A Classic REAL Trains 'n Traction FOTO site!

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

Okay - I'll play along . . . check this out from my Can-Am trainroom:


Pullman sign


Enjoy![tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

Continuing on talking to myself, here's another from my Can-Am trainroom:

Pullman sign (click to enlarge)


Later![tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

Good Evening!

And one more time . . .

Signs in the Can-Am Trainroom (click to enlarge)


Later![tup]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

I'll join you out of respect to Pullman.

In its heyday it was one of the best run Companies in the world.

In fact remember reading somewhere wher the FBI was modeled after the Pullman Companies abilities for getting things done in the correct manner leaving nothing to go wrong.

PULLMAN
Streamlined Observation
by Al

In May 1933 Pullman Standard delivered to Pullman one 28 seat Coach Buffet 12 seat Dinette 10 seat Lounge Observation car constructed of Aluminum and riveted together. This car was never assigned a name and was displayed at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. The car featured a rather odd tapered round Observation end never repeated on any other car. At the observation end was a pair of clamshell doors. The unnumbered car ran on experimental Aluminum trucks never repeated. The car was leased to the Union Pacific between October 1936 and March 1938 and painted in the UP yellow and brown with gold leaf lettering. The car carried the name CITY OF CHEYENNE on its flanks and was operated between Denver and Cheyenne. Apparently the car was extremely rough riding and at the end of the lease returned to Pullman where it was stored in Chicago. It is believed the car was scrapped for its Aluminum content sometime during WWII probably 1943.

28 REVENUE SEAT COACH BUFFET 12 SEAT DINETTE 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Sloping Round) Pullman Standard May 1933 (Built for display at 1933 Chicago World's Fair)

CITY OF CHEYENNE

The other Observation delivered by Pullman Standard to Pullman in May 1933 was also displayed at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. This car named GEORGE M. PULLMAN for the founder of the Company that bore his name. The interior of the Aluminum car featured 3 Double Bedrooms 1 Compartment 1 Drawing Room Buffet 8 seat Dinette 12 seat Lounge 8 seat Lounge Observation. The Observation end of the car featured a rounded end with a single center door. The car was delivered in its natural Aluminum finish with no skirting and fixed vestibule-boarding steps. The car as delivered ran on experimental 4-wheel trucks.
After operating on the rear of several trains for short periods the car was returned to Pullman where it was shopped in November 1937. At that time the car had side skirting installed, standard six wheel trucks replaced the experimental 4-wheel trucks the car had been delivered with. At the same time the car received a full width diaphragm at the vestibule end of the car. New retractable folding steps were installed in the vestibule. The car was painted in Pullman's standard two-tone gray paint scheme at that time as well.
The first major assignment for the GEORGE M. PULLMAN after the rework was to one of the Santa Fe CHIEF consists between February, 1938 and July 1938. The reason for this was one of the CHIEF Sleeper Lounge Observations was assigned to operate in the second SUPER CHIEF consist for the same period until Pullman Standard delivered the new SUPER CHIEF sleeper Lounge Observation.
The next assignment for the GEORGE M. PULLMAN was to the TREASURE ISLAND SPECIAL for both seasons of its operation between May 22, 1939 - August 21, 1939 and between June 22, 1940 - September 16, 1940. For both seasons of this trains operation the GEORGE M. PULLMAN brought up the markers. In its first season the sleeping cars were all streamlined heavyweights and in the TREASURE ISLAND SPECIALS second season all sleeping cars were lightweights.
Beginning August 23, 1939 the GEORGE M. PULLMAN was assigned to the temporary replacement CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO after the original train was wrecked. The GEORGE M. PULLMAN was withdrawn when the CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO regular Observation SF-901 returned in May 1940 from repairs.
Following WW II the GEORGE M. PULLMAN returned to the Santa Fe where it once again brought up the markers of one of the CHIEF consists between February 1947 and November 1950. Again the CHIEF had to give up one of its regularly assigned Sleeper Lounge Observations to the new daily SUPER CHIEF until a final SUPER CHIEF VISTA series car was delivered to the Santa Fe in November 1950.
After that the car returned to Pullman Chicago.
In October 1952 the GEORGE M. PULLMAN was sold to the Chicago Great Western for Business car use. It is known the car was used in charter service by the CGW bringing customers from Minneapolis to Omaha and on at least one occasion the car was seen in Kansas City. For most of its time on the CGW it sat at Oelwein, Iowa the roads main shops. In September 1964 the car was transferred to Omaha where it was cut up for scrap.

3 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 8 SEAT DINETTE 12 SEAT LOUNGE 7 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Round) Pullman Standard Plan: 4028 Lot: 6400 (Built for and assigned to Pullman lease fleet)

GEORGE M. PULLMAN

The next Pullman owned streamlined Observation was actually a pair of articulated cars. The first of the articulated pair was a 14 single room 2 double Bedroom articulated sleeping car named ADVANCE. The ADVANCE"S articulated running mate was the PROGRESS a 3 Double Bedroom 1 Compartment Buffet 19 seat Lounge 10 seat Lounge Observation. The pair delivered to Pullman-by-Pullman Standard in August 1936.
For their first regular assignment beginning in June 1937 the cars were renamed and painted in the Pullman two tone Gray scheme. The new names they would carry for the rest of their operational lives were as follows.

BEAR FLAG originally ADVANCE
CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC originally PROGRESS

They were than assigned to the FORTY-NINER between Chicago and San Francisco running opposite the CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. The FORTY NINER began service July 8, 1937 and was discontinued July 26, 1941replaced by a second CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO train set.
Next regular assignment for the articulated pair was to one of the two ARIZONA LIMITED consists for the second and final season this train operated between Chicago and Phoenix. This seasonal train operated from December 1941 to April 1942 its second and final season.
Next regular assignment for the pair was in 1950 as temporary wreck replacement for a CITY OF LOS ANGELES observation.
Finally in August 1956 the articulated pair were retired and scrapped by Pullman.

ARTICULATED 14 DUPLEX SINGLE ROOM 2 DOUBLE BEDROOM SLEEPING CAR Pullman Standard August 1936 Plan: 4050 Lot: 6478 (Built for and assigned to Pullman Pool)

ADVANCE
Later renamed
BEAR FLAG

ARTICULATED 3 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT BUFFET 19 SEAT LOUNGE 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Swallow - Tailed)
Pullman Standard August 1936 Plan: 4051A Lot: 6478 (Built for and assigned to Pullman Pool)

PROGRESS
Later renamed CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC

Pullman Standard next delivered AMERICAN MILEMASTER to Pullman in time for the New York World's Fair of 1939. Pullman Standard completed the car in April 1939 and immediately readied it for the fair. This car had an interior that featured 2 Double Bedrooms 1 Compartment 1 drawing Room Buffet 19 seat Lounge 8 seat Lounge Observation.
First regular assignment for AMERICAN MILEMASTER after the fair was to one of the two consists of the All Pullman All Room Winter only ARIZONA LIMITED train sets between Chicago and Tucson-Phoenix. The AMERICAN MILEMASTER only operated in the ARIZONA LIMITED its first winter of operation. In September 1941 the AMERICAN MILEMASTER was transferred to the Southern Pacific for operation in one of the LARK consists after that trains nearly identical Observation 400 was wrecked. In December 1941 AMERICAN MILEMASTER became SP 2nd 400. It remained in SP service for the rest of its operational service life.

