught how to fire using the five scoop method: one up each side toward the front, on in each back corner, and then one down the middle, but hitting the bottom of the fire door to scatter the coal. I was taught how to build up the fire in a horseshoe shape and to operate the injector and make myself otherwise useful. This led to rides on a class J-S 2-8-2 Mikado, where I spent many enjoyable days in 1948 riding around the city as the crew performed its duties in transfer service.

During a summer break in 1949, I spent a few weeks in Des Plaines, Illinois. While there I wandered up and down C&NW’s Proviso to Milwaukee freight line and found a coach yard, where I made friends with the hostler. Six sets of suburban equipment with class E engines laid over nightly and on weekends. The engines required water on Sundays, and I would travel out there from home in Chicago just to be around for that event. I was put to work building up the fires that had been banked. When steam came up to about 85 pounds, the supreme moment came when the hostler said, “Take her down for water.”

I had watched the operation many times on other engines and knew how to throttle, reverse lever, independent, and automatic air brake valves operated. As I had seen so often, I pulled the throttle halfway out and then shoved it back part-way after a brief hesitation. Steam blew out of the cylinder cocks and built up in the cylinders, and slowly the engine began to move. Because of the low boiler pressure, the exhausts were just soggy woofs; but what a thrill it was!

Once in motion the engine and tender sloshed from side to side, leaned first to one side then the other, rose and fell on the rail joints, and produced countless other motions that seemed impossible while remaining on the rail. I was a little frightened now that I was at the throttle, but I soon got over that and enjoyed every minute. Like engineers I’d watched, I sat on the armrest facing to the rear while backing through the yard.

Every Sunday that entire summer was spent out at Des Plaines with those engines, building up steam, operating the injectors, and running them back and forth from their trains to the water tank. My mother was often horrified by the soot-covered son who came to dinner those days.

At the time I thought I was the only kid lucky enough to have such experiences with steam locomotives. Then some years ago I met Darwin Cooper, who shared the same fascination with trains and steam locomotives. During the late 1930s and early 1940s he developed a friendship that allowed him to gain some wonderful opportunities. Eventually I learned that his experiences paralleled mine. He has authored the following account of how he grew up around steam locomotives.

Railroading Adventures of My Youth

My childhood years were spent in Belvidere, Illinois, 70-some miles northwest of Chicago. Belvidere had been a very important junction and terminal on the C&NW, with extensive facilities on both sides of the Kishwaukee River. The yards and facilities along the West Chicago-Freeport line on the south side of the river stretched for a little over a half mile from the depot to the junction with the Caledonia-Spring Valley line. Then on the north side of the river, alongside the line to Caledonia, lay North Yard, with 10 miles of tracks in its one-mile length. The facility included a 660-foot-long freight transfer house, a car repair area, and a 16-stall roundhouse.

During the summers of 1939 and 1940, I spent countless hours nearly every day watching the railroad activity in Belvidere. Since the closing of the North Yard in 1931, the considerably reduced activity consisted of a morning and an evening passenger train, a way-freight which tied up in Belvidere three nights a week, and fairly busy switching operations that serviced local industry and made up groups of cars for the way-freight and the two time freights that passed through Belvidere. I with my bicycle could often be seen at any point in this large area watching every train movement with intense interest.

Early in summer 1940, I began an unbelievable railroad adventure, which a skeptic would say couldn’t happen to a 12-year-old boy. A little more background information is needed here to better understand the events. Two locomotives were stationed at Belvidere and serviced each day at the North Yard engine terminal area at the north end of the yard,. One was a diminutive class M-1 0-6-0 type switch engine, and the other was a class R-1 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler used on the way-freight which arrived from Proviso every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and returned to Proviso via the Northern Illinois Line through Herbert and Sycamore to DeKalb every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

