G'day Gents!
Good to see Shane 'n Per drop in today . . . Helps keep the staff AWAKE! <grin>
And now - MORE Pix from the
2nd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in St. Louis:
Saturday - May 19, 2007
MORE trains in the shed at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO):
Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Parlor-Observation #5998. Built by American Car & Foundry (1935).
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (Burlington) #192 "Silver Spoon" Dining Car. Built by Budd (1938).
Chesapeake & Ohio #970 "City Tavern" Dining Car (heavyweight). Built by Pullman (1925).
Northern Pacific sleeper (no further identification).
Pullman "St. Carvan" Sleeper (heavyweight). Built by Pullman (1923).
Illinois Terminal Rail Bus #206. Built by White (1939).
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority #2740 - PCC Streetcar. Built by St. Louis Car. Co. (1947).
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (Burlington Route) E8A #9939A. Built by EMD (1950).
More later . . .
Tom
Good Morning everybody present!
Ruth, I'll have something from the lunch menu, please; make it a ham sandwich and a cup of coffee.
Just a quick note before I bug off, but since I started the Santa Fe doodlebug debacle, I better report what I have found so far. But first a few comments to the chat at the bar since I was here last time.
Tom, there is nothing like a good tequila almost anytime of the day (or night). But it has to be good, not that stuff that I saw referred to in a Swedish newspaper and "Mexican Rocket Fuel"
Having a slow dial-up connection myself at home, I can very well understand the problems with too many pictures in the posts. That's why I spend my lunch hour posting over here so I can get a reasonably speedy connection. "Speedy Delivery" as Mr. Rogers would have said. I should have split the last part in two, but with my upcoming trip, I wasn't sure when part 2 could have arrived so I took a chance and did it all in one posting. It must be the tinted windows in the car that makes the sunset and sunrise pictures come out the way they do.
It is sad to see the new "Amshack" stations around the country. Too bad it is so expensive to keep up the old buildings, but many, if not all, of them were of real classic design.
Been to Victorville in a Police helicopter, eh? I almost got there in an L-1011 but it didn't work out, unfortunately.
The desert, but Eric should tell you about this, is really beautiful all year ‘round. Yes, it tends to be a bit warm in the summer and there's not that much shade, but I wouldn't mind living somewhere in the Mojave; the views, the clean air, the silence, all add up to a great experience!
And, "dah" "dah" "dah", I went directly to the three "dah"s instead.
Thank you for all the pictures from Saint Louis and your Halifax trip. They are fantastic. But what was the sub doing up on dry land?
When I read your Wednesday Witticism I thought of a bumper sticker one rather large member of my train club in Southern California had: "I may be fat, but you are ugly and I can diet"
Eric, thanks for the Barrett tunnel information. If you had posted that picture earlier, I apologize, but I missed it in that case. How could I forget the Coyotes? I had Arizona in my little list, but removed it at the last moment; I wasn't sure, but now I know!
My trip was cross country, Boston to Southern California! It was on two trains, but I crossed the whole continent.
Lars, you mentioned the word "Caboose" may have come from a maritime word. We have the word "kabyss" in Swedish, which is a "hut" (really now, is that correct you sailors?) on board a ship. I always call the cabeese with the Swedish kabyss, quite a coincidence, isn't it?
I think I know who "20 fingers" is/was. I read a couple of posts about UP passenger cars. Very detailed and very long, but there was a few interesting pieces of information in there.
Mike, that was some interesting links in there. If I didn't know better I'd say Wrigley was a big name in Chicago. But how in the world did they get that barge around the bend in the river?! Talk about a navigation nightmare. The race between the stage coach and the DC3 looks fun. I wonder who won.
I also liked the Connie picture. It has such an interestingly shaped fuselage. I had the opportunity to go inside one at an air show at El Toro (in the good ol' days when the Marines were still there). I was surprised how small it was inside!
Peter, yes, the Santa Fe area is something, isn't it? I didn't know there is a train on the line to Lamy; when I was there, oh 20+ years ago, there was just about nothing except an odd freight train every now and then.
The Chili Line was run by the D&RG from Alamosa to Santa Fe (http://www.drgw.net/info/index.php?n=Main.ChiliLine). There are a number of books about the line, and what I found interesting is that you can still see remnants of the line in several places between the two cities. Embudo, Espanola and Otowi are a few of the places I visited and where there still are visible signs of the railroad.
James, I am very familiar with the Tehachapi loop. Tehachapi was one of the places I had put on a list to visit when I first came over here in 1981 and I have been out there a couple of times and seen how the place has changed. It's been a couple of years since I was there last time (read: not since 2001) so I don't know how hostile the environment is nowadays. My pictures of the doodle bug were taken on 4/30 this year, but more about that below.
The Santa Fe M-190 Doodlebug
With risking coming up to "19 fingers" here is what I have found out about the M-190 doodlebug so far:
The Santa Fe M-190 doodlebug I saw in Albuquerque had apparently been there since February. It was originally part of the long train Santa Fe put together with everything they had in the roundhouse and shipped to Sacramento back in the late 80's. The M-190 just sat outdoors in Sacramento and got pretty much destroyed. In February this year it was shipped back to ABQ for restoration. Where it's going from there, I don't know, but the Mayor of Belen, NM, seems to think it is coming to his town.
A couple of sources place the doodlebug on the ATSF Clovis - Carlsbad line together with one of its sisters, the M-160 - now preserved in Dallas.
The aforementioned Mayor of Belen seems to think it ran passenger traffic between Belen and ABQ, but the pictures that are in that article show a completely different bug, so the Clovis story is probably more truthful.
Here are a few links that I found by Google "Santa Fe" M-190:
http://atsf.railfan.net/atsfpres/ shows the doodlebug in ABQ in 3/29/1986 in one piece. It also mentions: Moved from California State RR Museum January 2007, for static display
Chris Guentzler reports it as recently arrived from SAC on 2/11/2007: http://www.trainweb.org/chris/plata2.html
The Museum of American Railroad in Dallas (former Age of Steam) reports in http://www.dallasrailwaymuseum.com/lightweights.html that it was used together with M-160 on the Clovis - Carlsbad line)
The mayor of Belen, NM, seems to believe it served his town (http://www.dukecityfix.com/index.php?itemid=2528) but the writer tends to agree that the M-190 was in Clovis - the pictures show a much different bug in Belen).
That's it for today.
Take care
Per in Plano
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. Lovely weather here today (for now anyway); gas is $2.99, but holding. Oldest continuous barfly? Honors and perks - all that means is that Leon moves me gently when he sweeps up. Kinda ironic as I "got my 30" in last week.
Lots of stuff to talk about. I'll try and group things topically, rather than by individual contributor, lest we(?) get more confused than usual.
We'll start with diners. The words in the PRR ad re "master diner" were, IMHO, copywriter's license. Some folks asked questions about them. The consist was set up so that the kitchen car (or kitchen/dorm car), was ahead of the diner. Makes sense when you stop and think about it. There was a set of double doors between the kitchen car and the full diner, so it was not as difficult as you think to handle orders, etc. I remember riding one of the twin cars on the "Broadway." The dining section itself was kind of divided in two by a small service bar in the middle of the car. It broke up the effect of being inside a long metal tube. It was a good riding car and the food was better than decent. Incidentally, NYC had twin unit cars on some of their trains as well. IIRC, these were originally to go to the C&O in their big postwar order, but never got that far. Hmm, Boris, we must go to the files and see what we can find.
Note to James: The Broadway was one of the best. There was, of course, a never-ending battle for passenger traffic (what a concept!) between the NYC and the Great Tuscan Father. The PRR probably won the battle as they kept the Broadway as an all-Pullman train (last in the east), after the Central started to run coaches on 25/26. Also, good luck on your preservation work. It's tough to do, but you learn a lot while you are involved.
I'm glad folks were able to scope out the MP schedule. Lots of cars to lots of places. In answer to Pete's question it would have been all steam at that time. Those familiar with MP steam know that they had some of the best looking power out there.
Oops! I heard the crunch of tires on the driveway out back and there was Lars with the bookmobile. I am glad to see some of my shelf-dwelling friends featured in your post(s) along with an update on what you have been doing.
Per sent ATSF pictures and more travelogue. Hang in there with the paperwork. BTW, grits are good (if they are cooked properly). Very popular here with scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage - get a side of biscuits to sop ‘em up. I can't go pinto beans and cornbread which many people in this part of the world consider to be food for the gods. The younger set eats them, but not me....
