G-day Tom and all present!
Leon- Glad to see you today. Could I get a coffee and a Roast-"beast" sandwich. Thanks
I am surprised how warm it is up here in the Duluth area. Right now it's about 65 degrees. It's all good!
I am now on page 50 and workin my way back. Starting with acknowledgements and then a second round of pictures for the theme of the day.
Pete- Thanks for the 1946 advertisement. I liked the ending to it. NOW . . . AS ALWAYS - The B&O is the Way to Go! What a good line! Thanks for sharing interesting little story about the guard and his black eye. Ouch... All I can say is he was a lucky man that he wasn't fired or seriously hurt in that little.. ah.. problem.
I also noticed that you had mentioned that your Amtrak tickets hadn't arrived yet. Where do plan on going with out me? I noticed a picture of what you call the signal box. That to me looks like a huge junction tower to me. I have not seen any tower like that on a railroad. I am impressed with that tower. I also liked the 0-4-0 Coppernob but I have a question about it. Is it a model To me, with such a small coach on the back, I don't think anyone would be able to fit into it. Great pictures. Enjoyed them, thanks.
And thanks for the interesting piece on the Chessie Corridor. Sounded like a neat ride indeed. I would love to sleep like a kitten, that sounds absolutely wonderful.
Tom- Once again the idiot of the week #12 surprises me. What was he thinking for gaud sakes!! Well, at least you know what not to do.
Thanks for the passenger nostalgia #33. With the name "Winnepegger" you would think that it would be Canadian railroad such as the DWP or CN. But the Soo Line took the honors for this train. Some pretty neat information and something kinda in the area I live too. Thanks. I see that you are in need of some help this week on Friday. I could fill in with some dialog and things that would be of interest around here no problem. If you want I can stop by in the mornings and early afternoons around 3 to 4 pm. If that sounds good to you. And yes, I will be there. You can count on me.
Well when it comes to East coast railroads I don't know to much about them, But your explanation and history on the C&O helped me to get to know those railroads a little better. I was surprised by a lot of the information like the C&O was part of the merger of the CSX. Wikipedia is a great source. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the reply on the B&O dome car. That would certainly be an interesting way to view the country side by night. I would love to see that.
Eric- Interesting picture there of the train in Stockholm, Sweden. It certainly isn't covered by passengers. I have a question. Those cars are very similar to the Amtrak's Superliner cars. Do you have any more pictures of the cars/ train What are these cars called
Great picture of the street car from Japan. I haven't really been in to many street cars before, but I have heard there a good means of transportation. We have something very similar to the street car here in Duluth. We still run it at the Museum and it's as old as the hills. Built in, I believe 1905 or 06 from Sweden as a matter in fact, It sill runs after a 100 years and we take people on little 10 minute rides with it. It's a pretty cool little trolley.
Things are going alright. It's just been a really odd and nutty month. But now things have slowed down I am able to enjoy the things I like to do again.
CM3- Thanks for the article on the B&O coal mining. I was surprised to learn that the boating industry really wasn't in the coal hauling operations for long. I thought they had been at it for quite a few years. But hey, the railroad stepped in and that was that. Neat little story about the "Passenger stop." A cool story and a lot of descriptive words. Excellent!! 5 !Also, thanks for the description at the end of it. I was happy to know that the trains were usually headed by E7s or E8s. Those are some of my favorite passenger units besides the E6. Thanks for all the interesting info.
Doug- Did I see the word Milwaukee!!! So what "exact-tacaly" did you talk about? Hopefully buying the little Joe out in Deer Lodge, Montana and restoring it to running condition....Right?....... Hey, I can dream can't I?
Anyway, Nice pictures of the interior view of the Pioneer Zephyr. I am very impressed how well restored those cars are. Everything looks really pristine. I would certainly like to visit that Zephyr someday. And maybe I can next year when I come down to Chicago. And were in the world do you find all these jokes at!!
Thanks for offering me more coffee leon, But I'm still working on my first one. Thanks again.
How about that last round of pics on the C&O!!
The kitty shines in the sun with this freight passing by with quite a lash up of power. A GP40 leads 4 other GPs with it's coal train.
B&O 4157 Cumberland, MD, April 16, 1977 along with B&O 6930, WM 6407, 7574 & 6912, Kodachrome by David Hamley
Now here's a mixture of power sitting at the fueling station. Notice the old coal tower in the back ground. I wonder if that had much of a future past when this picture was taken. To bad really.
B&O 4145 GP40-2, Southern 3144 SD45, Southern 3017, SD35 at the Kentucky & Illinois Terminal Yard, Louisville, Kentucky, October 13, 1973Kodachrome by David Oroszi
That's it for me. Hope you guys enjoy them!
Happy railroading
James
Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
No, Leon, just a cup of coffe! I had a good lunch today, yhanks to Lars!
Tom – I felt sorry for that homeless guy last night. He got stabbed for a 24-pack of beer! About the picture, it is probably the angle that makes it look kind of strange about the tender. That locomotive was used at a papermill for switching cars. I don’t remember when it was retired, but I think it was in the early 70,s. The locomotive is preserved. No tomato slices! It is kind of strange, I can eat ketchup (and I do), I can eat tomatoes in a sallad (and I do) but if I have tomato slices on a sandwich I am struggling to keep the sandwich from coming up again. I can’t explain it. Thanks for the C&O article! One of the Class 1 roads I don’t know much about! I copied the article for future reference!Mike – I also copied your articles about C&O for future use. I think the price for 23,000 miles of railroad plus a lot of other assets (coal mines, etc.) the price was, if not right, at least a bargain! Thanks for the links! I love that picture of the triple crossing! James – I think that house is a little bit too close to the railroad. After have seen what can fall off freight trains I would not feel comfortable living there. Nice pictures!!The doubledecker in my picture is a car in a Class X40 train set. I do not have a good picture of the complete train, but I’ll try to fix a picture I have that is too dark. Hopefully I can show it tomorrow.Streetcars are indeed a very good mean of transportation! They are making comeback in more and more cities around the world! A trolley built in Sweden in Duluth? I have to do some research.CM3 – I know what kind of trouble a forgotten folder can create so don’t try too hard. If you find it, I would love to know but if you don’t I’ll survive!I am very impressed (too say the least)!!! A very well written and very interesting article, “Passenger Stop”, about C&O!!! I think you have the wrong kind of job I couldn’t help smiling when I read about the engineer “who liked to bring it inin fast and hit the markas he stopped”. That is exactly what I liked to do! Very important though to stop the train in a way so the passengers standing inside, waiting to get off, didn’t fall or stumble. I copied your article!Lars – Thanks for lunch!Keep your stay at the Penthouse suite secret? Who was there last weekend then? Hmm.A whole bunch of interesting book(s) covers! Have a safe trip to Florida and Good Luck finding the right place!!!Pete – Thanks for the C&O ad! Sleep like a kitten! Rob – The homeless guy got a lot of attention of the paramedics and was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. I learned about the plans for the streetcars in Tucson when I talked to the operator of the streetcar. I liked to hear that everything was already decided and the work has started. Interesting story about the C&O and B&O merger 1962! I am adding it to the other C&O articles!
Iowa.
Eric
Courtesy: http://www.viarail.ca/
Wednesday's Witticism
Marry a woman with brains enough for two and you'll come out even.
G'day Gents!
Mid-week at our favorite tavern in mid-continent USA! Rain, rain and more on he way. Stormy times, but the things that have popped up from the ground are in dire need of the water!
Coffee's fresh ‘n hot, pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery have just arrived and the <light> ‘n <traditional> breakfasts are ready for ordering!
The Theme for the Day next Tuesday is Canadian Railways!
Today is OPTIONAL Toy 'n Model Trains Day!
Friday is gonna be a tough one for me - so any help out there to "cover" the morning - noon and afternoon "slots"??? Let's not have "gaps" of 4 to 6 hours if we can avoid them! Thanx.
Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative):
James at 7:25 PM ‘n 7:35 PM yesterday: Good to see you back with us and contributing in the inclusive manner that makes this place separate and apart from the mainstream Threads.
Pix rounded out the Theme quite well!
Be careful what you "wish" for - it just MAY come true! <grin> Penthouse Suite ‘n James, hmmmmmmm. I think if that "word" gets out, you'll have more "interest" than perhaps needed from the gals who work ‘round here on Thursdays, Fridays ‘n Saturdays!
Many thanx for the offer to help out ‘round the Bar by the Ballast on Friday! Anything you can do to keep us up ‘n runnin' will be most appreciated!
There are several former passenger rail routes that have been discontinued in our country that linked us with Canada. Not being able to get up to Winnipeg is just one. And the three that survive are mostly unreliable in terms of on-time-performance, utilization and amenities. Back when the Soo Line ran those fine trains, my guess is they didn't have the problems of today with the freight haulers pushing the passenger trains off schedule and into sidings. <groan>
Enjoyed this, perhaps one of your finest, contributions!
Eric at 1:15 AM today: Email received - thanx!
Another well put together inclusive ‘n informative Post.
I've instructed our "kitchen staff" to ensure that absolutely NO tomato slices - EVER - appear on sandwiches you order. Surely wouldn't want you eating ‘em twice! <ugh>
A sad but rather common reality is homeless people winding up as victims to other homeless people for the little they may possess - especially wine, liquor ‘n beer. Sad.
The information contained on these Pages and those on the original site is worth it's weight in high denomination currency. C&O was well covered and surely worthwhile saving; I agree.
That Pix is interesting - WHAT kindaloco is THAT???
Reminder: Ruth has the bar from 9 AM until Leon the Night Man comes in at 5 PM ‘til closing.
Boris, serve ‘em all of the "spiked" OJ they can handle!
