G'day Gents!
I see CM3 Shane 'n Manager Lars have been "in" - good to see ya, both!
The VIA Rail journey from Gaspé, Quebéc aboard the "Chaleur" continues:
The views from and in the dome on the final day of our Canadian Railway Adventure continue as we made our way to Montréal. The dual consist of "Chaleur-Ocean" backed into Central Station with the "Ocean" on one side of the platform and "Chaleur" on the other. An interesting evolution to witness from the dome, something totally missed when traveling in Renaissance consists or trains without domes.
Montréal's Central Station approach is beneath Place Bonaventure (retail & business complex) - watch for the lettering!
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The approach to Montréal's Central Station
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AMT commuter train departing Central Station
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To be continued . . .
Tom
Ahoy Cap'n Tom 'n fellow travelers at the bar!
Ruth, my deAH, a mugga Joe with a jolt, round for the guys, treats for the crittAHs, small jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris 'n the change is yours! <phewL
Best regards to the guys who have been keeping this joint rockin' these past weeks. THANKS to Eric - Pete - Dan - Ron - Allan 'n of course CM3 I'm NOT Shane! <grin> Have a tankard of ale on me! Oooooops, best not leave out the guy who makes this place HAPPEN - Cap'n Tom!
All this talk of domes has made me think about 'em more 'n more. So here's a departure from my routine morning dribble, something that I know was provided over on the old site a few times . . . but very appropriate for today!
Dome car
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Former California Zephyr dome car in excursion train service with the Inland Lakes Railway -- Plymouth, Florida.
A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that can include features of a lounge car, dining car and an observation. Its primary feature is a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. Seats in the dome were considered "non-revenue" like lounge car seats. When dome cars operate today in excursion trains, the dome seats often command a premium fare.
Configuration
A plan view diagram of the Challenger dome car, built in 1958 by Pullman-Standard as Union Pacific Dome Coach #7015, the last such car built.
A portion of the car, usually in the center of the car, is split between two levels, with stairs leading both up and down from the train's regular passenger car floor level. The lower level of the dome usually contained the car's restrooms or a small lounge area, while the upper portion was usually coach or lounge seating within a "bubble" of glass on the car's roof. Passengers in the upper portion of the dome were able to see in all directions from a vantage point above the train's roofline.
On some dome cars, the lower portion was outfitted with a galley, where car attendants used dumbwaiters to transfer items between the galley and a dining area in the dome portion of the car.
History
The upper level interior of a dome car that has been configured as a dining area, on display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Although the design of a dome car can be likened to a cupola caboose, the dome car's development is not directly related. The earliest documented predecessor of the dome car was first developed in the 1880s; known at the time as the "birdcage car", it was used on an 1882 sightseeing tour on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. In 1891, T. J. McBride received a patent for a car design called an "observation-sleeper"; illustrations of the design in Scientific American at the time showed a car with three observation domes. Canadian Pacific Railway used "tourist cars" with raised, glass-sided viewing cupolas on their trains through the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the 1920s.
These dome car designs did not prove successful, and further refinements to the idea didn't come for a few decades. The first successful dome cars were conceived by Cyrus Osborn of General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). In 1944, while traveling in an EMD-built Rio Grande locomotive through Glenwood Canyon in Colorado, it was Mr. Osborn that recognized the wonderful views the passengers could enjoy from a panoramic dome. His idea was to provide a full 360-degree view from above the train in newly built "Vista-Dome" cars.
Mr. Osborn took the idea to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q). The CB&Q took a stainless steel
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house, and $ for the Jukebox. Well, it's August now which means we get heavy fog in the morning followed by boiling heat later in the day. Gas is about $2.83 right now.
We have a winner! Lars is correct abt. Bureau of Mines and helium. Prize is a collection of classic timetables from the Greater Mentor Zeppelin Commutation and Resupply Company. I'll say that their business has dropped of since Nick no longer uses them for shipments.
Today we have comments and stories.
DD1 is going to favor us with some information on the Mississippi Export. I just have one question, do they still go to Peekaboo? MS short lines are truly fascinating. I have been a Columbus and Greenville devotee for a lot of years, if only because of their Baldwin diesels. Looking forward to your post.
Many people don't look out the window when they ride, especially in the Northeast Corridor. I remember a long while back now when we were traveling back to WV from Boston (via a long convoluted routing.) The first leg of the trip was via parlor car from Boston to Penn Station where we were going to take the Broadway west. I know, Awk, try and do any of that now. Well, here we are riding along with a bunch of suits engrossed in the Wall Street Journal and other devotional reading. We pull into Providence only to see that the Ringling Bros. red train was on the track adjacent to us. We stopped beside several carloads of elephants, and all papers went down, the suits got up and crowded around the windows to see what was going on . So if the motivation is there...
Pete - Towers are called "cabins" on the C&O. Of course, a "cabin car" was a caboose on the PRR. I would like to have seen the exhibit you described. Incidentally, a lot of C&O branch line traffic ran by train order when I moved here - I used to sit in with a couple of dispatchers now and then and it was interesting to watch them set up a three-way meet all on paper. They still kept a handwritten train sheet (pen and ink) as God intended it. Those sheets were huge. Oh well, another story for the rendezvous.
GWR - didn't that stand for "God's Wonderful Railway?" I still favor the LMS.
Allan - Good to hear from you.
Eric - Don't know about you, but I can still drink coffee late and fall asleep.
Regarding GM&O 5 vs 3 - the schedule included longer dwell times at station on the night train - no doubt to work mail. The New Haven deliberately ran their Boston-New York overnights slowly not only for a better ride, but also because the distances were relatively short. Amtrak did the same thing with 66 and 67. I do miss the sleeper on that train as I used it a lot.
Mike's here with a bunch of pictures. Every link worked but the Jack Delano item.
First, I copied the article - he was a character.
GM&O 101 (E7) is, of course, in Alton colors. Check out the horn cluster, the firecracker radio antenna, and the whistle post (it's in the right hand corner of the photo."
The picture of the RS1 in Chicago is outstanding. I want them to move the cuts of cars so we can look at the UP sleepers and the PRR observation which is barely visible at the rt. Hand margin of the photo. The REA car beside the locomotive probably carried Stonewall's troops to Manassas. In contrast to that, there is a SOU COFC in the far background. Last for the MOW folks in the group, check out the double slip switches.
The ad material is good - the GM&O PA in the picture is, unless my eyes deceive me, at St. Louis.
I have the TT with the Fred Harvey ad in it somewhere in the piles of stuff.
I'll withhold comments on the ME material until we hear more about the railroad.
The Connie and the LA street car - "holy cow!," as Harry used to say.
OSP - Helium material. I have seen several photo albums put together by the Bureau of Mines back when the program was very active. Also read some of the reports on the program as I have an interest in lighter than air flying machines (rigid frame and blimps).
Enjoyed seeing the pictures of Montreal, and the Park cars on the CanAm. It took me awhile to figure out where the passengers were. But than it came to me, they're all below in the lounge because the trains are stopped. Or was it a refreshment stop at Our Place?
I was surprised to see how the GM&O "took off" this week. Also, didn't Pittsburgh take the Cardinals through the sawmill last night?
Work safe
<courtesy: www.viarail.ca>
Mid-week in mid-continent USA ‘n it's HOT! <frown> Supposed to reach 95 (F) - but last year at this time we were plus 100. So, we takes what we gets! <grin>
Menu Board features <light> ‘n <traditional> breakfasts. The Mentor Village Bakery case is chock full of freshly baked pastries ‘n the coffee's freshly ground ‘n brewed. What's your pleasure
3rd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in Chicago 2008 dates have been firmed up - arrival on Thurs, May 15th - departure Sun, May 18th. Send me an Email if you're interested in attending . . . All planning ‘n discussion of this event will remain out of the bar ‘til things get firmed up. So, Email is IT.
Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative):
CM3 Shane (coalminer3) at 8:59 AM Wednesday - Aug 1st: Your Email was received ‘n responded to - thanx!
Teleservice Suppression Manager! Really?? Good Gawd Gertie, what's next
Looks like Lars answered your question regarding the helium program. And WHERE do you come up with such "stuff"!!?? <grin>
Some super fine GM&O material! Nice choice.
Quarters, round, visit ‘n GM&O info very much appreciated . . .
Lars (LoveDomes) at 10:31 AM Wednesday - Aug 1st: As always, our Manager comes through with a fine AM Post!
Nice pick-up on the GM&O!
Yeah, Sonia was perhaps the "brightest" note aboard that train . . . <grin>
Sometime we should compare notes - by Email - regarding our boot camp experiences. There's always a propensity to reveal far more personal info on these Pages than should be. Especially with so many "anon" people out there ‘n Gawd knows how many disingenuous ones at that.
Cards got knocked out in the 1st inning last nite in Pittsburgh - not pretty. <ugh>
Round appreciated along with visit . . .
Ron (DD1) at 11:36 AM Wednesday - Aug 1st: USCG info of interest to only me . . . had read about it in one of the "periodicals" I receive as a retiree. Appreciate your thoughtfulness!
Responded to the "dome talk" comment. Again, totally concur about most of the people who do those things - very annoying. However, as stated in my ‘special Post,' those folks were not being loud, rude or otherwise distracting. Just commuting to work on a daily basis ‘n my guess is they could inventory, from memory, all of the trees, poles, cows, etc. between Drummondville ‘n Montréal.
