G'day Gents!
Here's a sample from the days when we used to feature CLASSIC PASSENGER RRs on Tuesdays . . . The way it "worked" was the Proprietor (Moi) would let the gang know in advance which RR was to be featured - then go with it. Those with interest, would submit appropriate supporting "stuff" . . . . Of course we encouraged recommendations from the guyz too.
Now arriving on track #1 .....
Railroads from Yesteryear! Number Five
<A form of this was first Posted on page 242 of the Original Thread>
Used with permission from: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Formatting differences made necessary due to Forums requirements. Some heralds from other sources.
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Locale: New York, NY to Boston, MA
Reporting marks: NH
Dates of operation: 1872 - 1969
Track gauge: 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters: New Haven, Connecticut
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (AAR reporting mark NH) was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States. Commonly referred to as the New Haven, the railroad served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Its primary connections included Boston and New York.
History
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was formed July 24, 1872 as a consolidation of the New York and New Haven Railroad and Hartford and New Haven Railroad. This included not only the main line from New York City to Springfield, Massachusetts via New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, but also leases of lines including the Shore Line Railway to New London. The New Haven went on to lease more lines and systems, eventually forming a virtual monopoly in New England south of the Boston and Albany Railroad.
The first line of the original system to open was the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, opened from New Haven to Hartford in 1839 and beyond to Springfield in 1844. The New York and New Haven came later, as it ran parallel to the Long Island Sound coast and required many bridges over rivers. It opened in 1848, using trackage rights over the New York and Harlem Railroad (later part of the New York Central Railroad system) from Williamsbridge south to Grand Central Terminal, which served as the New Haven's New York City terminal.
Around the turn of the century, New York investors, led by J.P. Morgan gained control and in 1903, installed Charles Mellen as President. Morgan and Mellen sought a complete monopoly of transportation in New England, purchasing other railroad and steamship and trolley lines. More than 100 independent railroads eventually became part of the system before and during these years, reaching 2,131 miles at its 1929 peak. Substantial improvements to the system were made during the Mellen years, including electrification between New York, and New Haven. But Morgan's expansion left the company overextended and financially weak. It never truly recovered.
Under the stress of the Great Depression, in 1935 the New Haven slipped into bankruptcy, remaining in trusteeship until 1947. Common stock was voided and creditors assumed control.
After 1951 both freight and passenger service lost money. New Haven's earlier expansion had left it with a network of light density branch lines that could not support their maintenance and operating costs. The New Haven's freight business was short-haul, requring a lot of switching costs that could not be recovered in short-distance rates. The New Haven had major commuter train services in New York and Boston (as well as New Haven, Hartford and Providence), but these always lost money, unable to recover their investment providing service just twice a day during rush hour. The death of the New Haven may have been sealed by the building of the Connecticut Turnpike and other interstates. With decades of inadequate investment, the New Haven could not compete against the automobile or the trucker.
In 1954 the flashy Patrick McGinnis led a proxy fight against incumbent president Buck Dumain, vowing to return more of the company's profit to shareholders. McGinnis accomplished this by deferring maintenance. McGinnis also spent money on a flashy new image for the company - dull green and gold trim was replaced by loud black, orange and white. When he departed, 22 months later, he left the company financially wrecked. It once again went into bankruptcy on July 2, 1961.
At the insistence of the ICC, the New Haven was merged with Penn Central on January 1, 1969. Following the bankruptcy of Penn Central, in 1976 a substantial portion of the former New Haven main line between New York and Boston was transferred to Amtrak, and now forms a major portion of the electrified Northeast Corridor, hosting high speed Acela Express and commuter rail service.
Harlem River
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was the New Haven's first lease after its merger. It was chartered in 1866, leased by the New Haven on October 1, 1873, and opened later that year, running from the New Haven at New Rochelle, New York south into the Bronx, New York City. It was originally a branch line, but in 1916 the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge opened, turning the Harlem River Branch into a major through route.
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Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!
Ruth my deAH, you brighten up the joint like a fresh coat of paint, but smell far bettAH! <blush> A round on me, treats for the crittAHs ‘n a small jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris! Ring it man, ring it!
I'll take a #3 from the menu board ‘n a mugga Joe with a jolt! Keep the change my deAH!
Great viewing the New Haven once again. One of my favorites as well, but of course my "love" has been and will ALWAYS be the New York Central. An Alco in the lightning stripes! Ahhhhhhhhhh.
Anyway, I'll add a few nostalgia book covers at the end of this post, just to keep the idea going. I miss having the "theme" on Tuesday. But of course as we lost our customer base - mainly those who PARTICIPATED - it just didn't make sense to continue on.
A recommendation: Let's go with again and let Cap'n Tom select the next few, just to get us back in the groove. What say you guyz??
Hey Dan! Those fireless boilers were quite the innovation. Contrary to what some people may believe, they were pretty safe. Way back in time I saw ‘em aboard a ship or two that were "steamers." They were used in limited applications, not to power the ship, but other internal applications. Didn't last long as I recollect.
FYI: In 1885, American inventor, Joshua Tuck demonstrated his form of "fireless boiler" for submarine use. His was powered by 1500 pounds of caustic soda which resulted in 5 hours of power.
Hey DD1! Good to see ya, mate. And don't let the Cap'n get to ya - 72 ain't ‘old' it's just ‘vintage'!
Hey Pete! Panty hose ‘n bartending?!?! I'm the Manager ‘round here AND I don't KNOW!!
Would be nice to have your "man" show up. After all with years of photos from him, those of us who give a rat's patoot, would surely like to hoist a tankard in welcome!
You hit it on the head <again> - since Vito is also the Superintendent of Adult Ed in Mentor Village, those certificates <diplomas> all come with a PRICE! <uh oh>
I like that Brit beer slogan! Does you good, huh?? Only ‘til you wake up the next mornin'!! <groan>
Check this one out!
Hey Eric! Hang in there, mate! We're all pulling for ya ‘n we KNOW you'll be back with us in full-form in no time at all.
So, WHAT IS IT this time about the "goings on" up in the Penthouse Suite??!! Aside from that bump on your forehead from your ill-fated attempt at voyeurism, I'd refrain from PERSUING this nonsense! OR we'll have to delve a bit deeper into the whereabouts of that BRUNETTE you mentioned some time back! <Ah Ha!>
And for the Cap'n: Almost sad to see the end of those Expo Rail pix. You must've provided hundreds over these pages ‘n if the guys haven't checked ‘em out - their loss, huh? I really appreciate the efforts you put forth ‘round here and am looking forward to the next installment of Canada pix!
My offering for this "non-theme" Tuesday! <grin>
LET'S GO METS!
Sorry, Tom - but I've got something to say. So, what's THIS!?!?!!? Our teenager caught in the act, huh I SUSPECTED it back then, and I'm more convinced NOW. BK was RIGHT - the IP address didn't come up false when we tracked down that "trashing" episode.
Also that business with not knowing about Red P surely says something as well. Best to move on, but in a man's world in a man's bar, once in doubt - ALWAYS in doubt. Sorry, that's life. Burn us once, shame on us, burn us twice - shame on YOU!
Until the next time!
Lars
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox (several rolls of Pennsylvania quarters for Frostbite). We are back, the K9 Korps has been recovered from "camp," and we are trying to get back into the routine. It has been so dry here that I didn't have to mow when I returned.
I have been trying to get caught up with posts and will get there sometime. As for now, a few comments.
Eric - Fine looking camp car; better than most that the C&O had, although they did have a few heavyweights in work train service. They also used old automobile box cars (with end doors), troop sleepers, etc. The most interesting items that showed up on work trains around here were old steam locomotive tenders (used as water cars), and they also had a Burro crane on rails which were mounted on a flat car. Add a few battered gons and you were ready to go.
OSP mentioned the Iron Horse. The neighborhood around North Station has changed a lot what with removal/construction of highways, etc. The Iron Horse was always a good place during hockey season.
Bert and Harry were Bob and Ray, of course. Who out there remembers Biff Burns, and Mary Backstage, Noble Wife? Laso the Einbinder Flypaper Company? B&R used to be live in Boston on WHDH Radio (850 on your a.m. dial") when I was growing up. Certainly formative influences along with Jackie Gleason and Ernie Kovaks on my (according to some) warped view of the world
Appreciated your comments on Word which was created in the inner circles of, well...Anyway, we call "Find and Replace," "Search and Destroy." Also thanks for Burlington and New Haven reruns. Enjoyed the shot of the Napierville Jct. caboose. Remember seeing those at Rouses Point on the D&H. IIRC, I posted something a long time back abt. Rouses Point.
Lars stopped by with vintage beer material (kind of a contradiction, but why not). BTW, I went to George's when I was down at Point Judith, RI last week. All mariners know that place. I was looking through the menu and found that they had Narragansett and Schlitz in what they called retro cans. Probably washed ashore and they found them on the beach. Tom will be pleased to know that the Coast Guard station and lighthouse are still there. Also thanks for the Burlington book covers - see a few items there that might be interesting. My experience with the Q was on the racetrack west of Chicago and also a couple of rides to and from Denver.