It didn’t take me long to figure out that every night about 5:50, after the evening passenger train had left Belvidere fro Chicago, the crew on the switch engine parked the engine at the south end of the North Yard by East Madison Street. The crew members then climbed down off the engine with their satchels and lunch buckets and departed for their homes. At the same time, or shortly thereafter, a short man about 50 or 60 years of age came walking up Madison Street and hoisted himself up into the cab and ran the engine up to the roundhouse area at the north end of North Yard.. I also discovered that every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon the same procedure occurred with the engine used on the way-freight. The other half of the picture includes the mornings when this man ran the switch engine and the way-freight engine from the roundhouse area to Madison Street, where the crews then boarded their engines and commenced their assigned duties. This always occurred about 10:30 a.m. so the switch engine would have time to run over to the Belvidere depot to be ready to uncouple an empty milk car or two from the rear of the westbound passenger train, which pulled into town about 11 a.m. After the passenger train blasted out of town, the way-freight crew took the milk cars and a sizable cut of empties and loads down the line to DeKalb on its way to Proviso. The way-freight dropped off the milk cars at Bowman Dairy at Herbert.

This man who appeared from nowhere to run the engines out to the roundhouse was Albert Nielson, hostler and engine watchman. When North Yard was running “full blast” in the 1920s, Nielson had been one of the roundhouse foremen, handling over 20 engines a day. One morning Al saw me hanging around gawking at the engine at Madison Street, and he invited me up into the cab. Talk about excitement! Here I was, a mere boy who was allowed into the inner sanctum, the holiest of holies. It was too good to be true. He asked me if I wanted to come back that night when he picked up the engine and go out to the roundhouse with him and see what he did with the engines. I, of course, said I would and promised to tell my parents what I was up to. My parents allowed it, since trying to stop me would have been like trying to stop a 10-foot wall of rushing water.

[:I] For weeks Joe had been feeling rundown and tired. He finally decided to visit his doctor for a checkup. After a complete checkup and blood test, his doctor asked him to return the following week to review the results. Joe returned, as asked, and the doctor told him he had some bad news. The doctor said he was suffering from HAGS.
" HAGS" asked Joe "What the hell is HAGS ?" "That's Herpes, Aids, Gonorrhea, and Syphlis" replied the doctor. "What's the treatment?" asked Joe. "We're going to put you in a private hospital room on a pancake and tortilla diet." "Is that going to cure me." asked Joe. " No" said the doctor "That's the only thing that will fit under the door!" [:I]

[siberianmo]

Good Evenin’ Gents!


Nice to see visits from Lars – Pete ‘n Doug on this 1st day of a new month and week! [tup]

In reverse order:

barndad Doug
Posted: 01 May 2006, 17:14:36

Nice beginning to a new series! I can well imagine a couple of 12 year olds growing up in the shadow of those “monster” steam locos! Never had the pleasure where I lived. Although, when we could get away with it – a few of us would venture to an area called “the tracks” and climb aboard the box cars in the sidings – and of course returning home with grime that only “Fels Naptha” could remove! [swg] Enjoyed it! [tup]

The cartoon must’ve been written at a time B4 “pocket protectors,” eh[?] [swg]

Appreciate your taking the time to provide a Post for us, especially with the hectic schedule you are following! Says a lot about your commitment to the bar and the guys! [tup][tup][tup]


pwolfe Pete
Posted: 01 May 2006, 15:31:23

Seems like déjà vu – first time I read your Post it was rather ‘slim’ – second time, lotsa substance! Been there B4, but somehow it was “different!” [swg] Editing will do it every time, eh[?]

Maybe I should consider putting you in charge of the CanAm Promotion Dept. – for you surely weave a nice image of what the model RR is all about! The pay ain’t so great – but the beer is ALWAYS cold and in the train room fridge! [yeah] [swg]

You have an Email from me in your “stack!”


LoveDomes Lars
Posted: 01 May 2006, 14:34:27

We’ll give “Model & Toy Trains Day!” a try . . . what’s the harm[?] Makes sense, as mentioned by a couple of people – not too many guys actually get “into” their pikes, but those who are contributing on Wednesday’s seem to be more along the lines of model & toy trains. Good idea – and of course YOUR opinion means something! [tup][tup]

I received the Email from BK and it made me think about this month and the next. We’re going to be a “different” place once all the planned absences kick in. Lots of guys have plans for May-June. Something to prepare for if we’re going to maintain our position on the 1st Page of the Forum.