By the by "Over ‘n Out" is INCORRECT radiotelephone procedure. "Over" means "I'm finished, your turn" whereas "Out" means I'm finished ‘n do not expect a response nor is one required. How do I know this? Used to instruct military R/T procedure way back when things like that "counted" for something. <grin>
Thanx for the visit ‘n round . . .
Dan (DL-UK) at 12:10 PM Wednesday - Aug 1st: Good to see ya "in," Mate!
I've summed up my thoughts a few times regarding those who are derisive regarding the pleasure of others. It's a sick society that nurtures these creeps; ‘nuf said from me.
Visit appreciated . . .
Pete (pwolfe) at 9:16 PM Wednesday - Aug 1st: Yes, winter never goes away in the high mountain country of the Can-Am! As you discovered, one gets the "feeling" of winter just by taking in the sights of the mountain village, the surrounding forests with snow covered evergreens ‘n of course Mt. Mentor itself! <grin>
Had been considering one of those "take a chance" round trips to KCity for a short turnaround on the 12:30 PM eastbound. Gave it up in that I'm really not excited about 4 hours out there by myself, especially if there's nothing special going on at Union Station.
Also pretty much scrapped my long held desire to take the train from Winnipeg up to Churchill this fall. We've decided on a short Missouri-getaway during the Thanksgiving break from the university instead. One day that train to polar bear country will happen!
Hart, Bart and Fargo
You are so correct about the material condition of our Skyline car. The dome was in terrific condition. I've traveled in a few Park cars where the glass was most times "cloudy," damaged or a combination of both and of course always in need of scrubbing. That surely puts a damper on the wonder of it all . . .
Glad you made it "in," was wonderin' what happened. Sonia came to town??
Round, chat, info ‘n visit appreciated . . .
Allan (Gunneral) at 11:54 PM Wednesday - Aug 1st: My pleasure - glad the URLs worked. CRAFTS disease, indeed!
Hurry up ‘n wait is a "given" thr
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house
Catastrophe in Minneapolis. Structural failure seems inexcusable. Bridges should be built 10 times stronger than what they think will ever be necessary.
Allan, Hurry up and wait is famous in the U.S. Army too.
Boot camp at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Hot in August down there.
Growing System Time Magazine June 24, 1940 http://www.time.com/
In 1911 diminutive Isaac Burton Tigrett of Jackson, Tenn. took on the presidency of diminutive (48 miles) Birmingham & Northwestern Railroad as a sideline to his banking business. Eight years later he was a dyed-in-the-wool railroad man, head of Gulf, Mobile & Northern, and going strong. Four times in the next 20 years Railroader Tigrett enlarged his line, each time taking over another road, until he had 824 miles of right of way from Jackson to Mobile and New Orleans. Last week he stepped out of the diminutive class, stood to get a major trunk line from St. Louis to the Gulf.
For an upset price of some $11,000,000, the Mobile Federal Court ordered the properties of bankrupt Mobile & Ohio (St. Louis to Mobile) sold at foreclosure to G. M. & N., which already had ICC approval to absorb the larger road into a single, 2,007-mile system. First large railroad consolidation since 1934, it puts "Ike" Tigrett at the head of a new railroad named Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, which will start with a $31,870,000 funded debt and annual interest charges of $1,399,920 (about half the two roads' present fixed charges). An additional $6,025,800 of 5% bonds will pay interest only if earned, and dividends on the 305,750 shares of $5 preferred are on a similar basis. If G. M. & O. can jump those three hurdles, holders of its 609,847 common shares may see a dividend.
Most of the water to be squeezed out of M. & O. (in receivership since 1932) will shower on Southern Railway, owner of 94% of the ailing road's common, which will be wiped out. For $7,839,500 worth of M. & O. bonds Southern gets 93¢ on the dollar. To pay Southern off, G. M. & N. borrowed $7,500,000 from RFC last month, will get another $2,000,000 to pay additional merger expenses.
This setup will give modest, canny, homespun Ike Tigrett a chance to step up the $427,388 net profit his road made last year (M. & O, lost $440,924) to a respect able figure by getting a longer haul on a larger portion of the two lines' traffic. Al ready benefiting from the movement of industries to the South, he hopes to add more manufactured goods to the lumber, petroleum, bananas, etc. which are , the standbys of his new road. Now 60, not old as railroad presidents go, he has been a railroad president longer than any other U. S. railroader except Baltimore & Ohio's venerable ''Uncle Dan" Willard. He is also a pioneer of new railroading wrinkles.
First to introduce streamliners to the South with the Rebels (New Orleans to Jackson, Tenn.), he went competitors one better by stocking his streamliners with smart, good-looking college girls - the U. S.'s first train hostesses. Scheduled to pay for themselves in seven and a half years, the sleek, Diesel-powered stream liners paid out in less than half that time. In 1936 President Tigrett formed Gulf Transport Co. to handle freight over a coordinated rail-highway system. To it he added a passenger service with tickets interchangeable between busses and trains. Says he: "We believe in hauling as far as we can by rail and then the rest of the way by highway." A recent traveler on the line observed: "All over the system you see young faces. They believe in the railroad."
Gulf, Mobile & Northern 1939
http://photoswest.org/photos/00012126/00012185.jpg
Gulf, Mobile & Ohio
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=687612
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=692737
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_070_gm&o_veterans_bridge_st_louis_1970.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_068_gm&o_alco_s1_switcher.jpg
http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr5_066_gm&o_route_map_&_statistics.jpg
http://www.acmeme.org/gmo/index.htm
Amtrak in Phoenix 1987
http://www.railpictures.net/images/images2/r/rr5559.jpg.62199.jpg
Orient Express-type luxury service on 3 Amtrak trains beginning in November
http://grandluxerail.com/html/tours/GrandLuxeLimitedWash.html
British Railways Deltic "Royal Scots Grey" arriving Kings Cross from Edinburgh 1962
http://www.railpictures.net/images/images2/b/BS21750001BS2175.JPG.95916.jpg
Festiniog Railway oldie
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/ppmsc/07400/07419v.jpg
Dwight D. Eisenhower
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c10000/3c18000/3c18500/3c18511v.jpg
http://saulnadler.railfan.net/display.cgi?A-4_Dwight_Eisenhower.jpg
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=807973
New Zealand coal train
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=399646
Fred Harvey food service
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=43973
Mississippi Export Railroad
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=100807
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=550319
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=550320
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=550322
Constellation
http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Aircraft/NonCombatants/ConstellationBanking11oClock.jpg
Los Angeles streetcar
http://images.nycsubway.org/i17000/img_17342.jpg
Jack Delano's Super Chief
http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/1a34726u_1.jpg
Mike
Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Leon, my friend, still awake? A ham sandwich would be perfect, thank you! Coffee, please!
Just happened to stop by that other thread and found some pix of electrics from the old country! What is going on? Strange. Anyway, I just had to add some info on Class El 16.
The Class El 16 electrics are basically the same locos as Amtrak’s AEM-7 (and the Swedish Class Rc4), except the fronts and they are geared for 84 mph. They were originally built for the Norwegian State Railways 1977-1984 by ABB.
Tom – I don’t know about Amtrak’s future in Phoenix if that line is reopened. Lets hope for the best. Yeah, the $5 coffee helped a lot! Fell asleep right away after I had it! Must be decaf? Thanks for those NZ links! Interesting Garrats. I did not think they had any of those locos at all. The other site, Steam Incorporated had some very interesting railroad maps with a lot of info!I thought you would know everything about that USN box car! Thanks for the CanAm pictures of the dome cars! Approaching Montréal with your pictures! I just noticed that Pete and Sonia are missing! Hmm. Ron – The train in the photo of “the man at work keeping the trains running” was not moving. It was sitting there waiting for the afternoon rush hour several hours later.CM3 – No, Scottsdale is still east of us and I hope it will stay there. But some of it was flushed away. They got a lot of rain and we just a few drops. Dit you ever figure out about which was heavier of thoe tank cars carrying helium? The loaded or the empty ones? Interesting!Interesting info on the Gulf Mobile and Ohio Railroad! But how did train 5 manage to “waste” 7 1/2 hours from Chicago to St. Louis? Train 3 was 2 hours faster! Lars – Sandstorm? We have dust storms, that is more than enough so you can keep that old Rotary Plow in your back yard. I think you may be right about my stomach and fish deficiency. Just the word fish is sometimes enough. Thanks for the book covers! GM&O! The first book looks more interesting, a dynamic history of the Tigrett Road. I did some research about Tigrett Road and found that it was about Isaac Burton Tigrett, president of GM&O. Very interesting story! There was an article about him in Time May 7 1945! Ron – You are right about people riding trains. Most of them ignore what is on the outside of the windows, especially if they have somebody else to talk to. I think I am very much like you, I am looking at everything outside the window that has anything to do with the railroad. DL – I tried that link you gave to Pete and it worked just fine. Pete – I think the Hart, Bart and Fargo lawyers are pretty smart but mayne you can explain why both you and Sonia are missing in Tom’s pictures today? Hmm. Fish? That is cat food! Allan – Thanks for the info on that old standard gauge line!I am feeling better for each day, thank you! The last few days my stomach has not been 100% satisfied for whatever reason, but that is another story. I think "Hurry up and Wait" is a good advice, time is a great healer.
Eric
Hi Tom and all,
Leon, another round for the crew please, DB Draught if you like!
Tom. Thanx for correcting those darned URL`s for me, must have suffered that dreaded CRAFT disease again. See we were on the page at the same time earlier, tried to get a message to you but the window would`nt open properly DB Breweries also brews the Tui ale, used to drink the Draught but acquired a taste for Tui somehow.