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 19 SEAT LOUNGE 8 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Swallow - Tailed Pullman Standard April 1939 Plan: 4082 Lot: 6597 (Built for and assigned to Pullman Pool)

AMERICAN MILEMASTER

A twin to AMERICAN MILEMASTER was constructed by Pullman Standard in June 1940 and named MUSKINGUM RIVER. The only difference being that MUSKINGGUM RIVER used stainless steel in its construction.
The MUSKINGUM RIVER was assigned to one consist of the ARIZONA LIMITED for both the 1940 - 41 winter season and 1941 - 42 winter season.
As soon as the second and final season of the ARIZONA LIMITED was completed the MUSKINGUM RIVER joined its twin the former AMERICAN MILEMASTER operating on the rear of the other LARK consist after SP Observation 401 was wrecked and scrapped. In June 1943 MUSKINGUM RIVER was numbered SP 2nd 401.

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM! COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 19 SEAT LOUNGE 8 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Swallow - Tailed Pullman Standard June 1940 Plan: 4082 Lot: 6608 (Built for and assigned to Pullman Pool)

MUSKINGUM RIVER

The last Pullman owned streamlined Observation was the Dome Lounge Observation built for the 1947 GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW. Each of the TRAIN OF TOMORROW'S four cars was an Astra Dome. Their was a Dome Coach, Dome Dining Car, Dome Sleeping Car and the Dome Lounge Observation. The cars were finished in Cor-Ten steel with fluted stainless panels below the windows and the letter board. Each cars was named with the Astra Dome Lounge Observation receiving the name MOON GLOW. Interior of the MOON GLOW featured 24 seats in the Dome. On the main level of the car the forward section ahead of the dome was 13 seat Lounge. Below the Dome was a 10 seat Lounge area and the cars Bar. In a small private nook behind the stairs to the dome was a desk with one chair. The rear Observation end of the main floor featured another Lounge area with seating for 21. The rear of the Observation was rounded with an emergency door centered in the rear.
In September 1950 the entire TRAIN OF TOMORROW was purchased by the UP and after repainting in Omaha the cars were assigned to UP trains 457 and 458 operating between Portland and Seattle round trip daily.
After being rebuilt for mid-train operation in 1959 the 9015 as the MOON GLOW was numbered operated in one of the CITY OF DENVER train sets.
All four cars were retired in the early 1960's by the UP and sold to a scrapper in Pocatello, Idaho.
Fortunately the former MOON GLOW was rescued from the scrap pile by a Railroad Historical Society group out of Ogden, Utah. It is hoped the car will be rebuilt to a Dome Lounge Car when funds are available.

24 SEAT ASTRA DOME 44 SEAT BUFFET LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Round) Pullman Standard May 1947 (Built for and assigned to GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW)

MOON GLOW

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #65

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Milwaukee Road from a 1933 advertisement in my personal collection.


NORTHWEST WONDERLAND VACATIONS

Along America’s

LONGEST ELECTRIFIED RAILROAD . . .

LOW FARES

YELLOWSTONE
. . . PUGET SOUND COUNTRY
. . . . . . MT. RAINER
MT. BAKER
. . . OLYMPIC PENINSULA
. . . . . . BRITISH COLUMBIA
ALASKA

”A CENTURY OF PROGRESS”

ESCORTED ALL-EXPENSE TOURS

Return via California-Colorado or the Canadian Rockies if you wish.

Costs no more via the OLYMPIAN
The electrified way * Scenically supreme

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


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

A little somethin' for St. Pat's Day! Previously Posted at the bar . . . .




RAILWAYS of EUROPE #5 – Irish Rail (IE)

Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) (IE)




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


Iarnród Éireann (IÉ; in English Irish Rail), is the national passenger railway system in Ireland. Established on 1 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. It runs all internal intercity, suburban and commuter railway services in the Republic of Ireland and it operates the Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast jointly with Northern Ireland Railways. In addition to Iarnród Éireann and Northern Ireland Railways, Bord na Móna operates a 3ft-gauge large industrial railway (the largest railway system in Ireland, but it does not carry passengers).

Organisation



At the time of its establishment Iarnród Éireann referred to itself as Irish Rail, and introduced the four rails IR logo; however, the initials IR were often defaced as IRA on signage. In 1994, the company brought the Irish form of its name and related initials to the fore, and these remain the corporate branding today. The Irish word iarnród translates literally into English as iron road, or formally railway.

Iarnród Éireann services are divided across several separate operating areas.

Services


Advertising for Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) Intercity in Galway, 2005

Iarnrod Eireann's services are branded under three main names; InterCity, Commuter and DART. The InterCity services are long-distance routes (not necessarily to cities, but radial from Dublin). The Belfast–Dublin service run in conjunction with Northern Ireland Railways is branded separately as Enterprise. DMU services out of major cities are branded as Commuter. The DART brand is used for a north-south high frequency EMU service on the eastern side of Dublin. A separate timetable is published for each sector annually. Regional services (e.g. Limerick-Rosslare Europort) are regarded as Commuter services with fairly new Commuter Dmus being used on the service..


Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) No. 215 (IE 201 Class) at Grand Canal Dock DART station, 2001 (GNU Free Documentation)


Ireland: Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) No. 206 (IE 201 Class) at Colbert Station, Limerick (2006) (free use)

Dublin is the main hub in Ireland's railway system. The two main intercity stations are Connolly Station and Heuston Station; intercity services radiate to/from Cork, Limerick, Tralee, Galway, Waterford, Rosslare Europort, Sligo, Westport and Ballina.

The majority of commuter services are based in Dublin, which has four commuter routes as of 2006. These are: Northern (Dundalk), Western (Maynooth/Longford), South Western (Newbridge/Kildare/Portlaoise) and South Eastern (Arklow). Additional commuter services run from Cork (to Mallow and Cóbh) and from Limerick (to Ennis and Limerick Junction). As the Commuter livery is used on all DMU railcars as of 2006, a number of other services also run under the name. These include Mallow–Tralee, Manulla Junction–Ballina and Limerick–Rosslare Europort, as well as the Dublin–Sligo and Dublin–Rosslare "InterCity".

The north-south route along Dublin's eastern coastal side is also host to DART, Ireland's only electrified heavy rail service.

Quality of service varies from route to route. The Enterprise is well regarded, despite problems with punctuality. There have been ongoing problems with excess power drain on the locomotives, with one or two locomotives overheating and bursting into flames while in service. Breakdowns are a regular occurrence as a result. The Cork - Dublin route, also quite well regarded, was the "premier line" of the Great Southern and Western Railway, one of the biggest pre-Córas Iompair Éireann operators. Journey time and rolling stock are quite good on this route with brand new rolling stock (mark 4) about to enter service.

Network Catering

Iarnrod Éireann's Network Catering unit provides a trolley service of food and drink, a snack car and (on some routes) a restaurant service. It also operates restaurants at Connolly Station and at Dún Laoghaire. According to Irish Rail's annual report, the unit lost €270 000 in 2004.


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)]



Waving flags credit: www.3DFlags.com

[passengerfan]

Enjoyed the Irish Rail sorry I could not contribute anything today but time is something I just don't have for the next month.