Your post appeared while I was preparing this one. Glad to say I have ll of the NH books you posted. Incidentally, a friend had a Knickerbocker beer clock. Lord knows where he got it, but it spelled out "Have a Knick." I wonder how much that would fetch in the brew-related market.?
James stopped by with information on the "Peg." Used to see their power every so often on the CV.
DD1 - Glad to see you are with us. Welcome. Fireless cookers could be found in chemical plants in Kanawha County until fairly recently.
Last, I want to let folks know that the C&O Historical Society has added some most interesting sections to their website. When you get on their site, go to the section called Society Information. Click on that and you will see all kinds of links. Of particular interest to the barflies (excuse me Boris, esteemed and most valued patrons) will be two links. One is called the Basement Subdivision which has all sorts of plans, etc in PDF format - good stuff. Also look at the section titled C&O History Online Supplemental. There are some good data sets, pictures, and so on. Enjoy.
Work safe
P.S. Anybody that I neglected to mention, accept my apologies - hard to read three weeks worth of stuff in one sitting.
A hearty back to CM3 I'm not Shane (coalminer3) from a too-long hiatus from our Tavern by the Tracks! But a guy's gotta do, what a guy's gotta do, eh
Also, many THANX to Manager Lars for quickly picking up on our "non-theme" for this day - the New Haven! The arrival of the "book mobile" was most timely!
Specific comments in tomorrow's AM summary . . .
Oh yes, received an Email from Allan in NZ - thanx for "signing up" for our B'day Watch List! Also - need a reply from Ron down in Mississippi to my Email - thanx!
Now, here are some drumheads for the New Haven - rather hard to find 'em.
Ruth, set 'em up. then take your break - Boris ring the bell!
And what's THIS A new critter has arrived at the bar - we'll call him Artie the Owl!
Enjoy!
Tom
Hi Tom and all.
A pint of Bathams please TOM as I see you have given RUTH a break.
JAMES Thanks for the article and pics on the DW&P. Although it was a short line it was an important cross border line. What a great name ‘Rainy Lake' is in a railroad title.
ERIC You are right about July, over half the month gone already.
When Tom first posted the Burlington fallen Flag I asked the same thing about the
Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr, although I though it was to do with Arkansas.
Doesn't the rain give any relief to the heat there or just makes it feel humid.
Thanks for the Burlington photos.
Very best for tomorrow.
LARS I don't think I would have liked to be aboard that submarine with all that caustic soda.
I have not heard from Alan for a while I think he is away. If we ever do get to England with the gang I am sure we will share a tankard (or eight) with Alan.
I wonder if they sold the Knickerbocker beer aboard the NYC train of the same name. That beer top would have made a great Drumhead for the train.
Good words for Eric.
Thanks for the NH book covers and you are so right about Tom's photos from the Exporail museum, I am going to post mine from Shed #1. Out of the ones I took there is only about 4 worth showing, without Toms great photos I would hardly have any good photos of our visit there.
I have no end of diplomas from Vito the Hit (although they do not seem to improve my typing); in fact he gives me one every time I give him a copy of the surveillance tape from the Penthouse Suite. I can't understand why he wants them although I know he sends them to a place in Amsterdam.
CM3 Great to see you back at the bar.
You brought to mine something I had forgotten, the use of old locomotive tenders in works trains. I seem to recall one use on BR for them, way back, was in weed killing trains. Two very old tenders appeared in an out of the way siding at Rugby when I was a kid, they had the wheel springs, along side of the water tank above the frames, there were there for some time. Where they came from or where they went, I suppose for scrap, I do not know. Thanks for evoking the memory for me.
TOM Sorry about mixing up the Burlington with the Burlington Northern, must have been thinking about the BNSF, for some reason, at the time.
It will be interesting to see when the new high-speed line to the Channel Tunnel opens, how that effects air travel from Britain to Europe. I think it will come down to the price of the fares.
I did not know that quote was from Sir Walter Scott; you learn something new everyday at Our Place.
To ARTIE THE OWL, my he does look posh and will add class to Our Place, although I don't fancy his chances with FROSTBITE dressed liked that.
Many thanks for the NH Railroad from Yesteryear and the Drumheads, great ‘Yankee Clipper,and very clever and stylish New York New Haven and Hartford ones. I suppose the founding fathers of the line would be pleased to know, that today, part of the line hosts the fastest trains in North America traveling at speeds at well over 100MPH.
I have found something BK posted on page 140 of the old Our Place about the New Haven. I see it mentions the RDCs
Good Afternoon Captain Tom and staff. I surely enjoyed the New Haven fallen flag data and thank you for honoring my request. I am a bit surprised that more of your regular customers have not inundated you with their selections. Nevertheless, thank you. I cannot imagine that anything coming from me will be either enlightening or informative to those who know the NH. But here are a few tid bits of information regarding that prized railroad: * Unlike the majority of other railroads, passenger train revenue was largely responsible for the success of the company. * The railroad was considered to be a compact railroad, connecting virtually all of the towns
Another Bathams please TOM.
These are the first three of my pics from Shed #1 at Exporail.
I will post the other three soon.
Pete.
And finally, a narrative to accompany the fotos.
After turning in the rental car, Pete ‘n I arrived at the VIA Rail station to enjoy the sights ‘n sounds while waiting for the Chaleur to Gaspé, Quebec.
Take a CLOSE look at the train board fotos ‘n check the times for the Chaleur (GASPE)! It was a loooooooong wait to stay the least.
There were far too many anxious moments brought about by a very recalcitrant Service Manager assigned to the Chaluer. He appeared to be an experienced fellow, but most unwilling to converse with us regarding the delay, food service on board once we finally got underway, and what if any impact the delay in departure would have on our return trip. This latter concern seemed to boggle his mind, in that to this day I'm not certain he understood we were returning from Gaspe on the very same train, once it got turned around and serviced.
Two very accommodating VIA Rail people overheard my exasperation with this JO ‘n interjected that if we had connections to make on Tuesday morning, we should consider changing them because any delays with the train going to Gaspé would most probably NOT be made up for the return trip. Soooooo, that's what we did. Cost us a "bundle" to change the arrangements with NWest Airlines, but what choice did we have, eh
Neither of us were overly concerned about a late departure from Montréal, for it was going to be dark once we pulled out of the station, so aside from perhaps missing a meal in the diner, we suspected at least the beer would be available! <grin>
There's more to this story, but it will be told in segments, as the fotos progress on!
Continuing on with Pix from Day Four: Sunday evening - May 27th, 2007 - at Montréal's Gare Centrale (Central Station):
Bedroom check-in kiosk for the Chaleur - and - the Ocean
<hmmmmmmm>
<uh oh>
<really?>
Finally! Began boarding at 22:15 - got underway at 22:43 . . .
"Our" bedroom car - Chateau Laval
Acadian dining car (not in service!) Part of the consist for the round trip.
All aboard!
To be continued . . .
Hi Tom and all,
Set em up Ruth? Can`t remember whose the barkeep, must have a touch of "CRAFT" disease, "Can`t Remember A Flippin` Thing!
Tom. Got your e-mail this this morning, thanx for your warm wishes. Really enjoyed your pics of the trip with Pete, looks as if you had a great time.
Eric. We have been lucky here in Hawkes Bay the main flood area was north of Auckland so it did`nt affect us, BUT, yesterday we had a heavy rain warning and the area north of us near Hasting`s had some flooding, it`s mid winter over here so we have to put up with some bad weather.
Per. Yep, CBD, aka Central Business District, the Main Post Office facade is the main entrance to the station which is partly underground a few steps from the site of the very 1st station. Can`t help you with any info on the trams, hav`nt been over to Oz in years, last time was 81 on the way to Perth, it`s funny the metro cars we rode on then in Perth are now running on Auckland Metro.
DD1. Great idea about using the geothermal steam to drive the loco`s over here, all the geothermal area is in the Central north island so it would be a bit of a hassle. I did see those fireless loco`s in the old country years ago, I think one was at Cadbury`s the big chocolate maker near Birmingham.
Lars. Here`s me thinking you had a enormous reference library! Your book covers are great to see.
Pete. Your pics and narrative are great, you were right about Bullied working with Gresley at the LNER, he had a hand in the design of the A4`s and the giant Mikado`s, the P2`s, that were built for the Edinburgh/Aberdeen line, I think they were the only four coupled passenger loco`s in the UK, I saw "**** o` the North" and "Thane of Fife" at Waverley station in 1948 just before nationalisation, I was 13yrs old and an avid train spotter in those days! [ Still am]! Three P2`s had the same streamlining as the A4`s.
DL. Bullied was a very innovative engineer, must have learned a lot from Gresley, they both designed steam, electric, and deisel loco`s so they must have made a great team together. They seem to have restored a lot of Bullied`s re-built West Country Pacific`s, I once rode behind one on the Newcastle/Bristol train.
Mike. Good to see you back, great panorama of "The City of Sails" aka Auckland, all the url`s were top class.
CM3. Welcome back mate.
James. Enjoyed your post, great pics.
If I forgot to acknowledge anyone please blame it on the "CRAFT" disease!
See ya all, Allan
Good evening Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
No, Leon. Just a cup of coffee. I can't stay tonight. Thank you!