Enjoyed perusing all your posts and pics, and thanks for the DB.
Eric. Glad you enjoyed the Tyneside electric page, it brought back a lot of nostalgia of my youth way back when, Tom did a great job of tidying up those other URL`s for you. Hope you are continuing to improve as time goes on, we used to have an old saying in the Brit army going "Hurry up and Wait", time is a great healer. As far as I know there was a standard gauge line from Bluff to Invercargill early on until it was re-gauged to 3ft 6in.
Lars. Garratts were an unusual loco used throughout the Brit Commonwealth, they had to have a lot of maintainance spent on them though, they were very successful in South and East Africa, and in Australia also. Enjoyed your posts as usual, great pics.
Dan. Glad you enjoyed the Tyneside electric page as well, I think the reason they de-electrified it was that the old stock was "clapped out" and also the power supply had to be replaced, the cheaper option was to run DMU`s instead, these were running the year we left. Deltics were great loco`s, was on the Tyne/Tees Pullman quite a lot and they would cruise at 100+ on the long stretches of the ECML with 12 car consists. An A4 would have been better though!
Pete. Glad you got through to that site OK, thanks to Tom, those G pacifics were`nt as pretty as the others on NZ railways were they? Really enjoying the discussion on the NE electrics and history, Locomotion used to be on the platform of Darlington station for a long time until they relocated it. Enjoyed all your info and pics.
DD1. We have a rail ferry service here between the North and South Islands, about a 3hr trip. Used to travel on the Holyhead to Dun Loughaire ferry now and again in the 50`s, had an army buddy who lived in Dublin, we used to have great long weekends on the Porter!
Shane. Enjoyed all your posts and info, i`ve certainly learned a lot about your systems back where you live, keep it coming.
Anyone know where Mike is? and Nick and Per.
See ya, Allan
Hi Tom and all.
A pint of Bathams please LEON
ALLAN. Many thanks for the links; I was able to view them with Tom's help. The Garrett looks to have larger driving wheels than the usual Garretts. They seem to be unsuited to for the traffic, even without the troubles they had. It must have been quite a rebuilding task to convert them.
Enjoyed the link to the Tyneside electrics. The North Eastern Railway was a progressive railway, with electrification on the Shildon line as well.
We had a railtour quite a few years back now that went to Newcastle on Tyne, then we had a special train on the Tyne and Wear Metro, which traveled the system including the one leg of the triangle behind their maintenance depot not usually used for passengers. The extension to Sunderland was not open then. It was an interesting and good day out. After the tour there was enough time to visit a few hostelries around Newcastle station, before the train headed back home.
A lot of British enthusiasts would love to go back to 1969 when the Deltics ruled the roost on the East Coast Main Line. I wrote a piece for the bar on a trip on the ECML I had last year, with some photos, I will dig it out and repost it.
ERIC Good news that line through Phoenix could be reopened again.
From advice from Hart, Bart and Fargo lawyers I been have advised to decline comment on Sonia.
I see the electric locomotive NER No1 is now at the NRM outstation called Locomotion at Shildon in County Durham. Shildon is on the historic Stockton and Darlington Railway, of 1825, perhaps No 1 was not at York when I was there last. I have seen her there before and No 1 looked excellent.
Dugald Drummond, when he was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London & South Western Railway, had a small locomotive built with a small saloon built on the frames of the locomotive and used it as his means of traveling on the L&SWR. It was known as ‘The Bug'.
Good photo of the US Navy boxcar..
Why is Lars so keen to get you to eat fish
CM3 As well as the semaphores disappearing it is the same with the signalboxes; I guess they are called ‘Towers' over here. During the West of England signal modernization from semaphore to colour light the signal boxes went as well. One large box from Exeter was preserved and rebuilt on a preservation site. The volunteers had the box wired so that on certain occasions they could simulate a summer Saturday during the mid 1950s running to the timetable of the time. It was just like the real thing with the bell codes and track circuit board and block instruments all working. There was a viewing area at the back of the box.
Thanks for the piece of the GM&O. Those two ‘Midnight Specials' would have been useful trains. I guess most of the trains that ran over night between distances similar to that between St Louis and Chicago have all been discontinued now.
I would guess the Air Force on the Helium question.
LARS What's this, despite all those ‘Admin Duties' still interested in Sonia.
What an experience Tom and you had with them tour guides; luckily I have not come across them in the UK. One experience on a preserved railway in the UK that left a bad memory was that the steam train had been booked for a number of parties, which had more than half the train as reserved cars, which is fair enough, but the railway had sadly underestimated the number of ‘ordinary' passengers, so it was standing room only, no fun when it is supposed to be an pleasurable day out. As it was the last train of the day there was no choice, to be honest if I had known it would be that crowded I would not have gone, but of course there was no mention when buying the ticket. On Gala days you expect the trains to be busy but this was a normal day.
I still would have though they would have put the dearer magazines like the specials and Classic Trains in a plastic bag, what happens if the replacement gets damaged as well.
Thanks for the GM&Q book covers
RON Thanks for the drink.
I am the same when on a train; it is nose to the window
I will look forward to more on the Mississippi Export Railroad.
DL I'm glad you enjoyed your trip with Past Time Rail, they are as you say, well organized and also try to do some tours out of the ordinary .The thing I really like about them is their friendliness and on the very rare occasions something goes wrong, they will come along the train, unlike some, telling everyone what is happening e.g. problem with the steam loco and often change the itinerary if possible like allowing longer at the stop.
That is a good point a
Another good start with CM3 Shane - Lars - Ron 'n Dan . . .
The views from and in the dome on the final day of our Canadian Railway Adventure continue as we made our way to Montréal.
Crossing the St. Lawrence Seaway on the Victoria Jubilee Bridge to Montréal
Eastward view from the bridge
Montréal
Hello Tom and all in - some people in now I see unlike my earlier visit - so I'll have a pint of bitter please.
Ron - I think the post you were referring to was probably Holyhead. There are three main ports for Ireland - Stranrear (for the north - Ulster) and Holyhead and Fishguard - all of course originally developed by the railway companies.
They house purchase system in Ireland sounds similar to here - but since the legal situation in Scotland is different even to England I would hesitate to put money on it!
Tom, sorry about the wide page phenomenon - I thought there was risk there - I certainly don't get that happening but appreciate that is no condolence to you!
Pete - I agree with you that Past Time Rail a run great tours - one I went on was very well organised. Nice to read that info on the NER electric loco.
You make a good point about the way rail fans are treated and it is something I have often thougth about - you do not get the same thing with other esoteric interest (eg Art, Opera, sport etc) and you know what I think - it is because people have found a way to get big money into and more importantly out of those enthusiasts (as Lars would say P-R-O-F-I-T) so the media - who rely on big money interest of advertisers etc will not ridicule such activities where the top people get so much money fromt he fans it beggars belief - much of the railroad enthusiasm goes back to past times of a simpler age - when you were interested in something for interest's sake - and it was a free past time - I wonder what others think?
Allan - nice link on the Newcastle system - it must have been a pioneering network really - and an economic powerhouse for the NER - why did they de-electrify it (prior to the creation of the Metro of course) - do you know? It was interesting to see the four generations of EMU cars. After all other early electrified areas like Liverpool were never de-electrified in the same way.
That link reminded me of the early work the LBSCR did with overhead electrification in south London - but I've not found a good link to that yet.
Pete - I'll try this link again: You need to then click on the images of the locos they have in their collection on the left hand side of the page:
http://www.klassieke-locs.nl/
DL
PS - Doug just seen your post where you make more observations on Irish travel - here's a great website I think you will enjoy - you can explore any train travel in the wrold on this site - here are the Ireland pages: http://www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm
I'll leave Pete to defend UK locomotive design - I just ask why north american steam designers shoved all the pipework all over the outside - weld it on as an after thougth and paint it black - no one will notice....(ho, ho - that's just some Limey humour by the way!)
Special for RON (DD1)
The Birthday Watch List for 2007 reflects the age one will attain during that year. See the note in dark brown at the bottom of the Page . . . 73 is what you WILL be!
The train we were aboard was not a tour train, but a regularly scheduled train. Anyway, those gals you referred to got on at Drummondville for the run into Montréal along with a "bunch" of others that avail themselves of that schedule. They use the train for commuting. So, they may be forgiven for chit 'n chat, as my guess is they make the trek every day.
Now having said that, yes - I've noted that when tour groups descend upon a train, there always seem to be those who are more interested in talking loudly about every topic that comes to mind, thereby annoying the rest of us who wish to enjoy the ambiance of the dome!
Later . . .
House approves changes in Deepwater program
By MARIA RECIOSUN HERALD WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON --
By a resounding unanimous roll call vote, 426 House members approved far-reaching changes in the U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater program, making reforms in the troubled 25-year $24 billion plan to update the fleets, including the Pascagoula-built National Security Cutter.
The bill, H.R.2722, would remove Integrated Coast Guard Systems, the private consortium that runs Deepwater - Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of Pascagoula - within four years, install a civilian acquisitions officer and impose a series of deadlines, reports and oversight on the programs.
The Coast Guard contracted for eight NSC ships but concerns have been raised about the two under construction. U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, said that the bill "would take significant steps to ensure that the National Security Cutter meets all contractual requirements and the expectations of the American taxpayer by requiring that the designs for cutters 3 through 8 be reviewed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Carderock Division, which helped identify potential concerns with the hull fatigue life of cutters 1 and 2."