TTFN Al

[Anonymous]

Anyone got any info onthe BandO Passenger trains that use torun in Ohio inthe 50's? I think they used pullman cars and were green. I am interested in modeling them. Also where wuold be a good place to get engines and passenger cars? Thanks for any info anyone can give. Babyb

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

A bit more Euro "stuff" previously Posted at the bar . . .



RAILWAYS of EUROPE #1 – British Rail

British Rail



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


British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system from the nationalisation of the 'Big Four' British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997.

This period saw massive changes in the nature of the railway network: steam traction was eliminated in favour of diesel and electric power, passengers replaced freight as the main source of business, and the network was severely rationalised.

History

Background


British Railways Eastern Region timetable for Summer 1963.

The rail transport system in Great Britain developed during the 19th century. After the grouping of 1923 by the Railways Act 1921 there were four large British railway companies, each dominating its own geographic area. These were the Great Western Railway (GWR), the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the Southern Railway (SR).

The London Underground and the Glasgow Subway were independent concerns and there was a small number of independent light railways and industrial railways, which did not contribute significant mileage to the system. Neither were non-railway-owned tramways considered part of the system.

During the Second World War the railways were taken into state control. They were heavily damaged by enemy action and were run down aiding the war effort.

Nationalisation

The Transport Act 1947 made provision for the nationalisation of the network, as part of a policy of nationalising public services by Clement Attlee's Labour Government. British Railways came into existence on 1 January 1948 with the merger of the Big Four, under the control of the Railway Executive of the Briti***ransport Commission (BTC).

The Northern Counties Committee lines owned by the LMS in Northern Ireland were quickly sold to the Stormont Government, becoming part of the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in 1949.

The emblem of British Railways, also called the "Ferret and Dartboard"

British Railways

The new system was split geographically into six regions along the lines of the Big Four:

• Eastern Region (ER) — southern LNER lines.
• North Eastern Region (NER) — northern LNER lines in England and all ex-LMS lines east of Skipton.
• London Midland Region (LMR) — LMS lines in England and Wales and most ex-LNER lines west of Skipton.
• Scottish Region (ScR) — LMS and LNER lines in Scotland.
• Southern Region (SR) — SR lines.
• Western Region (WR) — GWR lines.

These regions would form the basis of the BR business structure until the 1980s. The Eastern and North Eastern Regions were merged to form the Eastern Region in the 1960s, Anglia Region was split off from the Eastern Region in the 1980s. They retained a level of independence, though there was also some centralisation.


ex-LMS Jubilee Class 45641 Sandwich at Chinley in 1954 [Wikimedia Commons]

1955 Modernisation Plan

After the Second World War, Britain's railways fell behind others in the world. Countries like Japan, USA and France were experimenting with new diesels and electrics. However, Britain wasn't, and the run down network deteriorated even more because of painfully slow rebuilding. Finally, and lately, came the modernisation plan for Britain's railways. It cost the government much more than it should have, because of bad timing.

The 1955 Modernisation Plan, detailed in the Briti***ransport Commission's (BTC) Modernisation and Re-equipment of British Railways, argued for spending £1,240 million over a period of 15 years. Services were to be made more attractive to passengers and freight operators, thus recovering traffic which was being lost to the roads. There were three important areas:

• Electrification of principal express routes, the Eastern Region of British Railways, Kent, Birmingham and Central Scotland,
• Large-scale introduction of diesel and electric traction with new coaching stock to replace steam locomotives
• Resignaling and track renewal

A government White Paper was produced in 1956, stating that modernisation would help eliminate BR's financial deficit by 1962.

However the modernisation plan failed to take into account the effect that mass road transport would have upon the traditional role of the railways, and as a result much money was wasted by heavy investment in things like marshalling yards, at a time when small wagon-load traffic was in rapid decline. Much money was also wasted by the rapid introduction of new classes of diesel locomotives into fleet service without an adequate period of prototype testing, which resulted in several classes being scrapped within a very few years of their being built. The failure of the Modernisation Plan led to a distrust of British Rail's financial planning abilities by the Treasury which was to dog BR for the rest of its existence.

Tank engines at May 1966 at Barry Scrapyard (GNU Free Documentation)

There was mass withdrawal of steam types

The Beeching Axe and the end of steam

Main article: Beeching Axe

In 1963, BR chairman Dr Richard Beeching published the Re-Shaping of British Railways calling for major rationalisation of the system. Many rural routes were unprofitable in the face of increasing competition from road hauliers and the private car. The Beeching Axe fell on most branch lines and some main lines. Some of these lines have since become heritage railways.

The early 1960s also saw the "Great Locomotive Cull", with mass withdrawals of steam types, and their replacement with diesels, fewer of which were needed on the shrinking system. Steam traction's last stand came in the North-West of England in August 1968. The use of steam locomotives on independent industrial lines, particularly by the National Coal Board (NCB), continued into the 1970s. Many locomotives were preserved, having not been scrapped immediately on withdrawal, but most fell victim to the cutter's torch.

From 1958 to 1974 the West Coast Main Line was electrified in stages at the French voltage of 25 kV 50Hz AC overhead line electrification. Many commuter lines around London and Glasgow were also electrified, and the Southern Region extended its 750 V DC third rail system to the Kent coast. However electrification never reached system-wide level as on many other European railways.

British Rail


Class 47 47241 in "corporate blue" livery in 1980 (GNU Free Documentation)

Steam traction on British Railways ended in August 1968 after the system was rebranded British Rail (see British Rail brand names for a full history). This introduced the double-arrow logo, still used by National Rail to represent the industry as a whole (though some cynics claimed the logo meant the railway "didn't know if it was coming or going"); the standardised typeface used for all communications and signs; and the "rail blue" livery which was applied to nearly all locomotives and rolling stock.

In 1973 the TOPS system for classifying locomotives and multiple units was introduced, and is the basis of the classification system. Hauled rolling stock continued to carry numbers in a separate series. Also during this time, yellow warning panels, characteristic of British railways, were added to the front of diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units in order to increase the safety of track workers.

The major engineering works were split off into a separate company, British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL), in 1970.

Sectorisation


BR Class 411, no. 1586, at London Victoria (GNU Free Documentation)

Sectorisation produced a more colourful railway — this is the Network SouthEast livery. It is a Mk1 electric multiple unit.


BR class 87 electric loco & trains (Virgin Trains) (GNU Free Dcoumentation)

Old trains, new livery -- Virgin Trains took over two InterCity franchises.

In the 1980s the regions of BR were abolished and the system sectorised into five sectors. The passenger sectors were InterCity (express services), Network SouthEast (London commuter services) and Regional Railways (regional services). Trainload Freight took trainload freight, Railfreight Distribution took non-trainload freight, Freightliner took intermodal traffic and Rail Express Systems took parcels traffic. The maintenance and remaining engineering works were split off into a new company, BRML (British Rail Maintenance Limited). The new sectors were further subdivided into divisions. This ended the "BR blue" period as new liveries were adopted gradually. Infrastructure remained the responsibility of the Regions until the "Organisation for Quality" initiative in 1991, when this too was transferred to the sectors.

Privatisation

Main article: Privatisation of British Rail

On the advice of the Adam Smith Institute, under John Major's Conservative Government's Railways Act 1993 British Rail was split up and privatised. This was a continuation of the policy of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government's privatisation of publicly-owned services. The unpopular Conservative Government was facing a Labour victory at the May 1997 General Election and so privatisation was rushed through and was finished in November 1997.