Tom
Ruth- Good to see you on this warm morning. I think I will have a OJ and a pastry! Thanks
I think it's time for some model pics since it is optional toy 'n model train day! I will post these pics and then have acknowledgements later today.
Here is a good pic of three locomotives side by side. The first locomotive is a U28B. The second loco is a GP38-2 and the third is a U30C. The train right off front is a freight getting a crew change and the other two are local freights and yard jobs.
Here the freight train gets under way after the crew change. The lead unit is a U28B, followed by a U25B, and a U23B. All GE made locos. I like how these locomotives look with that small nose.
Enjoy!
OPTIONAL Toy 'n Model Trains Day!
Initially Posted on Page 327 of the original Thread on May 10th, 2006
Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements.
Ives Manufacturing Company
Ives Toy trains (from: Ives Train Society) The Ives Manufacturing Company, an American toy manufacturer from 1868 to 1932, was the largest manufacturer of toy trains in the United States from 1910 until 1924, when Lionel Corporation overtook it in sales. Ives was founded in Plymouth, Connecticut by Edward Ives, a descendant of Plymouth colony governor William Bradford. The company initially produced paper dolls whose limbs moved in response to hot air, but soon began producing a wide range of toys, including a toy cannon that shot using real gunpowder and clockwork powered dolls and animals that could move. The clockwork toys were designed by Jerome Secor, Nathan Warner, and Arthur Hotchkiss and by the 1880s, Ives was a leading producer of these toys. Its emphasis shifted to trains as its designs were copied by other toymakers who were willing to sell them more cheaply. Ives' trains were made of tin or cast iron and initially powered by clockwork, but like later electric trains, some models could whistle and smoke. On December 22, 1900, a fire destroyed Ives' main factory and its tooling, prompting a re-design for 1901 that resulted in Ives' first toy train that ran on track. In the end the fire benefited the company, as the insurance money permitted it to build a modern factory with state-of-the-art tooling. Although several companies were selling electric trains at the time, Ives opted to remain with clockwork, partly because many U.S. homes still lacked electricity. Initially, Ives' greatest competition came from German imports, and not from domestic manufacturers. Ives' response was with marketing, which it directed at its target audience, the twelve-year-old boy. Its campaigns addressed boys as business partners, telling them that the success of Ives' fictional railroad, Ives Railway Lines, depended on their shrewd management. This worked, building brand loyalty. Ives released its first electric trains in 1910, partially in response to companies such as American Flyer undercutting its prices on clockwork trains. Ives initially produced electric trains in O gauge and 1 gauge. Ives' train sales continued to decline in the face of increasing competition and Lionel's greater momentum, the latter having released its first electric trains nearly a decade earlier. Meanwhile, construction toys were gaining in popularity, so in an effort to re-diversify, Ives released a Meccano and Erector Set-like construction toy in 1913. Although it offered parts its competition did not, the set was not very successful and Ives withdrew it from the market in 1917. World War I had mixed effects on the company. On one hand, it eliminated imports from Germany, increasing Ives' share of the market. However, Ives' geographic location made it difficult to bring in the materials it needed to make trains, and also made shipping finished products difficult. Lionel and American Flyer, being headquartered in New York City and Chicago, respectively, did not face that challenge. Additionally, Ives' isolation made it impossible for Ives to gain lucrative wartime government manufacturing contracts. As a result, Ives did not benefit financially from the war. After the war, Ives, along with competitors Lionel and American Flyer, lobbied successfully for protective tariffs to promote the fledgling American toy train industry. As a result, there was very little foreign competition after World War I, especially at the high end of the market where Ives had positioned itself. The seasonal nature of train sales continued to cause concern for Ives, and Harry Ives, Edward Ives' son and successor, sought one last time to diversify by selling toy boats, which he hoped would support the company through strong summer sales. The first boats, released in 1917, were powered by a clockwork engine from an Ives O gauge locomotive. However, the designs were unrealistic looking, lacking the costly detail that was the highlight of competing German designs, and had a tendency to sink easily. Additionally, since Ives did not use a primer when painting the boats, the paint flaked off easily. Ives had difficulty adapting its methods for designing and building trains to work for boats. Despite the problems, Ives continued producing the boats until 1928. Few Ives boats exist today, but it is unclear whether this was due to lack of popularity or their propensity to sink. Harry Ives had a heated professional relationship with Lionel founder Joshua Lionel Cowen, in which they traded lawsuits and, starting in 1915, Lionel criticized the quality of Ives' offerings in print advertisements, calling its cars flimsy and showing a cast-iron Ives locomotive shattering into 15 pieces when dropped from a table, while a Lionel locomotive dropped from the same height would survive with only dents. Other ads criticizing Ives' quality appeared, but they always compared Ives' cheapest products with Lionel's priciest offerings. Although Ives could rightly claim that its lithographed offerings were more realistic than Lionel's simple enameled two-color cars, Lionel, taking a cue from Ives, targeted advertising straight at children, claiming its cars were the most realistic and that its paint jobs were more durable. Ives' subdued responses did little to counter Lionel's claims, only calling its competitors (including Lionel) imitators whose technology was "12 years behind." It was no match for Lionel's bold and brash ads. Additionally, Lionel's trains generally were priced lower, or, in instances where their price was comparable to Ives, they were larger, making them appear to be a better value for the money. As a result, Lionel continually gained ground on Ives, finally overtaking them in sales in 1924. In 1921, Ives abruptly discontinued its slow-selling 1 gauge trains in favor of wide gauge trains, a standard Lionel had introduced several years earlier and called "Standard Gauge". Ives did not call its trains Standard Gauge, as Lionel had trademarked the name. While Ives was inconsistent in what it called its larger-gauge trains, it most frequently called it wide gauge. Numerous other companies also entered the wide gauge market in the early 1920s, increasing consumer interest in the size and forcing the manufacturers to innovate in order to survive. In 1924, Ives introduced a locomotive engine that would change directions when its power flow was interrupted, a feature that Lionel would not offer for another two years. Even after Lionel's introduction, Ives' offering was unique in that it offered a neutral position as well as forward and reverse, and the engine's headlight continued to operate even when the train was in neutral. Ives charged a premium for this feature, which it dubbed the "e-unit&
Hi Tom and all.
A pint of Bathams please RUTH and round for the house.
First I must comment on another great Theme day this on the C&O. With the history from TOM, the financial details and great links from MIKE, JAMES with those great photos of the Cheesie diesels from the 1970s CM3with the usual wonderful atmospheric and personal experience of passenger travel on the C&O including a ride on the last Pan American. Then LARS with the great book covers, loved the cover with Chessie on. ROB with the merger between the B&O and the C&O. A salute to you all gentlemen
ERIC I believe 26020 is the only class 76 or EM1 loco preserved. I have found a great web site on the EM1s and the EM2s; there are some pics of the larger EM2s and their history in Holland. I hope the graphic on the bottom of the screen works.
http://www.thewoodheadsite.org.uk/
It was interesting in the link that some of the early locos of class 76 were built with surplus Armour plate and resisted attempts to fit multiple working equipment to them.
Great photo of the old 0-6-0 locomotive. Thanks for the details on her last place of work and it is good the loco is preserved.
Interesting loco in today's photo
CM3 Glad you liked the photos and thanks for the info on the gold GM 50 Looking forward to your details on Mike's pics.
LARS You should be in Florida, if you get to read this before you get back home I hope you have very successful house hunting. Have a safe trip.
DL Look forward to hearing from you after your couple of days away.
ROB Thanks for the kind words on the photos .It is the same in England with today's light rail systems put in the last few years. Most of the cities they have been installed in had really good tramways that lasted into the late 1950s or very early 1960s.
It seems the computer demons take it in turn to give the Our Place regulars problems.
Perhaps one day we might win the lottery and open up that model shop and bar.
I truly wish you the best in dealing with that museum.
JAMES Great to see you in. We are taking advantage of the temporary timings, due to engineering work on the line, to travel on Amtrak to visit Kansas City, as with these times it should be over 4 hours to visit the city.
Coppernob is a full size loco as well as the coach, in the very early days of the railways in Britain the early cars were stagecoach bodies put on rail wheels these were for 1st class passengers, the 3rd class had an open truck. These improved over the years.
The signal box in the pic is not too common on BR. I remember one of a similar design was at a city called Chester which is near the Wales border, anyway I was on a steam hauled special and the loco was stopped at by the signalbox, well the safety valves lifted and the steam was going up through the floor of the signalbox and was filling it with steam, it must have been like a sauna in there.
Thanks for some Chessie diesel photos and those great Milwaukee models.
In the link I put in my reply to Eric there are some photos of some British electric locos.
TOM Great to talk to you yesterday. Tried what you suggested on the puter, seems better, but I had better not say too much, as soon as I say it is working well it plays up. I think it is trying to show who has the ‘artificial' intelligence between it and me.
Pretty heavy storms last afternoon and evening with more on the way they say, hope they bypass you.
Yes Tom experience is something that you cannot buy.
Many thanks for the Ives story encore. I don't think it could get away with a toy cannon that used real gunpowder today, and I guess their model boat range did not sell too well as they had a tendency to sink, as the post said perhaps that is why there isn't many of their boats around now. I thought, from the photos, they made some fairly good model railway items; I like the suburban trolley and the dark green electric loco.
Leon- Good to see you. Could I get a coffee along with one of you wonderful turkey sandwiches. Thanks!
Well, things are a little cooler here in the North but still warm to keep that wet, cold, "stuff' away.
Anyway, Tom, I got your email and I understand, Thanks
Back to makeup day 3 and I'm on page 49.