U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis, had called for the review by the naval experts in an amendment when the bill was approved by the House Transportation Committee last month.
The bill would also require that the design and construction be certified by an independent third party.
Sunhearld.com will update this story in Wednesday's editions of the Sun Herald.
For all who may be interested in ferries(not the funny kind), the following link shows the one I took on my Irish venture, http://www.irishferries.com/dublinswift/index.shtml. BTW, the port in Britain was Holyhead and on the Irish side, the town's name was Dun Laoghaire(pronounced dun leary). Not to offend anyone, especially those from across the pond, I have made the following observations about British steam locomotives in general. While I can understand why they don't have headlights, they look like someone vandalized the engine and stole the headlight. The other thing that is curious to me is the lack of any cover over the engineer and fireman on older locomotives. Looks to me like they ran out of material when they were building it. Just a bit of Yankee humor.
BTW, I was born in 1934, so that make me 72, not 73, not until October. I'm still the oldest, but remember; age doesn't always mean wise, so take your best shot.
Tom, Have you noticed when you are on those tour junkets, people ignore the scenery going past them and sit there talking to one another. I noticed that in your Canada pictures. Women especially seem to do it the most. When I'm on a train, my nose is glued to the window, taking in all the railroad related items, like rails, turnouts, ballast, signals, ROW equipment, etc. Maybe I'm just a little wacko. Japan has an extensive rail network and I found much there to keep me occupied.
Little known tidbits of information:
In Japan, some of the railway stations incorporate old rails into the station structure. In several places, I saw rails used to support a shed roof and "Bethlehem Steel" was embossed on the rail web. They probably got the rails from us way back before WWII.
Beer is sold in vending machines on streets. Family structure is such that underage drinking is not a problem.
The Mississippi Export Railroad, headquartered in Moss Point(a few miles east of me) is a short line with an interesting history. It was formed under various names and served and still does, as a link between rails lines in the north and south. More on this RR at a future date.
Have you seen the railroad films shown on RFD-TV, channel 379? It's a regular feature that comes on late at night, usually around midnight.
Over and out, Ron
Always a good day when Eric begins it after mid-nite - CM3 Shane provides his AM submission 'n Lars follows up with his chat 'n bookcovers!
Time again for a few shots from my Can-Am HO layout for this OPTIONAL Toy 'n Hobby Day! at the Tavern by the Tracks - a Wednesday feature from days gone by . . .
CP Kokanee Park car observation dome
CPR Kootenay Park car
Same road, different liveries - Park car observation domes!
VIA Rail Revelstoke Park car
VIA Rail Waterton Park car
Only on the Can-Am!
BE SURE TO ENLARGE THESE by clicking on 'em . . .
Enjoy!
Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!
Ruth my deAH if there's a word for "you light up my life" it must be - RUTH! <blush> Just a mugga Joe with a jolt if you please, ‘n maybe a couple of crullers from the bakery case. Ah yes, the crittAHs have lined up for feeding time. Hop to it Boris, Awk - Tex - Frostbite - Artie ‘n Juneau are waiting! And yes, you may have that small jar of pickled pig's feet when you finished. Don't forget, Artie ‘n the field mice go out on the back porch! <yikes>
A round for the house ‘n the change is yours, my deAH!
Appears that we're continuing on with the business of keeping the bar on course. Many thanks to our stalwarts ‘n others who've found this joint to their liking!
For Da Boss: Surely don't "get" the wide-page thing - seems that every time someone puts up a Url that is lengthy, I get that "phenom" on my screen too. Especially shows up from our guy in the UK - Dan. What's annoying about the situation is that if the post is a bit lengthy, I have to not only go back ‘n forth across the page, but up ‘n down as well to get to where I can make those moves. Takes far too much time . . . <barf>
I can only WISH that Sonia was lookin' for ME! Things couldn't have been all that bad aboard your Chaleur train! <grin> Oooooooops, sorry Ruth! <uh oh> Nice continuing pix from your trip with perhaps other than the one of stealthy Pete! He does look somewhat "guilty" to me . . . Hmmmmmmmmm.
I've experienced that annoyance when encountering tour groups aboard a train. At times those who are in charge of ‘em seem to revel in their "power" by taking over the car they're in. One trip aboard the California Zephyr (Amtrak version) I got into "it" with a dweeb who decided that his group "needed" the seats on a particular side of the sightseer car so that THEY could see whatever was coming up. We didn't relinguish the seats we had ‘n got those "stares" that in another place ‘n time would've led to a punch square in the snot locker. <barf>
Some fine nostalgia dredged up with that Cape May reference. Yeah, who can forget boot camp, huh Did mine at NTC Bainbridge, MD - Skin heads rule! <grin>
Don't know what it is with some guys who take the time to log in, but won't stop in. Hey, I like our Left Coast guy ‘n wish he'd at least drop a few words on us. Guess he's doing the best he can with the time allotted. Most we can hope for is that he won't become a UTB ‘round here.
By the time Doug gets back here on a regular basis, I'm wonderin' WHO will know him. Only kidding, but there are guys who have no connection with all he's been for this joint. Same for Rob, if he were ever to return . . . almost like, oh well . . . Never, ever thought these two would go the way they have, especially given the effort put forth last year at this time.
Revised B'day Watch List shows Nick as the "kid" at 47! Makes me feel REALLY old! <groan> Got TWO B'days comin' up!!
Looks like your Cards are on a roll, whereas my Mets have found a bumpy road as of late. A couple of injuries hasn't helped, but no excuses. All teams suffer those things ‘n it's the one's still standing in October who have that shot at the brass ring.
Didja catch the Yanks hitting 8 homers last night - none from A-Rod though. Eight is enough, someone said.
For Dan: Problem with Amtrak is and has been appropriations (subsidy) from Congress. The amount is pitiful when compared to the big bucks shelled out to highways, airports ‘n so on. It's amazing to me that they've been able to keep this sad semblance of a system together given the obstacles along the way. They don't own the track (exception: NE Corridor and I believe just a bit near Union Station in Chicago (anyone who knows, jump right in!!) - they are at the mercy of the freight outfits (even though the "rules" say passenger rail gets priority - yeah, sure) and they haven't got the equipment to keep up with situational demand (holidays, inclement weather, etc.) To my way of thinking IF Amtrak could come through when the public expects them to "be there," things would be far, far better for their future. But it just seems to me that this notion of poor service, late arrivals ‘n the like will keep ‘em in low esteem, which of course factors in when subsidies are being discussed. Not fair, but life isn't.
For Ron: That's quite a description you provided for your former Mrs. In fact, I'm still smiling . . . <grin> Swedish, huh Perhaps a conspiracy IS underway ‘round here. <uh oh>
For Pete: From what I'm picking up, appears that your Kalmbach magazines are coming without being in an envelope. I used to get mine in clear plastic envelopes. No more, huh?? Guess they're trying to save bucks wherever they can. I think the Cap'n hit it on the head with any that are received in damaged condition. Tell Kalmbach about it ‘n my guess is you'll get a replacement.
The prices of the mags are outta sight, but then what isn't? Checked the price of a gallon of milk lately?? When a gallon of gasoline is cheaper than a gallon of milk, there's something definitely WRONG!
Forgiving your bar tab would be like telling Jack the Ripper he was just a misunderstood crazy. Nope, you drank ‘em, you pay for ‘em! <grin>
For Allan: Appreciate the kind word
2007 BIRTHDAY WATCH LIST [bday]
(rev. Aug 1st)
January 14th (Eric - 64)
OKRA (Dec 22 - Jan 20) Are tough on the outside but tender on the inside. Okras have tremendous influence. An older Okra can look back over his life and see the seeds of his influence everywhere. You can do something good each day if you try. You go well with most anyone.
March 5th (Nick - 47)
March 13th (Doug - 51) Legion of the Lost (almost!)
BOLL WEEVIL (Feb 20 - March 20) You have an overwhelming curiosity. You're unsatisfied with the surface of things, and you feel the need to bore deep into the interior of everything. Needless to say, you are very intense and driven as if you had some inner hunger. You love to stay busy and tend to work too much. Nobody in their right mind is going to marry you, so don't worry about it.
March 31st (Lars - 67)
MOON PIE (March 21 - April 20) You're the type that spends a lot of time on the front porch. A cinch to recognize the physical appearance of Moon Pies. Big and round are the key words here. You should marry anybody who you can get remotely interested in the idea. A Chitlin would be a good mate but it's not going to be easy. You always have a big smile and are happy. This might be the year to think about aerobics. Maybe not.
May 18th (Tom - 69)
POSSUM (April 21 - May 21) When confronted with life's difficulties, possums have a marked tendency to withdraw and develop a don't-bother-me-about- it attitude. Sometimes you become so withdrawn, people actually think you're dead. This strategy is probably not psychologically healthy but seems to work for you. You are a rare breed. Most folks love to watch you work and play. You are a night person and mind your own business. You should definitely marry an Armadillo.
May 27th (Dave - 48)
CRAWFISH (May 22 - June 21) Crawfish is a water sign. If you work in an office, you're hanging around the water cooler. Crawfish prefer the beach to the mountains, the pool to the golf course, and the bathtub to the living room. You tend not to be particularly attractive physically but have a good heart.
August 11th (Pete - 56)
August 14th (Allan - 72)
CATFISH (July 24 - Aug 23) Catfish are traditionalists in matters of the heart, although one's whiskers may cause problems for loved ones. You Catfish are never easy people to understand. You run fast. You work and play hard. Even though you prefer the muddy bottoms to the clear surface of life, you are liked by most. Above all else, Catfish should stay away from Moon Pies.