BR was privatised within the business structure that was in place. Passenger services in each sector were franchised out to private companies, mostly bus operators. The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) was created to organise ticketing and market the rail services using the National Rail brand. Freight operations were sold but mostly bought by one company, EWS. Railtrack controlled infrastructure. The Shadow Strategic Rail Authority was created to oversee and advise the government. The British Railways Board remained with some residual functions.

Privatisation has had mixed results. Passenger growth has been stimulated, but this has been at extra cost to the taxpayer and passengers, who have seen steady fare increases since 1997. Freight has also increased; however, there is debate as to whether these increases in passengers and freight have been due to privatisation, or simply to an improved economy which usually results in more travel. Some analysts have pointed out that a similar rise in passenger numbers occurred in the late 1980s when the economy was buoyant, only to fall again in the recession of the early 1990s; however, recent passenger-journey numbers have climbed back to the level last seen in the 1950s.

Railtrack's management proved to be incompetent and the Labour government refused to continue to subsidise the losses of shareholders. It went insolvent, was put in receivership and was replaced by a not-for-profit publicly owned Network Rail. Some saw this as the first step towards renationalisation. Given the costs this is unlikely at present although some studies have recommended this as a cheaper choice than the current subsidies to commercial companies. The Shadow Strategic Rail Authority's power became real when it dropped part of its name, becoming the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). The functions of the SRA were later transferred to the Department for Transport.

There has been some controversy over the decision to withhold subsidies from Railtrack, which forced it to become insolvent. Recent press reports have indicated that the then transport minister Stephen Byers deliberately forced the company to become insolvent, as this would remove any obligation on the government to provide compensation to Railtrack's shareholders, who would lose their investment.

Network

The BR network, with the trunk routes of the West Coast Main Line, East Coast Main Line, Great Western Main Line and Midland Main Line, remains unchanged. The Beeching Axe fell on many branch lines and some other main lines.

Locomotives and rolling stock

Locomotives

Steam locomotives

Main article: Steam locomotives of British Railways

BR inherited more than 20,000 locomotives from the constituent "Big Four" companies, the vast majority of which were steam locomotives. BR also built 2537 steam locomotives in the period 1948-1960: 1538 were to pre-nationalisation designs, and 999 to its own standard designs. These locomotives were destined to lead short lives, some as little as 5 years against a design life of over 30 years, because of the decision to end the use of steam traction in 1968.

Diesel locomotives

Main article: Diesel locomotives of British Rail

When BR was created, diesel traction was in its infancy in the United Kingdom (though more progress had been made in other countries, whose experience could arguably have been used to a greater degree in informing developments in the UK). Only one mainline diesel locomotive was inherited in 1948 (though more were on order) and a handful of diesel shunters of various types.

Initially, BR persisted with the small scale experimentation with diesel traction while continuing to build hundreds of steam locomotives to old and new designs. Even some steam shunters were being built through to the mid-1950s, when standard diesel shunters were already in large scale production. However, it was not until the 1955 Modernisation Plan that more substantial developments in mainline diesel locomotive technology were planned.

The Plan envisaged small numbers of prototype locomotives of varying power types being ordered from a variety of manufacturers. These could be tested and compared against each other before large scale orders were placed. Unfortunately, even before many of the prototypes had been delivered, a combination of the political need to maintain employment in the British locomotive-building industry and over-optimistic assessments of the possibilities offered by new diesel locomotives meant that large scale orders were placed for a wide variety of untested and incompatible designs, many of which proved to be very poor.

By the end of 1968, all the remaining mainline steam locomotives and shunters had been withdrawn - but during the period 1967-71 so were a large number of virtually new diesel locomotives and shunters (some only three years old) as many designs had proved unsuccessful, non-standard, and unnecessary with changed requirements on the railways, e.g. widespread line closures and the decline of wagonload freight traffic. However, some of the diesel shunters withdrawn during this period did find further use on industrial railway systems.

After the large scale production of some 5000 diesel locomotives and shunters in the period 1956-1968, the British locomotive-building industry virtually collapsed. BR needed very few new diesel locomotives from then on; only 285 heavy duty freight locomotives and the 199 High Speed Train power cars were purchased from then until privatisation began in 1994. No diesel locomotives have been built in Britain for the mainline system since 1991; the most recent new types have been imported from Canada and Spain.

Electric locomotives

Main article: Electric locomotives of British Rail

Electric traction was more advanced than diesel traction at Nationalisation, with a number of isolated electrified networks across the country using a variety of power supplies, though 1500V dc overhead supply had been accepted as the national standard in the 1930s. However, most of these networks used electric multiple units to provide the passenger service, with steam locomotives operating freight trains. Thus, BR inherited only 13 ex-North Eastern and 3 ex-Southern Railway electric locomotives, plus two departmental electric shunters, also ex-Southern Railway.

In the early years of BR, a number of locomtives were built to operate on the newly-refurbished and electrified Woodhead Route using the 1500V dc overhead system. However, by the time that the next major electrification project, the West Coast Main Line (WCML), was underway, the decision had been taken to adopt 25kV ac overhead as the standard supply system.

BR decided to test a variety of new 25kV ac types for the WCML electrification; in all 100 locomotives of five classes were built by different manufacturers. Having learned the lessons from these types, a standard class of a further 100 examples was ordered. This latter type, which was introduced in 1966 is still in service today. The earlier prototypes, though they were mostly pretty successful, succumbed in the 1980s and early 1990s as non-standard following the arrival of new electric locomotives.

Although the purchase of new electric types was carried out in a more successful way than the comparable process for diesel locomotives (see above), the 200-or-so electric locomotive fleet used to operate the WCML from the mid-1960s until the recent introduction of Pendolino trains was still far smaller than that originally envisaged; more than 500 were thought necessary when the initial plans were developed! It was fortunate that changes in the railway's operation had already occurred before mass orders were placed for electric traction.

Coaches

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail for additional information on:

• British Carriage and Wagon Numbering and Classification
• Coaches of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
• Coaches of the Great Western Railway
• Coaches of the Southern Railway
• Coaches of the London and North Eastern Railway
• British Rail Mark 1
• British Rail Mark 2
• British Rail Mark 3
• British Rail Mark 4


Freight wagons and industrial tankers.

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail for additional informatmion on:

• Coal trucks.
• Parcels vans and mail wagons.
• Industrial and oil tankers.
• Flat-cars and car-transporters.
• Gravel hoppers.

Multiple units

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b222/siberianmo/Euro%20trains/British%20trains/c3e61dee.jpg
BR Class 142 Pacer at Manchester Victoria station. (Public Domain)

The Pacer was British Rail's attempt to create a low cost Diesel Multiple Unit

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail for additional informatmion on:

• Multiple units.
• Diesel and electric multiple units.
• Pacer units.


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)]

[LoveDomes]

Hey Tom!

Now where have I seen that B4[?][?][swg]

Just stopped by en route the bar . . . . nothing to add today, as I'm just a bit on the 'fuzzy' side from the parade and festivities that followed. [wow]


Until the next time!

Lars

[passengerfan]

Tom Thanks for the Brit Rail. Some valuable information their.

TTFN AL.

Sorry to hear Lars is a bit under the westher today. Bet he is not the only one the morning after St. Paddys day.

[siberianmo]

Hey Guys!

Figured I'd at least acknowledge your comments! Doesn't happen very much on this Thread! Anyway, Lars things will begin to look better in 3 or 4 days (daze)![swg]

Catch ya both over at the bar . . . .