We had some interesting hockey stuff lately. Tim Horton, and OMG, it's Rocket Richard! Boston Garden used to be above North Station, and, back in the day, there were just a few NHL teams and they all traveled by train. I don't know who was disliked more by the "Broonz" faithful: Montreal or New York.
There is a Tim Horton's in the town closest to my father-in-law's place. It has an excellent location; Lowe's is across the street and WM is next door - life is full. They have good coffee, and the sinkers aren't bad either, although I favor the monstrous cinnamon beasties myself. I bring back cans of Tim's coffee when I go up there, and also bags of coffee from Eat ‘N Park (known to all who ever spent any time in Pittsburgh).
Lots of folks have sent lots of pictures. The MP transfer cab is a fine exhibit. I also liked the S motor (remember them well at Mott Haven and also prowling around Grand Central. B&O 50 is the real keeper out of that group, though.
Georgia 724 set off all sorts of things in the deep, mysterious recesses of my memory; so I went and looked it up in the files.
GA 724 started life as GA 722. It was blt by BLW in 1896. The Georgia RR took her apart in 1924 and rebuilt her (also in 1924). She was r# as 724 after the rebuild. She stayed with the Georgia until 1941 when she was sold (through the Georgia Car and Locomotive Co.) to the E. St. Louis Junction Ry. Robert Hanson's book, History of the Georgia Railroad, has a picture of her, in service.
Movies are good ones. Beyond the Fringe - had no idea that was around. Windtalkers is a not all bad (although they could have edited out about 15 minutes here and there which would have improved the continuity), and then we have "All the World's A Stooge." My favorite line from that one is, "Come and see my three refugees."
More steam pictures. The NKP 4-6-4s were handsome engines. They handled the passenger trains until the PAs came. Then they were protection power. Other diesels took over after the PAs. IIRC, the NKP Hudson's last run(s) were in special trains that carried folks to Cleveland to see the Indians play. Trivia question for the day - who had the largest 4-6-4s?
Incidentally, I found the sub. OSP doubtless remembers New London and Groton. The Coast Guard Academy (and other facilities) on one side, the sub base and sub school on the other, and Electric Boat not too far away. All of this was visible from the New Haven.
Also - many thanks to Mike for the TWA Connie picture.
Pete mentioned TW3 - yes, I remember that one. Very topical stuff because it was fresh writing every week. Talk about noisy trains - you never rode the Reno fun train on the SP. Loud going east and VERY quiet heading west.
Will be back tomorrow for sure, but Friday looks a bit questionable as of now.
Work safe
Note to OSP - We go round and round with 50 and 51 over here. There are always "obstacles," either from CSX or ATK, but we have managed to overcome them one at a time. Heaven forbid that they look at coordinating possible SLSF line service with what's already there. Incidentally, 34000 pax per year equates to about 93 riders a day. We have had very good experience with getting communities to do stuff with stations, advertising, tourist promotions, etc. Just something else I fool with when I have the time. I know, whoda thunk it?
Ruth, take a break - make it a long one - go on over to the Mentor Village Mall 'n Fish Hatchery and spend some money! <grin> I'll watch the place . . .
Every now 'n then there comes a topic that interests me regarding passenger rail service, especially here in my part of the country. For years - decades - there's been "talk" about resurrecting the route between St. Louis 'n Springfield - once a thriving FRISCO line (St. Louis-San Frfancisco Railway Co.), but today nothing but a memory.
So, there's a CLASSIC TRAINS connection with this Post of mine!
Several years back, I was a participant in a semi-official citizens-government group whose purpose was to keep the Amtrak line between St. Louis 'n Kansas City, MO a thriving one. The group was hosted by MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) and was comprised of representatives from all of the ten cities along that route. Representatives of the Mayor's offices - Chambers of Commerce - Tourism organizations and passenger rail lobbyists (Moi) were included. Amtrak sent representatives to the quarterly meetings from their offices in Chicago and at times we'd even be "blessed" by the appearance of Union Pacific Railroad - the not-so-motivated "host" of the StL-KC route.
A "hook" the group had was to communicate to the state legislature a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" regarding the continuation of the subsidy for the intra-Missouri Amtrak operations. Obviously, Amtrak was a cooperative participant. But I should mention, ALL of their reps that I came in contact were great people who really came across as wanting to provide the best service possible within the very tight budget they were given. That's the absolute truth from my aging recollections . . . <grin>
Anyway, every now 'n then the topic of expanding Amtrak services within the state would crop up and we'd have some lively discussions that usually ended the way they began. Nice topic, no money, case closed.
It appears that "something" is in the wind with the St. Louis-Springfield idea - but I'm not really encouraged beyond saying that. For once you read the article I'm providing, you'll see that to get this up 'n running will take effort beyond belief, funds that aren't identified, and of course passengers.
Here then are two articles of interest to the resurrection of a route that still lives within the memories of those who experienced those FRISCO Classic Trains:
MoDOT proposes St. Louis - Springfield Amtrak line - June 16, 2006The Missouri Department of Transportation proposed Wednesday an Amtrak passenger rail service between St. Louis and Springfield, Mo., and to lessen congestion on Interstate 44. The department, along with Amtrak, is exploring the possibility of one round trip daily between the two cities, according to a release. The rail line would head northeast from Springfield and make stops along the way in Lebanon, Rolla, Sullivan and Kirkwood, Mo., before reaching St. Louis. The train would run on existing privately owned rail lines. A map showing the proposed and existing Amtrak corridors in Missouri can be viewed on MoDOT's Web site. The state of Missouri currently supports an Amtrak route between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo. National Amtrak currently runs two rail service lines in Missouri, one from St. Louis south to Poplar Bluff, and another between Kansas City and northeast Missouri heading to Chicago. Conditions may be right for an expansion in service, MoDOT Multimodal Operations Director Brian Weiler said in a statement: "Population and travel is way up in the Springfield/Branson area, and Fort Leonard Wood is very busy as well. And with highways becoming more congested and fuel costs going up, more people than ever are looking for other ways to travel." The possible expansion would be at least a year or two away, according to Weiler. Funding, stations and crossings are among the details that have yet to be worked out.
The Missouri Department of Transportation proposed Wednesday an Amtrak passenger rail service between St. Louis and Springfield, Mo., and to lessen congestion on Interstate 44.
The department, along with Amtrak, is exploring the possibility of one round trip daily between the two cities, according to a release. The rail line would head northeast from Springfield and make stops along the way in Lebanon, Rolla, Sullivan and Kirkwood, Mo., before reaching St. Louis. The train would run on existing privately owned rail lines.
A map showing the proposed and existing Amtrak corridors in Missouri can be viewed on MoDOT's Web site.
The state of Missouri currently supports an Amtrak route between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo. National Amtrak currently runs two rail service lines in Missouri, one from St. Louis south to Poplar Bluff, and another between Kansas City and northeast Missouri heading to Chicago.
Conditions may be right for an expansion in service, MoDOT Multimodal Operations Director Brian Weiler said in a statement: "Population and travel is way up in the Springfield/Branson area, and Fort Leonard Wood is very busy as well. And with highways becoming more congested and fuel costs going up, more people than ever are looking for other ways to travel."
The possible expansion would be at least a year or two away, according to Weiler. Funding, stations and crossings are among the details that have yet to be worked out.
Now, fast forward to current time . . .