Had a quick look tonight and saw CM3's post where he mentioned cranes. Since I just looked at two pictures of MoW-cranes I have in my computer I thought I should post them. Not any good pictures, but the first one is a ATSF crane on rails on a flatcar (Orange Empire Railway Museum) and the other one is a picture the mrs took of a small UP crane in December 2005.
I'll be back Thursday or Friday! Thanks Leon, that coffee was just right!
Eric
<w/permission: http://www.scenic-railroads.com/>
Wednesday's Witticism
Life is like checkers. When you reach the top, you can move wherever you want.
What's to say other than it's mid-week in mid-continent USA. So, let's begin this Wednesday with a mugga Joe - pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery ‘n of course a breakfast selection from our Menu Board!
Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative):
Lars at 9:02 AM Tuesday - July 19th: Were you eavesdropping on my thoughts That was one quick response to my "non-theme" New Haven material. Nice job with the book covers - always look super-fine to Moi!
I had a "quickie" love affair with the New Haven which began in January of 1957 and ended that July. Used to take the train from New London down to Grand Central on Fridays, with a return on Sunday evening. Somehow, I always managed to get a streamliner for the southbound (Pennsy Senator cars) and NH heavyweights on Sunday night. Just loved that route ‘n must admit, those 6 months of weekends were great for train riding. Did take the train up to Bahstun (Boston) for a weekend - but that was such a short trip. An hour ‘n a half if I recall. Anyway, once I graduated from my Class "A" school, it was off to sea and that was "it" for the New Haven.
In 1964 I got assigned to our Training Station in Groton, CT and once again refamiliarized myself with New London and the train station. I didn't spend that much time watching trains, and none riding ‘em. Just used to like to see those New Haven diesels on the move.
Then of course there was the 1968 merger of the NYC with the Pennsy to form the ill-fated Penn Central. A year later Congress mandated the New Haven be folded into the PC ‘n the rest of the story gets even worse. <ugh>
By the by, do you recall those fine looking American Flyer S-gauge passenger cars with New Haven markings Check these out:
http://www.geocities.com/theupstairstrain/New_Haven_sets.html
http://www.geocities.com/theupstairstrain/trains.html
I'll put forth a Tuesday "theme" - AFTER - we see the comments on the subject. With interest we can do most anything ‘round here. Otherwise, it just becomes "labor," and Lawd knows, I've enough of that . . . <groan>
Now you being THE New York Central "Guru" ‘round here - did they or did they not operate Alco PAs??? I know they had FAs for passenger ‘n freight. And I concur with your opinion of those lightning stripes. A terrific paint scheme that really ranked right up there with the best of ‘em all - Santa Fe war bonnet - and - Delaware & Hudson blue ‘n yellow bonnet of their own.
Must admit that I enjoyed going through those fotos from ExpoRail. Took quite a bit of time, as most of ‘em had to be enhanced in order to bring out the features - especially those from building #5. Thanx for the positive feedback - glad you've enjoyed ‘em.
Thanx for the continuing support, visit, Pix ‘n round!
CM3 Shane (coalminer3) at 9:09 AM Tuesday - July 19th: back to our WVA Connection, Ace Reporter ‘n AM "slot holder"!
You must live right - had we been gone for 3 weeks, our grass would be knee deep to a T-Rex upon our return. <yikes>
K-9 Corps is how many Always dislike the "kennel part" for Juneau when we leave for trips. But, we've found a decent place for him <rather pricey> but they offer the ‘amenities' like walks in a huge wooded park (horse, hiking ‘n biking trails> - play time, etc. Costs about as much per day for him as a motel does for us! <not really, but it seems like it!>
Do you know if the "Iron Horse" is still at North Station
I recall Mary Backstage, Noble wife - somewhat recall the "flypaper" company. Ahhhh, memories! <grin>
The "thing" with ‘puter software is that the "one size, fits all" approach somehow just doesn't work as well as with socks. And with the latter, why do they keep slipping down into my shoes!?!?! Anyway, I've found it soooooo easy to perpetuate bad habits at the keyboard, but most difficult to adapt to the conventions spelled out in the tutorials. Who watches or reads ‘em, eh <grin>
Ernie Kovaks was by far the BEST of ‘em all ‘n he used to have me absolutely red-in-the-face with laughter. Truly great at his craft. Remember his wife who made those "Murial cigar" commercials
Used Nantucket light on many an occasion while navigating those waters. Didn't spend any time on the island though. Had a buddy who was the Officer-in-Charge of the Station, many, many dec
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox (Texas quarters today for the armadillo). Warm and humid over here today. GAs is at $3.05 to $3.09, depoending on where you stop. We finally got some rain last night and more is on the way, followed by about one day of cool weather and then the broiler gets turned on again.
The Owl is certainly appropriate. After all, the New Haven did have an overnight train called the "Owl." Also, there is an Owl Shop (tobacconist) in New Haven as well. We have to be careful, though, as owls can see about everything, especially in the dark (hmm...)
Pete - Thanks for the information on tenders on work trains. The C&O had all different types of tenders that they used in work train service. Many of them were Vanderbilt types. Somewhere I have a list of the steam engines that these tenders came from. Also, thanks for posting the pictures.
B4 I forget, I have posted a lot of NH material which might intrigue you - much of it is on the old thread.
OSP - Just remember, "Late trains always get later." Folks, take a closer look at the sleeper picture right after the train board shots. You will see a car attendant making down a double bedroom - you don't see that much anymore. I always liked boarding an overnight train in the middle of its run, walking through the sleeper to your space and finding the beds made down and everything ready - try doing that on an airplane.
I thought I was a guru on the NYC, too (LOL). Anyway, they most certainly did operate PAs on passenger trains, especially the New England States. Question for the day, what major eastern road(s) used PAs in freight service?
American Flyer cars survived for years in commuter service in Boston after they got bumped off long haul service.
Nantucket Light - used to be a lightship, IIRC. Incidentally, there is some archeological work going on at Minot light (near Cohasset for the flatlanders in the crowd). They are trying to find the remains of the metal structure which got knocked over years ago. I won't play the light house quiz as I know the answer.
For those interested in such things, see if you can find books by Edward Rowe Snow - many of them have been reprinted; lots of information in a more than readable format.
My dad's family had a house within spitting distance of the USCG station at Point Judith. It's gone now (weather will do that), but the garage still stands along Sand Hill Cove Road.
Muriel cigars - Edie Adams - "Why don't you pick one up and smoke it sometime?" They also manufactured menthol cigars for awhile - that would even gag Boris, and we understand he's been known to smoke his shoelaces (when he can find his shoes). Last one re lighthouses - I'll bet you have heard of Ida Lewis.
Theme idea is fine with me; maybe if we do it once a month. I know that we have managed to turn up lots of stuff in the past.
Allan - Thanks for the kind words.
Eric - The ATSF crane is similar to what the C&O used. The C&O cranes were larger Burros, however. Almost forgot, often the work outfits included a Jordan spreader; those were always fun to watch. The UP item is a "tie crane" in this part of the world.
Well, I'd better get out of here.
Mea Culpa, CM3 Shane - your are indeed THE GURU when it comes to ALL THINGS NEW YORK CENTRAL. <grin> More specific comments in my next round of ACKNOWLEDGMENTS! Good to see ya though . . .
Manager Lars sent me an Email to let us know that he may not make it in today - something about wife - shopping in Manhattan - unintelligible! <uh oh>
So it's Wednesday ‘n time for another OPTIONAL Toy ‘n Model Trains Day! For the benefit of those guys who haven't seen this before, or who suffer from CRAFTS disease, it goes like this: If you have info or some Pix supportive of model railroading as a hobby, today's the day to Post it. Try to limit the fotos to about a half dozen or so . . . that's it!
Some dated fotos from my Can-Am Trainroom . . . <click to enlarge>
Overall view from the north end <layout constructed in 2004>
Overall view from the south end
Overall view from the west side
Polar Express O-gauge shelf system (3-car set - 2 cars added later) <shelf sytem constructed in 2005)
Polar Express on shelf system - HO Canadian Pacific in display case
The S-Capades S-gauge - ceiling suspended system <constructed in 2005>
Hello Tom and all in
I'll have a pint of mild please.
Thanks for your comments Tom, I guess the Caboose option at the Trainwreck was missed by me as my browser does not pick up many of the pictures, as mentioned before (although I'm getting the layout pics you just posted - very nice!)
Tom, good to start reading your commentary on the Gaspe trip - I'll wait to see how late the return journey was given your outbound delay.
That comment about pics does not apply to James though - I enjoyed your illustrated post and glad you've had the time to call by.
The Glasgow electric unit poster I posted was a type of train that earned the nickname ‘blue trains' because of that livery - long after they stopped painting them blue I might add. As you say it was great colour scheme. I wonder if Mike could find some great colour slides of those trains from that period - the US ones always ‘cut the mustard'.
Looks like the fireless loco stimulated a few comments - from James, Lars, Pete, Ron, CM3 etc.
Ron, I certainly agree with Pete re the use of brick in the UK railway civil engineering - simply because of he age of the structures - most of the network was constructed prior to 1885 - and there would not have been the amount of wood available that I think would have been available in North America (we Europeans had chopped it all down building war ships prior to the age of steel!). It would not have been for labour union reasons.
