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[passengerfan]

Good Afternoon Guys in keeping with the NYC theme for the day.

NEW YORK
CENTRAL
Streamlined Parlor Cars
By Al

The NYC was one of the largest operators of Parlor cars in the eastern United States. Not only did the NYC purchase a large number of new lightweight streamlined Parlor cars both before WW II but after as well. The NYC rebuilt four heavyweight coaches to streamlined Parlor cars for the MERCURY trains two in 1936 and the other two in 1939. This work was done at the roads Beech Grove shops outside Indianapolis, Indiana.
The first two streamlined Parlor cars for the NYC were the two built for the MERCURY of 1936. The entire 9 car consist along with the streamlining applied to the two Pacific Locomotives was designed by famed industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss.
The interiors of the cars were quite spacious and everything that could possibly be done to break up the tunnel effect of passenger cars was done. The Parlor car seating was of the non-swivel type living room furniture type and could be moved around in order to see out the windows etc. In the 25 seat straight Parlor car there was a mid car 4-seat parlor Dayroom in a half round room. The only thing missing from this 4 seat Dayroom was its own private bathroom something found in most parlor Drawing Rooms of the period. The other parlor cars were the Parlor Observation with 26 revenue parlor seats and a 10 seat Lounge in the Observation end. The rear of this observation was rounded and featured extremely large glass panels excellent for viewing the passing countryside. The two Parlor cars were both named and were the last two cars in the consist of the MERCURY. The straight Parlor was named CLEVLAND and the Parlor Lounge Observation was named DETROIT.
The new MERCURY began service July 15, 1936 operating round trip between Cleveland and Detroit.

25 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 4 SEAT PARLOR DAYROOM CAR Rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove Shops from heavyweight coach 2427 June 1936 (Rebuilt and streamlined for MERCURY)

CLEVELAND

26 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove Shops from heavyweight coach 2429 June 1936 (Rebuilt for and assigned to MERCURY)

DETROIT

Beech Grove Shops constructed a second identical MERCURY in October 1939 again using heavyweight coaches. The second MERCURY was an eleven-car train but one of the extra coaches was for the first MERCURY train set thus both MERCURY trains became ten car streamliners. The last two cars in this train set were identical to the two Parlor cars built for the first MERCURY. These two were named GREENFIELD VILLAGE for the straight Parlor and the Parlor Observation was named CHICAGO. With the inaugural of the second MERCURY November 12, 1939 Chicago became the western terminus of the trains. Each Morning one MERCURY train set departed from Cleveland the other from Chicago. Both of these trains actually terminated in Detroit. Later that afternoon the MERCURY trains continued to the opposite terminal cities from Detroit.

25 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 4 SEAT PARLOR DAYROOM CAR Rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove Shops from heavyweight coach 3721 October 1939 (Rebuilt for and assigned to Second MERCURY)

GREENFIELD VILLAGE

26 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove shops from heavyweight coach 3723 October 1939 (Rebuilt and streamlined for Second MERCURY)

CHICAGO

The NYC next turned their attention to the New York City to Cleveland Detroit service they called the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS one of the oldest trains on the NYC.
On December 7 1941 all new streamlined steam powered EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains were inaugurated on a day that would be remembered for Pearl Harbor rather than the inaugural of two new stainless steel trains from Budd. The inaugural consists were thirteen cars in length with each train assigned a Baggage 48 seat Tavern Lounge Car, three 30 seat Parlor cars with a 5 seat Parlor Drawing Room, and a 44 seat Dining car between New York and Buffalo. There some of the trains Coaches and one or two of the parlor cars and one dining car continued on to Detroit or came from Detroit and was combined or split from the cars continuing to Cleveland. The Detroit section of the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains operated across southern Ontario. All cars built for the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains were named for former governors of New York State.