Tuesday, May 29, 2007Amtrak Skeptical about St. Louis - Springfield Route Below is the press release that Amtrak issued concerning proposed service between St. Louis and Springfield. Missouri has made no significant investment in passenger rail, unlike in many other states such as Illinois where the state and freight railroads have made joint investments to improve service.CHICAGO - Amtrak has provided a report to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that shows formidable obstacles to possible passenger rail service between St. Louis and Springfield, Mo. The report requested by MoDOT found strategic merit to the proposed route, including serving the state's third largest metropolitan area, tourism potential, and connections to Amtrak's national rail service. However, it would also require an initial significant capital investment and ongoing state operating support. The lack of a competitive trip time versus that of automobiles and a lower than expected ridership projection were also cited as concerns. Specifically, the report found the route as-is would generate only 34,000 passengers annually, including 5,000 connecting from the current state-supported Amtrak service between St. Louis and Kansas City. This is primarily due to the lengthy travel times on the nearly 235 miles of track, largely owned by the BNSF Railway, with train speeds lower than that of the adjacent Interstate 44. The result is a trip time of almost six hours -- nearly twice that of driving -- even after building a $4 million track connection between the BNSF and Union Pacific Railroad to shorten the route and complement the current state-supported service at Kirkwood, Mo. by adding a stop there. The low speeds are mainly due to the BNSF track as it follows the undulating terrain in the scenic Ozark Foothills, with much of it as curvature.The report estimates the direct cost of providing the service would be $4.1 million annually and would generate approximately $700,000 in ticket revenue. The initial annual state contract cost would be approximately $3.4 million. Another issue is the lack of available station infrastructure at proposed train stops in Sullivan, Rolla, Lebanon, and Springfield. Communities along the existing St. Louis to Kansas City service receive no state funding for station construction and must fund these projects locally. Proposed changes to federal regulations require all new train stations meet new standards, to include a full-length platform to serve the longest passenger train using the line. It could cost several million dollars per stop to construct the required station infrastructure. Due to cost constraints, Amtrak was not asked to study a major re-engin Happy Railroading! Siberianmo siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 7:06 AM <w/permission: http://www.scenic-railroads.com/> Wednesday's WitticismDrunks sober up. Fools remain fools. G'day Gents! Mid-week again and mid-continent USA is enjoying some pre-summer weather as the temps are expected to remain comfortable in the morning, with high 80s to lo-90s (F) during the afternoon. Blue skies for the most part, just a "great to be alive" day! Petrol dropped to $2.82 (rounded) up at "Collusion Corner" - but who knows? We've got the 4th of July "hike" to look forward to, eh Received an Email from trolleyMAN Rob yesterday. He "sounds" serious about stopping by - but it's best we don't get our hopes up, for his "play time" has been dramatically reduced. It's a shame he's missed (and is missing) so many fine Posts ‘n Pix . . . As previously mentioned, we've lost the man as a "regular" and as our "Chief Chef." While life marches on, he is sorely missed . . . the last of the "plank owners" at the bar. Unlike so many who've simply dropped off the face of the Earth, Count Robulla wants to maintain the "ties" - which ain't so bad, eh Youbetcha! It has been, and always will be, a personal choice to frequent this place . . . where there's a will, there's a way, so the saying goes, eh So our 26th Month Anniversary came ‘n went with only ONE upfront recognition. Many THANX to our Manager Lars for remembering . . . yes, things have surely changed at this Bar by the Ballast. Ah, there's that word again, CHANGE . . . Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative): Lars at 3:24 PM Tuesday - June 12th: First daylight visit of the day! Thought perhaps we'd have a "shutout"! <geesh>Good for you ‘n the bride - a couple of nights in the Bay Area is good for the heart ‘n soul! Great place for a bit of rekindling the flame and so forth! Enjoy, Mate! We'll be looking for your return to the Saloon by the Siding AND making a "dent" into that pile of paperwork that's accumulated in your looooooooong absence. <groan> Not to worry, Boris has been keeping things in some semblance of "order" ?!?!?!? <uh oh>Remembering our bar's Anniversary day means a lot to Moi - much appreciated! And to stop off at a library to do so adds even more meaning to your consideration! OR were you in hopes that "Connie" would be around?? Hmmmmm, nah - YOU wouldn't think of such things, eh Thanx for the round, treats for the critters ‘n conversation! Mike at 4:32 PM Tuesday - June 12th: Two Pix ‘n URLs from our Resident URLMeisterMonster. Good show! Pete at 5:58 PM Tuesday - June 12th: An inclusive, informative ‘n interesting Post from our Bar Chandler! No, that sub is NOT one of the "flawed four" purchased from the Brits - I recall Fergie making mention that she was "up" like that initially for the winter. But wondered aloud why she was still out of the water . . .Amazing how things "live" seemingly forever, even if flawed in content 'n context. That's why I "harp" on references and the like when putting out "stuff" here at the bar - especially where there are so many browsers bent on dropping off their "one liners" as if that's "proof." <barf> The downside of freedom of speech, eh Then again, one doesn't have to believe all that is espoused . . . . I've probably been to San Diego at least three dozen times, mostly business. But when for pleasure, I ALWAYS took the time to visit Balboa Park - especially the Model RR Museum. Check this link: http://www.sdmodelrailroadm.com/Also, here's a connection for the California State RR Museum in Sacramento: http://www.csrmf.org/default.aspRound appreciated - Enjoy your day! James at 9:01 PM Tuesday - June 12th: Quite an inclusive Post from our Duluth Connection! Grain cars in Halifax would be for export as the port is Canada's most significant Atlantic outlet . . . best guess is grain comes from the prairie Provinces, most likely Alberta.You'd have to possess the "secret word 'n handshake" to know what goes on in the CN Pensioners shack . . .<grin> Good observation! Sorry, but without West Coast S - Dave - around, there's no one I'm aware of who can claim the "title" of Southern Pacific Aficionado - so the answers to your questions may be awh Happy Railroading! Siberianmo EricX2000 Member sinceDecember 2002 From: Phoenix, AZ 683 posts Posted by EricX2000 on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 12:34 AM Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!Nice to sit down for a while. Leon, tonight is the right time for my very favorite, Rumpsteak Café de Paris! That's right, medium! What? Ruth is cleaning and decorating the Penthouse? Really, no I won't say anything!A whole bunch of pictures today! The Captain has been working hard as usual!Tom – Thanks for the Tim Horton info! Obviously a very good hockey player! When I get a chance I will stop at Tim Horton's and try the coffee. Maybe also a doughnut! I’ll be back one day to go to the Museum of Transportation again and I’ll let you know when! I have a few more catalogs I’ll check for S-scale buses and other things. Just have to get them out of the box where they reside.It would be interesting to know exactly what is hidden in that tunnel. I am sure it is filled with old locomotives and cars. Nice pictures from the museum!! I especially like the first one of the Nickel Plate Road loco. Very nice! I never thought about taking a picture of it from that angle! I hope West Coast Dave can see the SP locomotive!It seems like you and Pete had very nice weather in Halifax! Blue skies and sunshine! Is that Naval Base a big one? Reminds me about a Swedish Navy base that is partly inside a mountain. They can take in submarines and destroyers inside, where they are well protected. Lars – No, no, I am not trying anything. One of these days... Thank you for remindning me about the Anniversary! We are all looking forward to have you back on a regular basis!Mike – Some old pictures from Chicago! I wonder how they managed to get that barge (?) that far into the city? The TWA picture reminds me that I have a similar one of a TWA Constellation. A beutiful airplane!Pictures and data on those four hockeyplayers! Interesting combination, trains, players and data! Thanks Mike!Pete – I think that SF Doodlebug is/was on its way to Sacramento! I took a quick look and the 5’ 6” track was at least all the way from St. Louis to Kansas City, including Jefferson City. They changed to standard gauge 1869. I found out that British Leyland went bankrupt in 2005. But before that the Trucks Division - Leyland Vehicles merged with Dutch DAF. Hmm, it’s kind of complicated, there should still be a company called Leyland Bus. No, it was acquired by Volvo Buses and the name disappeared in 1993. Sorry! I received your mail (Thank you!) and I sent a response tonight.James – Yes, St. Louis Museum of Transportation is a very interesting place to visit. It will take several days to see it all! Some of the cars and locomotives are in pretty sad shape, but they are working on them to put them back in good condition. But it takes a lot of work and even more money!I am adding a picture of a SP locomotive. Class SP-2, #5021. Eric CMSTPP Member sinceAugust 2005 From: Along the old Milwaukee Road. 1,152 posts Posted by CMSTPP on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 9:01 PM G-day Tom and all