Tom- Didn't have a clue on the B&O heavy weights, well I guess I will keep going and see if the guys knew anything about them. Thanks for the effort though. Ah, yes Marklin and there trains. I have owned a couple in the past, in fact we sold a Marklin set back in October at a train show. They certainly the named classic toy train. Some of there stuff is pretty cool. I was also surprised how much you can get for some of the models, like the tin made cars and locomotives. I noticed that you said, "The difference in USA and Europe gauges" I've learned that British O scale is 1/43 and USA O scale is 1/48. But they almost have no difference between the two. I see a lot of that in cars and trucks sold in catalogs, almost all are in British O scale.
Girls=Penthouse........I guess that wouldn't be bad... Did I say Penthouse.. ah.. I think if you look at it really hard I said "regular" house...
Its to bad to think that the freight trains would probably push the passenger trains right off there schedules. I really enjoy watching passenger trains, especially with steam on the point. It's to bad that the Soo line had to discontinue that Winnepegger.
Ives Manufacturing company. Now there is another company that built there toy trains out of tin. Of course that was one of the only things they had to build them with. Plastic really wasn't part of that production yet. They had some pretty neat inventions. I liked the idea of using gunpowder in toy cannons.
Eric- Well the snow has certainly melted by now and I would like it to stay that way too. I don't need anymore wet, cold, "stuff."
I've heard that the B&O railroad museum is a good one to visit. And of course you've ruined it all by not going....What am I going to do! That could have added a few more stories to the bar's archives of stories.
I have also been looking at some of your pictures. My favorite so far is the one pic with the three trains all one track. Now that seems like a busy mainline. Triple track mainline and a service track off to the left. What trains do these tracks serve besides passenger service
Rob- I have to admit that 4:51 in the morning is earlier than I would get up. Obviously a scary dream got to you and you needed to drown it out by looking at some trains, right??? Besides the meeting you had mentioned. Interesting piece on the Canada southern railway. It sounds like the rail line would have been perfect for a tourist railroad if that large bridge going over the St. Clair River had been put in. But I guess the barge did what they needed since that never came to be with the bridge.
Lars- Some good looking book covers from our manager. That B&O photo archive book looked really good. I have the one on the stream liners photo archives. Some really nice pictures of the C&NW's 400 trains. That was quite a train. Plus a few on the Milwaukee road of course.
And also a round of steam pics from the B&O archive. Some really nice pictures of the steamers. Some nice steamers but my favorite is the little squirt of an engine, the 2-6-0, #2444. Thanks for sharing.
Pete- Well, I'm surprised to know that the little Coppernob is an actual train. Just by the look of it in the picture you would swear that it would be a model. And if that's considered first class... Yike!! I'd hate to be in third class in a rain storm. Of course the engineer wouldn't enjoy it much at all either.
I'd hate to be up in that signal box with a steam locomotive passing under it. That would a bit nuts. Better tell everyone to bring a fan or two! Thanks for the URL to the woodhead site. I am really familiar with the little Bo-Bos they run. For they are on train tycoon 2. (a wonderful little game) But there was an interesting steam locomotive there. A 2-8-0-0-8-2. WOW, what a monster! I haven't seen anything like it before. Thanks for sharing. Also, nice picture of the Irish model locomotive. Fits perfectly under the model trains. Do you own that little steamer
CM3- Thanks for answering the question about the B&O cars. Well, I guess if you have the money and wanted to do something like that, be my guest. Thanks again
Budkarr- Haven't seen you for quite sometime. Glad you could post a few pictures and some nice pictures at that. The B&O history timeline was also interesting, thanks for sharing!
Evening gents. Leon looks like you have a new pair of jump boots on whats the occation Oh I see the health department really said that I'll just have a Keith's and some of the soft pretzels with mustard thanks
Bit o a sloooow one today , I few gaps a tad bigger than we would like to see,nice to see James jump in with both proverbial feet and keep things moving
Tom-Nice info on Ives, I see the odd piece of it show up at hobby shops in Ontario from time to time,you can imagine the prices [:0] definatly would kill a healthy maggot.Looking at Erics photo , that little locomotive looks like a little Plymouth or Whitcomb industrial job.The Babcock and Wilcox boiler plant just up the hwy in Cambridge has one that looks just like it. Interesting watching it move those massive 4 truck flatcars out of the assembly building with a huge boiler !Hopefully friday won't be too slow. i'll do my part, unfortunatly I have the swing shift 11-6 which messes up the day a tad for me,but I'll do what I can. We can always get H&H to dance for everyone ( yes Leon with their pink leather and feather get ups ) sheesh methinks he's been spending too much time with our Teutonic Princesses
Pete-Your welcome those photo's really were top notch Nice to see that Irish loco set up again,any plans for a permanent mounting of it yet Sounds like the British cities pulled out of tram use about as abruptly as the towns and cities over here.Short sitedness to be sure,espeacially with the cost of the new infrastructure that has to go up to start up lite-rail from scratch when they decide it's a good idea to have them running in their towns again.
Eric-I'm glad to hear that the homeless guy was well looked after.Incredible that he has attacked over some lousey beer though sounds like you got the total rundown on that new streetcar system. Perhaps another new job for you once you retire.They will need someone to train their new operators.
JAMES-You had a busy day here today. Good show, mostl;y caught up and you kept us going on what has been a bit of a slow day. Great layout shots again. I'm with you I like the look of the old U-boats. But I don't own any as GE never sold any to the Canadian railways.You are right the Algoma's dome cars were not theirs originally. They were bought second hand for use on the Agawa canyon tour trains after the WC bought the ACR. They are ex Northern pacific Domes and are still used on the Canyon trains today. I had the fortune of riding on them in 2002 That bridge likely would have made an interesting tour route or just a good regular passsenger connection. The barge operation only lasted a few years itself as they lost the barge to a sand bar shortly after the operation started up.
Rob
Well Leon looks like my mug has a hole in it agaain so I think i will need a refill sir
So I figured that I would keep some C&O info rolling along, with a bit of passenger train that I've dug out of the archieves.
POSTWAR PASSENGER SERVICE ON THE C&O
After the second world war, one of the biggest changes the C&O first faced was the merger in 1947 of it's longtiome affiliate the Pere Marquette.This final merger with the PM brought in another 2000 miles of trackage some of whick was in awfull shape after the depression and the beating it took during the war. Also by the late 40's the C&O was so deeply associated with Chessie the cat which was a depression era creation that many people began to refer to the C&O as the "Chessie".So railway management felt that their new post war streamliners should be called The Chessie's and they would be put on the daylight scheduales between Washington and Cincinnati with Newport News and Louisville sections.In mid 1948 they were to maintain a 12 hour scheduale,two hours faster than The George Washington !A new type of locomotive was being developed to pull these trains ( the monster steam turbine -electrics ) and new larger coaling stations were being ste up to feed these behemouths.A huge order for new Budd equipmnet was placed to run behind them.
One Chessie consist , turbine locmotive et al was placed on display at all the principal towns along the proposed route.Amoung the satte of the art features that thes streamlinners were the dome sleeper ( with rooms sold as day cabins ) family coaches, lounge cars with aquariums, a two-unit dinner set and a dome observation bringing up the markers.
Unfiortunatly 1948 passed with out the inaguration of this service, and the massed increase in spending on passenger service was met with declinning passebger revenues.Further te experimental turbine -electrics proved unworkable and expensive to operate, and it was quickly becomming aparent to C&O management that diesels were much more efficient over the long haul than the steamers of the day.To complicate thses problems the chairmen of the C&O Mr Young was busy fighting for his various merger plans and didn't spend much time defending the Chessie trains which wre quickly becomming expensive white elephants.So the trains themselves were never officially launched.The equipment was quickly dispersed to the C&O's other trains and the steam turbines were scrapped.Following up in 1949 the C&O began to order it's first diesel locomotives.By 1949 a crisis in the coal fields was impacting the coal haulage rates and revenues for the C&O putting the writing on the wall for the remaining steamers on the roster. So that by 1956 most of the C&O's steam engines were gone from the railways roster.In the late 50's the expanding coal export business reveibed the C&O's economic outlook and the process of te long sought after B&O / C&O merger was moved to the front burner.The restv as they say was history for one of the more colourfull eastern coal hauling roads.
Good morning Captain Tom and all present!!
Leon, I would like an early breakfast! Continental breakfast! Coffee and a danish, how about that? Sounds very continental!
Tom – Thanks for the help with the tomato slices! I always check my sandwiches before I start eating them, so I can remove those slices if they are there. All I know about the loco in my pix is that it has a gas engine. I don’t remember if it was gas-electric or gas-hydraulic. It was on display outside an old train station building, that obviously had been moved from its original location. I “found” this place in eastern Iowa. I’ll check my notes from that trip to see what more I can find out. Ives Manufacturing Company! I can’t recall I ever heard about Ives before. Interesting history with a lot of fights with Lionel! They even manufactured toy streetcars! James – Some real nice model pictures!! I agree, those GE locos are very good looking!I know, but I never felt I had time to go to Baltimore (from Washington) on any of those few days off I had at that time. But one day I will make it there! The picture with three trains on the same track was taken along the Northeast Corridor, the northern section (New York City - Boston). You will find a lot of info on this link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_CorridorPete – Thanks for the info on the EM1 and EM2! I loved that graphic on the bottom! Pretty neat with all trains running and the signals shifting between different aspects! As I said to Tom, the loco from Iowa had a gas engine. I’ll try to find out more info about it. Nice model of that Irish locomotive! Rob – I don’t think I would like to train any future streetcar operators in Tucson. As a streetcar conductor I was allowed to operate the streetcar when not in service, but that was many, many years ago. I’ll stick to the trains! Anyway, yesterday (Tuesday) they ran the first test run with a new streetcar (light rail) on the streets of Phoenix! I have to go down there this wekend and have a look, maybe take some pictures. Thanks for the Postwar Passenger Service on the C&O! So C&O tried a steam turbine locomotive? Interesting! I need to do some research!