September 11th (Per - 62)
GRITS (Aug 24 - Sept 23) Your highest aim is to be with others like yourself. You like to huddle together with a big crowd of other Grits. You love to travel though, so maybe you should think about joining a club. Where do you like to go? Anywhere they have cheese, gravy, bacon, butter, or eggs and a good time. If you can go somewhere where they have all these things, that serves you well. You are pure in heart.
October 9th (Ron - 73)
BOILED PEANUTS (Sept 24 - Oct 23) You have a passionate desire to help your fellow man. Unfortunately, those who know you best, your friends and loved ones, may find that your personality is much too salty, and their criticism will affect you deeply because you are really much softer than you appear. You should go right ahead and marry anybody you want to because in a certain way, yours is a charmed life. On the road of life, you can be sure that people will always pull over and stop for you.
December 29th (CM3 - 61)
The age reflected is what you will be on your 2007 B'day!
Not on the list Send me an Email with your birth date (month-day-year) Corrections too!
Tom (Siberianmo)
Proprietor of "Our" Place, an adult eating & drinking establishment!
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Pete visited with comments and observations. A 2-2-4T - yikes! The last (or near to the last) semaphore installation in the Chicago area (Brighton Park) is no more. The new signals were cut in while I was on vacation. Pictures I have seen, well let's just say, "It don't look the same!"
Allan stopped by - good to hear from you. I am learning all sorts of stuff from your posts - keep the cards and letters coming!
Eric - The morning "Nitwitness News" programs had lots of pictures of Arizona weather this morning - has Scottsdale arrived in your back yard yet?
One U.S. road that had at least one inspection engine was the New York Central. It kind of looked like a house with cylinders and wheels. I must go to the east wing and see if I can find pictures. I know I have some somewhere.
OSP sent along comments, observations, and wry reflections.
"Spekn' about titles," I got a letter in the mail the other day from a "TeleService Suppression Manager." This came about because I crossed swords with a telemarketer. They apologized for bothering me - how about that? Anyway, I like the title, even though the job is probably outsourced somewhere - Unhand me Boris! That's all I'm going to say!
US Navy boxcars - they're either full of gray paint or lines. Anyway, back in the day, the Navy had tank cars that carried helium. I always wondered which was heavier - an mty or a loaded helium car? I know, too much time on my hands. This brings me to the trivia question for the day - "Who ran the government helium program?" Hint - It was not the Navy.
Mail rec'd and you should have a response by now.
Here's something on a road we haven't talked too much about lately.
Today we turn our attention to the Gulf Mobile and Ohio Railroad, a road which some of you may remember from the excellent opening scene in the movie, "In the Heat of the Night."
Headquartered at Mobile, Alabama, the GM&O ran from Chicago south to New Orleans and Mobile. A single main line operated between Chicago and Jackson, Tennessee. A second main line ran from Dyersburg, Tennessee to Jackson. There were two main lines south of Jackson. One ran to Mobile via Union, Mississippi, and the other to Mobile via Meridian, Mississippi. To the north, another main line ran across Illinois to Kansas City.
The line to New Orleans split at Meridian, Mississippi and headed west to Jackson, MS before turning south. Branch lines reached from the main line east to Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama. A third branch handled traffic between Memphis, Tennessee and Corinth, Mississippi.
For a midsize regional carrier, the GM&O had a good size network of passenger trains in the late 1960s. Their through trains operated between Chicago and St. Louis. A short piece of track connected St. Louis to the GM&O main line at East St. Louis.
We'll begin with southbound service.
Train 5, the coach only "Midnight Special" operated between Chicago and St. Louis. It departed Chicago Union Station at 11:25 p.m. with a 7:10 a.m. arrival in St Louis.
Train 3 was the "Abraham Lincoln," which left Chicago at 5:10 p.m. and reached St. Louis at 10:40 p.m. The Abraham Lincoln's consist included coaches, a diner lounge, and a 44 seat/1 drawing room parlor car.
Train1, "The Limited" was a daylight run from Chicago to St. Louis. It left Chicago at 1110 a.m. and arrived in St. Louis at 4:43 p.m. It carried a parlor car, diner lounge, and coaches.
The GM&O operated a commuter train from Chicago to Joliet. Train 17 left at 5:25 p.m. and got to Joliet at 6:15 p.m.
Train 1 connected with the Missouri Pacific at St. Louis. MP train 1 ("Texas Eagle") departed St. Louis at 5:30 p.m. and arrived in Little Rock six hours later.
Northbound, train 2 carried the "Abraham Lincoln" name with a parlor car, diner lounge and coaches. It departed St. Louis at 8:58 a.m. and pulled into Chicago at 2:18 p.m.
MP train 2 connected with GM&O 2 at St. Louis. The MP train left Little Rock at 2:05 a.m. and arrived in St. Louis at 8:30 a.m.
Train 4 was the northbound "Limited" which handled parlor car, diner lounge, and coaches. The "Limited" departed St. Louis at 4:00 p.m. and arrived in Chicago at 9:30 p.m.
Train 6 was the northbound "Midnight Special." It left St. Louis at 10:30 p.m., carried coaches, and arrived in Chicago at 5:30 p.m.
Joliet-Chicago commuters rode train 16 which departed at 6:30 a.m. and arrived in Chicago 65 minutes later.
The GM&O noted that all "parlor lounge cars trains 1-2-3-4 are owned and operated by the GM&O R.R."
All trains were "air conditioned and diesel-electric powered."
Wednesday's Witticism
If you have to prove you are right, you are probably wrong.
Mid-week in mid-continent USA ‘n hotter ‘n I like it. Figured summer would fully arrive by August - and here it is!! Juneau has proclaimed this the start of the Dog Days of Summer - he should know, eh <grin>
Took the bride out to lunch yesterday - man's gotta do, what a man's gotta do, eh She winds up her summer teaching tomorrow - then not quite 2 weeks off ‘n back she goes for the beginning of the fall semester. FALL in mid-August?? What's in a name, eh <barf> Nice thing about the summer course is that she only had to go in twice a week. Saved on the wear ‘n tear on the vehicle, that's fer sure, not to mention petrol!
New month, but same-ol, same-ol for the eats this morning - draw a mugga Joe, some pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery, ‘n begin the day on the right foot with us!
Observation: West Coast S - Dave was again sighted browsing the Forums - but no visit to the bar. Happened just around the time I posted my Canadian RR Adventure fotos . . . Hmmmmmmmm.
And from the Legion of the Lost! Finally heard from barndad - Doug regarding some questions I've had for him. He's saying that he expects to be back with us in September. Let's hope so.
CM3 Shane (coalminer3) at 8:09 AM Tuesday - July 31st: This talk of a WVA Rendezvous site has me thinking . . . Watch for an Email!
So what's in a title, eh Garbage man or sanitation engineer, still equates to the same thing! Way back in the early 70s, the USCG got inundated with "facilitators" - all civilians - who were conducting "You shall attend or else" seminars on a host of social issues . . . "Facilitators" my sweet stern section! I believe we came away with more "issues" than existed prior to their "enlightenment" exercises . . . But that's ‘nother topic for ‘nother time ‘n place . . .
Yeah, VIA Rail came up with that Learning Coordinator moniker when they decided to put the "Ocean" in a tourist category of trains, but only for those willing to up the ante for the privilege of using the Park Car. But, we've been there before . . . Anyway, I've not used the Renaissance consists with the Park Car since they decided to mess with what used to work so well. So, I haven't met a real live, in the flesh Learning Coordinator person! <barf>
Oh how I WISH one could get due east ‘n due west from here for long distance train travel. Furthest west I can go is KCity, MO ‘n east is just across the Mississippi River to Illinois. Everything else must connect in Chicago for the east-west travels. A six hour plus train ride to Chicago to connect. Heck, I could be well over halfway to where you live, by car!! <double barf> And that says a lot about why our Union Station ISN'T!!
Superliner Sightseer cars are fine and in fact give a "different" view. I prefer the Budd domes, with the forward seating. However, I recall that some Superliner Sighteseer cars had seats that swiveled to provide that 180 view missing from the fixed configuration experienced today. Haven't seen those type seats in ages . . .
Glad you're enjoying the final fotos of the trip back to Montréal . . . should all be over by week's end. <phew>
Check out this link for your George Washington ‘n Pan American references:
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/51/1181195/ShowPost.aspx#1181195
Round, quarters, visit ‘n chat appreciated!
Lars (LoveDomes) at 10:15 AM Tuesday - July 31st: It's amazing how it seems that almost right after we both "blew kisses" in the direction of those who provided that flurry of activity here at the bar, so many have checked out! Another "phenom" experienced at the Hit ‘n Miss Bar ‘n Grill! <grin> But, "we takes what we gets," eh Youbetcha!
I've taken stock in many of the guys who used to be (UTB) regulars ‘round here - several are still active on the Forums. Anyway, we've got quite an alumni building. I don't hold it against anyone who, for whatever the reason, has decided to move along. BUT when it is done without so much as a fair-thee-well, then I draw the line. Rude ‘n ignorant behavior just isn't something I can look over. Don't like it anymore than wet toilet paper or warm beer! <grin>
I caught that final Page foto of the RDC ‘n Pennsy steamer. Yes, it surely looks like an Atlantic - would love to see a side view. But, the 4-4-2 kinda gives it away, eh Cape May, NJ - now THAT brings home some memories for me.