present!Leon- A coffee and a turkey sandwich if you could, Thanks! Yike, Boris! What, Pig's feet!? Okay, Okay..... Ah Leon.. Better get some pickeled Pig's feet for "Our" critter.Well things have been good and I have some good news, mostly on my part. A couple of people I know down at the museum trust me and a couple of my friends, to restore an old caboose back to its former self. It's a DM&IR Bay window that hasn't been used for quite some time. So I will be getting some pics of it as we go about working on this thing and I will keep you guys updated on it.Acknowledgements starting on page 66.Tom- I see that you have been quite a busy guy while I was gone, and a nice show with all of the Rendezvous pics. I really liked the mural at Truro. Someone has a lot of patience when it comes to those very large murals, and it looks good too. And an interesting building with the CN pensioners association located in it.... Hmmm.. What kind of mysterious things does the CN do here.... Also a bunch of great scenes, Thanks for sharing. Some great shots of the Bedford Basin and the Halifax rail yards. I see they have a some intermodal service up there. But I was quite surprised to see grain cars up there since you wouldn't think there would much for grain near the Bedford basin. Yet, I'm guessing they have some grain elevators around there. And some more nice photos from the St. Louis transportation museum. I am still quite impressed with that Zephyr. They really did a nice job restoring that old piece of time back to life. Thanks for sharing.Some more nice Passenger Nostalgia about the NYC. All I can say is that it had to be a nice train even though I didn't ride it. At that time railroads were competing for the people to ride there trains and they made them look as nice and classy as possible, to keep everyone happy. To bad these legends aren't around anymore.mmmmmm... Alco power.. I love hearing those things. They chug away without a worry in the world.... Well unless they don't need work.. but when doesn't a Alco need work. Nice pic of the Missouri Pacific RS3. Always good to see some Alco locos sitting around. And that nice looking SD45. Like I said, I wonder if that thing even works? They sure made it look nice. Hey, I know I can come down there, Prelube it and see if it won't turnover, how about that.Back to the current page, some more nice photos from Halifax. That Heavy weight coach caught my eye. It's in pretty nice condition. Now do you know what trains this car ran on and do you have any background info on it? It's a very nice car. I wonder how the interior looks Thanks for the pics. Well, I'm happy I know the raod back or I would be stuck out in the middle of nowhere... Maybe by a set railroad tracks, eh. Alright, another question has risen. That Southern Pacific Northern GS-6 4-8-4.. what is up with the paint scheme I have never seen them painted in a black before. I have always seen them in the Daylight scheme.. Why Besides that, some very nice photos from you sir. 5- As Lars had mentioned, I also "dig" those Ferry Photos. And yes I spotted the Submarine... Interesting to see it above land.. But I guess they don't need it rusting through and sinking now do they..Thanks for all the fine photos. Eric- Some nice shots you have there from inside the passenger train. It looks weird with all of those trees zooming by and everyone literally standing still in the car. It gives the effect of the train really moving fast! I can tell you this, The St. Louis transportation museum people sure know how to keep things looking nice. I am really impressed with there work. I need to get to St. Louis someday and give that place a looky! Thanks for the pic of the Lima built steamer. The paint looks really good.Thanks for the sign that explained that tunnel to me. I can't believe how old that thing is. I was quite surprised by that little fact. Interesting none-the-less. Thanks for the pics.Per- First to start things off, even if it is a little late, Happy National Day in Sweden. I'm sure there had to be some great parties and events going on.That's a nice interior shot of that wooden passenger car. I'm afraid it would be a little uncomfortable for me to sit on but I bet people thought it was great when they first came out. Thanks for the pic. Thanks for the link to all of your great photos. Soon I will beable to have a "puter" portfolio like that one, as soon as my Canon Digital SLR arrives in the mail. Then I can take some pictures. I can't wait!!!Well, I think your right when it comes to sharp curves like that. It's probably to avoid any type of grade they might encounter along the way. It was the same with Tehachapi pass. I don't know if you have seen it but it was built to get trains out of the mountains and to avoid the really steep grades. How long ago was it when you took the pics of that gas electric You're right, they are in the exact area and they're on the same flat cars too. So I wonder if the guy hadn't taken the photo almost the same time you were there. Interesting. Thanks for the other The Milwaukee Road From Miles City, Montana, to Avery, Idaho. The Mighty Milwaukee's Rocky Mountain Division. Visit: http://www.sd45.com/milwaukeeroad/index.htm pwolfe Member sinceFebruary 2005 From: mid mo 1,054 posts Posted by pwolfe on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 5:58 PM Hi Tom and all.A pint of Batham's please Ruth, no no I don't know anything about a Connie.PER As I was saying to LARS the bride and I are hoping to visit the museum in Sacramento any tips on what is best to see and any hidden treasures that be great.Many thanks for the photo journey on the Southwest Chief this a train we are thinking about using to get to California and coming back on the Zephyr. The landscape in New Mexico is like none I had ever seen before. We had a visit to Santa Fe and managed at trip on the preserved line out of Santa Fe although the train did not go as far as the junction with the BNSF. Thanks for the pictures and info on the Santa Fe ‘Doodlebug'.Your trip on the Amtrak to Los Angeles reminded me of a train trip a few years ago on a branch line that connected with a preserved line in the North East of England. The train was a 3-Car Diesel Multiple Unit which was the school kids special, you literally could hear the train before it arrived. The Guard (Conductor) said, as the 6 or so of us boarded the train " We have a space for normal human beings in the last car" Boy was that train noisy. The journey was enlivened when one of the youths got his head stuck in the railing by one of the doors, luckily with the help of some of his pals he was able to get his head free before his stop although at one stage it looked as though the Fire Service was going to have to be called. At each station the noise got less until they had all left but the train was full of litter, which the guard collected.The ‘Chili Line' sounds an interesting railway, was it part of the Denver & Rio Grande system do you know.Have a great trip to Madrid and California. LARS Great to see you in again real glad you found the library. Any info you have about the museum at Sacramento would be great from you as well, when you have time.Many thanks for the book covers, particularly like the B&O painting. As far as I can make out the A4 on the British book cover is No 60029, which carried the name ‘Woodcock'. The loco was shedded at King Cross (London) and was one of the A4s fitted with a corridor tender.Have a safe journey home and look forward to your visits to bar when you get back home.JAMES Great to see back at Our Place after the busy time you have had lately.Thanks for the photos of the Santa Fe ‘Doodlebug' it certainly is an interesting railroad vehicle; hopefully it is on its way to a railroad museum.ERIC You are right there is so much to see at the St Louis museum. That was my third visit and I have seen things I have not noticed before each time I go. Of course nowadays I have some idea of the history and the significance of the exhibits than the first visit when I knew hardly nothing about North American Railroads and locomotives. I am pleased to say Classic Trains and Our Place has helped me greatly to understand N.American railroads.I wonder how far the 5 feet 6 inch track extended on the Missouri Pacific before it was converted to standard gauge.I have a feeling that the Leyland bus builders were taken over although I have lost touch.Looking forward to more info on the narrow gauge line at Linkoping. I sent e-mail, but the way the puter was yesterday you may not have received it. TOM The puter is working better today although still slow. I thought I had lost my post yesterday but it appeared as did page 68.I will have a look at my photobucket again later to see if that will work again later.Enjoying the info on the PRR Broadway dining cars from you and CM3. As you say, the info at Our Place is one to trusted we are lucky compared to some other railway info on the web. It a recent (British) Railway Magazine they have looked back over some British train performance myths. One example is of a legendary run by a Caledonian 4-6-0 at the turn of the 1900s, the writer found the original log and found the train timer had included the weight of the locomotive and tender in the train weight. When this was deducted from the load the engine hauled, it was a good run but not anywhere near the horsepower originally credited to the loco. The article on locomotive performance still appears in the RM, it has been running for well over 100 years now.Many thanks for the great St Louis and Halifax photos, I guess that is one of the submarines that were bought from Britain and were not popular. I well remember you telling me about Tim Horton, I very much enjoyed th wanswheel Member sinceNovember 2005 4,190 posts Posted by wanswheel on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 4:32 PM Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the houseGood old Al ordered something to begin with CR, a nightly Crown Royal or morning Crumpet.Wow! 26 months, that's