20' BAGGAGE BUFFET-BAR 48 SEAT TAVERN LOUNGE CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

GROVER CLEVELAND

MARTIN VAN BUREN

30 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 5 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR DRAWING ROOM CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

ALFRED E. SMITH

CHARLES E. HUGHES

HERBERT H. LEHMAN

LEVI P. MORTON

NATHAN P. MILLER

SAMUEL J. TILDEN

44 SEAT DINING CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

DeWITT CLINTON

GEORGE CLINTON

HORATIO SEYMOUR

JOHN JAY

The above cars were the last prewar lightweight streamlined parlor cars built and the last named parlor cars built for the NYC. All postwar parlor cars would be numbered only.
The NYC between April and June 1948 from the Budd Company received a final order for lightweight streamlined Parlor cars postwar. These thirteen Parlor Observations were assigned to the following NYC trains CLEVELAND MERCURY between Cleveland and Detroit, CHICAGO MERCURY between Chicago and Detroit, CINCINNATI MERCURY between Cincinnati and Cleveland, TWILIGHT LIMITED between Detroit and Chicago, and WOLVERINE between Detroit and Chicago. The NYC also assigned two of these cars to the LAURENTIAN a jointly operated with D&H train between New York City and Montreal. The remaining Observations were operated between New York State points.

30 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS Budd Company April - June 1948 (Built for and assigned to previously mentioned trains)

58 - 70

In 1952 the NYC assigned numbers to all prewar named Parlor cars as follows they retained their names as well.

33 GROVER CLEVELAND

34 MARTIN VAN BUREN

81 CHARLES E. HUGHES

82 HERBERT H. LEHMAN

83 NATHAN L. MILLER

84 LEVI P. MORTON

85 ALFRED E. SMITH

86 SAMUEL J. TILDEN

1017 CLEVELAND

1018 GREENFIELD VILLAGE

1019 DETROIT

1020 CHICAGO

Between 1958 and 1967 the NYC assigned a large number of lightweight streamlined Sleeper Buffet lounge Cars from the FALLS series, LAKE series, and STREAM series to parlor car services mostly within the state of New York. When these cars were assigned to parlor car service they were assigned a 600 series number, it is not clear if they retained their name when assigned to parlor car service or not. It is believed some of these sleeper lounges operated in Parlor car service with their names intact while others had the name removed for parlor car service.

FALLS series 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM 20 SEAT LOUNGE CARS assigned to Parlor car service

August 1958

646 originally 10595 RAQUETTE FALLS

October 1958

636 originally 10582 COOKS FALLS

637 originally 10583 ESSEX FALLS

638 originally 10584 SHELBURNE FALLS

639 originally 10586 COPAKE FALLS

640 originally 10587 BUTTERMILK FALLS

644 originally 10593 WAPPINGERS FALLS

645 originally 10594 GENESEE FALLS

648 originally 10595 CHICOPEE FALLS

November 1958

643 originally 10592 MAHOPAC FALLS

January 1959

642 originally 10585 STUYVESANT FALLS

641 originally 10591 CROTON FALLS

March 1959

649 originally 10581 HOPE FALLS

650 originally 10590 KEZAR FALLS

January 1961

635 originally 10580 HONEOYE FALLS

March 1961

647 originally 10588 CHITTENANGO FALLS

LAKE Series 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BUFFET 22 SEAT LOUNGE CARS assigned to Parlor car service)

July 1964

652 originally 10603 MIRROR LAKE

651 originally 10606 OTSEGO LAKE

May 1965

653 originally 10600 BIG MOOSE LAKE

654 originally 10608 RAQUETTE LAKE

April 1966

655 originally 10614 TUPPER LAKE

STREAM series 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BUFFET 22 SEAT LOUNGE CARS assigned to parlor car service

May 1966

657 originally 10621 GULF STREAM

658 originally 10623-RIPPLING STREAM

656 originally 10624 BOULDER STREAM

May 1967

661 originally 10625 CRYSTAL STREAM

660 originally 10627 SWIFT STREAM

659 originally 10629 MOUNTAIN STREAM

October 1967

663 originally 10622 RAPID STREAM

662 originally 10630 RAINBOW STREAM

This was the extent of streamlined parlor cars operated on the NYC most were retired by the time of the PC merger except for the sleeper Buffet Lounge cars.

TTFN AL

[passengerfan]

Good Afternoon Guys in keeping with the NYC theme for the day.