When I enlisted in 1956, we were placed on a Pennsy train at NY Penn Station bound for Philadelphia. I was "in charge" of the group of over 100 new enlistees heading off to 13 weeks of boot camp at Cape May. Upon arrival in Philly, we were put aboard another train, then met at the Cape May station by a "grey bus." Arrived
Good morning anyone, no one in - place still locked up?
I'll just leave this note for Tom through the letter box. Via Rail customer services replied to my e-mail (they are efficient in that regard). Triple and Quad bedrooms ARE (according to them) "indeed located in our Park car" - and I specifically checked that this was for The Ocean train.
Well, I'm sure the Customer Services Section is a way from the operating department - but this is info worth knowing assuming it is in fact correct. Apart from Dining in the microwave/convection car it suggests you can still do a Budd trip on The Ocean at least in the summer. Worth bearing in mind although I'd believe it when you saw the car number on your booking slip!
Leon, I'll pass tonight, my stomach is kind of upset. let me try a blck cup of coffee!
Kind of lost day today. Had some strong storms passing over here tonight but they did not produce much rain, just lightning.
Tom – The info on the site about the rerouting of the Sunset Limited is not entirley correct. It says that UP abandoned the line, but they did not and still hasn’t. Now there are some rumours about opening that line again. Shoot, I missed the Arctic Circle! I should have known better but missed it. I would love to ride the train from Anchorage to Denali and back. Maybe, one day!Soo Line, one of too many roads I dont know very much about! I like the Mountaineer drumhead!I never have any problems with a wide page from our UK Connection or anyone else. I think this site/forum needs more work though. I still don’t understand why they changed format about a year ago. Nice pictures from your trip! I wonder what Stealthy Pete is looking at? The landscape is just flat outside. Hmmm. Sonia, hmm? The lonely mountain. Is that cut out on the side a mine or what? CM3 – Getting lost on trips? Yeah, I guess it happens. Hmm. Lars – That is a good use for the Rotary Plow, blow the sand over to the neigbor’s yard after the storms! I know you are an old Merchie, I just tried to be a little bit mean! But nothing works anymore. OK, I’ll stay away from the red pepper. I actually asked Boris to throw it away. Two nice Soo Line book covers! Ooh, hi Ruth! I didn't see you!
DL – Setting footbridges on fire? Sounds like a locomotive you had to be careful operating. Ron – I’ve been to England three times in the 70’s but never to Ireland. I guess a lot of things have chnaged since then, except the left hand traffic!Pete – Thanks for the info on the Beaver Tails and Past Time Rail! I guess I can’t find NER No 1 in those pictures. Probably hiding behind an old steam loco. Thanks for the links! At least now I know what NER No 1 looks like!Those buses? Two of them are coming from Illinois, one from Ohio and one from Missouri!!! A special locomotive to haul the directors around the system? Wow, that’s neat! The steam locomotive looks newer than from 1869 to me. Thanks for the picture!Allan – Question about the NZ gauge of 3ft, 6in, did they ever build any wider gauge line? Thanks for the link to the Tyneside Electrics! Sorry to say I couldn’t open the other links. Address could not be found.
Hi Leon, same again please.
Lars. Sorry error on site address if you Google Steam Incorporated New Zealand you should get there OK.
Pete. Sorry mate, the same has occured with the Garratt address, can`t seem to get it down right so try New Zealand Railway`s Garratts on Google.
For my next trick!
Drinks all round please Leon,a choice of Tui or Speights if you so wish. Tom watch out for the Speights as it has a reputation for setting you free like prune juice does!
Tom. Did see your`s and Lars`s pics of the Ka`s on the other thread, they are fine looking machines, they have one streamlined Ka942 which was in steam, but now undergoing a rebuild at;
http://www.mainlinesteam.co.nz/
Enjoyed all your posts, pics, travelogue and historical info, some really interesting reading.
Did you see the Harvey Girls flick at all That movie had a great impression on me and my interest in the SF and probably the fair sex as well.
Thanks for the round, easy on the Speights tho!
Lars. Great pic of Ka945 on the other thread, I saw her on a trip through here in the early 90`s, got a few pics of her with a lot of steam around, she is currently having a rebuild like 942, you will find the info at;
http://steaminc.co.nz/
As you say, the Harvey Girls made a big impression on me at such a tender age, I also think it was the theme song as well. All your posts made great reading and viewing, great bookcovers.
Pete. I saw those Quayside electrics when I was a kid way back when, thanks for your link to the NRM NE section, very interesting. Those G class NZ Pacifics were rebuilds from three Garratts they had here in the 20`s, they had six G`s, they certainly looked different at the front end, they have a SAR Garratt at Mainline Steam in Auckland. As they say in Geordie land "Why aye man"! A page about the NZ Garratts is;
http://www.trainweb.org/nzsteam/garratts/g_4-6-2.html
Thanks for all the interesting pics and links and your continuing journey.
Dan. Many thanks for all your links and info, as you say it would have been great to have seen the stretch of ECML under wires in those days like now, they were still running Deltics on the main trains when we left in 69. The NE were very progressive in the early 1900`s, the North Tyneside electric system was the first in operation in the UK by ONE week. Found a site about it at
http://www.emus.co.uk/zone/tyneside/tyneside.htm
Enjoyed all your links and the Beavertail discussion thats going on on the thread.
Eric. As they say, "Like Minds" eh! Pity there was`nt a voice link on the site! Thanks for the pics and posts.
DD1. The loco`s over here really are big when you consider they are on 3ft 6in gauge, and they looked modern too, with some having streamlining and Vanderbilt tenders as on your roads back home.
Shane. Enjoyed your posts, great jokes.
Mike. Where are you mate?
A pint of Bathams please RUTH.
ERIC That was a good spot, the foot measurements on 900081; I had not noticed them before.
Yes the Beaver Tails will run a lot more sedately now on preserved lines where 25 MPH will be the norm. I dare say when they were in service on the LNER's Coronation speed in the high 80s and low 90s would have been the norm, no doubt the cars have traveled at 100 MPH, especially if the Coronation had been delayed, the A4s were well capable of speeds over 100 MPH.
Past Time Rail is a company that organizes rail tours both steam and diesel. I believe Andy Staite and his family run it, his father Bernard was very influential in running steam tours after the BR steam ban was lifted in 1971. They are, in my opinion, one of the best tour company to travel with.. Here is a link to Past Time Rail
http://www.past-timerail.co.uk/
The electric locomotive I was referring to is numbered NER No1.
http://www.lner-info.com/locos/Electric/es1.shtml
Here is a link to NER No 1, I think the locomotive has a look of the early North Amercan electrics. The loco is 103 years old now
4 buses in Missouri, don't tell Amtrak, but wait a minute are you sure those buses aren't interlopers from Illinois.
A bit more on the ‘Breaking News'. The train was returned from the wilderness after there was only Coors Light left in the buffet car. Great photo.
Take it easy with the sneezes and look after yourself.
CM3 I can remember your piece on the Pan American and the George Washington, it seems fairly recent but as Tom says time seems to be flying by lately.
There are still a few pockets of semaphore signaling in Britain, but they are steadily disappearing as money becomes available for modernization. I believe a tri-angle junction at Larbert, Scotland controlled by semaphore signals, including the last splitting distant signal, is to be converted to colour lights soon.
LARS That WWII special looks as though it should be a good one. I do wish they would send it through the post in an envelope though. I got their Steam Glory 2 special and I thought that was very good too.
I must admit I did not think my bar tab would be forgiven.
Glad you liked the photos of the NRM at York it really is, like Exporail, a great museum. I took the photos with the same digital camera I used in Canada, but the photos at York came out a lot better.
Thanks for the Soo Line steam and diesel book covers.
DL Unfortunately I could not get the first link to work but was able to see the 77 in Manchester museum. I seem to recall seeing a preserved 77 painted in BR electric blue but I cannot recall which one it was. I am sure you recall that BR painted some of their class 31s 37s and 47s into a version of the NS livery when they were allocated to Civil Engineer's duties.
I am sure they have those old Metropolitan carriages on the Keighly and Worth Valley and the Bluebell railways. It is easy to imagine Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson traveling to an adventure in them, as they seem very 19th century to me.
RON. Thanks for the drink.
It was great to read of your trip to Ireland, it really is a great place. The local Irish pub here runs a tour to Ireland every year, they will be going there soon. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland run a 3-day steam tour each May, as well as other day steam tours. They go to a different town in Eire for an overnight stay each year then a run from Dublin to Belfast and their base in Whitehead
TOM I see with the new Amtrak schedule the turn round time in Kansas City is now 1 hour 50 minutes, but the turn round in Kirkwood is a scheduled 4 hours, UMMMM TrainWreck Saloon anyone.
There was a great deal of ‘mickey taking' of people interested in trains especially in the 1970s and 1980s, calling railway enthusiasts ‘Anoraks' I think it is not as bad today, perhaps DL can tell us. They even done a TV documentary on it, but ran into problems trying to film some enthusiasts on a platform end as when they wanted to film them with a train passing the enthusiasts politely stepped out of camera range thinking they wanted to film the train. When we had been on a steam tour and when we got back t our local pub, there where a small group who would make CHOO- CHOO noises, not wishing to be banned from the pub, my mate termed them the ‘Empty Vessels' a singularly apt phrase for them. As you say when you ask the ones who are poking the fun what there interests are you are usually met with a blank stare, says it all.