almost 800 days, or ten times around the world in a balloon. Wrigley & Tribune http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c00000/3c04000/3c04100/3c04114v.jpgWrigley & Sun-Timeshttp://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/il/il0600/il0630/photos/037143pv.jpgWrigley & Trump http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/8690/trump12tx.jpgWrigley & Marine Angel http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c10000/3c19000/3c19700/3c19799v.jpgWrigley Field http://img.nytstore.com/IMAGES/NSAPSD2_EXTR.JPGTWAhttp://www.airliners.net/open.file/0183396/L/ American Airlineshttp://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c20000/3c23000/3c23500/3c23568v.jpgCV Ambassadorhttp://216.94.16.48/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=1775812032&id=36http://216.94.16.48/people/index_view.cfm?photoid=64502357&id=28Data http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196108&type=Player&page=bio&list=#photohttp://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12244http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13967http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13789CV freight trainhttp://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2002031916410019996.jpgMike LoveDomes Member sinceJanuary 2006 From: northeast U.S. 1,225 posts Posted by LoveDomes on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:24 PM Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!HAPPY 26th MONTH ANNIVERSARY to "Our" Place! The best watering hole in cyber space and this side of the Ether!! A 5- Salute to the Cap'n who makes all of this possible! Hello Ruth my deAH! You look splendiferous as always and I'm saddened to know that this place has been so quiet on a day where there ought to be RECOGNITION! My, my how things have changed since I first came aboard . . . BUT, I'm here and let's have some treats for the crittAHs - a large jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris and a Larsman special hero for me - ham, Swiss, mustAHd ‘n buttAH with two extra large ‘n crunchy pickles from the barrel. A round for whenever there's a bunch at the bar, a frosty mug of Keiths for me - AND - the change is YOURS! <phew>Some continuing extra fine pix from Da Bossman and I'd say he's really keeping this place hummin' along and is getting some super support from Eric ‘n Pete, who have been as "regular" as possible without taking a laxative! <whoa!> I hope to join youse guyz once we get back home and my "routine" gets established. Surely cannot have Da Boss exerting himself on a non-stop basis. Cap'n Tom, I "dig" those pix from the ferry. That's a wonderful area to visit and I recall a couple of port calls up that way that were memorable for this sailor. Always thought of the place as "quality" and very much steeped in tradition. Doesn't matter to me that it's not my traditiion - the idea of it is what counts! Thanks for putting all of those trip pix together for us. I'm enjoying 'em all! We're heading up to San Francisco tomorrow for a couple of nights and then our flight back to New York. We've always enjoyed ourselves in that town - although I must admit, I'm really no fan of what goes on there - hardly what I consider to be a lifestyle of my choosing. Nevertheless, there are still bastions of "normalcy" around and places we like to dine. So it should be an opportunity for the two of us to recharge - unwind and get back to being Mr. & Mrs. We both need it. Don't want to belabor this piece with my personal tripe. The purpose of my visit was to join in on the "celebration" - but it seems I'm the only one celebrating! <geesh> My guess is Cap'n Tom hasn't made mention of anything just to "test the waters," as he's done in the past. A shame, really.Ok, boyz - time for me to skedaddle - I've got the reservations squared away for SFran and our return flights and found this ‘convenient' library en route where we're staying. NOPE - haven't spotted that lovely creature who was here on Saturday - still the same ‘crew' - National Geographic ‘n Popular Mechanics "gals" I'd guess! <grin>For Per: The reference to "20 Fingers" goes back to a time when we had a guy who simply "dropped data" on us pretty much with every post. He truly had his heart in the right place, but when it came to passenger trains, there was no stopping him as page after page after page of "pure data" would fill up the thread. So much so that Doug named him "20 Fingers" - and it stuck. He's no longer with us as an active member, as he's entrenched in Tom's Legion of the Lost, most probably never to be seen or read from again! <phew> <grin>For Eric: Still trying to "pin" something on Ruth and I, huh Gotta use a different lure ‘n bait if you're gonna be successful, mate! For Pete: Don't know what your California plans are, but should you find yourselves in this part of the state, a day at the RR museum is a MUST for a guy like you. Sacramento isn't a bad place to check out and all depends on what time you've got and what you ‘n your Mrs. enjoy doing. No sea coast here - but still nice.For James: Thanks for the kind remarks - didn't think you were around, otherwise I'd have made mention. Good to see ya! We fly back on Friday . . . Until the next time! Lars siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 2:40 PM G'day Gents!Continuing on with Pix from Day Three: Saturday - May 26th, 2007 - Halifax, Nova Scotia Pete ‘n Fergie on the ferry to Dartmouth (Halifax side) From the ferry to Dartmouth - Halifax side Across the harbor is Dartmouth Ferry bridge Canadian Forces Naval Base - Halifax Spot the submarine! To be continued . . . Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 10:38 AM G'day Gents!MORE Pix from the 2nd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in St. Louis:Saturday - May 19, 2007 at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO). New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road) #170 - Hudson 4-6-4. Built by Alco (1927). Southern Pacific # 4460 - Northern GS-6 - 4-8-4. Built by Lima (1943).Chesapeake & Ohio #2727 - Kanawha 2-8-4. Built by Alco (1944). Trains in the shed: Santa Fe #5011 - Texas 2-10-4. Built by Baldwin (1944).Boston & Providence RR Daniel Nelson # 952 - 4-4-0. Built by B&P 1858-1863. Chesapeake &Ohio #2727 Kanawha (above)General Motors #103 - FTA (Demonsrator). Built by EMC (1939).Missouri Pacific coach # 6210. Built by American Car & Foundry (1940). General Motors #103 - FTA (above) Illinois Central #30 Dynamometer Car. Built by IC (1943). More later . . . Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 8:21 AM <w/permission: http://www.scenic-railroads.com/>G'day Gents! Tuesday at the Tavern by the Tracks - coffee's hot - pastries fresh ‘n our <light> ‘n <traditional> breakfasts are ready for serving! Quite a day yesterday, rather surprising for a Monday - but most appreciated by Cashinator and Tilla (our cash registers for those who either don't know or have forgotten!). <KaChing> <KaChing> Looks like a day justifying some ACKNOWLEDGMENTS!Once again, many THANX go to those of you who take the time ‘n make the effort to provide some "heads up" notice when absences or late arrivals are on the horizon. It TRULY helps me a lot in knowing when to provide stimulus ‘round here to keep the Posts going . . . Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative): Per at 10:54 AM Monday - June 11th: Greetings! Great to have you aboard to help kick off a new week. "Rinsing down" your breakfast with Tequilla surely puts you into a class of your own ‘round here! <grin> Should make a point straight away regarding Pix Posting on this Thread on other than Saturdays: There's really no prohibition, but moreso an "agreement" most of us have held to over the years to limit the fotos to those with supplemental relevance to the discussion at hand and do the "dumps" on the weekend. We also have tried to keep the numbers of ‘em down to 8 or less, just to help with the "loading" issues that many of the guys have experienced . . . So don't be alarmed, you aren't being singled out! <grin>Having said that, I just poured through your 15 fotos and found ‘em all of interest! Actually, your Post could have been easily provided in two-parts, eh Nevertheless, appreciate the travelogue and great narratives to go along with what we're viewing. THAT's the way to do it! I'm ALWAYS ready for a passenger train trip, especially long distance and in particular with VIA Rail (western routes) - only thing getting in the way is my bride's availability to accompany me - she's still employed! <geesh> Another fantastic "sky shot" with that sunset foto! Clever move to "frame" the Amtrak station with an archway from the larger structure. Always a bit sad to see the passenger rail stations reduced to mere function than charm. Who wuddathunkit way back when, eh In a life long ago, almost as if it didn't involve me, my travels took me to Victorville and Barstow MANY times. Been to Victorville by car ‘n police helicopter - but that's a story for another place and time, eh <grin> Anyway, I used to enjoy watching the trains in that part of the country, but never as a bona fide "foamer" so much as ancillary to what I was doing for a living. Hard not to stop for a moment to enjoy those mighty machines pulling their loads, eh I've never considered myself a "fan" of the desert landscape. However, I must admit to being captivated by the beauty of it from time to time. Driving from Needles to San Bernadino, for example, can be an enjoyable ride while taking in the vistas along the way . . . not a place I'd want to drop anchor, but still there's "something" about it.Somewhere in an earlier Post you made reference to "Stewarts" - which I believe you meant to call, "Stewards." A term used for those engaged in food service aboard ships, trains ‘n planes of old. Next comes the "dah" lessons! Beginning with the letter "T" . . . <go fer it!