Repeating myself from several requests in the past – all it takes to keep this place going is for the guys to recognize that a Post in the AM – Noon and evening is all it takes. Just one guy for each slot and we’re “healthy.” If everyone “bunches” the Posts within an hour or so of one another – then the 6 hour drought kicks in – we’re “hurting.” Simple as that.

That’s why guys like CM3 ‘n Lars are so special ‘round here – they pretty much stick to a time slot and it really helps! [tup][tup][tup]

Lars I answered your Email, unless you are referring to another . . . . only received one and that was on Saturday.


coalminer3 CM3
Posted: 01 May 2006, 08:45:10

Really enjoy reading your summarizations of the preceding day’s events . . . almost as if I was learning of it for the first time! [tup] Nicely done . . . .

Was wonderin’ if anyone would “catch” the makeup of that “commemorative train consist!” Eagle-eye Shane does it again! (hmmmmmm, a rhyme!!) [swg]

About the only image of Boris in a ‘white coat’ that comes to mind brings me back to the early days of the bar.

Seems our cloven-footed mental midget got into a flap with the owner of a vehicle parked out front. It was a hardtop “convertible” when he parked it, and a “real” convertible when he left. Boris figured the roof came off – and so it did! I don’t know how they managed to do it, but the boyz from the “soft shoe ward” over at the Mentor Village Hospital and Drive-thru Bone & Joint Center managed to get him into a straight jacket. Ahhhhhh, just a typical day at the bar back then . . . .


passengerfan Al
Posted: 01 May 2006, 07:48:22

Rest is a good idea – can’t hurt! [tup] Noticed you Posted quite a bit over at “my other Thread” yesterday ‘n today. You like that Santa Fe “theme” over there, eh[?]


Thanx for the kind words, round and quarters from all who visited today! [tup]

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


Tom [4:-)] [oX)]


Stick around a few minutes AFTER POSTING –
The information you MISS may be for YOU!

[Anonymous]

Good evening Tom and friends! I'll have a bottomless draught on this fine May 1st, and buy a round for the house. I see we have another impressive index from the proprietor, and if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm getting quite a kick out the the "comedy corner". As for our moving efforts, there have only been two showings of our condo since the realtor open house, but we're having real open house this Saturday, which I will not be present for. And actually, we hope that the proverbial JO neighbors aren't around at all when people come to see our place, lest they scare-off prospective buyers, so we'll still be needing help from both Lars and Tom's connections to keep them away!

Here's another little series I thought ya'll might be interested in seeing:

Growing Up Around Steam Locomotives by Robert A. Janz and Darwin Cooper
Vintage Rails No. 17, 1999


The Des Plaines, Illinois, coach yard was used to store and service suburban locomotives and equipment laying over between morning and evening rush hours and on weekends. Northbound evening trains from Chicago made the Des Plaines depot their last stop and then were routed into the yard by the Deval interlocking tower located about half a mile further west. During layover, the engines were fueled, watered, turned, and placed on the opposite end of the equipment, ready for morning departure. The locomotives shown are all 4-6-2 Pacific types. Photo by A.W. Johnson on September 30, 1930.


People of all ages have been fascinated with steam power: witness the excitement and enthusiasm of crowds that gather to see restored steam locomotives pass by. My friend Darwin Cooper and I became fascinated by steam locomotives in general and particularly those of the Chicago & North Western at an early age. When railroad men learned how deeply interested we were, unique opportunities became available to us. As a result we were able to begin to satisfy much of our curiosity about steam locomotives when we were both about 12 years old. Although we grew up miles apart, our interests were the same, and we shared similar experiences.

My awareness of railroads and steam locomotives began soon after I could walk to a ground-level branch of the Milwaukee Road. It was there near our home on the north side of Chicago where I saw my first steam locomotive. The line was known as “Strawberry” because of the wild fruit that once grew along the right-of-way. One of my grandmother’s friends would take me with him on walks, and he’s let me watch while class I-5 0-6-0s worked on the line. One of my recollections was of three meat packing plants located on the line at Lincoln Avenue and George Street.