NEW YORK
CENTRAL
Streamlined Parlor Cars
By Al

The NYC was one of the largest operators of Parlor cars in the eastern United States. Not only did the NYC purchase a large number of new lightweight streamlined Parlor cars both before WW II but after as well. The NYC rebuilt four heavyweight coaches to streamlined Parlor cars for the MERCURY trains two in 1936 and the other two in 1939. This work was done at the roads Beech Grove shops outside Indianapolis, Indiana.
The first two streamlined Parlor cars for the NYC were the two built for the MERCURY of 1936. The entire 9 car consist along with the streamlining applied to the two Pacific Locomotives was designed by famed industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss.
The interiors of the cars were quite spacious and everything that could possibly be done to break up the tunnel effect of passenger cars was done. The Parlor car seating was of the non-swivel type living room furniture type and could be moved around in order to see out the windows etc. In the 25 seat straight Parlor car there was a mid car 4-seat parlor Dayroom in a half round room. The only thing missing from this 4 seat Dayroom was its own private bathroom something found in most parlor Drawing Rooms of the period. The other parlor cars were the Parlor Observation with 26 revenue parlor seats and a 10 seat Lounge in the Observation end. The rear of this observation was rounded and featured extremely large glass panels excellent for viewing the passing countryside. The two Parlor cars were both named and were the last two cars in the consist of the MERCURY. The straight Parlor was named CLEVLAND and the Parlor Lounge Observation was named DETROIT.
The new MERCURY began service July 15, 1936 operating round trip between Cleveland and Detroit.

25 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 4 SEAT PARLOR DAYROOM CAR Rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove Shops from heavyweight coach 2427 June 1936 (Rebuilt and streamlined for MERCURY)

CLEVELAND

26 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION Rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove Shops from heavyweight coach 2429 June 1936 (Rebuilt for and assigned to MERCURY)

DETROIT

Beech Grove Shops constructed a second identical MERCURY in October 1939 again using heavyweight coaches. The second MERCURY was an eleven-car train but one of the extra coaches was for the first MERCURY train set thus both MERCURY trains became ten car streamliners. The last two cars in this train set were identical to the two Parlor cars built for the first MERCURY. These two were named GREENFIELD VILLAGE for the straight Parlor and the Parlor Observation was named CHICAGO. With the inaugural of the second MERCURY November 12, 1939 Chicago became the western terminus of the trains. Each Morning one MERCURY train set departed from Cleveland the other from Chicago. Both of these trains actually terminated in Detroit. Later that afternoon the MERCURY trains continued to the opposite terminal cities from Detroit.

25 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 4 SEAT PARLOR DAYROOM CAR Rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove Shops from heavyweight coach 3721 October 1939 (Rebuilt for and assigned to Second MERCURY)

GREENFIELD VILLAGE

26 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATION rebuilt and streamlined by NYC Beech Grove shops from heavyweight coach 3723 October 1939 (Rebuilt and streamlined for Second MERCURY)

CHICAGO

The NYC next turned their attention to the New York City to Cleveland Detroit service they called the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS one of the oldest trains on the NYC.
On December 7 1941 all new streamlined steam powered EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains were inaugurated on a day that would be remembered for Pearl Harbor rather than the inaugural of two new stainless steel trains from Budd. The inaugural consists were thirteen cars in length with each train assigned a Baggage 48 seat Tavern Lounge Car, three 30 seat Parlor cars with a 5 seat Parlor Drawing Room, and a 44 seat Dining car between New York and Buffalo. There some of the trains Coaches and one or two of the parlor cars and one dining car continued on to Detroit or came from Detroit and was combined or split from the cars continuing to Cleveland. The Detroit section of the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains operated across southern Ontario. All cars built for the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS trains were named for former governors of New York State.

20' BAGGAGE BUFFET-BAR 48 SEAT TAVERN LOUNGE CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

GROVER CLEVELAND

MARTIN VAN BUREN

30 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 5 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR DRAWING ROOM CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

ALFRED E. SMITH

CHARLES E. HUGHES

HERBERT H. LEHMAN

LEVI P. MORTON

NATHAN P. MILLER

SAMUEL J. TILDEN

44 SEAT DINING CARS Budd Company November 1941 (Built for and assigned to EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS)

DeWITT CLINTON

GEORGE CLINTON

HORATIO SEYMOUR

JOHN JAY

The above cars were the last prewar lightweight streamlined parlor cars built and the last named parlor cars built for the NYC. All postwar parlor cars would be numbered only.
The NYC between April and June 1948 from the Budd Company received a final order for lightweight streamlined Parlor cars postwar. These thirteen Parlor Observations were assigned to the following NYC trains CLEVELAND MERCURY between Cleveland and Detroit, CHICAGO MERCURY between Chicago and Detroit, CINCINNATI MERCURY between Cincinnati and Cleveland, TWILIGHT LIMITED between Detroit and Chicago, and WOLVERINE between Detroit and Chicago. The NYC also assigned two of these cars to the LAURENTIAN a jointly operated with D&H train between New York City and Montreal. The remaining Observations were operated between New York State points.