> CM3 Shane at 11:30 AM Monday - June 11th: Always time for quarters ‘n a round! That's what makes YOU "the" SURVIVOR at the Bar - from near inception to date, we've been able to count on you. Many thanx - as always. Appreciate the input on the Broadway Limited - my earlier Post refers . . . Lars at 1:47 PM Monday - June 11th: Treats for the critters, a smile on Ruth's face, some typical Larsman dialogue AND book covers! All's well with the world when the Larsman is onboard! Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, I'd have never thought of a library for accessing the internet either! Shows how much I know about those places these days <daze> eh AND I SHOULD know better, given that I spent so much time in the campus library during and after my "career" at college (following my REAL career, that is!!) By the by, YOU are on the "list" for Emails regarding the 3rd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in Chicago 2008. I don't plan on getting the first one out ‘til July though . . . plenty of time. More than likely I'll Post the "basic stuff" here at the bar, just to give those who either don't know or have forgotten how we go about planning these extravaganzas Happy Railroading! Siberianmo EricX2000 Member sinceDecember 2002 From: Phoenix, AZ 683 posts Posted by EricX2000 on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 1:49 AM Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!Leon, coffee and a cheese Danish! That's all, thank you!A lot of activities here this Monday! Getting busy again!Tom – I am sorry to say I forgot to bring your CDs to work today, so I could not mail them as planned. Now they are in my briefcase and will be mailed tomorrow, Tuesday! You mentioned the bus you bought for your S-scale layout. I have checked that catalog I talked about, but they do not have anything for the S-scale. I will check further. 846 miles, just right for a train ride!! Thanks for the info!I was told that dual citizenship was not allowed, which I did not consider being a problem since I think that it is wrong having two citizenships. At that time the old country did not allow dual citizenship either, but they changed that 6-7 years ago. And that was for the most stupid reason. I’ll tell you another day. I certainly hope West Coast Dave is safely at home now. Maybe I should show some SP pictures?You are right about Cindy working Saturdays, but I guess you never saw Ruth, did you? I guess she was there beacuse Manager Lars had been there and she was too happy to remember to go home again!! She just forgot she wasn’t on duty!About the photo from Sunday, it is from the old country. I will have more info on it in a few days. I took it back in 1968, 39 years ago. Thanks for “borrowing” Doug’s pictures from your other thread! Looking at your pictures from the Museum of Transportation I have to repeat myself, I need to go back one day. I missed a lot of things. Like the New York Central #113, Joplin-Pittsburgh #2003 and Baltimore & Ohio #50. Thanks for the nice pictures!!I see that you also have info on those PRR diners! More pictures from Halifax! I memorized that name, Tim Horton’s for future use! Is Tim’s nationwide or a more local chain?Per – How could you forget the Arizona hockey team, the Coyotes? Info about the Barrets Tunnels on this picture. Inside the tunnel you can see a steam locomotive, less the boiler and cab, sitting on a flat car. The arrows are pointing at the rails on the flat car and the third arrow is pointing at a wheel. The picture I posted is from Linköping, Sweden. I took it 1968 and it shows the remains of the narrow gauge MÖJ. I will come back to this later this week. Thanks for the rest of your report from your almost cross country trip!! Very enjoyable and nice pictures. Most interesting picture are the ones of that Santa Fe diesel on the flat car! CM3 – Thanks for the info on those diners, etc. That made me curious and I will do some research myself. Looking forward to more info from you though! I saw that Tom found something too.Lars – Why don’t you take a picture of that gal, Connie? I always like to see pictures of centerfold gals! Ruth is kind of concerned though. More nice book covers! The last one, Southern Pacific Historic Diesels, made it on my list over books to look for! James – That truck is under a FP45. As far as I know that truck is called FB 3. St. Louis Museum of Transportation has a lot of stuff to check out! It will take more than one day to see it all. What’s in the tunnel is shown above. “Half” a steam engine on a flat car! What is behind it I don't know. The Santa Fe M190 is something different! I tried to find more info tonight but was succesful. I’ll check my books to see what I can find. Thanks for the pictures.Pete – You don’t know if there are any British bus makers left? How about Leyland? They must still be around. You are right!! That photo was taken in Sweden 39 years ago in the city of Linköping (I used to live there in the early 70’s). I will come back later this week to that narrow gauge railroad that was once upon a time.If you are married to an American citizen you can become a citizen after three years! Or, at least, apply for citizenship after three years. Eric marthastrainyard Member sinceMarch 2006 From: Orange County, CA 98 posts Posted by marthastrainyard on Monday, June 11, 2007 8:24 PM Good Evening everybody present! Leon, please a pint of your best dark ale and a round for everyone present! Tom. Thank you for all the work on the dining/kitchen cars. It was a very interesting reading! Imagine that they had separate kitchen cars. It can not have been easy on the waiters, having to walk between cars with a fully loaded tray in hand. But I guess the track was better in those days than what it is now. When James wrote his comment about tour groups on trains, I came to think about the one time I was part of a tour group on Amtrak. A wine society I used to belong to had been up in Napa Valley and we were taking the Amtrak back to Los Angeles. The conductor had tried very hard to keep one car open for us and he finally got all the other passengers out of that car when he told them that there will be a few people coming on board in Martinez. He wasn’t sure if “they came from the prison, or not” but he just wanted to let the passengers know. Apparently there was a rush to get out of that car before the train stopped in Martinez! Lars, oh yes I know what you mean about a real railroad. I just wish I had taken the opportunity to ride the City Of San Francisco back in 1967 when I had the chance, but I wasn’t sure if I would have enough money, so I took the bus instead from San Francisco to New York. As it turned out, there had been enough money. You just HAVE to give me a hint about that “20-fingers” at the bar thing! You only need to buy one more suitcase. It’s the “Mary Poppins” type case. It may be a bit hard to find, though, but once you get it, that’s the only suitcase you will ever need ;-) James, I’m not really sure about why those sharp curves were there either. It may just be that the grade would have been too steep but it didn’t feel like it. I came through this lava field in Arizona. One of the Interstates goes right through it. It is one of the weirdest things I have seen. All of a sudden there is all this lava on both sides of the road instead of the flat landscape that was just before and again, right after. But it is a large field, so there must have been one heck of an volcano there at one time, or maybe all of it just seeped out of the ground. I can’t believe you found another set of pictures of the same Doodlebug. That guy must have been there about the same time I passed by. The units are on the same flat cars parked on the same track! Imagine that the bug had come back to Albuquerque! I remember reading in the Trains magazine many years ago when ATSF emptied their roundhouse in Albuquerque and sent a lot of equipment out around the country. Now part of it is coming back, how about that? Here are a couple of more pictures I took as we rode past: This was not a passenger trailing unit, more like a mail or baggage unit. I like duck too. It’s just too bad it cooks down to almost nothing when all the fat drips away. But what’s left, is really tasty! I’ve always thought of grits the way you look at it, Peter, and that’s why I haven’t tried it. I was forced into trying Vegemite once while “down under” and that’s also one of those acquired tastes, so once was enough for me. It’s not really a bar at the train club, just a coffee house with beer and wine. But they have a decent selection of beer so I’m OK with it. I have seen signs for a new place in the same building, though, so who knows, maybe one of these days I’ll pay them a visit. That’s it for today and maybe for a longer time. I am off to Madrid on Saturday and to California after that. If there is time later this week, I pop in again, otherwise I see y’all towards the end of the month. Take care Per in Plano Home of the Ambroid history page and the up-and-coming City Of Los Angeles from 1950 http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/ My pictures are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/8514678@N08/ pwolfe Member sinceFebruary 2005 From: mid mo 1,054 posts Posted by pwolfe on Monday, June 11, 2007 6:33 PM Hi Tom and all.A pint of Holden's Mild please RUTH. I see you are looking a lot happier since we have heard from LARS.PER I think ‘grits' must be an acquired taste. I have tried them once and I'm afraid that is all I want too. One of my British friends was in New Orleans for a time and he could not get on with them ether. The bride quite likes them though.That sounds a good place to have the train club with a bar near by. In Rugby,England I used to go to the monthly ‘Steam Club', which was held in the upstairs room of a bar. It was mainly slides of steam locos and I quite miss it sometimes, we used to get some well-known names in British Railway photography. With some having colour slides of BR steam from the 1950 and 60s.I don't know if there are any British bus makers left now perhaps DL can let me know if there are any now.ERIC Thanks for