As Pete says the SR (who expanded their network in the 1930s) made much use of precast concrete in stations etc and of course modern lines (like the new channel tunnel link - has extensive concrete civil engineering structures - as you would expect).
Some pictures of a classic era SR concrete structure is here. This station is famous for its Art Deco design - and as such is quite unusual in the UK (but not so in North America I would say).
http://www.michaeltaylor.ca/Surbiton/
Having said all of that I do know what you mean about the widespread use of brick - for viaducts, cutting linings, station buildings etc - esp the characteristic Staffordshire Blue Bricks which are very hard and good for civil engineering - virtually impossible to drill into I might add!
Some early wooden trestles were replaced by brick or stone - Brunel's wooden viaducts in particular:
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10419625&wwwflag=2&imagepos=4
as opposed to steel trestle construction - maybe they did not want to spend money on paint over the long term!
Pete - if you have problems with losing posts prepared in Word you could try setting up the Auto save function to save docs automatically at more frequent intervals than the default frequency - eg 5 minutes - that makes more of the document recoverable if it goes pear shaped and saves you having to remember to hit the save button frequently. However, you need to do that in your settings so best to ensure you check with anyone else who shares the ‘puter so they are happy with it too. I found it handy when I had problems with losing docs!
Also I see the main euro railways (inc Eurostar) have entered into an alliance for high speed lines to try and take on the short haul airlines - like Pete I'm sure it will come down to price - but here in the UK market share has been lost - I know loads of people who will queue for ages and then sit in the most cramped aircraft seats and pay more than the train fare and that is with journeys in the UK (eg London Scotland or even London to Manchester let alone to destinations in Europe) - this is quite crazy. One of the problems is the simple inability to walk into any travel agent and buy a train ticket - which is the opposite of the airline industry where you can always get a flight from any agent you want. Sadly the demise of BR meant that marketing of the trains across to Europe does not happen at all - with an assumption that the channel tunnel lines end in Paris - when of course they really end in Istanbul / Athens / Moscow etc!
Allan - I think a lot of those Bullied Pacific's had the good fortune to get sold for scrap to Dai Woodham in Barry - and were hence available to rescue - the other scrap dealers must have bought other designs but cut them up much quicker. There's certainly a good few restored - and one or two rescued and not yet restored (General Steam Navigation comes to mind) and I suspect the prospects for their restoration is not ideal given the other members of the class still in good shape - which would be a shame if they had lasted this long and were then lost.
All the best
DL
PS - news today is that the construction consortium employed on a 30 year contract to upgrade two thirds of the London Underground network has gone into some sort of bankruptcy.
Good to see ya Dan (DL-UK) 'n it's nice to know there's someone about the decks today! I'll get to some specific comments in the AM ACKNOWLEDGMENTS!
It had been a rather long day on Sunday - arriving at Central Station on board the "Ocean" early that morning - arranging for a rental car ‘n heading off to ExpoRail for the day - the unexpected delay in departure along with the VIA Rail inflicted anxt upon the passengers waiting to board both trains. (The "Ocean" ‘n "Chaleur" left Montréal as one unit, "splitting" at Matapédia, Quebec.) So whatever the problem was - which we were NEVER fully given an explanation - both sets of passengers wound up with the same dilemma of a very late departure.
As previously mentioned, we departed Montréal's Central Station at 22:43 with the "Ocean" in tow. With three F40PH locos, we were an impressive array of Budd stainless steel streamliners . . .
The consist for the "Chaluer" - our train - included one F40PH loco, a baggage car - coach - Skyline dome - full service diner - ‘n two bedroom cars. For some unexplained reason, the full service dining car was not used for either portion of our round trip.
Our bedroom car attendant was "Sonia" - Skyline dome attendant "Serge" ‘n Dining area attendant - "Fred," all congenial people. Our Chef was "Richard" - an excellent cook! Service Manager was "Jon" - and there's nothing to add.
The Skyline dome car features an area where meals are served along with a lounge area and of course the dome.
We awoke Monday morning to a rather gloomy day as the drizzle had set in with attendant lo-ceiling. Not the greatest for sightseeing from the dome.
I got up to the dome at about 06:30 while things were being made ready for breakfast in the dining area of the Skyline car. After a fine breakfast prepared by a real Chef, it was back to the dome . . . Pete arrived somewhere between rain drops to claim his seat in the dome shortly before arriving at Matapédia at 09:00, where the "Ocean" split from the "Chaleur."
There were many foto opportunities, and in spite of the limited visibility, there should be plenty to keep you guyz interested in the weeks to come!
Pix from Day Five: Monday - May 28th, 2007 - aboard VIA Rail's CHALEUR in Quebec, Canada:
Just looked out of the window approaching station stop at Amqui, and . . .
And . . . .
Skyline dome
Skyline dome lounge area <with coach passenger sacked out!>
Skyline dome dining area
That's the "Ocean" Renaissance consist way back there!
A pint of Holden's Mild please RUTH on this hot day.
ALLAN Thanks for the kind words.
I have only seen those Gresley P2s in photos it must have been a wonderful sight to have seen them in the flesh. The first two looked a lot different to the usual British steam locos. The locos had some great names as well, at least, 5 of the names lived on until fairly recently on the BR class 87 electric locomotives, although mainly running on the ex LMS main line.
Another thing Bullied and Gresley designed was good rolling stock. It is possible to still travel on the Gresley teak coaches on preserved line and there are some Bullied coaches on the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.
As DL says there are several re-built West Countries saved, They all came from Dai Woodhams scrapyard in South Wales, without that there would have been just two unrebuilt Bullied pacifics and just one Merchant Navy saved.
I wonder on your trip from Newcastle to Bristol if you traveled over the old Great Central line through my hometown of Rugby.
ERIC Thanks for the photos of the MOW cranes. I think that is a great photo of the UP crane
CM3 I did have a look at your posts from the old Our Place on the NH. I was going to post the one on the change of locomotives from diesel to electric at New Haven but thought that you may have posted it as an encore, with your permission I would like to re post it as it captures the changing of engines perfectly. It was a scene I witnessed at Rugby for a period as the electrification on the West Coast Main Line spread south towards London in the mid 1960s, even the sound of the points was the same, they could have both been manufacture by Westinghouse.
I had to go in to town early this morning and in the rail yard here there was an unusual MOW train. It was painted in UP colors and had it looked like 2 cars with power equipment then a couple of tank cars, and the thing that caught my eye there were two cars, one looked like a sleeping car,they looked like a similar design to the cars in the UP heritage train although they looked to have been modified. There were not any locomotives coupled to the train, although it was hard to see, the first car may have had a driving cab and the train being able to propel itself. The only sign I could see were H.I.T. Any ideas what the train could have been, my thought that perhaps it could be used for weed killing.
Menthol cigars.
DL Many thanks for the Link to Surbiton station. I believe London Underground has some very good Art Deco stations still in existence.
Great lithographs on the wooden viaducts. I guess most were replaced about the time of the conversion from broad to standard gauge on the Great Western in 1892.
Thanks for the tips on the computer.
I really do hope there will be a massive publicity campaign when the new Channel Tunnel High Speed Rail Link opens with some promotional fares to at least give those who normally fly to Europe a chance to try the new service.
With the Bullieds it was odd that the pacifics used at the very end of steam of the Southern did not make it to Barry. There is a very good DVD free with the latest Railway Magazine featuring the artist David Shepherd and his memories and paintings at Nine Elms and Guilford loco sheds as well as some archive film footage from the last days of Southern steam. It is hard to believe that some the locos looking in such a run down condition were capable of the100MPH running that was recorded in the last weeks of their running.
TOM Yes I remember the hall of Montreal Station well, there are lot worse places to wait for a train. Looking at the photo of me, it looks like I am reading the guidebook from Exporail. I wonder whose beer that is on the table. It is great to see those Budd cars again.
Thanks for the links to the American Flyer models
Was the first lighthouse in Boston or Providence RI.
I can still look at that penguin clip for ages.
Always great to see photos of the Can-Am, S-Capades and the Polar Express.
Thinking of the DVD I mentioned to DL, I was wondering if you had heard of the wildlife and steam painter David Shepherd.
Many thanks for the photos and description of our trip aboard the Chaleur, wonderful photos from the dome c
Good evening Tom and all at the bar. Nothing much to report except a quick reference to http://4largescale.com/fletch/. He is a master model builder by the name of David Fletcher, a Britisher I think. His site is long, but full of interesting stuff. Check it out if you have a chance. This is my offering for today, model and toy train day. Unfortunately there is not much in the way of railways or history of down here in the deep south. We have CSX and that's about it. We do play a little game here that revolves around the unguarded railroad crossings. At present the score is trains - 0; cars - 8. That was the reason given to me why British locomotives don't have headlights, their crossings are gate controlled.
I see where VIA Rail union employees are threatening a walk out on July 22nd if they don't get a new contract.
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/07/17/viarailnotice.html
Last time I checked, petrol had DROPPED to $2.82 (rounded) - temps unbearable yesterday with high humidity ‘n generally a great day to spend indoors with the A/C at full bore. A front is supposed to move in bringing some relief for the weekend.