30 REVENUE SEAT PARLOR 10 SEAT LOUNGE OBSERVATIONS Budd Company April - June 1948 (Built for and assigned to previously mentioned trains)

58 - 70

In 1952 the NYC assigned numbers to all prewar named Parlor cars as follows they retained their names as well.

33 GROVER CLEVELAND

34 MARTIN VAN BUREN

81 CHARLES E. HUGHES

82 HERBERT H. LEHMAN

83 NATHAN L. MILLER

84 LEVI P. MORTON

85 ALFRED E. SMITH

86 SAMUEL J. TILDEN

1017 CLEVELAND

1018 GREENFIELD VILLAGE

1019 DETROIT

1020 CHICAGO

Between 1958 and 1967 the NYC assigned a large number of lightweight streamlined Sleeper Buffet lounge Cars from the FALLS series, LAKE series, and STREAM series to parlor car services mostly within the state of New York. When these cars were assigned to parlor car service they were assigned a 600 series number, it is not clear if they retained their name when assigned to parlor car service or not. It is believed some of these sleeper lounges operated in Parlor car service with their names intact while others had the name removed for parlor car service.

FALLS series 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM 20 SEAT LOUNGE CARS assigned to Parlor car service

August 1958

646 originally 10595 RAQUETTE FALLS

October 1958

636 originally 10582 COOKS FALLS

637 originally 10583 ESSEX FALLS

638 originally 10584 SHELBURNE FALLS

639 originally 10586 COPAKE FALLS

640 originally 10587 BUTTERMILK FALLS

644 originally 10593 WAPPINGERS FALLS

645 originally 10594 GENESEE FALLS

648 originally 10595 CHICOPEE FALLS

November 1958

643 originally 10592 MAHOPAC FALLS

January 1959

642 originally 10585 STUYVESANT FALLS

641 originally 10591 CROTON FALLS

March 1959

649 originally 10581 HOPE FALLS

650 originally 10590 KEZAR FALLS

January 1961

635 originally 10580 HONEOYE FALLS

March 1961

647 originally 10588 CHITTENANGO FALLS

LAKE Series 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BUFFET 22 SEAT LOUNGE CARS assigned to Parlor car service)

July 1964

652 originally 10603 MIRROR LAKE

651 originally 10606 OTSEGO LAKE

May 1965

653 originally 10600 BIG MOOSE LAKE

654 originally 10608 RAQUETTE LAKE

April 1966

655 originally 10614 TUPPER LAKE

STREAM series 6 DOUBLE BEDROOM BUFFET 22 SEAT LOUNGE CARS assigned to parlor car service

May 1966

657 originally 10621 GULF STREAM

658 originally 10623-RIPPLING STREAM

656 originally 10624 BOULDER STREAM

May 1967

661 originally 10625 CRYSTAL STREAM

660 originally 10627 SWIFT STREAM

659 originally 10629 MOUNTAIN STREAM

October 1967

663 originally 10622 RAPID STREAM

662 originally 10630 RAINBOW STREAM

This was the extent of streamlined parlor cars operated on the NYC most were retired by the time of the PC merger except for the sleeper Buffet Lounge cars.

TTFN AL

[LoveDomes]

Hello Tom

I may have provided this info on earlier pages, but what the H - it's just "us"!![swg]

Name trains of the New York Central (NYC)

QUOTE: Berkshire
Booth Tarkington
Buffalo-Pittsburgh Express
Canadian
Chicago Express
Chicago Mercury
Chicagoan
Cincinnati Special
Cleveland Limited
Cleveland Mercury
Cleveland-Columbus Special
Columbus-Cleveland Special
Commodore Vanderbilt
Detroiter
DeWitt Clinton
Easterner
Empire State Express
Fifth Avennue Special
Forest City
Gateway
Great Lakes
Hendrick Hudson
Interstate Express
Iroquois
James Whitcomb Riley
Knickerbocker
Laurentian
Michigan
Michigan Special
Midnight Special
Midwestern
Minute Man
Missourian
Mohawk
Montreal Limited
Motor City Special
Mountain Express
New England States
New York Special
Niagara
North Shore Limited
North Star
Northerner
Ohio Special
Ohio State Limited
Ontarion
Overseas
Pacemaker
Pittsburgh-Buffalo Express
Royal York
South Shore
Southwestern State Special
Sycamore
Texas Special
Tuscarora
Twentieth Century Limited
Twilight Limited
Wolverine

My usual caveat applies - this is not intended to be all inclusive nor do I know what period (if any) it represents, nor do I give a Rat's Patoot! It's for fun![swg]


Until the next time!