the info on the painted coupling rods on American steam locomotives. I was quite pleased the rods on 60010 in Delson museum were not painted, they were had a heavy coat of grease to stop the rust.Reading about the Alco Hi-Ad trucks reminded me about them saying why the British pacifics were prone to slipping on starting, with a heavy train, was due to weight transfer from the driving wheels to the trailing truck. I wonder if the American railroads had a method of preventing this with their steam locomotives. Of course the American locomotives were a lot heavyer than the British ones.Many thanks for the photos.I see one of the VIA locomotives #6425 was one of the actual locos Tom and I had to Halifax.I guess the photo with the rails in the undergrowth were taken in SwedenDOUG Many thanks for the photos, info and the link to the East Troy Electric Railroad. They look to have some great equipment and a good photo gallery on their site. It is such a pity they suffer from vandalism, it seems a worldwide problem nowadays. I see they run ‘Brew Trains', although I don't know why I would I notice this in the link. Having some real ale served aboard a vintage car sounds a great idea to me.Loved the mailbox.LARS Great to see you in the bar again. As you say we are ticking along but we sure have missed you.The Bride and I are most probably heading out to California later in the year and we hope to stop at Sacramento as I have heard there is a large railroad museum there.Yes we were very lucky with the weather both at the Rendezvous and in for the most part in Canada and both were indeed a wonderful time. We did raise our glasses to you at the Train Wreck during the Rendezvous.Great to see the book covers again.HOORAY for Connie.TOM The ‘Windtalkers' is another film I would like to see, and it seems that the ‘Beyond the Fringe' recording was lucky to survive. I believe that ‘Fringe' was the forerunner on another satire TV show called ‘ That was the week that was' (or TW3 as it was known as) I wonder if you have heard of that show. I have seen clips of that show. And, of course the Stooges.Very much enjoyed the Canadian Rail Journey part II encore, great meeting a group from St Louis on the Ocean, so far away from the city. I went back and read parts III and IV from the old thread, great reading and enjoyed the photos too. Two Budd trains in Halifax when now it is all Renaissance. Noticed while looking back at the posts there was one where NICK was teaching BORIS English.Many thanks for the photos from St Louis, and the ones Doug posted on the other thread. It just looks like Doug is about to take Big Boy # 4006 off shed and on to Cheyenne. I see in the link you have to be a ‘Legal Alien, for 5 years before one can become a U.S. Citizen so a bit of a while for me then.It think we have talked about it before but that certainly is a sobering thought seeing the smoke of a torpedoed ship on the horizon and not knowing if a loved one was safe or not. Well TOM I am having a real problem with the puter today siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Monday, June 11, 2007 4:30 PM G'day Gents!Continuing on with Pix from Day Three: Saturday - May 26th, 2007 - Halifax, Nova ScotiaA place to pick up snacks! When in Canada, I ALWAYS grab a cuppa Joe at Tim's! <grin> CN heavyweight coach at Pier 21 Halifax's Pier 21 Fergie ‘n Pete Fergie ‘n Tom To be continued . . . Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo CMSTPP Member sinceAugust 2005 From: Along the old Milwaukee Road. 1,152 posts Posted by CMSTPP on Monday, June 11, 2007 3:01 PM G-day Tom and all present!Thanks, Tom, But I'm good for now. But get a round for the guys.Okay I admit it, I almost forgot about our manager who puts in his fine share of posts to keep this place rolling. I always enjoy coming in and seeing all the book covers he has provided for all to see. Some of the books look really good and others I have never even heard of. But thanks for sharing them. Just a small piece on the Santa Fe's M190 "Doodle Bug" Gas electric!Picture from: http://www.pbase.com/intermodal/image/75899624 Picture by:Brian Kreimendahl. Picture from: http://www.pbase.com/intermodal/m190_doodlebug Picture by:Brian KreimendahlI was actually quite surprised to learn that this doesn't have any compartments for passengers. To me it looks like a mail car.I couldn't seem to find much info on this locomotive so maybe someone knows more about?Happy railroadingJames The Milwaukee Road From Miles City, Montana, to Avery, Idaho. The Mighty Milwaukee's Rocky Mountain Division. Visit: http://www.sd45.com/milwaukeeroad/index.htm CMSTPP Member sinceAugust 2005 From: Along the old Milwaukee Road. 1,152 posts Posted by CMSTPP on Monday, June 11, 2007 2:44 PM G-day Tom and all present!Tom- So I see you have taken over for awhile. Ruth looked a little tired. Good to see you. Could I get a turkey sandwich along with a coffee please. Thanks!Well, Its been the week of the graduations. One right after another. I have had cousins and friends graduate all over the place. But all the food was good and the parties were fun. And a lot of happy people too. So I have not been on lately due to this. But I' back and ready for some more conversations. I will work my way back starting from the most recent.Tom- Am I glad to be back after that long absence. phew.... Neat little Nostalgia on the Pennsylvania railroad. Sounds like a really nice passenger train they had there. Someday I will ride one of the Amtrak trains and see what it's like to ride the rails at 80 MPH. Of course I could go over to England and enjoy trains along there too. I would like to ride the rails at 150 MPH. Now that would be fun!And some more nice pictures from the rendezvous. I am still a little amazed about how they advertise on the locomotive even when you tell me the reason behind it. I like it. It makes for a nice billboard. I was also impressed with the Halifax train station. The interior looks pretty nice and it's good to see it being used. Thanks for all of the great photos. Ah and some more great pics of the Aero Train. But my eye strayed to the Missouri Pacific transfer caboose. I always like seeing some of those old time transfer cabooses. There are couple still wandering around the Duluth area. I hope they stay in service for a little longer.Also, thanks for the interesting story. It's always nice to meet people unexpectantly. It's happened to me before. And I know what you mean when you get a tour group on the train. Some of the time it can get quite annoying. But I'm glad everything turned out ok. Fun trips are when the memories count.Some more nice pics from the rendezvous. Now I have seen some big hotels but that is on the top of the list. Plus it gets better with the train station attached to it. Also some great shots of the grounds around the hotel. Oh... Now that is a nice looking NP caboose. One the more recent built cars. An all steel car. Someone spent some time and money bringing that thing back to its original form. Glad they did too, it looks great. And the Bipolar brings up the rear. I am still surprised how nice that electric looks. But I wonder why they took the pantograph off the locomotive Does anyone know whyI have to say, you sure know how to keep this place going. What a nice looking interior for that transfer caboose and I am really impressed with the restoration of that NP caboose. The interior and exterior are almost flawless.CM3- Thanks for all of the info on the Sunshine Special. There are a lot of times to look at. You better know which one you want before stepping on the train.. Some neat stuff.Per- Some ducks, I like ducks, especially when there on my plate....... Did I say that..Thanks for all the neat photos on you train trip. It was interesting to see the end of the train on the curve. I don't think I have seen a curve quite as tight as that one. Now I wonder why they do that? In the pic, There doesn't seem to be much for hills but I can't see the rest of the land. Also a great pic of that small canyon you passed by. When I want to Arizona we saw some things that were a little strange. You would be driving along on flat land and then "poof" there would be all of these dips and crevices in the land. It's really strange. When I saw that AT&SF boxcar on the ground it reminded me of my trip to Arizona. When we passed through New Mexico almost all of the ranches had a box car or two sitting around. And almost all of those were AT&SF. It was a fun trip. I hope to go again. WOW! Now I am really impressed with your trip. That funny looking locomotive on the flat car is Santa Fe's version of a Gas electric. All of them carried passengers and this one is quite a treat. I didn't know there was even one still around. I will have to see what I can do to find any more info on that. I'm glad you got a picture of it.Doug- One of your pictures caught my eye. I saw a transfer caboose in the background that resembles the Milwaukee road's version of the caboose. Do you know what railroad that car use to belong too But it looks like a neat little museum, to bad vandals have been doing there business on the cars. But if they want it to stop, keeping them stored inside would be a good idea.Eric- You have a picture of a locomotive truck, is that under an FP45/ F45? But they are the EMD later style of truck that run under most of the SD series, excluding a few like the SD40-2. But the SD45s and FP/ F45 all ran with that style of truck under them. Now if I could only remember the name of that style of truck? Also some really nice pics from the St. Louis Museum of transportation. They certainly have a lot of stuff in your first photo. Plus I can see a Business car hiding behind an Alco. But by the looks of the business car with the one window boarded up, I'm thinking its going to need some work. But one item in that picture doesn' The Milwaukee Road From Miles City, Montana, to Avery, Idaho. The Mighty Milwaukee's Rocky Mountain Division. Visit: http://www.sd45.com/milwaukeeroad/index.htm LoveDomes Member