Early in the morning an engine spotted three stubby, wooden Armour, Swift, and Wilson meat reefers on sidings at each plant. Standing on the main track would be three additional cars for each plant. The engine would wait until the first sets were unloaded and then spot the remaining cars. The engine then departed with the first group of empties, leaving the second set to be pulled by the local switch crew. Those refrigerators laid the foundation for a life-long interest in private owner cars, but it was the steam engines working the line that captured my attention.

The line was busy, thanks to a brewery, factories, and several coal yards. An engine making a transfer run to the then Chicago Rapid Transfer interchange passed by northbound almost every day with cars of coal, lumber, and gasoline. A few hours later the engine returned with empties. For many years afterwards I would return to those same tracks to watch the activity.

In 1909, while I was in the first grade, my family moved to a location just a block from the busy C&NW line to Milwaukee. Here my interest developed rapidly. Afternoons were spent watching the suburban rush hours. The suburban engines were Class E, E-1, and E-S Pacifics, which hauled long, heavy consists. An occasional class R-1 Ten-Wheeler and a lone class D Atlantic running with a light train of three cars at the onset of the rush hour also appeared. The long-haul commuters ran express on a center track, while locals ran on an outside track. Four of the trains made stops at the nearby Belmont Avenue Station, and they provided the real excitement of the day.

The style of each engineer and his handling of the locomotive became a special interest as my appreciation of their skills grew. From my vantage point on the east side of the right-of-way, I was able to watch the techniques used by various enginemen as they started their trains. Many seemed nonchalant, at ease, and confident, while others fidgeted with something, looked at their watches constantly, and appeared anxious to get under way. During the wait, however, all the men moved a lever forward, resulting in a loud hiss. I later learned this was a reverse lever powered by air pressure. This was done rather casually, but as soon as the signal to proceed was given, the engineers came to life, reaching up and pulling back on a lever, which, after a brief hesitation, was pushed back halfway. The engines responded in various ways. Some meekly moved forward with a soft chuff, and others increased in velocity until they cracked out of the stack like shotgun blasts. Still others spun their drivers and blasted smoke skyward until the engineer shoved the lever back in and tried again.

Another vantage point was a signal bridge just south of the platform, which seemed to be the spot where engineers began to shut off steam while pulling into the station. The brakes were already applied, but the engineer continued to work steam lightly right up to the actual stop. This, I later learned, was to control the slack action in the consist, which was rather loose and spongy, making it difficult to manage. Pungent blue smoke reeking of hot, greasy metal trailed from the trucks while brake shoes chattered against wheels.

I wandered far and wide to satisfy the desire to see what lay around the next curve, venturing further as I grew bolder. Eventually I found the Chicago Avenue roundhouse and made numerous excursions through the awesome building, visiting the engines, most of which were suburban power on layover between rush hours. There were Pacifics, Atlantics, Ten-Wheelers, and class M-2 and M-3 six-wheel switchers. The sounds made by the engines as they sat simmering were pleasant, reminding me of a hot tea kettle. The fires had been dumped before the engines had been brought into the building, and when they were moved by the hostlers, the exhausts were just soggy woofs.

None of the workers seemed to be concerned about a stranger; in fact, some were kind enough to talk to me about the work they were doing when they learned I was interested in locomotives. I got to watch a pair of machinists set up a valve gear while they explained what they were doing. Outside were more suburban engines on the ready tracks and one class J-S 2-8-2, used in transfer service during the night.

[pwolfe]

Hi Tom and all.

A pint of Bathams and a round please for my absence yesterday afternoon.we went to a concert in Marshall Mo in which some of Laura's colledge friends were in . A great time and then to a hostelry in Columbia in which they a new brew that was stronger than I thought or I am getting a lightweight. [sigh].