Lars

[BudKarr]

Hello Captain Tom

Nice work, as always. Enjoy the Nostalgia and photos. Today I am more the observer than contributor. Just left the bar where there are 4 photos awaiting you.

Add me to the list of those who shy away from communcating with people who seem to think that anonymity is the way to go on the forums.

I can fully appreciate not giving away the store, so to speak. But a first name and an email address really is not asking much especially when things progress to the point where off-line communications would make more sense. Heck we all know it could all be fictitious, but at least there would be a semblance of legitimacy. Just my thoughts. To each his own.

BK in beautiful Alberta, Canada's high country!

[siberianmo]

G'day!

Here's a "blast from the past!"

NYC Hudson 4-6-4 (public domain)


Enjoy![tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #68

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the New York Central (NYC) in a 1954 advertisement from my private collection:

A Natural for Slumber

Nature made only one low-level route between East and Midwest. And for a hundred years, New York Central has improved on Nature for your comfort.

Start your trip with refreshments in the lounge. Chat, read, relax as your diesel-electric dreamliner glides over a roadbed smooth as a garden path.

Later, sit at leisure over a famous New York Central dinner. Enjoy it in the diner . . . or in the privacy of your own Pullman hotel-room-on-wheels.

Bedtime is best of all! Your big, soft bed is waiting. So drift off to dreamland with a deep-down sense of all weather security no skyway or highway can match.

For you’re traveling the naturally gentle Water Level Route. And on the level, you can sleep!

For a Headstart on Tomorrow, Go New York Central Tonight!

CHICAGO – NEW YORK
20th Century Limited – Commodore Vanderbilt

CHICAGO – BOSTON
New England States

NEW YORK – St. LOUIS
Southwestern Limited – The Knickerbocker

NEW YORK – CLEVELAND
Cleveland Limited

NEW YORK – DETROIT
The Detroiter

CINCINNATI – NEW YORK
Ohio State Limited

DETROIT – CHICAGO
Motor City Special

CLEVELAND – CHICAGO]
The Forest City

New York Central’s Water Level Route

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


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[passengerfan]

The only reason I can find for the SP going to the Blunt End Observations was that postwar streamliners operated by the SP went to mid train Lounge cars and it was cheaper to take a 10-6 sleeper and add a blunt end to it for rear of train operation than to build regular observations.
The last observations built for SP with Sleeper and Lounge space were those built for the prewar Lark.
All postwar observations were 10-6 Blunt end cars owned by the SP. The Blunt end Observations were not built for midtrain use as they were not equipped with diaphragms.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

G'day!

Nice to see ya Al, appreciate the input. A bit surprised we haven't seen you over at the bar. Isn't that where WE all should begin our days[?][swg] Think about it .....

Lars Appreciate the comments, and for what it's worth, I feel the same way.

Check out these Pix:


SP Golden State in New Mexico (1947) (fair use)



SP City of San Francisco in Wyoming (1948) (fair use)


Later![tup]

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[LoveDomes]

Hey Tom

Good to see ya! The Southern Pacific, as we discussed many times over at the bar, is one of my favorites . . . looks like it "woke up" 20 Fingers![swg] Maybe he can find his way "across the road" to the bar - I think he has a "permanent stool" waiting for him![tup]

Sorry, but I don't respond to guys without anything in their profiles other than the bare minimum to get onto the forums. Don't take that as rude - it's not meant to be. I'm upfront with basic and contact info and feel others should be too. An email address should be mandatory, in my opinion.

Nice ad & drumheads, Tom and when we get out to the left coast, we're hoping to get to Sacramento and the great museum they have there. Been there before, but it's something I never tire of. Just the way it is with we "train nuts!"


Until the next time!

Lars

[Anonymous]

Ok, the Sunset Limited had "real" observation cars back in the heavyweight era, or basically before August 1950. But why didn´t the Sunset never receive "real" observation cars like the Daylight observations for example? Why only that blunt endend 10-6 sleeper?

[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

[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)]

[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]

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)]

[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

[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

[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

[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)]

[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)]

[passengerfan]

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

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]

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

[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

[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)]

[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]

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)]

[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]

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)]

[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)]

[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.