I promised a picture of the Class X40 train set, but the one I had in mind is way too dark. Here is a picture showing a bit of the first car of the set. It is an ugly looking train, the front is a disaster in my eyes.
Class X40. This is bad enough.
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house
Anybody up for clicking? Okay don't.
C&O 2-6-6-6 Allegheny
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns1549.jpeg
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/c/CO1604.JPG.71720.jpg
Endion Depot Duluth
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/mn/mn0000/mn0092/photos/092019pv.jpg
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/interstate50/images/june/duluth-depot-web.jpg
Pan American & George Washington at Louisville 1968
http://67.15.20.45/images/u/unionstat.jpg.65974.jpg
Pan American in Louisville train shed 1968
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/l/ln99-1.jpg.33964.jpg
Amtrak at Louisville 2003
http://67.15.20.45/images/9/9201.jpg.65941.jpg
CSX at Nashville 2006
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/2/251932012_0cd6c2f3ab_b_d.jpg.72395.jpg
Nashville Union Station 1954
http://www.koyote.com/users/whsulliv/54nst06.jpg
Nashville Union Station 1970
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/tn/tn0000/tn0039/photos/152740pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/tn/tn0000/tn0039/photos/152755pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/tn/tn0000/tn0039/photos/152756pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/tn/tn0000/tn0039/photos/152750pv.jpg
A painting of inside Nashville train shed
http://www.trainnet.org/Libraries/Lib014/ALCO_J3.GIF
Nashville 1864
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/02100/02111v.jpg
Boxcars and train tracks in Tennessee 1864
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/02100/02100v.jpg
Kansas City Union Station
http://spencer.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/25th/kc12b.jpg
http://www.kclibrary.org/lhimgs/kcpl/regular/10006076_reg.jpg
http://www.kclibrary.org/lhimgs/kcpl/regular/10006082_reg.jpg
http://www.kclibrary.org/lhimgs/kcpl/regular/10006085_reg.jpg
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/0/012_12_2.jpg.86694.jpg
http://67.15.20.45/images/images2/k/KCS88southNo1_SouthernBelle_KansasCityMO_7-29-68.jpg.91154.jpg
Have a great ride Tom and Pete. Do you have plans to visit the World War I museum?
http://www.npr.org/templates/common/image_enlargement.php?imageResId=6573519
http://www.nww1.org
Mike
Thursday it is and there's one more day in the work week <for many> before it's kick back time! Speaking of relaxing, why not do that with a <light> or <traditional> breakfast from our Menu Board - a hot mug of coffee - and some pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery
A PLEA: Hey guys, when you decide to EDIT a Post, be sure to avoid doing so when they are hours ‘n days ‘n weeks OLD. Reason? It skews the "most current Post" shown when one logs on to this Forum. Best way to do it is to "do" your EDIT, then Post something NEW - that way the NEW Post will show up as it should, not the OLD one.
Another way to handle it is NOT to EDIT OLD stuff. Just Post a NEW one . . .
Tomorrow is Amtrak to KCity with Pete. So it's up to whoever comes in to help keep the place functioning. I doubt that I'll have time for an early morning greeting, as the train departs at daybreak . . .
James at 7:40 AM yesterday: Received and responded to your Email - thanx!
Glad to see you keeping the OPTIONAL Wednesday Toy ‘n Model Trains Day! alive ‘n well. Models looooookin' good! "Short noses" are better lookin', fer sure!
Appreciate the early AM visit here ‘n over on "my other Thread"!
Pete at 5:05 PM yesterday: Another ‘save' for the Wolfman! No Posts from anyone but Moi since early this AM. Told you guys a few weeks ago that we'd be heading back to the doldrums, and they are HERE!
Really like that Irish loco - looks like a "heavy" model. Those are all yours, eh The track system really resembles the S-gauge stuff I use on the S-Capades ceiling suspended system. Who makes it and what's the gauge?? Again, nice!
Link was really sloooooooooow for me in loading. I'll try again a bit later - thanx, tho!
We have been spared the severity aspect of the storms passing through, Just some wind and heavy rains, which surely could be worse. Hope all's well out your way . . .
Next time we have some time in Kirkwood, I gotta take you over to the local train store. Actually when you come in for the Rendezvous would be the time - then of course off to the TrainWreck!
Anyway, you've been to the hobby store, but it's worth a re-visit. Some really fine looking "used" stuff in all gauges, along with the new ‘n modern. Prices would gag a healthy maggot! (Go ahead, Rob, you've seen ‘n used it before!) <grin>
Email sent your way . . . And it was great speaking with you last night!!
James at 9:28 PM yesterday: Back with the continuation of your "catch up." And nicely done at that . . . You're setting a fine example ‘round here for ensuring that the efforts put forth by the guys hasn't disappeared into the ether!
The Pages on our Thread are but a "whisp" of what used to be, BUT far more manageable - makes the "catch up" much more pleasant than perhaps the chore it may have been to some. Thanx!
And THANX in advance for offering to help out on Friday . . .
Rob at 10:32 PM ‘n 11:00 PM yesterday: Seems a bit like olde tymes with the return of trolleyMAN to the late night slot. Fine inclusive Post!
Ives was around when I was a kid. The first electric trains I was exposed to were Ives, but they weren't mine. I never did find out whose trains "magically" appeared at Christmas back then - but they were there and I was mesmerized watching go ‘round ‘n ‘round. Then one year - gone, never to return. Shortly after that, I "found" a Lionel freight train set under the tree and the love affair with electric trains continued to this day . . . And yes - the expense of those things today would indeed GAG a healthy maggot (not kill -geesh!)
The talk of those Algoma Central domes rekindles the thought to SOMEDAY making that trip to meet up with you and Heather. Would really be something great to do. Amazing how those cars have held up, but of course it takes dedicated people, craftsmanship and MONEY to keep ‘em running, eh
The ENCORE! of your Post War Passenger Service on the C&O makes for good reading. Many may not realize it, but that was the beginning of the "last gasp" for U.S. passenger railroads. They poured lotsamoney into purchasing, refurbishing and building cars. But he die was cast as the nation turned toward the super highways and the automobile and mega airports and air travel. Wasn't all that long and we wound up with Amtrak, where you have VIA Rail. Such are the turns of events, eh <sad>
Eric at 12:40 AM today: The Night Owl Tandem of our Resident Desert Swede ‘n Count Robulla surely does wonders in keeping this place operating long after most have zonked out!
Must admit that the Class X40 shown in your Pix does look rather sterile and boxy. But no doubt "functional," as some of those more interested in that aspect would say. I'm for style, charm, comfort and longevity.
Always enjoy your inclusive Posts . . . thanx!
Email sent your way . . .
Mike at 6:24
Thought something from the original Thread might liven up the joint, so how about his one
PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #34
Initially Posted on Page 178 of the original Thread
Here's something to enjoy regarding the BURLINGTON ROUTE in a 1949 advertisement from my private collection:
VISIT Colorful Colorado!Land of a Million Thrills!
* No vacation empire in all the world offers you more variety - more sheer enjoyment! Mile-high Denver and its mountain parks . . . picturesque Colorado Springs and pikes Peak region . . . the grandeur of Rock Mountain National-Estes Park . . . the friendly Dude Ranches. Ride or hike! Fish or golf! Go sightseeing or just be lazy! Whatever you choose, Colorado gives you extra pleasure!
For Speed, Comfort, Pleasure . . . Go Burlington!
* Choose between two famous diesel-powered streamlined trains -0 the DENVER ZEPHYR, overnight every night from Chicago to Colorado . . . or the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR, with its entrancing Vista-Domes. Extra speed, extra luxury . . . but no extra fare!
BURLINGTON'S 100th ANNNIVERSARY * 1849-1949 Way of the Zephyrs
VISIT THE CHICAGO RAILROAD FAIR JUNE 25 - OCT 2
Enjoy! Tom
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. Sorry I missed yesterday, but was out all day (work, work, work).
Lots of pictures to talk about so we'll begin there.
I enjoyed the card of the "new" coal pier at Newport News. Spent a lot of time there over the years - it is interesting to watch rotary car dumpers at work.
The pictures of the "George Washington" at Alexandria and Richmond show C&O steam in all its glory; polished cylinder heads, George Washington cameo on the smokebox, etc. Too bad we could not enlarge the cars. They would have been dark (almost olive) green with the train name in gold - lovely! Look sharp and you will see different types of locomotives as well.
The triple crossing is still with us.
The shots at Central Station in Louisville show how close it was to the river - flooding posed a lot operational problems. C&O later moved to Louisville Union Station which was closer to the center of town, on a little higher ground; more about that later.
Clifton Forge, Virginia, has always been a busy spot on the C&O. It was a division point marking the boundary between the C&Os Mountain Subdivision and the Alleghany Subdivision (Yes, Tex, that's the correct spelling in this part of the country). Also the James River line splits from the Mountain sub just east of Clifton Forge.
Clifton Forge had a locomotive facility, shop, classification yard and everything that went along with it. The 1958 picture shows the station which does not look all that different today. The big wooden structure behind the station is the Railroad YMCA; it's gone now. The PRR Pullman is set out for servicing. It handled passengers from New York to the Homestead resort. B4 I forget Amtrak 50/51 stop at Clifton Forge.
The shot at Staunton is a little misleading as it does not show the track layout which is a tight curve on a wicked westbound grade - a challenge for train handling. The Staunton station is nicely preserved and an Amtrak stop for 50/51.