I glad you enjoyed my pics thanks ALL for the comments and I will pass on the comments to Alan.There was some great photos yesterday which I had a look at last night and another good look just now[tup][tup][tup].

TOM A fitting tribute to the Candian on the Can-Am great pics [bow][tup][tup][tup]Having had the fortune to be able to see the Can-Am in person, if you can get to see it LARS be prepared to arrange a lot of time to take it all in. Loved the pics of the Canadians meeting at the back of Our Place( how well the two tone Canadian Pacific livery suited those diesels) and the two CP locos getting ready to take the box-cars and reefers from the sidings, no doubt loaded with empty beer kegs. as CM3 said what price a Charter on the Can-AM[^][yeah].

Good to see The Canadian brought travelling memories for AL.

LARS Great phots of The Turbo Train the pic with the youngster in shows the sheer size of them, as Nick says they did not deserve that Amtrak livery.

CM3 Any chance of a description of a ride in the Turbo Train in your unique style[?].

BK Thanks for the Santa- fe pics. The warbonnet livery is I think the best ever applied to a loco, athough it would have to be a bad livery to spoil the looks of the F & E type locos, even the new locos look great in it. I have not seen any for a time but the ones I did see were in a clean condition.
The Doodle-Bug in Santa FE colors[^][wow].

DOUG Great selection of pics from the time of the transition from steam to diesel. A time I remember so well in the UK[tup] Great Rock Island pic.

Thanks Tom for posting NICK's 2nd set on the V of R I think the red colour on #9 suits her well. The Air-Pump is a new addition since I was last there.
Those houses in the background are so tpical of a North Wales seaside town.
It will be good to see your pic of the Hymeks, the Metro Cammell Pullmans must of had a very short life on normal BR services. for a time they were used on steam specials in the early 80s with the no drop-lights in the doors and the table lamp stopping one looking out they were not very popular with some railfans, coupled with an Ethel( something I am trying to look in to for Rob) not too many were sad to see them go off the main line.

ROB Great to see the trolley pics back.Cn you thank J. D. Knowles for the photos what a great loco the Combo workcar is. An historic pic of the first cars to the museum in 1955.

TOM Liked the aviation corner and[wow] a great list of the posts we are as Rob says very lucky with the quality at Our Place[tup].
Hope to call in later and I'll do some E-Mails now
PETE.

[LoveDomes]

G'day Kapitan Tom and fellow travelers wherever you are!

Is it still Sunday [?] Sure seems like it - not a soul in the joint other than the three of us - Tom - Boris 'n me! Kinda strange for the start of a new month and new week.

I'll take one of my super hero sandwiches - a pitcher of Schaefer and enjoy the ambiance of my favorite watering hole! [yeah]

Ok - I checked out all that was posted since my last visit and see that Count Robulla was zipping 'round rather late at night. His "sonar" must be in good repair! [swg] Nice work with both posts and pix! [tup]

While the majority of us were zonked - there you are, tickety tapping away at the keyboard - only thing is - THERE WAS NO ONE READING IT! [swg] C'mon Rob you KNOW who's up 'n about at that hour - and HE doesn't need to be the 1st one to enjoy YOUR hard work! Just my [2c]

And - the boss is right - you missed it! Sorry - as they say in baseball, "Yerrrrrrrrrr out!" [swg]

I nominate Coalminer3 (I'm not Shane) coal-what's-his-face for "understudy" to Tom for the daily SUMMARIES! Those compilations are right on the money and surely go a long way in helping anyone who may have missed the "fun stuff" of the past few days, catch up. [tup][tup][tup]

I'm a bit confused [%-)] (which really isn't anything new!) regarding that Cobb reference as tied to "political correctness." Man oh man, I know the guy was so far from that - a real creep as a personality for sure. The movie IS a keeper and in fact we own it as part of our video library. Tommy Lee Jones does a great job and it IS worth the while to see.