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

Something previously Posted over at the bar, but a "first" for this Thread:

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


Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O)


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


Locale: New York City, New York via Baltimore, Maryland to Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri

Reporting marks: B&O

Dates of operation: 1830 – 1963

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


The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia and Parkersburg, West Virginia. It is now part of the CSX network, and includes the oldest operational railroad bridge in the world. The B&O also coincidentally included the Leiper Railroad, the first permanent railroad in the U.S.

The railroad's former shops in Baltimore, including the Mt. Clare roundhouse, now house the B&O Railroad Museum.

History

Chapter 123 of the 1826 Session Laws of Maryland, passed February 28, 1827, and the state of Virginia on March 8, 1827, chartered the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company, with the task of building a railroad from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to a suitable point on the Ohio River. The railroad, formally incorporated April 24, was intended to provide an alternative, faster, route for Midwestern goods to reach the East Coast than the seven-year-old, hugely successful, but slow Erie Canal across upstate New York.

Construction began on July 4, 1828, and the first section, from Baltimore west to Ellicott's Mills (now known as Ellicott City), opened on May 24, 1830. Further extensions opened to Frederick (including the short Frederick Branch) December 1, 1831, Point of Rocks April 2, 1832, Sandy Hook December 1, 1834 (the connection to the Winchester and Potomac Railroad at Harpers Ferry opening in 1837), Martinsburg May 1842, Hancock June 1842, Cumberland November 5, 1842, Piedmont July 21, 1851, Fairmont June 22, 1852 and its terminus at Wheeling, West Virginia (then part of Virginia) on January 1, 1853.

On July 20, 1877 there were bloody riots in Baltimore, Maryland from Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers. Nine rail workers were killed at the hands of the Maryland militia. The next day workers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania staged a sympathy strike that was also met with an assault by the state militia; Pittsburgh then erupted into widespread rioting.

The Pennsylvania Railroad acquired the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad in the early 1880s, cutting off the B&O's access to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The B&O chartered the Philadelphia Branch in Maryland and the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad in Delaware and Pennsylvania and built a parallel route, finished in 1886. The Baltimore Belt Railroad, opened in 1895, connected the main line to the Philadelphia Branch without the need for a car ferry across the Patapsco River, but the cost of its Howard Street Tunnel drove the B&O to bankruptcy in 1896.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad took control of the B&O in 1963, and incorporated it, along with the Western Maryland Railway, into the Chessie System in 1973. In 1980, the Chessie System merged with the Seaboard System Railroad to create CSX. In 1986, the B&O finally went out of existence when it formally merged with the C&O (which itself formally merged with CSX later that same year). At the height or railroading's golden age, the B&O was one of several trunk lines uniting the northeast quadrant of the United States into an industrial zone. It marked the southern border and corresponded to the New York Central's marking of the northern border. The Pennsy and the Erie railroads worked the center. The corners of this map are Baltimore in the southeast, Albany in the northeast, Chicago in the northwest, and St. Louis in the southwest.

Early engineering

When construction began on the B&O in the 1820s, railroad engineering was in its infancy. Unsure of exactly which materials would suffice, the B&O erred on the side of sturdiness and built many of its early structures of granite. Even the track bed to which iron strap rail was affixed consisted of the stone.

Though the granite soon proved too unforgiving and expensive for track, most of the B&O's bridges have survived until the present, and many are still in active railroad use by CSX. Baltimore's Carrollton Viaduct, named in honor of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, is North America's oldest railroad bridge still in use. The Thomas Viaduct in Relay, Maryland was the longest bridge in the United States upon its completion in 1835, and remains in use as well.

Branches

Washington

In 1831 a law was passed in Maryland, enabling the B&O to build its Washington Branch, connecting Baltimore to the national capital of Washington, D.C. This opened in 1835, and later served as a terminus for the Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad to Annapolis.

Mount Airy
Frederick

The Frederick Branch was built as part of the original line, opening on December 1, 1831. The continuation of the main line from Frederick Junction opened April 2, 1832.

Metropolitan

The Metropolitan Branch was opened in the early 1870s. It leaves the District of Columbia and proceeds northwest through Montgomery County, joining the B&O main line at Point of Rocks. It serves as a bypass around Baltimore and is still in active use.

Georgetown

The line was operated in some manner from 1889 until 1985 when it was proposed for abandonment; it served basically as a minor freight spur carrying coal and building materials to local outlets in Chevy Chase, Bethesda and Georgetown. It was originally built with the intention of connecting to southern railroads to compete with the Pennsylvania Railroad's Long Bridge, but no bridge across the Potomac River was ever built. The abandoned right-of-way is now used as the Capital Crescent Trail.

Trivia

• In the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly, the B&O is one of the four railroad properties on the board, though it did not serve Atlantic City, New Jersey, from which many of the US edition's properties are named.

• A one-time B&O warehouse at the Camden Yards rail junction in Baltimore now dominates the view over the right-field wall at the Baltimore Orioles' current home, Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

References

Railroad History Database
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Timeline
Mileposts from CSX Transportation Timetables


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

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

Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[LoveDomes]

G'day Tom

How's the world treating you this Sunday[?][swg]

Ah, some B&O to brighten the day - would make my great grandfather, grandfather and father proud![tup]

B&O EM1 2-8-8-4 articulated - largest in the fleet



Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

Hi Lars!

Thanx for the great looking EM1 . . . A bit of elaboration:

QUOTE: The EM1 class comprised thirty locomotives (numbered 7600-7629) built for the B&O by Baldwin in 1944 and 1945. These articulated1 engines had 235 psi steam pressure, 24x32" cylinders (4), and 64" disk drivers. They exerted 115,000 pounds of tractive effort, and weighed 1,010,700 pounds (including tender) in working order. The 12-wheel tenders held 25 tons of coal and 22,000 gallons of water. The EM1 had roller bearings on all axles, a feature which made it so free-rolling that, with the cylinder cocks open and on level track, one of these behemoths could actually be pushed by three men.

The EM1 was among the smallest of the Yellowstone (2-8-8-4) type ever built, but nothing larger would have conformed to the Baltimore and Ohio's tight clearances. Except for some minor staybolt problems, stemming from the uneven distribution of water in the long boiler on steep grades, the EM1 was an exceptionally fine running and reliable locomotive.

The last "new" steam power built for the B&O, EM1's were initially assigned to the mountainous Cumberland and Pittsburgh divisions. Later, as diesel-electrics displaced steam in the Alleghenies, they were shifted west to the ore-hauling region in northern Ohio. Though designed primarily for heavy freight service, they were versatile machines, and in the early years were even used as passenger power on occasion. As a group the EM1's lasted until the end of steam power on the B&O. However, their ranks began to thin in 1958, when the decision was made to cease all major expenditures for steam locomotive repairs. Overhauls in progress were halted, and EM1's due for major maintenance were slated for scrapping instead. By 1960 all of these giants had gone to the torch; not a single one was spared.

from: http://home.att.net/~s.a.joyce/docs/bo.htm

Later![tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[passengerfan]

I too want to thank Lars for the EM-1 photo. From any angle the B&O had fine looking steam power. Have always admired their designs. Good rugged looking power.