Handley, WV is on the Fayette/Kanawha County line. There's not much there now, but when I first moved here, it was a busy place with an engine facility, turntable, yard, etc. It is the home of WV Institute of Technology and also a station stop for Amtrak. The picture was made just west of Handley looking up the Kanawha River toward Charleston which is approximately 24 miles west of where the photographer was standing.
Oh Lord, what to say about the second set of pictures.
The Pan and the George - add that to the piece I sent. I looked to see if I was in some of those pictures, but I wasn't. Anyway, check out the shot of the Pan in the train shed at Louisville. The windows at the end of the shed were all different colors. Look carefully at the consist - you'll see a counter lounge car is the second ca rin the picture - it is the one which has the side that looks as if it's all blanked out.
Nashville 1970 - I was there; think I spotted my old Falcon in the parking lot in one of the shots. Inside the shed you'll see mail handling equipment. The Nashville depot was right next to the main Post Office, and back in the day when mail traveled by train, they did a ferocious business in mail. The photographer is looking south. The Pan used to run on the tracks to the right of the picture and the Georgian to the left. Kayne Avenue Yard was immediately to the right. The picture of the CSX train shows the Nashville Station as it looks today. The shed is gone because it was disintegrating. Kayne Avenue is in the foreground of the picture. The photographer is looking east.
The shots inside the waiting room are as I remember it. This is still with us as the station has been converted into a hotel. Thanks, Mike for sending them along.
Rob sent lots of post merger/postwar C&O material. The picture of the C&O train at Cincinnati that Mike sent gives you a flavor of what it was like-C&O and B&O cars mixed together. C&O ordered a ton of passenger cars after the war, most of which never got to them as the bottom fell out of passenger business. The C&O sold them to a bunch of different railroads.
James sent some interesting pictures. The shot of the CS train with the mixed consist is an interesting one. There was just a handful of WM painted engines left by the time that picture was made. One of them was a chopped GP9 (that's the one in the picture). The coal docks still stand - awful hard to knock something down that has 12-foot thick walls filled with rebar. Maybe Rob can help me with this one, but I recall that CN tried doing that one time and pulled the whole structure down across two mainline tracks - it was a !@#$ of a mess. Also thanks for the MILW model shots.
Eric - Thanks for the kind words.
OSP (as always) keeps us going. Historical material and Ives stuff (love it!) And then Burlington today.
Note to travelers- Have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves.
Work safe
And why not another ad from yesteryear Something to fill in the "slot" for Manager Lars while he's down south . . . .
PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #35
Initially Posted on Page 180 of the original Thread
Here's something to ponder with regard to our appreciation and fascination with Classic Trains. Check this out (from The Official Guide of the Railways - 1956)
The MountaineerFamous Train through the CANADIAN ROCKIES THIS YEAR will operate Daily June 29 thru August 28 between ST. PAUL - MINNEAPOLIS AND THENORTH PACIFIC COAST Via Soo Line St. Paul-Portal . . . . . . . . . . . Can. Pac. Ry. Portal-Vancouver.
Through Standard Sleeping Cars offering Drawing-room, Compartment, Bedrooms, Roomette and Open Section accommodations, also excellent Dining Car Service. Note - The Mountaineer is Diesel Electric Powered between ST. PAUL, MINN., and Portal, N.D. and in the Mountains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . From ST. PAUL June 29 thru Auust 28. Exmpl . down . . . From VANCOUVER July 2 thru August 31 . . up . . . Exmpl Sat . . . 9 40 PM .lv St. Paul (C.T.) . . . . . . (Soo Line) . . . . . . . .ar 7:15 AM Sat " . . . . 1025 PM lv Minneapolis . . . . . . . . . (Soo Line) . . . . . . . .ar 6 30 AM " Mon . . 7 15 AM ar Calgary (M.T.) . . . . . . . (Can. Pac.). . . . . . . lv 7 20 PM Thu " . . . . 10 30 AM ar Banff . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Can. Pac.) . . . . . . . lv 4 35 PM " " . . . . 11 45 AM ar Lake Louise . . . . . . . . .(Can. Pac.) . . . . . . lv 2 40 PM " " . . . . 12 55 PM ar Field (M.T.) . . . . . . . . . (Can. Pac.) . . . . . . lv 1 30 PM " Tue . . . 7 50 AM ar Vancouver (P.T.) . . . . . (Can. Pac.) . . . . . . lv 6 30 PM Wed " . . . . 10 00 AM lv Vancouver . . . . . . . . . . (C.P.S.S.) . . . . . . . ar 5 25 PM " " . . . . 2 15 PM ar Victoria . . . . . . . . . . . . .(C.P.S.S.) . . . . . . . lv 1 10 PM " " . . . . 9 00 PM ar Seattle (P.T.) . . . . . . . . .(C.P.S.S.) . . . . . . . lv 8 00 AM " C.T. - Central time; M.T. - Mountain Time; P.T. - Pacific Time
Leon- Could I get a coffee along with a turkey sandwich, Thanks. And also get the guys a round on me. Thanks again!
Well, today I'm on page 48. Not as many acknowledgements but leaves room for some other neat'o stuff!
CM3- Neat little advertisements on the slumber coaches and on the B&O coal lines. I was really surprised at how many different companies contributed to the coaling lines. Thanks for sharing. Well, I am really surprised to hear that the coaling docks still stand after all this time. I thought for sure that all would be gone, but when you said the CN pulled one down across it's two mainline tracks...... That had to stick!! Of course 12 foot thick walls are nothing to laugh at either.
Rob- Thanks for clearing things up on the Booze line. What an interesting line indeed. Thanks.
It has been a busy three days alright but, it has been one interesting ride all the way there. Some pretty cool stuff has been posted that deserves some attention. Yup, I love those GEs. In fact I was practicing my drawing this last week and I decided that I would try to draw a newer GE locomotive. The GE website came out with the evolution series locomotive and they had a couple of computer drawings of it. So.. I started drawing it. And now I'm almost done. So I should probably scan it on to my computer and show you guys. I know, it's a newer locomotive but It's a cool drawing. I will see if I can find anymore 3D computer drawings of locomotives.
Ya, I didn't think those Algoma Central cars were original, but I didn't know they were NP. So I might have ridden in an NP car!! But I'm not to sure. Like I said, I'm going to look at the video and see if I can find the car on the internet. It would be pretty cool to find that car. I would like to ride another and just see if it had the same type of design as the car I rode in. I do remember what it looked like inside. Maybe that could help determine what car it is. I can certainly draw it and scan it.
Thanks for the article on the postwar C&O. Now I know how the passenger trains got the name, "The Chessie" I thought they got the name for the kitty but I guess the public got to that name before the railroad. Pretty cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.
Pete- The 261 is an absolutely beautiful train but..... Unfortunately the man who runs her is not the nicest man. He thinks he's bigger and better than anybody and he acts like it to. He's not a pleasant man. I think it's very unfortunate.
The B&O #50 passenger loco is located at the St. Louis museum of transportation. You can view it here. http://www.museumoftransport.org/collection.htm Before 1995 the loco was looking pretty ruff and then in 1996 it got a make over and now it looks really nice again. She still survives which is a good thing. Plus you can look at all the other locomotives they have on display. Pretty cool looking place.
I also saw the Bell on the King George. That is a really shiny bell. Where is it located
Ah yes, The search lights on the B&O dome car. It's pretty cool and it must have been a thrill to ride that thing at night. What a car!
Eric- Glad you liked the models. I plan on building a passenger train so we'll see how that turns out. But I'm also going to have to show you guys the revised yard I built last weekend. So probably this Wednesday's optional toy and model train showing i will post the pictures! Thanks for the link to the North East Corridor. So it's all passenger trains. Wow! There are a lot of commuter rails that utilize that track. Especially when the whole line is electrified. I know of one train which traverses this line, and that would be Acela. Of course, now I know a lot of passenger trains that run a long this line.
Ok, your picture of the X40 wasn't too bad. I have seen a lot worse. I just have one more question. I'm guessing that this passenger train is able to run in both directions with the to cab units at each end, right Then I guess I'm looking at one of those ends, correct
Tom- Thanks for the passenger nostalgia on the Burlington route. I have a friend who is big into the Burlington route. In fact he is a locomotive engineer on the Canadian National. But he loves the Burlington route and his collection is really nice. Thanks for the info.
Ah yes, more info on the Soo line and this time on the Mountaineer. Pretty cool stuff there too. Also a nice looking little schedule there too. Thanks for sharing.
Mike- Dropped off some more "clicks and pics" And some of those pics are really nice too. I was really impressed with the Nashville Union Station. That is quite a fancy looking station and that clock tower really gives it it's character. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Leon for the refill. I am good for now on food, but thanks for offering!
I have a few classic videos to drop off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoGBL0XFjQ8
This is the UP DD40X #6936
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XCY63OQqP4&mode=related&search=
Now this thing is absolutely impressive!!! UP steamer #844 is racing along with it's huge passenger train. I would love to see this thing!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWU7ER2y2wI&mode=related&search=
Here UP #844 is flying along at probably 60 MPH!! What a cool steamer! This is the best video of that steamer.
A pint of Batham's bitter and the Fish ‘N' Chips later please RUTH.
JAMES Glad you enjoyed the link to the Woodhead site. The large loco in the link was a Beyer-Garratt articulated loco; it was the largest locomotive to work on British Railways with a Tractive Effort of 72,949lb. It was built to bank trains up the Wordsborough incline on the Woodhead route; after the line was electrified it was tried on the Lickey Incline but was not too successful there. The Lickey Incline was a two mile bank at a 2.65% grade. I have a link to the Incline.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lickey_Incline.