[wow] Tom - and I mean [wow]. That's some impressive Index you've put together. And the thing is - there are so many, many other fine posts that aren't "counted" in your running tally. If anyone "out there" has any doubts regarding who is holding this joint together - check out the Captain's Index! A five-[tup] Saltute to you, Sir! [tup][tup][tup][tup][tup]

Received an e-mail from my "bookend" and he asked me to share some of it with you all. As you know, the man is getting hitched this month and will be away from the bar from about the 10th thru the middle of June. Today, they are meeting with the caterer and others who will be handling the reception, etc. For all the married out there - you remember "all that fun," huh[?] So, if he's a bit hit 'n miss these next several days - he asks for your understanding. (Tom was also included in the address of the message.)

I'm looking forward to that "Burlington Route" extravaganza coming down the tracks for tomorrow! Should be a winnAH! [swg]

Noted in the SUMMARY that you jumped right on my suggestion regarding the proposed name change for "Pike Perspective's Day!" [tup] Honored that my opinion counts! [swg]

A note for our friend, Doug - some of us are wonderin' whether that JO downstairs from you has "enjoyed" the comings 'n goings of those looking at your Condo![?] Make as much noise and ruckus as you can - he's got it coming! [yeah]

Hey gents! I sent an e-mail out to a bunch of you the other day and have only heard from BK - what's the deal[?] You want that I should have to axe Vito the hit to intercede][?] [swg]


Hope you all have a great evening![tup]


Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

[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][tup]


Tom’s INDEX, thru Apr 2006
recommended for "bookmarking"


Fallen Flags (passenger ops):

106/150/253 SP … 106/150/293 MP .…108/155/170/314 WP … 109/182/318 Frisco
112/187 CNR . . . . .112/182 Heralds . . 114/195 ACL …......….. 115/195 SAL
116/195 D&RGW .. 118/181 RI . . . . . . 119/202 D&H …......….. 120/144 PRR
122/144 NYC .…… 124/202 UP ..…..…125/203 AT&SF .......…. 127/203/234 B&O
128/204 CM&StP . 129/205 CB&Q ......130/205 Soo Line .....…. 133/205 C&NW
134/206 SP&S ….. 136/213 GN …..…. 139/216/307 B&M ...….. 140/218 NH
141/219 MEC …… 142/221 BAR .……. 145/226 NP .…....…….. 146/231 L&N
147/237 WRR …... 148/234 C&O .…….148/243 KCS ….....…… 151/250 N&W
152/256 Erie …….. 152/263/299 IC ……154/271 NPR ….....…… 155/280 SOU
156/284 CGW …... 157/290 RDG .…... 158/290 MON …......….. 159/305 IT
162/311 LV ..…….. 163 GM&O ...……..164 Extra


Personal rail trips

12/207 …… Canada Rail Journey, Part I
13/207 …… Canada Rail Journey, Part II
15/207 …… Canada Rail Journey, Part III
16/207 …… Canada Rail Journey, Part IV (final)
80 ………... Dallas Trip
99/206 .…... A trip to remember (personal account of cross-Canada rail trip)
124/243 ….. A tale of Classic Trains BC Rail RDC trip
134/206 ….. Personal RR journey CPR’s “The Canadian”
199 ………. A Trip to Remember (Remembrance Day Train 2005)


Passenger Train Nostalgia:

110/181 .…. MKT Combined Fallen Flag and Ads
112/187 ….. CNR Ad - Super Continental Time Table
113/144 .…. #1 ”Start ups” 1800s & early 1900s
117/144 .…. #2 Ad - Vista-Dome sleeper obs-lounge
121/174 .…. #3 Ad - CP Hotels & Lodges
127/202/234 .B&O Ad - Strata-Dome
127/219/234 .B&O Ad – Diesel Electric Trains
129/174 .…. #4 Ad - CN Hotels, Ltd.
130/206 .…. Great Britain #1 Poster - East Coast Route
133/221 .…. #5 Poster - CP 1886
133/211 ….. #6 Poster - CP 1950s
134/244 ….. #7 Poster - Washington & Old Dominion Railway
135/226 ….. Great Britain #2 London & Northwestern & Caledonian Railways
137/231 ….. Great Britain #3 London & Northwestern & Caledonian Railways
137/231 ….. #8 Ad – GN (1956)
139/237 ….. #9 Ads – GN (1956)
140/237 ….. #10 Ad – UP
141/250 ……Nostalgia 1956 Hotel Ads
142/257 ……Nostalgia Fairbanks-Morse motive power Ad
143/257 ….. #11 Ad - PRR – The Jeffersonian
145/259 ….. #12 Ad – NP
146/263 ….. #13 Ad – L&N
146/257 ….. Great Britain #4 Poster (1870s)
147/237 ..... #14 Ad – Budd & Wabash – New Blue Bird
148/234 ..... #15 Ad – C&O
149/264 ….. HERTZ Ad - 1956
151/271 ….. #16 Ad – Budd RDC (1950)
153/271 ….. #17 Ad – Budd RDC (1950)
153/247 ……North American Steam Loco Wheel Arrangements
154/272 ….. #18 Ad – Budd RDC (1953)
155/272 ….. #19 Ad – Budd RDC (1954)
156/250/253.#20 Ad – SP, Golden State (1951)
157/253 ……#21 Ad – SP, Sunset limited (1951
158/254 .......#22 Ad – SP, City of San Francisco (1951)
159/246 ……#23 Ad – AT&SF (1950)
161 …….…. 9 WWII Ads ENCORE! of Vets/Remembrance Day Commemoration
162/246 ……#24 Ad – AT&SF (1951)
163/247 ……#25 Ad – AT&SF (1952)
164/279 ….. #26 Ad – Olympian Hiawatha
166/264 ….. AVIS Ad – 1956
167/280 ….. Pocket List of RR Officials Ad – 1956
169/240 ...... #27 Ad – NYC Aerotrain (1956)
170/240 ...... #28 Ad – NYC Xplorer (1956)
171/284 ….. #29 Ad – CP (1950)
172/285 ….. #30 Ad – CP (1950)
173/285 ….. #31 Ad – Pullman (1950)
176/285 ….. #32 Ad – Pullman (1950)
177/291 ….. #33 Ad – Soo Line – Winnipegger (1956)
178/291 ….. #34 Ad – Burlington Route (1949)
180/291 ….. #35 Ad – Soo Line – Mountaineer (1956)
181/291 ….. #36 Ad – Soo Line – The Laker (1956)
182/291 ….. #37 Ad – MoPac – Eagle Dome Coaches (1956)
183/240 ….. #38 Ad – NYC – New 20th Century Ltd (1948)
184/297 ….. #39 Ad – PRR – Broadway Ltd (1949)
186/297 ….. #40 Ad – British Railways (1948)
186/305 ….. #41 Ad – Glacier National Park (1949)
188-189 ...... #1-8 Ad Christmas RR travel #1
190/240 ….. #42 Ad] – NYC – Dieseliner (1950)
191/247 …...#43 Ad – AT&SF – El Capitan (1949)
193/254 ..... #44 Ad – SP – Golden State (1949)
194/250 …...#45 Ad – Rock Island – Golden State (1949)
196/305 ….. #46 Ad – CP (1949)
197/260 ……#47 Ad – NP – Yellowstone (1949)
199/311 ….. #48 Ad – British Railways (1949)
200/311 ….. #49 Ad – UP – Bryce Canyon (1949)
200/311 ….. #50 Ad – SOU (1949)
209 …….…. #51 Ad – CP (1963)
209 ……….. #52 Ad – EMD (1948)
210 ……….. #53 Ad – CNR (1949)
211/234 ..... #54 Ad – B&O (1946)
212 …….…. #55 Ad – Pullman (1946)
218 …….…. #56 Ad – CP (1965)
219 …….…. #57 Ad – SP (1946)
222/260 …...#58 Ad – NP (1947)
222/240 ….. #59 Ad – NYC (1954)
224 ……….. #60 Ad – Great Britain: LMS – LNER (1933)
225 …….…. #61 Ad – UP (1933)
228/314 ….. #62 Ad – California Zephyr (1949)
228 ……….. #63 Ad – Budd Company (1949)
229 ……….. #64 Ad – Pullman Company (1949)
230 …….…. #65 Ad – Milwaukee Road (1933)
231 …….…. #66 Ad – Swiss Federal Railways (1933)
239 …….…. #67 Ad – SP (1948)
249 ……….. #68 Ad – NYC (1954)
254 ……….. #69 Ad – Railways of France (1933)
256 ……….. #70 Ad – CNR (1933)
258 ……….. #71 Ad – Great Britain: L M S and L N E R (1933)
271 ……….. #72 Ad – NP (1933)
274 ……….. #73 Ad: - CP (1952)
276 ……….. #74 Ad: - SOU (1956)
276 ……….. #75 Ad: - SOU (1956)
276 ……….. #76 Ad: - SOU (1955)
281 ……….. #77 Ad: - CP (1969)
284 ……….. #78 The Pullman Company
290 ……….. #79 Ad: - Pullman (1942)
292 ……….. #80 Ad: - SAL (1916)
293 ……….. #81 Ad: - MP (1953)
293 ……….. #82 Ad: - MP (1953)
304 ……….. #83 Ad: - ACL (1940
306 ……….. #84 Ad: - NYC (1953
310 ……….. #85 Ad: - PRR (1952)