The Mentor Village Bakery case is fully stocked - our <light> ‘n <traditional> breakfasts are ready for orderin' - and the urns of coffee are full! So, what's the problem?!?! <grin>
CM3 Shane (coalminer3) at 8:49 AM Wednesday - July 18th: And a fine morning it was as our WVA Connection has resumed his AM activities at the Bar by the Ballast!
Some things to make comment on:
As mentioned yesterday - YOU ARE indeed the Great Guru for all things New York Central! Thanx for the Alco PA info - and I'll take a "bye" on that question of yours. Let's see if we can get some participation ‘round here . . .
A fine observation of a bedroom being attended to! You, Sir could easily "win" appointment as Oh-Fish-Ul Voyeur of "Our" Place! [wow
Nantucket Light was indeed a lightship - or in fact, more than one. The proper name was Nantucket Shoals . . . Both of the lightships (WLV-612 & 613) were taken out of service in 1983. Anyway, the lights of Nantucket Island include the fixed structures known as Brant Point Light ‘n Sakaty Head Light (both automated now) ‘n presumed to still be in operation.
I'm hardly an aficionado of these things and don't want to come across as if I am. There were many, many facets of my former organization that I had no first hand experience of or with. However, anyone who sailed the waters off of our coasts surely had to know of the aids to navigation available visibly, audibly or electronically. Otherwise, one could really have a lousy day . . . <uh oh>
Ida Lewis . . . hmmmmm. There was this gal I met at the "Iron Horse," used to wait tables (she, not I). Anyway, one evening as I was waiting to miss my 3rd train home, I . . . oh never mind. You're certainly not interested in THAT, are you??
Ida Lewis (1842-1911), female lighthouse keeper of the U.S. Lighthouse Service (which later merged with the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939). A most famous lady who was awarded this nation's highest honor for lifesaving - the Gold Lifesaving Medal.
Always thought those New Haven "American Flyer cars" were something else. Wonder if any are in preservation??
Good idea regarding the Tuesday Theme for the Day - let's see if anyone else comes up with a thought or two . . . I may try one more, then "cool it" if there aren't any takers.
And finally, we'll have to be sure that Artie the Owl isn't permitted to perch anywhere near the Penthouse Suite! <hoooo hoooo> It's bad enough that we've got Eagle Eye Pete selling off the security tapes for marketing in Amsterdam . . . <yikes>
Way back when I was a smoker, I couldn't handle Menthol cigarettes - can't imagine a cigar with that flavor. <ugh>
Texas quarters, round ‘n fine chat most appreciated! [tup ]
Dan (DL-UK) at 11:21 AM Wednesday - July 18th: Really don't understand why you are able to view Pix from one of my archive sites, but not the other. Hmmmmmm. Anyway, glad you at least saw the Can-Am layout, et al.
Wasn't going to "do" a trip report per se. However, now that we've gotten most of the fotos out, a bit of narrative regarding the final portion of our Canadian adventure seems appropriate. And yes - you'll have to WAIT for the next installment! <grin>
As always, most interesting dialogue supplemented by equally intriguing links!
Keep us posted on that developing story regarding the situation with the upgrading to the Underground.
Thanx for the visit!
Pete (pwolfe) at 4:53 PM Wednesday - July 18th: When we first began traveling to Halifax from Montreal, I can recall spending hours in Central Station. Back in those times our flight got us into Montreal much earlier and it was always enjoyable to take in the sights ‘n sounds of the station. Also, prowling the underground shops ‘n mall was something special too. Really a remarkable set-up and well worth the while to explore.
Can't say I've heard of David Shepard. Is this the guy??
http://www.collector
An early arrival for me, but I didn't want to miss two days in a row, so bettAH early than nevAH!
Ruth my deAH, a mugga Joe with a jolt if you please. My, my, that outfit your almost wearing is just . . .
Yesterday was one of those unspeakable events in a married man's life. What the Mrs. sees in Macy's is beyond me. The thing is, with all of the satellite stores WHY do we have to go to the original place??!! <arrrrggghhh> Hit me again, Ruth! <grin>
What's with the case marked "Field Mice" that is sitting on the back porch? Ohhhhh, I get it, "food" for Artie the Owl. That crittAH scared the wits outta me this mornin' when I came in early to get some matters squared away. B4 I even turned the lights on, there's was this "hoooooooooot, hoooooooooot" sound, followed by some "flapping." Then right in front of me was Artie, all decked out in a TUX!! Another mouth to feed, but most welcome here at the Sanctuary.
Boris, feed the crittAHs will ya?? And the small jar of pickled pig's feet is for you! Watch those mice, we don't want ‘em getting loose. That's all we need in here. Anyway, just one at a time should do it. <grin> Just let it loose on the back porch 'n Artie will do the rest. <ugh>
Appears as if we've settled back to somewhat of a "normal" week ‘round here. Ya know, I kinda like the slower pace, for it's much easier to keep up with. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have a crowd stopping by, but when there's an abundance of material, well it just gets a bit difficult to keep up. By the way, nice words of encouragement for Ron!
Gotta kick out of that "story" you were beginning to tell - especially the reference to waiting to miss your 3rd train! Been there, done that, mate! <oh yeah>
Enjoying your story ‘n pix for the beginning of the Gaspe trip. Really wudda ticked me off if I had to put up with that crap. Sounds to me as if Via Rail isn't any different from airlines, and of course Amtrak, when it comes to keeping the people informed. Surprised you didn't pull the guy over the kiosk ‘n do a number on his head! <grin> Then again, you'd have been locked away in some dark ‘n dusky dungeon, nevAH to be seen or heard from again. <uh oh>
Love those dome shots! The Skyline car looks great. I've traveled in 'em on other roads. Budd knew what they were doing when those were designed!
Wonder why the conductor permitted the JO to sleep in the lounge?? Wouldn't have happened on roads I traveled aboard . . .
A round of greetings to Shane - Pete - Dan ‘n Ron! Good to see youse guyz supporting the bar!
A comment for Pete: Amsterdam?!?!?! Hopefully you aren't serious! <grimace>
Special for Eric: Hope all's going well!!
Me, Guru of the New York Central?? Hardly. That title rightfully belongs to Shane! Anyway, I just had a love affair with the railroad, never immersed myself into the details of this or that. Call me superficial if you wish. <grin>
Don't know the answer to Shane's question, but here's a link on the PA's . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCO_PA
Here's one for the FA's too . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCO_FA
Doesn't appear as if the Tuesday Theme got much of a "kick," although Pete did provide some fine supporting "stuff." Maybe we should just take a wait ‘n see approach to bringing it back. Try one more, though - then maybe a monthly would work, as Shane suggested. But it is summAH, ‘n we KNOW what that brings ‘round this place. <ugh>
Ok, time for me to get going. Have some <ahem> admin work to attend to this morning. Then, it's off for a round of places to go, people to meet ‘n things to do.
Some book covers left over from the other day . . .
LETS GO METS!
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present. Coffee, please; round for the house, and $ for the jukebox (Maine quarters today for the Owl - after all Owl's Head is in Maine). Gas is at $3.05 this a.m. We had a nice thundershower abt. 4:00 a.m. with some rain - we really need it. The entrail readers have provided five different forecasts for our area today, so pick the one you like, however, it's not uncommon to have five different kinds of weather here in a 24 hour period; kinda like New Ebgland.
OSP continues the travelogue and pictures. A lovely hw car, sir. I am familiar with both lights at Nantucket. The remarks about nav. aids reminded me of the ancient story about the battleship and the lighthouse.
Sorry chief, Ida Red used to be at the Iron Horse. Ida Lewis was at Newport. Anyway, with commuter trains there's always another one (LOL).
Lars stopped by - Macy's is everywhere, now. I still have a really hard time with them being in Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Chicago. But I get confused easily.
I see three more Burlington items to add to the list. I love to see the bookmobile come up the drievway.
Owls eat about anything so Boris better be careful with the leftovers in his trough.
Mets indeed! The Red Sox are not quite in free fall, but it won't be much longer until the Boston sportswriters start rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Actally, the AL Central is probably the most interesting area right now.
Eric - Hope you are doing o.k.
Pete - Post away if you want.
DD1 - Half the fun of this place is sitting back and "listening" to the chatter.
The picture of the Napierville Junction caboose which ran the other day inspired me to dig out a piece on Rouses Point that I posted awhile back. Here goes for those who missed it the first time.
Of Berkshires and Roundhouse Cats
The Delaware and Hudson is an old operation, originally founded some 160 years ago as a canal company to tap the rapidly growing Pennsylvania anthracite business. Anthracite gradually succumbed to the inroads of oil and natural gas which were cheaper, cleaner, and infinitely easier to handle. After all, why shovel coal or tend a stoker when you could heat your house by flicking a switch?
Declining anthracite traffic forced the D&H to look elsewhere for business. They exploited bridge traffic (handling freight quickly between connecting railroads) and also became a major carrier of paper and forest products. Thus the slogan on their boxcars, "The Bridge Line Between New England and Canada."
With time, the D&H became somewhat eccentric. They were not a New England railroad in the true sense of the phrase, but they acted like one. They dieselized early, replacing their steam engines with a fleet of Alco road switchers which burbled and smoked their way between Pennsylvania and the Canadian border. The somber black and yellow paint of the early diesels gave way to a handsome gray and blue livery highlighted by yellow stripes.