Yes we certainly have had and are
Our dependable threesome of CM3 Shane - Lars 'n Dan have come through for us this morning! Got that wide page pheonom again from our UK Connection . . . definitely the "long" URL did it . . . Also pleased to see Ron made it in for lunch <albiet, liquid!>
Commentary in tomorrow's AM summary . . .
The views from and in the dome on the final day of our Canadian Railway Adventure couldn't have been better. Blue skies brought out the best of the scenery passing us by as the combined "Chaleur-Ocean" headed west for the final segment to Montréal.
St. Hyacinthe VIA Rail station
Sonia, our bedroom car attendant! She was looking for Pete . . .
Who, me
The lonely mountain - now we're really getting close to our destination!
(7 )
AMT commuter train
AMT commuter station
Hello Tom
I'll have a pint of Mild please.
Thanks for your comments regarding my observations on The Ocean. Given what you say I think the likelihood is that those are Ren bedrooms joined up (not Park Car bedrooms) - I must agree with you the VIA website is a good effort in trying to give people lots of information (which is very helpful) - but in doing so it is completely lacking in clarity (and sometimes out of date) !! In order to attempt to get some clarity I have dropped VIA an e-mail, I shall see what they say.
The ‘Learning Co-ordinator', was, I think, a lady whose name began with ‘L' - possibly Lynn - she was very good and struck the right note - welcoming but not over the top - informative but not too much so. I can see that on some occasions the car might not be over used - on the journey I took there were whole group of people travelling together as part of a pre planned tour - they kind of crowded out the dome at times I must say - since they had all got to know each other on other parts of their tour.
Pete - interesting to read your comments on the Class 76 and 77 locomotives. That was very sharp picture and shows what a good B&W picture can be like. I'd noticed the name plate too but did not know of the naming policy you outlined. Thanks.
Worth a look for pics is the website of the Dutch preservation group that owns one (I see 2 are preserved in England too - one at Butterley!) - it has a nice colour pic of one in 1966 in BR Green and also scrolling down showing it repainted into BR Black - looking smart - you have to click on the icon of 1501 on the LHS to get to that page.
All the script is in Dutch but the pics are good - at the base are some interior shots - It looks like these guys have preserved some interesting classic era Electric locos so others interested in that might want to look (esp Ron?).
If you can make this link work (the world's longest link???) there is more info on the one preserved in Manchester:
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/NS_1500_Class_at_Manchester_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry.JPG/300px-NS_1500_Class_at_Manchester_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry.JPG&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NS_Class_1500&h=200&w=300&sz=43&hl=en&start=20&tbnid=HSPfczPLIBXSjM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclass%2B77%2Blocomotive%2Bdiana%26start%3D20%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Pete - you are sharp eyed about that Metropolitan Coach and Loco - I'd not noticed the wing mirror or the collector shoe - I guess the loco was deemed too short to deal with pick up rail gaps so by fitting the gear to the cars that could be over come. I have ridden in the Metropolitan Railway carriages they have at the KWVR (I think, unless I mean The Bluebell) which are of that design.
Eric - take it easy as they say! I agree with you about the look of the GT3 - clearly influenced by steam lines and it looks good for it - I understand there were problem with this loco halting under wooden structures like footbridges and setting fire to them such was the level of heat the gas turbine gave off.
Those pics Tom posted of Phoenix station look good - sad it is no longer used - it seems that the building is quite well maintained. Is this near you?
CM3 - good to see you in.
Lars - just seen your post - sad to read of so many Amtrak route reductions so recently - galling to see the situation such - esp when air transit is so useless and uncomfortable
Regards all
Ruth my deAH, a mugga Joe with a jolt ‘n a #3 from the menu if you please. My oh my, you are lookin' mighty fine to these old eyes ‘n I surely don't need the caffeine to begin my day!
Boris, feeding time for the crittAHs, then you can have that small jar of pickled pig's feet. And by the way, there's another shipment of field mice out back for Artie! <ugh>
While a far cry from a couple of weeks ago, we seem to be holding our own ‘round here thanks to our steady customers. Good to see Shane, Dan, Pete ‘n Eric providing the material along with the anchoring provided by our Cap'n.
Curious about the whereabouts of Nick <again> - Per <again> - a puzzling thing. Nick's last appearance was July 4th ‘n Per was seen on July 14th. And of course, Dave hasn't been "in" since July 14th too. He was seen "browsing" but no visit.
For Da Boss: Really like the shots from the dome car, for they provide as close to the "real thing" as possible. Takes me back to many a trip on the rails, just taking it all in . . . just like your pix show. Nicely done!
Soo Line material for today is top shelf "stuff"! So many Fallen Flags, huh What it must've been like to have been able to take advantage of all that train travel . . .
By the way, I checked out the latest edition of Classic Trains (bought a copy) and it is really a good issue with that St. Louis Union Station pix spread. Nicely done - a bit shy on the narrative, but the captions on the pix tell a great story! In the FWIW dept. (for what it's worth) I gave up magazine subscriptions long ago. Once I became a land lubber, I found that I no longer had the same desire to read ‘em as when aboard ship. Being a basic "string saver," I had boxes of ‘em in the basement from Reader's Digest to Popular Mechanics to National Geographic, but that flooding disaster of over a year back took care of most. Anyway, now I purchase what I'm interested in ‘n let the others go. The "boys" get ‘em when I'm done, but I think they take ‘em just to keep me happy. <grin>
Definitely going to get that RRs 'n WWII issue coming up . . . also, what didja think of that RDC 'n PRR steam pix on the last page Looks like an Atlantic sitting across from the RDC!
For Pete: You've got to be kidding! Forgive your bar tab after what you tried to do??!! You're lucky that we didn't fit you for some cement boondockers! <geesh> Now, back to work! <snap> <crack>
Those pix at the RR museum of those locomotives are in a word - great!
Yes, the New Zealand locomotives are narrow gauge.
For Eric: When there's 12 ft of snow in the Keys is when I'll pack up ‘n relocate to Phoenix! Yeah, right . . . I'll find "use" for that rotary snow plow, though - wouldn't be bad to remove the sand that piles up during storms I suppose. <grin>
Amtrak used to operate trains to many areas in this country. The route you spoke of was just one that got altered. In other cases they were completely discontinued. In 1997 the "Desert Wind" (Chicago to Los Angeles) comes to mind as now Las Vegas is without long distance train service. Then the same year the "Pioneer" (Chicago to Seattle/Portland) dropped off the map leaving Boise, Idaho out of the mix. It was reported that the "Pioneer" bit the dust to make more equipment available for the more successful "California Zephyr." No money in the budget to repair damaged equipment or to purchase replacements. <sad>
Me, work for the RR?? Nope, my father ‘n grandfather were career B&O people. I'm the below decks sailor (Merchie).
Ruth on Sunday? Me? Us? Is there NO privacy ‘round here! <arrrrrgggggghhhhhh>
Stay away from red pepper! <grin>
For Shane: All those books ‘n videos would be terrific to own. Now with two houses to support, I suppose there could be room . . .
I think a get together where you are would be fantastic! Trains running east ‘n west, huh?? If only they could be depended on for arrival times within let's say 4 hours! <geesh> Having put up with all the nonsense with Amtrak for the remainder of my life, I'd probably fly to whatever location you recommend. Really would be an enjoyable, ‘n scenic place. You don't suppose there'd be at least ONE watering hole where guys could be guys, do ya??
Just a couple of supportive covers for the Cap'n & crew!
A Blast from the Past! A form of this was initially provided on Page 130 of the Original Thread . . .
The Passenger Railroad Fallen Flags of "Our" Place #18
SOO LINE
Here's another Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads:
Caveat: The information provided is NOT all inclusive and is reflective only of the periods mentioned.
Soo Line Headquarters: Minneapolis, MN Mileage: 1954: 3,159 1961 (before 1985 acquisition of Milwaukee Road): 4,719 Locomotives in 1954: Steam: 47 Diesel: 76 Rolling stock in 1954: Freight cars: 8,035 Passenger cars: 128 Principal routes (w/Wisconsin Central) in 1954: Chicago-Minneapolis/St. Paul Minneapolis-Portal, ND Minneapolis-Sault Ste. Marie, MI Dresser, WI-Duluth, MN Owen, WI-Duluth, MN Glenwood-Noyes, MN Passenger trains of note: Atlantic Limited (Minneapolis-Boston, with CP and B&M east of Sault Ste. Marie) Copper Country Limited (Chicago-Calumet, MI with CMStP&P Chicago-Champion, MI, thence DSS&A/Soo to Calumet) Duluth-Superior Limited (Minneapolis-Duluth) Laker (Chicago-Duluth & Minneapolis &Ashland, WI; rerouted to Superior, WI from Duluth in 1961) Mountaineer (St. Paul-Vancouver, BC, with CP from Portal to Vancouver) Soo Dominion (St. Paul-Vancouver with CP from Portal to Vancouver) Winnipeger (St. Paul-Winnipeg, MB, with CP from Noyes to Winnipeg)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Some drumheads of the Soo Line
Enjoy! Tom
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. Warmish weather here today, with enough humidity to make you break a sweat just walking out of the house. Gas is at $2.89 - and holding, but Labor Day draws nigh.
Lars visited. I heard the bookmobile tires crunching on the gravel in the driveway. Today we have books from both coasts. The Key System Gallery book looks like a good one. BTW, I have mentioned the possibility of a rendezvous here sometime to OSP. Who knows - not only that, you can get here by train (from east or west).