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

Here's something previously Posted over at the bar that may be of interest to whoever reads this stuff![swg]




Canadian Railways of the Past

Number One: Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR)


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

Locale: Canada

Dates of operation: 1899 – 1918

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

Headquarters: Manitoba

The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) is a historic Canadian railway.

Manitoba beginnings

CNoR had its start in the independent branchlines that were being constructed in Manitoba in the 1880s and 1890s as a response to the monopoly exercised by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Many of these branchlines were built with the sponsorship of the provincial government, which sought to subsidize local competition to the federally subsidized CPR; however, significant competition was also provided by the encroaching Northern Pacific Railway (NPR) from the south.

Two of these branchline contractors, William Mackenzie and Donald Mann, took control of the bankrupt Lake Manitoba Railway and Canal Company in January, 1896. Mackenzie and Mann expanded their enterprise in 1897 by building further north into Manitoba's Interlake district as well as east and west of Winnipeg. They also began building and buying lines south to connect the U.S. border at Pembina, North Dakota, and east to Ontario.

Connecting the Prairies to the Lakehead

The Canadian Northern Railway was established in 1899 and all railway companies owned by Mackenzie and Mann (primarily in Manitoba) were consolidated into the new entity. CNoR's first step toward competing directly with CPR came at the turn of the century with the decision to build a line linking the Prairie Provinces with Lake Superior at the harbour in Port Arthur-Fort William (modern Thunder Bay, Ontario) which would permit the shipping of western grain to European markets as well as the transport of eastern Canadian goods to the West. This line incorporated an existing CNoR line to Lake of the Woods and two local Ontario railways, the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway and the Ontario and Rainy River Railway whose charters Mackenzie and Mann had acquired in 1897. To reach Port Arthur which became the lake terminus of the CNoR, the line extended south of Lake of the Woods into northern Minnesota before heading northeast through Rainy River District to the head of navigation on the Great Lakes. The Winnipeg-Port Arthur line was completed on December 30, 1901 with the last spike being driven just east of Atikokan station by Ontario's Commissioner of Crown Lands, Elihu J. Davis.

Throughout this time, Mackenzie and Mann had been busy expanding their prairie branch line network to feed the connection to Port Arthur. This network expanded in subsequent years to cover most parts of the prairies.

In 1914 the Canadian Northern Railway bought a 150 acre homestead north of Winnipeg on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. They purchased the land in order to develop a resort on Grand Beach.

Going it alone

In 1903 the federal government and Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) were seeking a 2nd transcontinental railway for Canada and approached Mackenzie and Mann to seek their co-operation. This effort was spurned and GTR and the federal government would go on to form a system composed of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) and the National Transcontinental Railway (NTR).

Nationwide expansion

Mackenzie and Mann began their first significant expansion outside of the prairies with the purchase of Great Lakes steamships, railways into northern Quebec's Saguenay region and the acquisition of branchlines in southwestern Nova Scotia (the H&SW) and western Cape Breton Island. Other acquisitions were in southern Ontario and a connecting line was built from Toronto to Parry Sound.

In 1905, CNoR reached the newly formed provincial capital at Edmonton, Alberta. In 1908, a line was built east from a connection at Capreol, Ontario on the Toronto-Parry Sound line to Ottawa and on to Montreal. In 1910 a direct Toronto-Montreal line was built, as well as the start of construction on the line west of Edmonton through Yellowhead Pass to Vancouver, thanks to subsidies provided by the government of British Columbia. In 1911 federal funding was made available for completing the line from Montreal-Ottawa-Capreol-Port Arthur.

In 1912, with GTR and CPR holding the ideal southern routes around Mount Royal to downtown Montreal, CNoR started building a double-tracked mainline north by building the Mount Royal Tunnel under the mountain.

Obstacles in the Rockies

CNoR's initial expansion in the 1890s and 1900s had been relatively frugal, largely by acquiring bankrupt companies or finishing failed construction projects. By the 1910s, significant expenses were adding up from the construction north or Lake Superior and the Mount Royal Tunnel, but the largest costs were from building on "the wrong side" of the Thompson and Fraser rivers in the mountains of British Columbia. CPR already had trackage on the desirable eastern side, leading to the port of Vancouver, forcing CNoR to blast tunnels and ledges out of these canyons.

The most infamous construction folly on the CNoR in British Columbia happened in 1913 when blasting for a passage for the railway at Hells Gate triggered an enormous landslide which partially blocked the narrow swift-flowing Fraser River. The resulting damage to Pacific salmon runs took decades to reverse by the governmental construction of fishways.

In addition to difficult construction between Jasper and Vancouver, CNoR started construction west of Edmonton in 1910, fully two years later than GTPR, which had started construction east from Prince Rupert in the Skeena River, leading to Yellowhead Pass.

Bankruptcy and nationalization

The last spike of the CNoR transcontinental railway was driven January 23, 1915, at Basque, British Columbia. Freight and passenger service north of Lake Superior also started in 1915, resulting in a system between Montreal and Vancouver, with lines in Nova Scotia, Southern Ontario, Minnesota, and on Vancouver Island. Between 1915 and 1918, CNoR tried desperately to increase profits during the height of conflict in the First World War when the majority of wartime traffic was moving on CPR. The company was also saddled with ongoing construction costs associated with the Mount Royal Tunnel project.

CNoR was heavily indebted to banks and governments, and its profitable branchlines in the prairie provinces — "Canada's breadbasket" — would not generate enough revenue to cover construction costs in other areas. Unable to repay construction costs, the company requested financial aid. In exchange for funds, the federal government gained majority control of shares and CNoR was nationalized on September 6, 1918, when the directors of CNoR, including Mackenzie and Mann, resigned. The replacement board of directors appointed by the federal government forced CNoR to assume the management of federally-owned Canadian Government Railways (CGR). On December 20, 1918, a Privy Council order directed CNoR and CGR to be managed under the moniker Canadian National Railways (CNR) as a means to simplify funding and operations, although CNoR and CGR would not be formally merged and cease corporate existence until January 20, 1923, the date that CNR was formally consolidated. Legally, CNoR existed until 1956.

Remnants of CNoR today

Today, significant portions of the CNoR system survives under CN (as the CNR has been known since 1960); for example, the Mount Royal Tunnel and lines north to Saguenay, as well as most of the CN main line west from Toronto to Winnipeg, and from Yellowhead Pass southwest to Vancouver. The majority of CN's former CNoR branchline network across Canada has either been abandoned or sold to shortline operators. An important U.S. subsidiary of CNoR, the Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railway forms part of a key CN connection between Chicago, Illinois and Winnipeg.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Northern_Railway"

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)]

[LoveDomes]

Hi Tom

Thought I'd stop by before heading over to the bar (trying to pace myself!) and thought I'd drop off a pix. Couldn't find anything on the CNoR, but how about this beauty for the CN[?][tup]

CN #6071 4-8-2 (from: www.yesteryeardepot.com)



Until the next time!

Lars

[passengerfan]

Lars thanks for the pix of the CN Bullet Nose Betty. Remember when they used 6060 as a fan trip engine out of Toronto. Was a fine running machine. Believe it is in Alberta now still used in occasional fan trips.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Good Evening!

Thanx Lars for the great loco Pix! Fine looking machine, indeed.[tup]

Al Glad to know that 'she" is still up 'n runnin' and in Alberta at that! Wonder if BK will get a chance to view it[?]

A little something you may enjoy . . .