The Delaware and Hudson remained solvent while all those around them drowned in a sea of red ink. While nominally independent, the D&H was actually controlled by a holding company called Dereco which also owned the Erie-Lackawanna, a bloated and tarnished remnant of two once-proud railroads. Dereco was in turn controlled by the voracious and profitable Norfolk and Western, thereby creating a Gordian knot of ownership which kept the lawyers happy. Neither the N&W nor the D&H liked the arrangement, and the D&H managed to break loose and go its own way. This is when the eccentricity became more visible.
The gray and blue livery gave way to blue and yellow, green and yellow, or red and yellow, or red, white, and blue on a few engines. The old Alcos were traded, scrapped, or rebuilt to squeeze a few more miles out of them. The D&H actively solicited passenger traffic and for awhile ran what was arguably the classiest passenger train in the east. Their PAs stood out in a desert of Amtrak blandness as they operated in daily service between Albany and Montreal. If that were not enough, the Baldwin freight engines that were on the property represented a change from the Alco monolith of the 1950s and 60s.
Rouses Point, New York - especially in the winter - is at the end of the world. Rouses Point exists because of two things: the Canadian border and the Delaware and Hudson Railway. Rouses Point is the North Pole of the Delaware and Hudson. The town's life is tied to the ebb and flow of the railroad's traffic. The citizen's outlook is torn between nervousness over Quebecois politics and the more prosaic concerns of trying to scratch out a living and run a railroad in the pinched meanness of the North Country.
There is still time, however to sit down to a breakfast of oatmeal, ham and eggs, home fries, toast or donuts, and coffee, before going out to work in the cold, and talk about hunting, ice fishing, or hockey.
It never seems to snow in Rouses Point. The snow is always there, like the wind and the gray sky. The snow squishes underfoot, blows in clouds around you, or sits passively; waiting for you to slip and fall face down.
So it was that I found myself in Rouses Point. The D&H has a stone station at Rouses Point, a roundhouse of uncertain vintage (with a turntable), a small fuel facility, and a yard cluttered with mangled freight cars. Winter is tough on steel.
The roundhouse is really the heart of things; if only because it is warm. People can freeze outside, but diesels need some warmth when they are not running, lest they crack a block or become impossible to start because of weak batteries and congealed fuel.
Most roundhouses are filled with dogs, but Rouses point is alive with cats. Cats of all types - friendly and unfriendly - black cats, orange cats, red cats, white cats, calico cats. You never see many of them, but you know they are in the shadows, watching you with unmoving eyes.
It's Sunday morning, early, and there is not really much happening. The lights are on in the foreman's office and a small group of men are inside, clustered around the stove, and drinking coffee. The talk is of sick engines and bad cars, and the continual problems that they present to their keepers. This is the sort of talk heard on any railroad. Close your eyes and you could be in Radnor, Tennessee or Huntington, West Virginia.
Over in a corner somebody is making a fearsome din while hammering on a piece of metal. An elderly RS3 sits dead on one of the tracks. She has come in from the cold for her monthly inspection. Then, on the other track, I see her; looking strangely out of place.
She emerged from the fires of Lima in time to help win the war, and then beat the best that LaGrange, Beloit, and Eddystone could offer until the inevitable end. She sat neglected for years until she was brought back to life by the very Nickel Plate shops which spurned her so many years ago. This was Nickel Plate 759 - dead, cold, and impounded because of a political dispute. To this day, I have no idea what exactly she was doing at Rouses Point - probably hiding from those who would take her back.
The lady and I got reacquainted while she slept waiting awaiting her prince's kiss. I had seen her take the railroad apart on freight and excursion trains; listened as she walked up Horseshoe in 1969. Now she was at Rouses Point. Somehow, it did not seem the same, but I felt good knowing that she was in out of the cold and the snow. It wasn't Buffalo or Bellevue, but it was at least warm under the watchful eye of the roundhouse cats.
Any more guesses on PAs in freight service?
Slow day at the Bar by the Ballast with Lars 'n CM3 Shane in the early AM. Ya know, it may very well have been Ida Red!
The VIA Rail journey to Gaspé, Québec aboard the "Chaleur" continues:
These fotos are of the scenery along the way to Matapédia. Can just imagine how nice it all would've looked had the weather been more cooperative. But then, had we not been late in departing, we'd never have seen this in the dark! Something POSITIVE came out of it, afterall.
The train was hardly crowded ‘n it seemed as if we had just as many staff as passengers. But that really wasn't the case. The dome wasn't crowded at all nor was the lounge area of the Skyline car. Seems the passengers must've been content at their seats or in the bedrooms.
Will say this, the attendants were "buzzing" ‘round to make sure that whatever one wanted to order was quickly made available. After such a great breakfast, there wasn't room for much else. <phew>
Pix from Day Five: Monday - May 28th, 2007 - aboard VIA Rail's CHALEUR in Quebéc, Canada: <fotos taken from 09:00 on . . . >
The combined "Chaleur & Ocean" heading toward Matapédia. Note the Renaissance cars.
Tired ‘n feeling it - But lovin' the dome!
High ‘n Dry!
Matapedia
Good afternoon Tom and all present. Drinks are on me. I'll have the usual. I just received some links from Chile. It is quiet long, but I know you will enjoy it. Chileans seem to be as passionate about trains as we are. The link is of the Pablo Neuruda railroad museum in Temuco, Chile. Most of it is in Spanish, but the pictures are well worth it. Crank up the sound. P.S. How do I post pictures in these messages?
http://www.museoferroviariotemuco.cl/video/index.html
I posted this over on the other thread, but realized there are two threads, one for "Our Place" and the other for "Classic Trains including Traction". Am I doing this right?
A pint of Bathams please RUTH.
ERIC All the best and I hope you are soon back at the bar. Watch out for Artie the Owl on your late night visits.
RON Many thanks for that link to David Fletcher's superb models, there is a lot to look at on the site and it is well worth it. Thanks for sharing.
LARS Glad you survived the shopping. One of the main puzzles to me is why our bride's can't understand why we don't get the same pleasure on their shopping outings as they do.
Yes Tom was very restrained with the VIA rail guy, mind you the guy wasn't around very much, leaving it to the Ocean crew to answer the passengers.
Many thanks for the link to the ALCO PAs and FAs, it was as a shame the prime mover was not as successful as could have been. The PAs certainly looked the part in that Santa Fe livery. although the D&H dark blue livery suited them very well also.
It is OK VITO the HIT as assured me that, when the penthouse tapes are turned into DVDs in Amsterdam, they won't work over here.
Thanks for more Burlington book covers. That is an impressive photo of the steam locomotive on the CB&Q in color book
CM3 It seems you are having the weather as they have in Scotland, where they say, "If you don't like it hang on for half an hour and it will change"
Thanks I will use your NH post on Encore Saturday.
Many thanks for reposting the ‘Of Berkshires and Roundhouse Cats'. I remember it from before but really enjoyed reading it again. A fantastic description the roundhouse at Rouses Point, having visited depots in the UK in the old days (when a polite request to the foreman would often allow a look round, days long gone I'm afraid.). I can picture the scene, and the feeling of coming across something unexpected, like 759.
TOM That looks bad news from VIA rail, at the present time a strike would be the last thing they would want, I think. It must be approaching peak holiday time as well.
I did like the photo that accompanied the article though.
I guess the Ida Lewis you knew was not the same lady who was a lighthouse keeper, interested to hear more, of course
Yes that is David Shepherd who is featured in the DVD. He is a very talented painter of steam locos, as well as wildlife, capturing locos in the last days of the Southern steam at Nine Elms (London) and Guilford loco sheds, he bought two steam locomotives in 1967.
Many thanks for the next part of our trip on the Chalaur. With the late departure it did cut in to the sleeping hours but as you say it well worth getting up, as it was daylight for that 4-hour part of journey is usually in the dark. Matapedia station looks a lot like a slightly larger version of some of the stations on the West Highland line in Scotland
I wonder who is going to look after ARTIE's field mice. I am worried the Track Gang could turn late Friday night into ‘Field Mice Racing Night'.
Well it was RUTH when I started but now it is LEON as a thunderstorm accompanied, with very heavy rain, passed through this afternoonand I though it best to get off the puter, anyway another pintwith a round and, of course some of H&H's Fish ‘N' Chips for .I hope ARTIE is not a fish owl as it could cause problems with FROSTBITE.
Hello Tom
Am I in too early fro mentor village bakery stuff - if so I'll have to wait - coffee machine on yet? If so I'll have one!
I'm enjoying the continuing Gaspe narrative report - the short instalments is a nice way to do it - digestible chunks of info.