I was lucky enough to have been to the incline in steam days. The locos on the banking (I believe they are called Helpers over here) were Ex Great Western 0-6-0 Pannier tank locos and the loco, which took over from a locomotive that had been built by the Midland Railway in their Derby Works in 1919 for the Lickey Incline. It lasted until the mid 1950s its whole career spent banking trains up the incline apart from when the loco went back to Derby Works for overhaul. The loco that took over was a BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No 92079. I have found a link to some great photos of steam and diesels on the Incline over the years.
http://lickeyarchive.photobook.org.uk/c731782.html
From some of the photos you can get a sense of a steam loco and the bankers working hard to get the train up the grade. It really was a fantastic experience to see.
ROB I am afraid basement, where I am hoping to put the model layout, is a bad word here at the moment.
With The streetcars, a lot of the European cities had the sense to keep their systems and avoided the great expense England has had to pay to put in the light rail systems.
Enjoyed the Postwar Passenger on the C&O it was interesting to read of the C&O Steam-Turbine-Electric which was to haul the Chessie. I wonder if the turbine had been a success, if the design could have challenge the diesels. I guess the turbine must have been a very costly experiment.
ERIC Glad you liked the link to the Woodhead site, there is some good photos in the link to the Lickey. Were there any inclines in Sweden that required the services of banking locomotives.
I see Rob has put forward a couple of suggestions on that small gas engine but it would be great if you can find some more info on it.
Thanks for the link to the Northeast Corridor
MIKE I hope Amtrak gets us into Kansas City on time as we can hopefully go the WW1 Museum.
Many thanks for the great photos in your links; the old engines in the 1864 Nashville photos are great. Enjoyed the pics of the Union Station in KC and many thanks CM3for adding the details to Mike's two posts. I do enjoy reading your details then going back to the photo to have a look again. As the lines in that triple junction are still in use I suppose that it would be possible to get another photo of three trains at once.
TOM. Great to talk to you again yesterday.
Really glad you missed the storms, luckily we did not get it as bad as it was predicted it could be earlier in the day.
My model isHO/OO gauge, it says the track is Bachmann E-Z Tracksystem.
I tried the link to the Woodhead site later and mine was very slow although it seemed quicker earlier today.
It will be good to go to the model shop in Kirkwood. It will be 3 years last October since I was last there; it is amazing how the time flies by. I think it would be a good idea to go there before the TrainWreck as it strange how beer can seem to loosen the wallet.
Many thanks for the Burlington and the Soo line Train Nostalgia encores. I see in the Burlington Route they are advertising the Chicago Railroad Fair of that year, 1949 I wonder if DOUG as any info on what the exhibits were.
The Union Pacific stock I saw last night was
COLUMBINE AND CITY OF PORTLAND Dome Cars
PORTLAND ROSE, KATY FLYER and the car with the small balcony FEATHER
RIVER
What appeared to be a generator car was #220
They looked good, hopefully I had some pics of them but they are in the 35mm camera.
Sorry this post is late but the electrician came to see what work we needed doing, so I got tied up. I see JAMES as called in and I will read the post now.
Looking forward to tomorrow, lets hope Amtrak behaves itself.
Well Leon a round and then
Good evening Leon,figured I would pop by and make sure that H&H were not sluffing off thier duties on this fish fry night.I'll gab a frosty Keith's while I make sure that the menu is off sufficiant grandeur
So here goes on tap for this evening.
All the usual sides will; be available as well.
So now to the acknowlogments for the day.
Tom-Yup looks like eric and I are continuing to be the late night bookends ariound this here joint.loved the redo's of the "Q" and The Mountaneer passenger trains. If you have greg McDonel's Signatures in Steel there are some good shots of the Mountaineer in the fifties You are sooo right about the cost of those Ives trains nowaday's, they make vintage Lionel pricesseem cheap by comparasin. The big Hobby Shop in my hometown of st Catharines gets old sets in of all manufacturers, usually as a result of a death or some other reason for estate collections to materialize. Last summer a ten car two locomotive set including track and transformer from Ives showed up, and sold for a price that was in the high 4 didget range
It is too bad that all that postwar money ended up being wasted on passenger equipment,at least up here VIA ran and still runs some of the classic equipment alot longer than Amtrak did. Different strokes for differnt folks though I suppose. To me air travel will never have the same mystery or appeal as travelling by train.
As always, that ACR trip is an open invite for the two of you,8 hours in a dome car what could be better. I know 3 days in the dome at the end of the Canadian
Hope you and Pete behave yourselves tomorrow
Eric-I await the shots of those new Phoenix cars with bated breath.Interesting shot of that X train as well. I aggree with Tom a little utilitarian looking but I'm sure that it gets the job done. Those C&O staem turbines were big brutes. I had thought I had seen a few shots of them in with some of wikipedias info on the C&O.If that little industrial switcher you snapped the picture of in Iowa was gas powered , then I would tend to think that it was a Plymouth.
Mike-urls galore thank-you. I'll have to go peruse them a bit more carefully some of them were a tad slow loading and I didn't have the patience, but I'll get back to them
James-Yup you most likely did ride an NP car one of them was a Western Pacific car as well. Thgey have been re-moddeled many times over the years though so the interiors may not quite match up to as built specs.Too bad about the operater on that engine, perhaps it was just a "bad day " Oh on other happy steam notes the BC govt owned Royal Hudson 2860 made three or four full power test runs last week and is an inspection away from resuming excursion service for the first time in almost a decade
CM3-So you think your old falcon was in one of Mike pics eh that would be quite the "small world " occurance I remember reading about that ill fated coaling dock. I had thought it was a CPR one out west though. I'll have to go do some research. I know that the CPR also had difficulties removing one of the TH&B's coal docks wehn then tore out the old steam servicing facilities in Hamilton's Aberdeen yards a couple yeasr back. The water tower and roundhouse also caused them some fits. all torn out to build a big steel transloading facility for the two big steel plants in Hamilton.
Hi Leon , another Keith's and I'll grab the Halibut n chips no hold the mushy peas for me we made them speacial for Pete. speaking of which
Pete-You snuck in while I was typing , I'm glad that you are having a go at the Fish and chips H&H will be pleased, they love it when thier favourite "Englander" enjoys the food they create. Neat links to that musuem I too found the load a bit sklow but worth it. hopefully your pics of those UP passenger cars turn out,I had the supprise to see a UP SD70M (4606 ) leading a CN manifest freight through Brantford not two hours ago, followed by two CN SD75I's and an old SD40-2 witht eh wide CN cab on it. A shock to see a big yellow engine leading through these parts. I'm supprised that 0-6-0's would have been used as helpers. The difference between the railroading in both countries I would suspect.A good friend of mines dad owns a small aluminum die casting factory in St Catharines, it's located along the Welland canal. When he first opened up the plant in 1953 he and his family stayed in an apartment built on top of the factory. CN's canal subdivision ran up alongside the plant and CN used two Mikado's ( the heavy belpair fire boxed 3700's ) as pushers for the canal sub grade, which was close to 3% over ten miles from Merriten to the top of the hill at lock seven.Suffice to say the noise of a mountain pulling the train with two mikes pushing cut in just in front of the caboose kept the family amused and awake on more than one occation. No radio's in the locomotives at that point so they "talked" to each other via whistle and bell signals, that and the thrashing of valve gear and the spinning of wheels must have been a sight to behold.On many occations espeacially in the spring and fall when the rail was wet, the trains would have to be doubled to make it up the hill.Even the RDC's that provided the local passenger service tended to just make the hill.The streetcars of the NS&T which ran up the opposite bank of the canal didn't have near as tough a time,those heavy duty westinghouse traction motors were a thing of beauty
Evening Tom and friends. A bottomless draught for me if you please and a round for the house. Still having a heck of a time doing anything train related this week, as Tom well knows. I'm at our stable 3 times a day. First at 4:30am each morning, then a drop-in around 5:30, and a final lock-down after 9pm. I've also been in the process of acquiring another horse since last Saturday, and have been pulling out of work on and off to do a lot of running around. The only decision left to make is which one to get, and I'm spending all kinds of time with several horses in different locations every day. It's looking like I'll have my new horse in hand about this same time next week, but until then, I'm working on the process of selecting the right horse, for me. I hope that satisfactorily explains why I have been so scarce recently. I certainly am no less interested in train-related topics or hanging at the bar and socializing with ya'll.
The thread still looks awfully good guys, as always. Can you name another thread that has as much to offer?
James likes my jokes??? Are you feeling OK?
Here's another one to test your gag reflex until my next return:
A dog walks into a bar. He hops up on a bar stool and puts his front paws on the bar. He looks the bartender right in the eye and says, "Hey, guess what? I'm a talking dog. Have you ever seen a talking dog before? How about a drink for the talking dog?" The bartender thinks for a moment and says, "Alright. The toilets right around the corner."
IDIOT of thte Week #13
I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the sake of her own life, couldn't understand why her system would not turn on.
A deputy with our County Sheriff's office, no less!
STAY ALERT! - They walk among us . . . and they REPRODUCE!!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Good Evening Gents!
Thought I'd provide my catch-up before Friday morning gets here . . .
CM3 at 8:55 AM today: A super-fine effort with the descriptions of those URL/Pix - simply a superb effort! 5- Salute for Shane!
Anyone who has experienced the train stations of the halcyon days of passenger railroading, regardless of where, will thoroughly enjoy those URLs from Mike. If you haven't "clicked," do so . . .
A shame we haven't more day trip options out of St. Louis via Amtrak. We do have 5 trains daily running both ways between downtown & Chicago, however, only 2 can be safely used for a same-day return. The KCity trip, in spite of the drastic schedule changes, provides for one turn-around in the same day. That's it. The positive "spin" is that those 3 are better ‘n nothing, eh We'll be safe - thanx!