CN #2700, former Milwaukee Raod #50 (courtesy: www.trainweb.org)


Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[passengerfan]

Tom Photo you posted of CN 2700 looks like it was taken around Jasper.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Hi Al

Yes, may very well be Jasper . . . these full length domes, acquired from the Milwaukee Road, were called "Sceneramics" by CN (but my guess is YOU already knew that!)

Here's another . . . .

CN #2405 "Columbia" Sceneramic Dome (courtesy: www.trainweb.org)


Later![tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #66

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the SWISS FEDERAL RAILROADS from a 1933 advertisement in my personal collection.


A Treasure-House of Scenery Behind the Towering Alps

Switzerland – fairyland of azure lakes, snowy peaks and quaint century-old villages. Every golden hour spent in this fascinating land remains a precious memory throughout a lifetime.

Visit it NOW . . . such an opportunity may never come again. Costs everywhere are sweepingly reduced. Swiss thoughtfulness provides a unique railroad ticket on which you travel as you please – change your route at will – with rates adjusted to suit all tastes.

You will include in your trip the famous St. Gothard route with ZURICH and lovely LUCERNE, cradle of the Swiss Confederation and unique spot for excursions by boat and rail.

LUGANO-LOCARNO, floral paradise of the Swiss Italian lake district and on the Simplon Line distinguished LAUSSANE-OUCHY, international center for education and travel . . . LOETSHBERG LINE on the BERNESE OBERLAND with the quaint old towns of BERNE, capital of Switzerland . . . and THUN-INTERLOCKEN, for that spectacular trip . . . on the JUNGFRAUJOCH.

Write for Packet NG-1 to the Official Agency of the SWISS FEDERAL RAILROADS, 475 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

. . . . . . . . . . SWITZERLAND . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[passengerfan]

Tom and Lars regarding those scereramic Domes. The CN shops did a magnificent job of remodeling the interiors after purchase from Milwaukee Road. Some people commented about the colors being a little gaudy at the time but they sure were a big improvement over Milwaukee Road days. Instead of just straight seating on the dome level they incorporated lounge seating in the center of the dome area and it sure was impressive. Other than the color combination on the lower level it remained as built originally.

TTFN AL

[BudKarr]

Greetings Gents!

The return to Tom's "other thread!" Seems that all is still well, with the "fearsome foursome" keeping things moving forward.

What a spectrum of thought - CNoR - CN - Railways of Switzerland and the Milwaukee Road. Amazing what you guys can come up with![tup]

I really enjoyed that CN #607 steam locomotive and should the opportunity present itself, perhaps one day we will avail ourselves of the time to view it. Great looking beast of a machine.

BK

[LoveDomes]

Hi Tom

A little something to supplement your Swiss Railways post . . . .

Swiss train entering Bern, Switzerland


Swiss Pendolino train en route Geneva


See ya over at the bar!

Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

Hey Guys!

Appreciate the information and two great shots![tup]

I'm green with envy when it comes to those who have had the experience of traveling in those full-length dome cars of old. Must've been quite a treat.

Later![tup]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #67

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Southern Pacific (SP) from a 1948 advertisement in my personal collection.



On your S.P trip to California

See twice as much for the same rail fare

Go one way – return another

Here’s an exciting travel bargain for your California trip: South Pacific offers you four routes. Choose one S.P. route to California, a different S.P. route returning, and you’ll see twice as much for the same roundtrip rail fare from most points! You’ll ride on some of these famous trains:

Our Sunset Limited and Argonaut, via romantic New Orleans to Los Angeles across the great Southwest (Sunset Route). Our new Golden State, 45-hour extra fast, extra fare streamliner, and our Imperial, Chicago to Los Angeles (Golden State Route). Our sleek 50 ¾ hour extra fare streamliner City of San Francisco, and our Overland, Chicago to San Francisco via spectacular Salt Lake and Reno (Overland Route). And our Cascade and Beaver through the evergreen Northwest (Shasta Route).

And on your 470 mile scenic trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco you have our exciting streamlined Daylights and our famous all-Pullman streamlined Lark that the movie stars ride. Send for the guidebook to plan with.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S*P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . The friendly Southern Pacific . . . .


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

Continuing on talking to myself .... try these![swg]







Now, isn't this better than those incessant "polls" and "pointless questions"[?]

You bet![tup]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

Tom This ought to fit in with your SP.

SOUTHERN
PACIFIC
Streamlined Observations
by Al


The Southern Pacific owned 24 lightweight streamlined Observations and subsidiary Texas and New Orleans owned a pair.
The first two lightweight streamlined observations 2950 and 2951 were delivered by Pullman Standard to the Southern Pacific in February 1937for the March 21, 1937 inaugural of all new streamlined 12 car DAYLIGHTS between San Francisco and Los Angeles replacing heavyweight trains of the same name. The new trains operated by way of the Coast Route as their predecessors had often called one of the most scenic routes in the world. Some railroad historians claim these to be among the most beautiful streamliners ever introduced. And whose to argue they were really quite stunning in there Daylight Red and Orange color scheme with Aluminum lettering and separation stripes. The roof of the cars was black, as were the trucks and underbodies. Interiors of the 2950 and 2951 from front to rounded rear contained a Men's restroom on left, women's restroom on right. A table with bench seating for four was next one on either side of the center aisle across from each other. This was followed with a desk and chair on the left side only. Next were twelve Parlor seats on swivel bases on the right side and eleven parlor seats on the left side for a total of 23. There was a lounge with seating for ten in the rounded Observation end. An interesting feature of these cars was their lack of a boarding vestibule at the end. Parlor car patrons boarding these cars did so through the adjoining straight parlor car that operated with its vestibule to the rear to serve both parlor cars passengers.
These two cars not only served in the original DAYLIGHT but later operated in the NOON DAYLIGHTS and SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHTS.
In July 1954 Observation 2950 was rebuilt by the Southern Pacific's Sacramento shops into the roads first 3/4-length dome lounge car and renumbered 3600.
The 2951 was shopped during the 1960's and received smooth stainless steel sides and was repainted with just the letter board red. This car lasted until 1971 before being scrapped.

2 CARD TABLES WITH SEATING FOR FOUR EACH DESK WITH CHAIR 23 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS (Round) Pullman Standard February 1937 (Built for and assigned to DAYLIGHTS)

2950, 2951

The SP received all new DAYLIGHTS from Pullman Standard in January 1940 and the pair of Observations for these fourteen car trains were numbered 2952 and 2953. The interiors of these cars were identical to the earlier 2950 and 2951 except they were equipped with Baggage Elevators and had one less revenue parlor seat 22 instead of 23. These two cars operated in the DAYLIGHTS, NOON DAYLIGHTS, and SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHTS during their careers.
Both Parlor Observations 2952 and 2953 were rebuilt to 72 revenue seat coaches in August 1963 by Southern Pacific Sacramento shops and received new numbers 2952 and 2953 at that time.