You asked Pete about David Shepherd and indeed your link is to the guy. Though regulars might like this picture he did :
http://www.railart.co.uk/gallery/shepherd5.html
and some info about his own locomotive
"Black Prince taking a seaside holidayDavid Shepherd's 9F 2-10-0 Black Prince is taking a trip to the Norfolk seaside. In mid-August, it will depart for the North Norfolk Railway (the Poppy Line) and this is believed to be the first time ever that a member of the class has visited this part of the world"
and here he is beside it:
http://www.gwsr.com/assets/images/DavidShepherdESR.jpg
Pete - I think you mentioned art deco stations on the London Underground - there are certainly plenty that were built as London expanded in the 1930s - here are some good pics - but we have plenty of use of brick as well as concrete - kind of making the point DD1 made in a way!
http://thincities.tfl.gov.uk/projects/station.php?id=4
http://thincities.tfl.gov.uk/projects/station.php?id=5
http://thincities.tfl.gov.uk/projects/station.php?id=6
http://thincities.tfl.gov.uk/projects/station.php?id=7
Tom - you asked about the Underground repairs mess - this is indeed a mess - and sadly typical of private organisations who bit of more than they can chew after politicians believe the ‘funny money men' can deliver all - of course what happens is the taxpayer has to step in and bail it out - costs more than juts biting the bullet and paying for the work in the first place - but the consultants seem to walk away with their fees safely trousered!
This report outlines the situation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,,2129733,00.html
This article gives a rather thoughtful commentary
http://www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,,2129574,00.html
Pete - I always enjoyed riding the Bullied designed cars on the Bluebell line - so well restored too. There are some good pics here - the lozenge shape above the door window is characteristic of these coaches
http://www.semg.org.uk/coach/bullco01.html
and some nice interior pictures showing superbly restored examples here:
http://www.semg.org.uk/coach/bullco-int1.html
They have obviously used restored upholstery patterns too to get the correct period feel
I'll have to watch out for the Railway Magazine DVD - maybe I'd better buy a copy of this months magazine.
DD1 - interesting Chile link - I'd never heard of that museum - good to know it is out there.
CM3 - good story which I enjoyed reading.
Lars - nice to see you in.
Regards
It's THAT day again - FRIDAY, perhaps the best of ‘em all! Well, at least when quitin' time rolls ‘round, eh
Join us in a mugga freshly ground ‘n brewed coffee, some pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery. And let's not forget to order a <light> or <traditional> breakfast from our Menu Board!
Big news of the day for yesterday involved Juneau. He had his "annual" visit to the Vet. Came through with flying colors, however, he surely doesn't like the experience. Have to give him a mild sedative before we embark upon his worst day of the year. It begins with putting him into the car and goes down hill from there. Fortunately, "his" crate fits quite well into the wagon, and he finds a degree of solice in it - not much.
He's an aggressive little Farkle, and I'm a living example of what a frantic Husky can do to one trying to be a calming influence when he's unhappy. <groan> Muzzle-time, big time! <phew> <grin> He's 51 months old, weighs in at 59 pounds ‘n is perhaps the most "talkative" animal I've ever encountered.
Before I totally forget this - and I've neglected to mention it several times - THANX to Lars for helping to keep "my other Thread" up ‘n running. While we haven't attracted that many from over there, at least we can "credit" a few from that source over the long haul of this joint. The ONLY way to keep this place functioning is to TRY attracting new customers. It really doesn't take much - just a foto now ‘n then, with perhaps a bit of narrative. Something - anything - to keep it going.
Lars (LoveDomes) at 7:45 AM Thursday - July 19th: Been quite awhile since yours was the 1st of the day! Sure is a different start to things without our Nocturnal Resident Desert Swede - who by the way, I'm hoping is doing well.
My mother used to think going to Macy's "in the city" <translated: Manhattan> was the cat's meow. For us in those days, we either took a bus to the ferry then the subway, or a "long distance" bus through New Jersey via the Bayonne Bridge ‘n then through the Holland Tunnel to Times Square. Then a subway ride down to 34th Street.
I'm guessing there's a <link> . . . These days I just can't imagine making that trip with so many alternatives available elsewhere. Can't figger ‘em out, can we <grin>
Just think, had your bride decided on making it an evening shopping trip, you could've gotten caught up in that mid-town steam explosion! Now THAT would've ruined your day, fer sure, fer sure. So, count your "blessings," Mate!
Good thinking about feeding Artie the Owl - on the back porch, yes - outside PULEEZE!
With reference to the Montreal "experience," let me just say that it was the SECOND not so happy occurrence we encountered up there. I refrained from getting into the first because it had more to do with ignorance ‘n rudeness encountered during our trip in from the airport to downtown. Something Pete ‘n I won't soon forget.
You are correct about the Skyline cars, Budd was "on it" when they manufactured those. Coming off the Renaissance and into the Budd cars surely gave Pete all the perspective one needed to make the assessment that there just isn't a favorable comparison. Renaissance is without charm, whereas Budd has lots of it.
Many thanx for the PA/FA links along with those fine Burlington Route book covers!
Visit ‘n round most appreciated!
CM3 Shane (coalminer3) at 8:06 AM Thursday - July 19th: Ida Red, Ida Red - so the song goes. Ida RedTraditionalSource: Everywhere from Clifftop to The Clash. Arrangement: Uncle EarlIda Red, Ida Green, prettiest girl I ever seen.Ida Red, Ida Blue, I got stuck on Ida too.Ida Red, Ida White, love her true I think I might.Ida Red, Ida Pink, saw her in town gave me a wink.Ida Red, She ain't no fool. She could ride a straddle of a humpback mule.If I'da listened what Ida said, I'd be sleepin' in Ida's bed.Ida Red, Ida Yellow. Wish that I could be her fellow.Ida Red, She's comin' to town. Wrote me a letter she's comin' down....Ida Red, I dunno. Should I stay or should I go now?!
Ida RedTraditionalSource: Everywhere from Clifftop to The Clash. Arrangement: Uncle EarlIda Red, Ida Green, prettiest girl I ever seen.Ida Red, Ida Blue, I got stuck on Ida too.Ida Red, Ida White, love her true I think I might.Ida Red, Ida Pink, saw her in town gave me a wink.Ida Red, She ain't no fool. She could ride a straddle of a humpback mule.If I'da listened what Ida said, I'd be sleepin' in Ida's bed.Ida Red, Ida Yellow. Wish that I could be her fellow.Ida Red, She's comin' to town. Wrote me a letter she's comin' down....Ida Red, I dunno. Should I stay or should I go now?!
Ida Red, Ida Green, prettiest girl I ever seen.Ida Red, Ida Blue, I got stuck on Ida too.
Ida Red, Ida White, love her true I think I might.Ida Red, Ida Pink, saw her in town gave me a wink.
Ida Red, She ain't no fool. She could ride a straddle of a humpback mule.If I'da listened what Ida said, I'd be sleepin' in Ida's bed.
Ida Red, Ida Yellow. Wish that I could be her fellow.Ida Red, She's comin' to town. Wrote me a letter she's comin' down....
Ida Red, I dunno. Should I stay or should I go now?!
Man if the Boston scribes have their knickers in a knot, they should cover the "home team" in St. Louis. Never know jus
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Weather is foggy here this a.m. after the area got hammered with some interesting thunderstorms yesterday - usual powerlines down, trees uprooted, etc. It's supposed to clear up later today and maybe be decent for the weekend.
OSPs travelogue continues, and we're off to Matapedia (Algonquin for, "Big soft place in the middle of track 2 that swallows freight cars.")
Then you had to deal with "Take the dog to the vet." That calls for the barkeep to dust off the bottle of the good stuff which we keep on the top shelf for special occasions. You give the dog a shooter, then give yourself two, etc. Pretty soon, everyone is sedated and it works out pretty well. Our K9 Korps member (only one at present) came back from the kennel the other day. We got him groomed and trimmed for the summer. I asked the cashier what I got for all that money, and she said, "A naked dog." He does look a little silly right now, but it will all grow back. He's much more comfortable and we don't have to deal with treating hot spots, and other summer induced problems.
Ida Red, indeed. Bob Wills did a good rendition of that tune. Maybe we can find it on the jukebox along with "San Antonio Rose."
Field Mouse Racing - yikes! We have that at the house every fall, when the weather gets cold and our little friends look for warm places to hide.
Red Sox are folding up like a cardboard suitcase in a heavy rain. As I always say, "Do the math." The number of people left on base is revealing as is their batting average both with runers on aand with runners in scoring position. August is always tough on them, too and we're not even there yet.
DD1 - Thanks for the information. You'll find we're interested in all sorts of stuff. It's the good meaning of being called "curious."
Pete - Good to hear from you, sir.
DL sent material as well. David Shepherd's work reminds me of that of Ted Rose. If you have not seen his book In The Traces, try and find a copy - you'll really enjoy looking at it.
"Black Prince" - excellent name for a fine looking piece of power.
Speaking of underground, I rode several subway lines when I was in Boston last week. Parts of that system are always under construction. Latest item since my last trip were completion of the new station at Charles St.
The Riverside line is being completely rebuilt so it is not in service this summer. This line has an interesting history as it was formerly a Boston and Albany branch line which was converted to trolley service a long time ago. That being said, a lot of the old railroad stations were retained. It had some stretches of urban operation as well as some areas which ran through open country which gave it a true interurban flavor. PCCs did the work when I was living in the area, there. They were replaced by LRVs which have since been replaced by new cars.
I also rode part of the Cleveland Circle Line as I took the huns to Kenmore so we could take a tour of Fenway Park. This also included a stop at a new sports bar; have to see what the competition is doing, you know - fine looking staff, I must say, but they have neither the mascots nor the "high class" clientele that we do here. No Boris, it's a spittoon, not a helmet.