Canadian RR events, history & Railways of the Past

215 …….…. Significant events in Canadian RR History (Jan): Part I of II, 1800s to 1900
216 …….…. Significant events in Canadian RR History (Jan): Part II of II, 1900s to present
241 ……….. This day in Canadian RR History (Feb 8th): Hinton train collision
243 ……….. Significant events in Canadian RR History (Feb)
246 ……….. Canadian Railways of the Past #1 – CNoR
249 ……….. Canadian Railways of the Past #2 – NAR
261/262 …... Canadian Railways of the Past #3 – BCR
271 ……….. Significant events in Canadian RR History (Mar)
278 ……….. Canadian Railways of the Past #4 – HBRY
298 ……….. Significant events in Canadian RR History (Apr)
313 ……….. Canadian Railways of the Past #5 – CP’s “The Canadian”


Railroads from Yesteryear

233 ……….. #1 – Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)
234 ……….. #2 – Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O)
237 ……….. #3 – Pennsylvania (PRR)
240 ……….. #4 – New York Central (NYC)
242 ……….. #5 – New Haven (NH)
246 ……….. #6 – Santa Fe (ATSF)
253 ……….. #7 – Southern Pacific (SP)
259 ……….. #8 – Northern Pacific (NP)
267/268 ……#9 – Coastline/Seaboard (ACL – SCL – SAL)
276 ……….. #10 – Southern (SOU)
282 ……….. #11 – Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RG)
287 ……….. #12 – Great Northern Railway (GN)
293 ……….. #13 – Missouri Pacific (MP)
299 ……….. #14 – Illinois Central (IC)
307 ……….. #15 – Boston & Maine (B&M)
313 ……….. #16 – Western Pacific (WP)


Railways of Europe

247 ……….. #1 – British Rail
248 ……….. #2 – Eurostar (London-Paris-Brussels)
255 ……….. #3 – TGV of France
270 ………. #4 – ICE of Germany
279 ………. #5 Irish Rail


Little Known Operating Railroads

283 ………. White Pass & Yukon Route (WPY)


Model & Toy Trains

288 ………. OO Gauge & British Model Trains


The Mentor Village Gazette

165 ……….. Vol I, Number 1 – November 17th, 2005
188 ……….. Vol I, Number 2 – December 12th, 2005
208 ……….. Vol II, Number 1 – January 2nd, 2006
236 ……….. Vol II, Number 2 – February 2nd, 2006
278 ……….. Vol II, Number 3 – March 17th, 2006 – 2 Parts
300 ……….. Vol II, Number 4 – April 12th, 2006



NOTE:

trolleyboy Rob’s Barn - passengerfan Al’s Streamliner Corner & barndad Doug’s Roundhouse have individual Indexes


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]


[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][tup]