Pete - On the site somewhere is a piece I wrote up about the last Pan American and the last George Washington. For the life of me I can't remember where it is.
Eric - Liked the picture of Tom and Pete's train. We have all been on trips like that at one time or another; often on the NEC, but I do recall one on the Lake Shore where we got rerouted from Toledo up to Detroit and then across Michigan to around Michigan City where we rejoined the old NYC; of course, most of the other trackage was old NYC as well. We did, however, play tag with the GT.
OSP sent more travelogue and photos. I see where the signals are still intact at Drummondville. We are losing lots of the old style signals around here which is a shame. The CPLs are vanishing on the B&O side as well as the old PRR style signals are disappearing on the N&W. I enjoyed looking at the farm scenes and also the pictures of the stack train from the dome car - very similar to riding the Sightseer cars on Amtrak. Incidentally, stack trains are higher than Viewliners of course, so you wind up looking up at them. Learning Coordinator? Egad, whatever happened to "guide" or "commentator?" Reminds me of a class I took at George Mason back awhile ago. We were learning all about online training, authorship, etc. I was duly impressed because much of the content was provided by a self-proclaimed "knowledge engineer." He did great until some of us started to ask him about trouble shooting, problem solving, etc. It got awful quiet.
Have no idea why the "ether" as you put it does what it does. My editor was trying to make book covers for me yesterday (glad that project is ready to go to the printer) and she was getting single lines on the screen and double lines on the printer. That's right Boris, "It's alive, I tell you! It's alive."
I forgot to mention that our Saturday session was punctuated by the passage of three trains: eastbound grain loads, eastbound unit coal, and a westbound empty grain train. So everything I saw was either a covered hopper or a coal car. All power was big GEs including one lettered "Spirit of Nashville." The only exotic unit was a leased SD40-2. They are beginning to fade away, too.
<w/permission: http://www.scenic-railroads.com/>
Final day of the month has arrived ‘n is it just me, or is this year zooming by
It's Tuesday once again - another day another day to excel at the work place <for many>!! Check out our Menu Board for a <light> or <traditional> breakfast - fill up your mug with our freshly ground ‘n brewed coffee, ‘n of course grab a few pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery case!!
CM3 Shane (coalminer3) at 9:40 AM Monday - July 30th: But I also used "Refresh/Reload"!!! Now that particular Post is no longer in the place where you saw it, but AFTER yours ‘n I didn't delete it!! Go figger that ‘un . . . Strange things are happening <Red Buttons>!
A hard to believe story, but if it's true - I love it! A judge with something we used to call common sense with a SENSE of justice too. Great story. [tup ]
He writes, he reports (no, not THAT!! But then again, don't we all? <grin>), he speaks in public ‘n he knows about RRs! You, Sir are a "natural" for this joint. Glad we have you as our weekday AM anchor!
Many thanx for the round, quarters, visit ‘n remarks!
Dan (DL-UK) at 10:05 AM Monday - July 30th: Most interesting observation ‘n commentary regarding those VIA Rail Park Car bedrooms on the "Ocean."
Here's what I had been told by the "top" people way back when those cars were going to be relegated for use with the Renaissance equipment during "tourist season." The bedrooms were not being offered to the public because the crew was going to be assigned to them, with the triple bedroom (drawing room) assigned to the newly created "Learning Coordinator" - another moniker for "Tour Guide." Further, as you already know, access to the Park Car was to be restricted to those paying the higher fares for the upgraded Easterly Class bedrooms.
Over time, my "sources" have told me that the Park Car wasn't getting the use anticipated ‘n that many runs were rather absent dome passengers for most of the trip. The "Learning Coordinator" wound up doing crossword puzzles on "the clock." It got so bad that the crew began letting all of the bedroom passengers have access - quietly of course - just to ensure that there were people back there! That of course is anecdotal info, ‘n one shouldn't take it to the proverbial bank. But it does make one wonder . . .
The VIA Rail web site is a contradictory experience, in that you can find variations of the information being sought. Whoever is maintaining this site needs a remedial course in clarity!
I too have seen the reference to triple bedroom availability for consists thought to be all Renaissance. I wondered whether this meant the removal of a wall between two doubles in order to create a larger space. VIA said "yes," but they hadn't yet done so. Your reference to QUADRUPLE supports this procedure, because only 3 were assigned to the triples - no more.
Again, this is dated info, so I really cannot comment with authenticity regarding the happenings of today. Perhaps what you've conjectured is indeed true. Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the mismanagement going on these days . . .
Then I found reference to triple in the Renaissance, whereby 2 adults and 1 child, or 2 children and 1 adult could be booked into a Renaissance double, thereby making it a triple! Get it?? <nuts>
It did bother me greatly to see the Park Car on our return run to Montréal only because of the insistence of VIA Rail's customer service people that those cars would NOT be in service ‘til June 1st - in spite of the web site indicating mid-June in one place!! Had I known the truth, our trip would've been adjusted to provide that experience. Then, following this further, perhaps the entire mess with the Gaspé bus could've ‘n would've been avoided. We'll never know.
I'm wondering whether that female car attendant you mentioned could've been my dear friend, JoAnne who was a "fixture" in the Park Car going back to the days of the now-defucnt Atlantic. She's a sweetheart of a person ‘n always extended that "extra" to ensure a pleasant trip for one ‘n all. Again, she was a Park Car attendant - determined by seniority of course. In fact, I spoke with her in Montréal when we arrived for our last leg. She was indeed assigned to the Park Car that "wasn't"!!
Appreciate the dialogue, visit ‘n links!
Lars (LoveDomes) at 11:01 AM Monday - July 30th: A nice morning here at the Bar by the Ballast with three fine Posts from three most respected customers!
Interesting mix ‘n match of covers from you! That traction cover is from the Bay Area in California, correct??
If my memory is correct, trolleyMAN Rob ‘n his bride should be aboard the train heading to Halifax. They were planning a round trip rail trip from Brantford, ON. Once in Halifax, they were going to drive up to northern Cape Breton to take the ferry over to Newfoundland. Something about "Mrs. trolleyMAN" wanting to visit family heritage places, etc. Wish ‘em well . .
Can'
Good evening Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Leon, a ham sandwich this Monday night would be perfect! With an ice cold Tui!
Missed this place last night/this early morning because of not feeling too well. After my first sneeze (Wow, that was painful) since my surgery this morning I would say I have now recovered! So back to work!
Tom – I am glad to learn that you wrote to VIA about the incident! Things like what happened to you is very damaging to a railroad and they should know about all those incidents so they (including some people) can be corrected. The discontiunace of passenger service through Phoenix can be blamed on the cities here in the Valley. The line Amtrak used from close to Yuma to Phoenix was in a bad need of maintenance and Amtrak asked for money to fix that problem but got absolutely nothing. Not one penny. So, since Amtrak did not have enough money to fix the track, they rerouted the trains and skipped Phoenix altogether and I don’t blame them. Phoenix is probably the largest city in the world without any form av rail passenger service!Some very nice pictures from Alaska! That is the place to be in the summer time! With an old truck marking the Arctic Circle! Two powerful movies at the Emporium this week! The Guardian and Men of Honor. I haven’t seen any of them so I better get some tickets soon! Cactus Makes Perfect, hmmm, can I smell some desert connection here? You are right, one Cowboy Swede is enough and I leave that to Per! Thanks for the list of Significant events in Canadian RR History during the month of July! Comparing with other months it seems like July has been a litte bit more quiet month. Thanks for the pictures of your and Pete’s trip! You certainly had a real nice one even though there was a mishap or two (VIA). Lars – That locomotive on the book cover is a very nice looking locomotive! That is why I would like to know more about it. I am still trying.I’ll send you some sympathy next winter while you are down in the Keys shoveling sand. Thank you for re-posting trolleyboy Rob’s post from last year with all those streetcars! And also barndad Doug’s post from last year, including the UP Rotary Snow Plow #900075. It’s sibling is at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation, #900081. I guess all Doug's pictures are from IRM.
12' of snow in the Keys? Manager Lars doesn't take any chances.
Glad to see the Manager spending some time here at the Bar even on Sundays! Did I see Ruth’s car outside too? No, I didn’t think so. Or did I?You are right about the guy working with that “thing” to make the flanges “flange”! How many years did you work on the railroad?Thanks for the pictures of the NZ steam locos!! Class G looks kind of different, a little bit of stream-lined!More nice book covers! I would like the top one, Metro-North’s Hudson Line. It’s on my list now.Pete – It’s the top part of the Beaver Tails I don’t like when it comes to protection. But the chance I’ll ever ride any of them at 100 mph is probably less than slim. How do I know about Ruth? Well, I am afraid I am way to shy to tell how I know. I just saw what I saw! Some very nice pictures from Alan! There is a sign on one of the locomotives reading “Past Time Rail”. Is that just a slogan or a name?Only one bus in Missouri? No, sir, you are wrong. The very same day I (we) saw three more buses outside Union Station!! So there must be at least four of them in MO! How about that?
Outside Union Station!
Nice pictures from York! I can see one electric in the top picture, #26020. Is that the one? Allan – I also noticed that we were at the bar at the same time last Friday, but then it was time to move on. And you looked kind of busy talking to those girls. Never time enough for anything any more. CM3 – Thank you! I actually feel better for each day. I am surprised it goes so fast and with so little of set backs. So far, that is.
I believe yoy when you say Boston is the dampest place in the world in the winter. It was very damp that winter when I took that and other pictures. That is a good one, the story about that lawyer and his cigars!
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