Underground, there are traces of the old system left if you know where to look, including pieces of tunnels that are no longer in use, etc. Also, the Type 5 and PCC cars are still in storage at Boylston (tarped, but partially visible. These cars are in good shape, sometimes used in fan trips, and painted traction orange as God intended them to be.
Hi Tom
Looks like a transatlantic translation problem again - when I say 'coffee machine' I mean the equipment that percolates the hot stuff through the fresh ground stuff - maybe you call that a percolator I'm not sure. I certainly don't mean one of those machines that pumps out the chemical coffee from the dehydrated brown soluble stuff - no way - if I saw one of those in Our Place I'd fear the place was under new ownership! Migth even be tempted to try and remove the equipment myself - the rule is never (nevah) drink anything from one of those!
Well, I'll have another mug of the fresh ground please and one for anyone who wants to join me!
CM3 - interesting Boston transit info - one of the interesting things for me about visiting a new city is checking out the urban transit system - equipment, network etc etc - cheapest way to get to grips with a city is a one day public transit pass and a transit map - in my experience - a day riding the system tells you more about any city than any number of guidebooks and guided tours I would say!
PS - looked like Fall edition of Classic Trains arived on the door mat this morning - not had time to read it yet - is summer really nearly over?
Good morning Tom and all in attendance. What's your pleasure? Mine is a hot corned beef sandwich on Jewish rye, hand sliced(not machine sliced, Stage Deli style) and a Guinness draught. The last time I was in New York was 14 months ago. My wife and I drove up there in a Chevy pickup with Mississippi plates. You don't see many of them around. After the token visits to see the highlights of the city, a subway ride and bus ride, we decided we saw enough of the city. When you have been away from a place for so long and return, you expect to see things in the same way as in our memories. It doesn't work. Even the venerable Stage Delicatesan wasn't the same. Meat was now sliced on a machine. The corned beef was much more lean, but the size of the sandwich was about the same, only much more expensive. Probably the last time I ate a real corn beef sandwich at the Stage was almost 50 years ago and the taste has lingered with me ever since. Strange how a taste can linger for so long. I know this is , but I thought some of you ex NY'ers might remember. The worst thing was, I met a childhood friend and although the meeting was amiable, he just wasn't the same guy I grew up with. I've tried to get him to visit in Ms, but he's a diehard NY'er. Ms would be a complete new experience like no other in the world. Enough of this rambling.
DL: I liked the links to the underground stations. The thing I like best, is the links to other sites afforded by just a few links. I found the same thing when I researched railways in Chile. I got more information than I had counted on to the point of it being overwhelming. I hope you had a chance to see my link and note the roundhouse at the lower right of the home site. The sounds are also very inspiring. That sound of a train whistle and escaping steam can bring tears (and it does) to one's eyes. Train spotting is a much more active activity in the UK than it is here, at least that's what I read. Unless you lived around and depended on trains, the interest level is minimal among today's youth's. Nascar is the big thing here with young people(those>40).
Got to go now as the missus is calling me for lunch. Regards to all or as they say in Spanish, Requerdos al todas.
Ruth, it's Friday! I'll have a Larsman special hero of ham, Swiss, mustAHd ‘n buttAH with two extra large ‘n crunchy pickles from the barrel. And noooooooow, Boris, let's get going with the treats for the crittAHs - tray ‘o seeds for Awk - bucket of ice cubes for Frostbite - saucer o' brine for Tex ‘n a field mouse for Artie <outback, please!>. And yes, the small jar of pickled pig's feet is yours! <grin>
A round for the house ‘n keep the change my radiant beauty! <blush>
Looks like Shane has been in twice since my last visit, Pete once, along with three from Dan ‘n four from Ron. So, we're at least we're maintaining forward momentum quite nicley.
Must make a direct comment regarding those wonderful pix from the Cap'n. Amazing how they've piled up since you ‘n the wolfman came back from Canada. Please don't STOP ‘em from coming. I surely am enjoying what you've provided ‘n am looking forward to all that you feel are "presentable" to those of us at the bar! <grin>
Ida Red! Now there's a song that takes me back. Used to know a guy who was forever singing those lyrics while he worked. One day, he nearly wound up in the drink, as for some reason, the "needle" just kept getting stuck on the SAME part - over ‘n over! <geesh> <grin>
Since when are "names" important in matters of the heart?? Oooooooops, sorry RUTH! <ahem> Of course I wasn't referring to present times ‘n people!
For Pete: Listen wolfman Pete - you've gotta get those tapes back. We just can't have the goings on in our Penthouse Suite "entertaining" your friends in Europe. Vito is involved, you say? Now that's a twist, as he's a personal friend of our Proprietor. Gotta check this out - probably will have to enlist the services of Inspector Cluess ‘n his erstwhile assistant, Mr. Doyle, PI. Now you've done it . . . . <groan>
Women ‘n shopping simply blow me out of the water. She KNOWS I detest even the thought of going with her and yet she insists I do. Must be a "control" thing . . . <grin>
But if I happen to want to stop off in the hardware section of a store, or the automotive, or . . . well, that gets her looking at he watch. As if the posted sale hours for her "stuff" are about to end within the minute! <arrrrgggghhhh>
For Shane: In reference to sportswriters - NY is as bad if not worse than Boston when it comes to baseball coverage. I mean this is a city where the Yanks are paid highly to bring it all home, every year. So the Mets are expected to fall in somewhere in that expectation - New York ‘n all. Gets mighty boring in my opinion. I'll admit that our group of "mercenaries" <as Tom calls ‘em> stacks up there with the best of ‘em, so there's some justification for the expectations. All crap to me. I just like watching ‘em win, but surely don't get myself wrapped ‘round the axle over it.
I think the first Macys I ever saw outside of New York City was in Philadelphia. Again, I said "I think." And that was sooooooo long ago. Now they're everywhere, kinda like fly <doo doo>.
For Ron: Nice link from Ron - I viewed it all ‘n enjoyed the works of Pablo Neruda. Some super stuff for Classic Steam era. Nice selection from our Mississippi Connection. Chile appears to be a fascinating country for railroading.
Now, if you can't figure out "things" on the forums, no doubt our Proprietor will guide you through it all. There's a "link" to how to post photos right at the top of the forum page where you find "Our" Place - go to the General Discussions page for Classic Trains. Look at the top of the listings - it's right there.
There's NO PLACE on earth that can rival a deli san dwich from New York City. No place! I like a hard roll, crunchy pickle slice, and . . . . also a hot pastrami on rye with some sauerkraut. Ummmmmmm. Like corned beef too - but ONLY on St. Pat's Day! <grin>
For Dan: Man oh man did I spend some time checking out the artists link! Some great RR works ‘n makes me wonder how much wall space is enough?? <grin>
A huge difference between our sides of the pond is that you expend much effort to "present" your underground, whereas to us a subway is just that. I like your way better - fine links too!
In reading through the situation with that work contracted for the underground, makes me wonder. Private sector to me always spells P-R-O-F-I-T. Question is, at what cost? A sure-fire "mess" in Merrie Olde. This could rival the "Big Dig" scandal still taking place in Bahstun (Boston).
Glad you "clarified" that comment regarding the coffee making ‘round here. I know the Cap'n takes great pride in brewing only the finest from Juan Valdez' Colombian coffee plantation. <grin>
Here are a few more book covers to check out . . . .
Underground London - Travels Beneath The City Streets. [Stephen Smith.]
The Story of London's Underground. [John R. Day & John Reed.]
Thanx to DL - CM3 Shane - Lars 'n DD1 for the appearances today! ACKNOWLEDGMENTS tomorrow . . .
The VIA Rail journey to Gaspé, Quebéc aboard the "Chaleur" continues:
Arrival at Matapédia was somewhat of a treat in that it was the first time I'd ever seen the "break up" of the train at that location. All of my prior arrivals at that destination (since 1990) were in the dark. I used to sit up in the dome of the Park Car, no matter what the hour, and try to figure out how things were being done . . . now I know! Best place to view the evolution is from the dome!
The attendants from both trains, along with many passengers were milling about the station platform as crews began the process to separate the trains.
Got reacquainted with "Melanie" - our terrific service car attendant from our west bound trip on the "Ocean" and "Roscoe" - also an "Ocean" crew member with a fine sense of humor. They were making the return trek to Halifax after the Sunday "turn around" in Montréal. Must say that the crews aboard the "Ocean" - both ways - were in stark POSITIVE contrast to those aboard the "Chaleur."
Sounding like a broken record, this really was a hi-lite for me . . . I doubt that there'll be a next time. Only thing better, would have been cooperative weather conditions.
Pix from Day Five: Monday - May 28th, 2007 - aboard VIA Rail's CHALEUR in Quebec, Canada: <fotos taken from 09:00 on . . . >
Matapédia, Québec - note the "run around" track to the rear of the station.
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Look closely at these next fotos - this is the sequence of "breaking up" with the "Ocean" at Matapédia. <Oh, but for a clear sky morning!>
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Guess who?
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That's the "Ocean" crew in the background - our Chef to the right.
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Now to disconnect two of those F40PHs . . .
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Saturday is ENCORE! - and - Photo Posting Day!
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