Appreciate the visit, round ‘n quarters ‘n of course the Post!
James at 5:27 PM ‘n 7:;09 PM today: Really another fine inclusive ‘n informative Post from Duluth. Spending more time with us than in recent times, but most welcome, fer sure, fer sure! [
Looking forward to viewing your creativeness with that GE loco . . .
Glad to note that you are picking up on the "benefits' of this bar in that the exchange of information on Classic Trains is absolutely beyond rival. I'll match the "stuff" from our crew with any other Forum ‘n Thread IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY, ACCURACY and all with GOOD INTENTIONS! Don't see the "crap" here because those frequenting this establishment have "signed on" to civility with a lot of fun thrown in.
Regarding the Northeast Corridor: There's a long history with that area in terms of passenger railroading. Just think about the population centers between Boston and Washington, DC and then the figure out the numbers. It's staggering, fer sure, fer sure. Makes much more sense to take the trains between many of those cities rather than put up with short-haul airline flights and jammed packed highways. So that corridor must be for passenger trains ONLY. It's perhaps one of the better dedicated passenger rights-of-way in North America. Now having said that, just think of what the Europeans have going for them, then it's worth a trip to the Rat's Patoot Room. <groan>
Great URLs, by the by!
Again, appreciate the work you put into your Posts, but more importantly your willingness to interact with the guys . . .
Pete at 7:13 PM today: Was beginning to wonder about our Bar Chandler, but right before I Posted this - there you were (Rob too!!). Soooooo . . . .
Some fine info on the URLs and in the body of your Post. Always look forward to what you have to say and I must admit, I "understand" your writing much more so than . . . .
Oh yes, we WILL visit the hobby store BEFORE heading off to the TrainWreck - for several reasons! <grin> But we can't get too comfortable, as we then must head downtown to pick up Doug at the Amtrak "shack" in mid-day . . .
See ya aboard the train in the AM!! Should be in Jeff City about 2 hours after I board at Kirkwood.
Rob at 7:15 PM today: Hot on the heels of the Wolfman, eh Anyway, great to have you aboard and appreciate the MENU!! Now THAT should make even Eric develop a taste for fish! <grin> Nicely done, Chief Chef!
I don't have that book, but will jot down the title for future use . . . Thanx!
Eight hours in a dome sounds good to me, any time!
I've thrown a lot of money into model railroading, but I surely draw the line at buying "vintage" stuff at the prices being commanded these days (daze) - no thanx!
Not to detract from your point regarding the vintage passenger cars, but consider this: U.S. equipment was totally worn out during the WWII years because of the massive troop movements from coast to coast, coupled with the "normal" travel demands by a traveling population considerably larger than north of the 49th. So the railroads had to go with the new. As I see it, the cars were flat out worn out . . .
Behave Well, perhaps one of us should - but which one is the question!!?? <grin>
Again, really a fine job with the MENU (except the "mushy peas") - haven't had anything like that since the days (daze) of our wandering Minstrel, Nick!
Good evening again Leon. seems the place is a jumpin this PM good for the ka-chinging of the registers I'll just have another "wobbly pop " and relax upon my stool.
Doug-Good grief another horse! no wonder you have been so busy. The joke well it's gone and busted up the mk3 groanameter we will need to rebuild it bigger and better again. Oh look here comes Boris with his tool belt. every tool one needs so long as it's a hammer !
Tom-Okay as the senior attendee of your trip ,you get to misbehave I'm glad that the menu did it for you. As Pete and Nick will and would have attested to ,Mushy peas are a staple of the fish and chip shops, an aquired taste to be sure, one that I have never aquired.
I would say that eys the train equipment on both sides of the 49th were well worn out by wars end. One of the biggest killers of the street railways on both sides of the boarder as well. That and the raising of metal restrictions and the whloehearted road and car building booms of the late 40's and 50's, the true killers of rail travel along with their ally the airline industry.
Aren't those prices something else on those old calssic model trains.Mind you the cost of today's brand new stuff can give one pause as well. Have a great trip, we'll keeo er going best we can tomorrow You are right. We are small in number, but the info around this place is without equal on the forums.
Leon my good man I think another helping of Fish and another bottomless Keith's is in order.I'll drop off a new feature for all to enjoy and part from here for now.
CLASSIC JUICE #39 TORONTO'S FIRST COMMUTER LINES
By 1890 Toronto was booming the old Union station was bursting at capacity and the heavily industrialized shoreline was covered with railyards and the pall of coal smoke from plants and locomotives and the steamships and ferries that called on the portlands.
Meanwhile in the purer air of the suburbs, the landboom was well underway.In this period a group of businessmen decided to build a new railway line,radical in it's design and approach.It would encircle the booming city and would link up with the various radial ( interurban ) lines then being built to and from the city.
This would be the Belt Line Railway. It would consist of two belts,starting from a station in the Don Valley, the Rosedale Station. From here one loop would creep up the valley from the Don River towards the Mount Pleasant Cemetary.Then it would angle northwest to Bathurst street and then bend west to the Grand Trunk line and follow it south into the city.From the Davenport Station,located just south of St Clair the second belt llop would venture westerly to lambton and follow a route southerly along the east bank of the Humber River to Swamsea station on the western branch of the Grand Trunk line.
The plan called for ten stations,two of which it would share with the Grand Trunk ( stations at Davenport and Parkdale )While most of the other stations were set up as flagstops.The pne built at Moore Park was the pride of the line.Of all the new subdivisions the line would serve Moore Park was the wealthiest.To fit in with the giant mansions and wide streets, local archetect John Moore designed this grand station with four turrets and placed it in the middle of a large park.
Unfortunatly the park with it's public gardens was never completed as two yeasr after te lines completion, the boom collapsed and the Belt line was absorbed by the Grand Trunk and used as an industrial spur ( much of it still today infact )
The radial lines however were another story and were much more successfull.The first one the Metroploitan RR began as a horse car line running along Yonge street between Summerhill & Eglington St's. In 1890 the horses were replaced by speedier electric streetcars.Following the demise of the Belt Line,and the suburban growth recovered and this line now called the North Yonge railways continued north to Glen Echo by 1892 and Newmarket by 1899.To attract more customers the radial line started up recreation parks in Bond Head on the shores of Bond Lake a 200 acre park all together.And a second park on the large Glacial pond in the town of Oak Ridges.
Radial fever was now in full swing and radial lines were built westward to Port Credit in 1905,eastward to West Hill in 1906. Like the North Yonge line this line the toronto and Scarborough RR built parks to gain more business.Victoria Park at Blayntyre Street and the Toronto Hunt Club on Kingston road at Warden, and Scarborough Heights Park on St Clair.
Upto this point all these lines followed existing roads.In 1904 Mackenzie and Mann of the Canadian Northern fame satrted building their coast to coast railway empire and bought up these radial lines and began extending them acccross the countryside.The Toronto & Yrok was extended into Sutton on Lake Simcoe in 1909 with another Branch built to Schomberg known as the Schomberg and Auruora.In 1911 the Toronto Suburban then just a small streetcar line was added to the empire, and by 1917 was built into a radial reaching Guelph ontario, with twenty station stops between Weston & Guelph ( our musuem property is part of this old line ).
In 1912 when sir Adam Beck's Ontario Hydro entered the radial fray electric lines were everywhere in Ontario.Kitchener through Galt ( Grand River Railway ) Brantford to Port Dover ( Lake Erie and Northern )Hamilton to Brantford ( Hamilton & Brantford ) Hamilton to Beamsville and prot Dalhousie to Port Colbourne ( Niagara St Catharines and Toronto RR ) along with the proto type The London and Port Stanley which ran from London thorugh St Thomas to Port Stanley.
In 1922 when Mackenzie & Mann's Canadian Northern Empire failed Toronto's newly formed Toronto Transportation Commision (TTC) took over all the radials in the city while the Ontario Hydro Corp took over the North Yonge & the Scarborough radials.CNR assumed control of the NS&T and the Toronto Suburban as well as the Oshawa radial Railway and the Montreal and Southern Counties forming the CN electric lines.They even continued the construction on the eastern leg of the belt line which had worked stopped on it in 1913 eventually extending it to Coburg Ontario.
By 1927 buses and casr were sounding the death nell for the smaller radials.The Schomberg branch was the first to go followed in 1931 by the Toronto Suburban to Guelph.By 1936 most of the lines were gone with the Toronto york radil comming under the control of the TTC until it was replaced in 1954 by the Yonge Subway Line.The Ontario Hyudro lines faired better with the L&PS,GRR and LE&N all surviving till the late 1950's. Sinilarly the CN owned lines the NS&T and MS&C all made it to 1960 however losinbg bits and pieces along the way to abandonement since shortly after the war.A brief synposis.
No thanks, Leon, I'll pass! No fish fo... did you? Very nice indeed! Yeah, I'll take it. Don't forget the mushrooms!
A lot of interesting reading tonight, including pictures! I guess Manager Lars is down in the Keys tonight. I'll hope they will find what they are looking for!
Mike – Thanks for the round! Interesting URLs as usual!! You must spend a lot of time finding all those sites! Two pictures from Duluth, where they moved the station building to a new place sometime in the past. Maybe James has some info on that?Tom – Have I missed something? Count Robulla? Is that the strange creature in the dark corner? Hard to hear what he is mumbling about? Class X40 does not only look terrible, they are terrible and the railroad has a lot of problems with those trains, and when I say a lot I mean a lot! They are built by the French company Alstom. Thanks for the Burlington ad! Good idea! Take the train to Colorado Springs! Or ride SOO Line’s Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies! The idiot of the week must have been a blonde, or...?Three weeks!CM3 – Wow, your info about Mike’s pictures is perfect! I had to open a second window so i could read your text and look at the pictures at the same time! As I said before, you have the wrong kind of job! Thanks for the round!James – Yes, the Norttheast Corridor is a very busy line. You are absolutely correct about about X40! There is one cab at each end and the top speed is 125 mph. Those trains are built by the French company Alstom. The railroad has had and still has a lot of problems with them since day one. They are roughly two years old. Thanks for those videos!! Most interesting and impressive! I saw #844 on display at the World’s Fair in New Orleans 1984. She was then numbered 8444. DD40X #6915 is in the picture below. I know, I have shown it before but...