2 CARD TABLES WITH BOOTH SEATING FOR FOUR EACH DESK WITH CHAIR 22 REVENUE PARLOR SEATS 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS (Swallow - Tailed)
Pullman Standard January 1940 (Built for and assigned to MORNING DAYLIGHTS)

2952, 2953

Pullman Standard delivered two new lightweight streamlined Sleeper Lounge Observations to the SP in April 1941 for assignment to the new streamlined LARKS between San Francisco - Oakland and Los Angeles. These cars were smooth sided cars and were painted two tone gray with aluminum separation stripes.
The two Observations operated between Oakland and Los Angeles being set out by the northbound LARK at San Jose and continuing to Oakland as the OAKLAND LARK along with a sleeping car. Southbound the OAKLAND LARK'S two cars were awaiting the southbound LARK from San Francisco in San Jose and were added to the rear of the combined train for the trip to Los Angeles.
Interiors of the new Observations featured 2 Double Bedrooms 1 Compartment 1 Drawing Room a Buffet and 21 seat Lounge with 10 seat Lounge Observation. The Buffet was large enough to serve breakfast on the northbound LARK between San Jose and Oakland. Likewise the southbound LARK carried certain dinner menu items in the rear buffet for those wishing to eat between Oakland and San Jose. Each lightweight streamlined LARK was a sixteen-car train as inaugurated July 10, 1941. The two Observations numbered 400 and 401 had rather brief careers on the SP being destroyed by wrecks on the Coast Line.
Observation 400 was destroyed by a rear end collision involving a following train on the night of September 19, 1941, at the time the car was less than six months old. The damage to the 400 resulted in its being cut up for scrap. Pullman assigned the AMERICAN MILEMASTER built in 1939 to a nearly identical floor plan as a replacement for the wrecked 400. In December 1941 AMERICAN MILEMASTER lost its name and was numbered second 400. The second 400 became SP owned following WW II and in November 1949 was renumbered 9500. In May 1956 9500 was rebuilt by Pullman Shops Richmond into a Blunt ended Observation with no change of interior. Observation 9500 operated on the rear of the final run of the OAKLAND LARK on May 1, 1960. Southern Pacific retired the 9500 in 1965 and sold the car to EMD where it became Locomotive test car ET-800. The car was later sold to NdeM for Business car use where it remains as this is written.
The 401 only lasted 20 months in service before it too was destroyed in a similar accident being rear ended by a following train south of San Luis Obispo December 3, 1942 and was retired and scrapped as a result of this accident. The 401 was replaced by Pullman Pool Car MUSKINGUM RIVER built in June 1940 to a nearly identical floor plan. The MUSKINGUM RIVER was numbered second 401 in April 1943. Following WW II the car became the property of SP and was renumbered 9501 in December 1949. The 9501 was shopped at Pullman Richmond in April 1956 and received a Blunt end at that time. The 9501 meant the same fate as its two predecessors being wrecked on Cuesta Grade the night of May 10, 1959. After evaluating the damage the 9501 was set aside and finally scrapped in December 1959.

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 21 SEAT LOUNGE 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS (Swallow-Tailed) Pullman Standard April 1941 Plan: 4082A Lot: 6644 (Built for and assigned to LARK)

400, 401

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 21 SEAT LOUNGE 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Swallow-Tailed) Pullman Standard April 1939 Plan: 4082 Lot: 6597 (Built for Pullman Pool transferred to LARK as wreck replacement for 400)

AMERICAN MILEMASTER second 400

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM 1 COMPARTMENT 1 DRAWING ROOM BUFFET 21 SEAT LOUNGE 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION (Swallow - Tailed) Pullman Standard June 1940 Plan: 4082 Lot: 6608 (Built for and assigned to Pullman Pool transferred to LARK as wreck replacement for 401)

MUSKINGUM RIVER second 401

The last prewar Observations were delivered by Pullman Standard to the SP in June 1941 for DAYLIGHT service numbers 2954 and 2955. These were the last fluted side observations from Pullman Standard for the SP. These two replaced 2952 and 2953 in MORNING DAYLIGHT service. The 2952 and 2953 then went to the NOON DAYLIGHT and 2950 and 2951 were transferred to the SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHTS.
In July 1949 2954 and 2955 were transferred to the new SHASTA DAYLIGHTS providing parlor car service for that train. Before entering SHASTA DAYLIGHT service both cars were repainted with a broader window band to match the other cars in the SHASTA DAYLIGHT, which featured larger windows to view the 700 miles of scenery. The 2954 and 2955 were the only fluted sidecars in the new SHASTA DAYLIGHTS. Observation 2954 was retired and scrapped in 1971 after being transferred to the COAST DAYLIGHT after the SHASTA DAYLIGHT was discontinued.
The 2955 was dropped from the SHASTA DAYLIGHT when that train began tri-weekly operation and only one observation was necessary. The 2955 was rebuilt to a 72-seat coach in July 1963 by Sacramento shops and renumbered 2297.

2 CARD TABLES WITH BOOTH SEATING FOR FOUR EACH DESK WITH CHAIR 22 REVENUE PARLOR SEATS 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS (Swallow - Tailed Pullman Standard January 1940 (Built for and assigned to MORNING DAYLIGHTS)

2954, 2955

The Southern Pacific received five 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars from Pullman Standard in June 1950 that had a blunt observation end for end of train service. These cars Blunt end had no windows facing the rear except for a small window located in the centered emergency escape door. No longer would the cars be fitted with a lounge for the first class passengers. Three of these cars were painted in UP streamliner colors of Yellow and Gray with red lettering and separation stripes for assignment to the CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO trains 9040 - 9042. The other two cars 9043 and 9044 were painted in the two-tone gray OVERLAND colors for two of that trains consists. Later these two cars would be repainted in streamliner colors as well.

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BLUNT END OBSERVATIONS (Blunt ended) Pullman Standard June 1950 Plan: 4140D Lot: 6874 (Built for and assigned to CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO - SAN FRANCISCO OVERLAND)

9040 – 9044

Four identical 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Blunt end Observations except for paint were built at the same time by Pullman for assignment to the CASCADE and GOLDEN STATES. The two cars assigned to the new CASCADES were 9053 and 9054 painted in the two-tone gray scheme of SP overnight trains. The other two cars were painted with the upper halves of the cars painted Red and the lower part of the cars painted white. They were assigned names for GOLDEN STATE service GOLDEN DAWN and GOLDEN WAVE. The CRI&P provided the other three Observations to the GOLDEN STATE pool of cars. In August 1953 the two SP GOLDEN STATE Observations were assigned numbers by the SP losing their names at that time GOLDEN DAWN became 9055 and GOLDEN WAVE became 9056. All four of these cars were retired in 1971 with 9054 donated to the Pacific Coast Chapter of the NRHS.

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BLUNT OBSERVATIONS (Blunt - ended) Pullman Standard Plan: 4140D Lot: 6874 (Built for CASCADES and GOLDEN STATE pool)

9053, 9054

GOLDEN DAWN (9055)

GOLDEN WAVE (9056)

The last five 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Blunt end Observations were delivered by Budd in July 1950 to the SP for assignment to the lightweight streamlined SUNSETS operating daily between New Orleans and Los Angeles. The new SUNSETS were fourteen car trains between Los Angeles and El Paso and twelve car trains between El Paso and New Orleans. The all Budd built consists carried a red-letter board with the rest of the cars being stainless steel. Eventually as DAYLIGHT cars and other SP cars were shopped they would be painted in this simple scheme. The five 10-6 Blunt end sleeper Observations were numbered 9025 - 9029. Al five were retired in 1971.

10 ROOMETTE 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BLUNT OBSERVATIONS (Blunt Ended) Budd Company July 1950 Plan: 9522 Lot: 9678 - 040 (Built for and assigned to SUNSETS)

9025 - 9029

TTFN