Pete – Yes, there were some places where helpers, or banking locomotives, were used and there are actually at least one place where they still use them in the fall when the leafs are coming off the trees making the rails extremely slippery. I will try to find my notes about the gas locomotive this weekend. I think Rob is correct about Plymouth. Rob – The only problem getting pictures of the new light rail cars is that most test runs are run during night time, after midnight. Tonight they are running some high speed tests. I think you may be right about the gas locomotive! Plymouth sounds kind of right. I’ll try to find out this weekend. Interesting reading about Toronto’s commuter lines! What is left today? Doug – That was a good joke, I am glad I’m not a thirsty, talking dog. What time do you get out of bed? 4:30 in the morning at your stable? I can say right away, a horse is not for me. I am allergic to early mornings! But I hope you will find a good horse!
Ruth- Oh, that smell of fresh brewed coffee lead me here. So I'm going to need a cup of that nice coffee and a pastry please. Thanks!
Alright, I'm going to drop off an interesting little article on the DM&IR a railroad that no longer lives up to its name since the Canadian National has taken over. But a very interesting railroad at that!
The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway
The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) (AAR reporting marks DMIR) was a railroad operating in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin to haul iron ore and later taconite to the Great Lakes port of Duluth, Minnesota and Two Harbors, Minnesota. The railway was acquired on May 10, 2004, by Canadian National Railway (CN) when it purchased the assets of Great Lakes Transportation.
The DM&IR was formed by the 1938 merger of the Duluth and Iron Range Railway (D&IR) and Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway (DM&N).
History
The D&IR was formed in 1881 by Charlemagne Tower to haul iron ore from the Minnesota Iron Co. in Tower, Minnesota to the new Lake Superior port of Two Harbors, Minnesota. The first ore shipment from the Soudan Mine over the D&IR was on July 31, 1884. The D&IR was acquired by Illinois Steel in 1887. In 1901, Illinois Steel became part of the newly formed United States Steel Corporation (USS) and the railway became part of its holdings.
The DM&N was incorporated in 1891 and the first load of iron ore was shipped to Superior, Wisconsin in October, 1892. (The formation of the railway was necessary after the discovery of high-grade Mesabi iron ore near Mountain Iron, Minnesota by the Merritt brothers. The D&IR was approached to construct a new branch line, but was not receptive.) The Merritt's expanded DM&N by laying track to Duluth, Minnesota in 1893 and built an ore dock there. The Merritt's shaky financial position, brought in part to building the Duluth expansion, allowed for John D. Rockefeller to gain control of the railway in 1894. In 1901, Rockefeller sold the DM&N to USS.
From 1901 to 1938 the two railways were owned and operated by USS and were operated independently.
Merger
By July of 1938 the two railways merged to form the DM&IR. The railway had two operating divisions, the Missabe and the Iron Range based upon their predecessor's roads. As the
Good morning Ruth. I'd love a coffee oh and since Doug's not in yet I'll ave his usual two #3's to get it kicked into gear.What's that No I don't wsh one of the new and improved prune danishes,tell you what I'll buy one for Boris,oh and with Lars out for a few days can you set up the usual treats for the rest of the critters,thank's so much.Nice to see a few faces in so far this am.
Eric-Good luck on your research of that small switcher,could be a whitcomb built unit as well but alot of times they were a tad bigger and diesel powered.I know that the transit companies like diong maintenance and tests of new equipmnet at night, makes sence I suppose less traffic and pring eyes if something should go wrong. The TTC usually does all their testing well after midnight as well,also if the maintenance equipment comes out it's always after the witching hour.
To answer your question a great dael of that trackage is still existant in one form or another.Parts of the Toronto Suburban are still in use ,the TTC purchased from CNR the city portions of the line about ten miles of which still make up the harbourfront loop of the TTC. The belt line is still around with both CN and CP using it to keep freight traffic out of downtown.Parts of the Mimico-Port Credit interurban trackage make up CN's Lakeshore line which carries the bulk of Go Transits commuter trains from Burlington straight through Union Station to Pickering and Ajax.Of the other interurbans mentioned probably 50% of the grand River railway and Lake Erie and Northern trackage still exist carrying CP trains to and from the Toyota Plants babbcocx and Wilcox etc in and around Cambridge and Kitchener. CN still switches several industries here in Brantford on what was LE&N trackage.Of coarse the obly portion of the Toronto Suburbans interurban trackage left is the 40 acre parsell our museum sits on though it is a land locked ROW with no connections to the outside rail world.
Well nice to see young James pop in with some good info on the Misabe. Always and interesting railroad with some equally interesting history ! They were always known for their big brutal locomotives big chunky 0-80 steamers and the big articulated ore haulers as well.A classic example of an industry dependant and based railroad. coarse once they hit the diesel age they still went with the nice heavy duty loco's SD9's and 18's and big oversized SD38's and some rebuilt SD40-3's made from SD45's by Boise locomotive works. Once in a while I see the odd SD38 in full Missabe paint run through on a CN frieght train though they tend to keep the Iron Ranges power on it's home rails.Good show and good choice to keep things perking along today
Well Ruth another coffee and here's a bit of cash to keep the day flowing for the afternooners.
Okay folks make sure you tip Ruth nicely for the rest of her shift, hopefully it won't be too boring for her. I'll grab another coffee to go there Ruth and I'll drop of this little encore for the assembled. Then it's off to work I go.
To classic Ad's to enjoy
Good Morning Barkeep and All Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. We missed a lot of violent weather last night, and gas went back up to $3/gal.
Rob sent lots of material. I enjoyed the piece about passing signals b4 radio. It was fun to watch, especially at night. The Toronto commuter material has been copied. I think maybe we could twitch the menu a little and you could concoct something like "Calamari and Octopus a la Olympia" (the old school hockey folks in the audience will understand this one). I have some good calamari stories, but they would shut the forum down and Boris might even get a little green around the gills. Your TTC and CN posts showed up while I was preparing mine. Always nice to see a timetable I have in my collection.
As I sort of said (huh?) I thought the coal dock that fell over onto the main line might have been CN, but when I rely on my memory...
Barndad and the horses; a couple of more and we can hitch them to the Mentor Septic (No, Boris, that Antiseptic) Brewing Company's beer wagon. AB eat your heart out - it's not every day we see a crew dressed like Raider's fans riding on a beer wagon.Also, why does their label feature a skull and crossbones logo?
There seemed to be a few things today re UP6900s. In answer to James's note. Yes, they were something to watch in operation. I had the privilege of being in Wyoming while they were in regular service. Looked like a building with a lot of wheel underneath. And the sound...
Eric. Thanks for the kind words again.
James, indeed, gave us a good summary of the DMIR. King's DMIR book has been recently reprinted (within the past 5 yrs or so, IIRC). It's a good one if you can find a copy. For those who really want to learn about taconite and taconite processing, here's a citation.
Davis, E.W. Pioneering With Taconite. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1964.
Davis was there and it's not badly written. The photos show all kinds of machines, plants, and such as appeal to our "Captains of Industry." Your local library may be able to interlibrary loan it for you. Jeez, where else on the forums can you read about all of this?
Pete stopped by.
OSP sent some SOO material. I'm ready to go on that one myself.
A couple of stories.
I recall riding (a long time ago) a New Haven RR train from New York to Boston. For those who remember, the New Haven ran some long trains even when they were on their last legs.
We detrained (always like to use that word) at Rte. 128 a little before midnight rather than going all the way to So. Station. I hung back a little to watch the train leave. It had an all New Haven stainless and orange consist with a pair of FL9s on the head end. I could see the engineer leaning out and looking for the conductor's signal. The last passengers got off the train and the conductor got back onto the step of the parlor car (they knew how to be comfortable), and using a flashlight, swung up a classic proceed signal. Two toots on the FL9s Hancock whistle and off they went heading down the track toward Readville. So much better than the !@#$ beeps on the Amtubes.
Now, one last departure story which came to mind after looking at all of the L&N-related material. I know this happened because I was there. Those of you who ever spent any time around the old L&N recall that they did things with a sense of style.
A casket had to be loaded into the baggage car of the southbound Pan American. This was not an easy task, even though it was on baggage wagon. The station baggage man did his best, and the remains were properly and respectfully loaded for "the last trip home."
In the meantime, the conductor was anxious to get rolling. Nashville was a passenger engine change, so there was an E7/E8 combination (back to back, of course) powering the train. The conductor highballed the Pan, and the engineer (whose nickname was "Scalded Dog" because he was such a fast runner) hauled back on the throttle and those E's started snarling. They had been idling for awhile, so there was enough smoke to make you think were on a destroyer screening larger vessels.
All of a sudden out of the smoke (in a thick Middle Tennessee accent) came a hair-raising scream, "Stop the train, stop the !@#$ train, I ain't goin' to Bummingham with no stiff!" They got the train stopped a little past the end of the platform and the terrorized baggage man bailed out and ran back rapidly toward the station. Two things stuck in my mind - I didn't know the baggage man knew any of those words, and I had never seen him move so fast.
Barkeep, two fingers of the good stuff for all baggage men.
I'll be running late on Monday and Tuesday (know that already), but will do my best to post.
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