sinceJanuary 2006 From: northeast U.S. 1,225 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by LoveDomes on Monday, June 11, 2007 1:47 PM Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!Hello Ruth my deAH, ‘tis the Larsman back again and this time with a powerful hunger <ummmmm> AND thirst! A Lars Special hero of ham ‘n Swiss, mustAHd ‘n buttAH with two large pickles from the barrel if you please. I'll take a tankard of Keiths and a hug from you would be nice as well! Oh yes, treats for the crittAHs and a small jar of pickled pig's feet for our "man" Boris! A round on me and the change is YOURS! Back online today at the library - WHY didn't I think of this earlier, huh Just never crossed my feeble mind is the answer! <groan> Oh, I'm NOT about to divulge any "personal" info regarding "Connie" - but the gal in this place belongs in a centerfold - Popular Mechanics comes to mind! <hee hee> "Connie" is off today . . . Not to worry, Ruth - YOU are the focal point of my dalliances! IF I were to "dally," that is! <grin>Really enjoying the pix from you, Cap'n Tom - the Rendezvous & Canada trip! Looks like you're doing a "solo act" these days though . . . Anyway, keep those pix coming, they surely are attention grabbers! Per, I enjoyed your bunch of pix as well and have made that journey aboard Amtrak some years back. Our route of preference over the years has been the California Zephyr. However, after last year, we pretty much decided that would indeed be our LAST year. We go back to the times before Amtrak on that route - when it was a REAL railroad, if you know what I mean! Anyway, some nice shots! I see Doug has been checking out places to go 'n things to see for the Chicago Bash! Never too early, huh?? <grin> How can you go wrong in Chicago!?!? Probably gonna be a two week Rendezvous! <grin>Some fine Posts along the way and I appreciate the "welcome back" commentaries! Makes the old heart feel a bit warmer . . . Nice to be wanted! Hey, Per! You surely do know how to put the words together and the pix too. If you keep this up, we'll be "dubbing" you the "new" 20-fingers at the bar! A looooooong story. <grin>Enjoyed the elaboration on the Broadway Ltd from our Cap'n . . . figured he'd not let the details slide. It's TRUE ya know, this place is far, far different than so many others in that for the most part, the guys really try to avoid the unsupported and "think" before speaking. I've been to the California State Railroad museum so many times I think the displays know ME on sight! We have relatives in this part of the country - not Sacramento proper, but close enough. I'm kinda like a few others ‘round this saloon - love trains, they just aren't an obsession <yet>!! However, my Mrs. thinks this bar IS! <uh oh>The Mrs. has some "things" to shop for - can you believe it?? We've only been out here for nearly a month (or so it seems) so she's decided we need to squeeze MORE into our suitcases than they were manufactured to hold. Buy another suitcase? Are you kidding - we have so many at home I should open a "stand"!! <arrrrrggggghhhh> Anyway, while she's shopping, I'm doing "my thing" at the keyboard. Love it! Now if I could only find a local tavern . . .This may be my final post ‘til we get settled back home, so let me leave you with a few more book covers and another round! Boris, ring it!! That's EIGHT! Ok, bossman?? <grin> Until the next time! Lars siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Monday, June 11, 2007 12:07 PM G'day Gents!Take a break, Ruth - I'll watch things for awhile . . . I see a bit of activity this Monday (daylight) with visits from Per ‘n CM3 Shane . . . Regarding the discussion involving the PRR Broadway Limited and dining cars that was initially queried by Per - I have found a few things to add to the chat:But first to summarize with appropriate excerpts:From Moi at 9:06 AM on June 8th - a PRR Broadway Ltd advertisement (1949). NEW MASTER DINING CAR - Attractively furnished and decorated. Enjoy delicious food . . . meticulous service. Entire car reserved for dining. From Per at 8:09 AM on June 8th The Broadway Limited advertises that the entire diner is reserved for dining, what did it used to be? Do they mean that half of the car was a kitchen and that this train has a separate kitchen car? From Moi at 7:27 AM today - June 11th I'm hardly the aficionado when it comes to the true histories of Classic Trains and so I'll yield to others with regard to questions about the Lake Shore Limited and Broadway Limited. HOWEVER, I'd say it was the New York Central on the tracks to Chicago along the lakes - and the Broadway Limited diners were full-service diners from the get-go - with the kitchen facilities within the same car. No separate galley car that I'm aware of. From CM3 Shane at 11:30 AM today - June 11th PRR Classs D85D diners were twin-unit cars. They were blt. by Budd.PRR also had separate kitchen/dornitory cars (Class D70DR), and full diners (no kitchen) Class D70CR.Will provide more information later this week. Now, from Joe Welsh's Broadway Limited we find several references to dining cars. Here's one in particular for December 12, 1967: PRR No. 4620 Dining room car <and> PRR No. 4621 Kitchen-dormitory car. But that was far later that the 1949 ad . . . . Also this margin note: Twin-unit diners operated on the postwar Broadway Limited. Placing the kitchen and dormitory in one car allowed the creation of an elegant, full dining room in the other car. The main reason for operating a diner with two cars was to handle passenger demand more effectively; these 68-seat diners handled 20 more passengers per seating than a standard diner. John Dziobko. There's much more! However, the reference to "postwar" surely would make that ad I Posted well within the parameters for 2-car diners - one a kitchen-dormitory and the other a full dining room. Soooooo, that should address the issue, eh <phew>Unlike the dribble 'n drivvle found elsewhere, at this bar we TRY to back up what we say and admit to mistakes - my initial guess was indeed incorrect. But it was a guess, nonetheless, eh <grin> As I indicated, I'm hardly a Classic Trains aficionado, but time permitting, do enjoy a bit of research. Shane ‘n I are alike in that the anecdotal NEVER is acceptable! Catch y'all later . . . Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo coalminer3 Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: WV 1,251 posts Posted by coalminer3 on Monday, June 11, 2007 11:30 AM Good Afternoon Barkeep and all Present; coffe, please; rpound for the house, and $ for the jukebox.Just a quick stop as I am between tasks.PRR Classs D85D diners were twin-unit cars. They were blt. by Budd.PRR also had separate kitchen/dornitory cars (Class D70DR), and full diners (no kitchen) Class D70CR.Will provide more information later this week.work safe marthastrainyard Member sinceMarch 2006 From: Orange County, CA 98 posts Posted by marthastrainyard on Monday, June 11, 2007 10:54 AM Good Morning everybody present!Ruth, I will join Tom in a mugga Joe, fresh pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and a light breakfast! And why not a Tequila to rinse it all down! Tom. I didn't recognize any of the movies at the theatre this week. If I find the time I'll try to drop in and watch the Windtalkers. It's a subject that interests me very much. I've seen a couple of TV programs about the code-talkers, but no the movie.Your encore description of the old trip in Canada on board an all-Budd train was great! Oh, how I wish I could have been on one of those classic trains!I went directly from "dit" to "dit" "dit" "dit"; how's that for progress? Your father really experienced the war close up, didn't he? I'm glad he survived all those dangers you wrote about, what an experience! Sometimes it's good to have grown up in a "neutral" country and not having had those problems and dangers growing up. Your grand parents must have been really worried going down to the shore and looking out at the black smoke out there.I have an attorney working on my citizenship application, but there isn't much he can do. I wrote my senator but that didn't result in anything either. With a backlog of over 9,000 applications in "name check" at the FBI, and nobody really working on them because it is not a priority, it's going to take a while. What irks me is all this talk about making it easy for the illegals to come in when there is obviously a problem tending to the applications that are already in the pipe line. I see the subtle difference with the dual citizenship. The U.S. does not recognize it and it is of no value here (but at least it is allowed to have it nowadays). It's the old country that may, or may not, recognize it, and it comes in handy when traveling. I was more or less correct about Zamboni. His ice rink was in Paramount, CA, (not in Lakewood) and that's where he built his first machine. It was based on a Willy's Jeep (looked kind of funny). Traveling around the country with an ice skating daughter made me pick up a few things here and there. If I only could sort them in the correct file for later retrieval! It is kind of strange to have hockey teams in the south, isn't it? But with the technology we have today, it is all possible and I guess NHL wants to get as much money as they can, so that's why we have the California, Texas and Florida teams. I guess the Stars couldn't be the North Stars when they moved south, could they? I'm glad you corrected me on the exhibition picture, Eric. Of course it wasn't the Baltic exhibition! That was down south in Malmo some 10 years later! Yes, 11 months to get the citizenship would be a more normal time, but with over 9,000 applications in a backlog that isn't worked on, I see no end in sight at all. What is, or where is, the Barrett Tunnels? And what did you catch on film in there? I can't make any of it out. And while we are on the subject of pictures: Another mystery pic of yours; this one is from Sweden, but I have no idea where.Good luck with the part-time chasing of whatever you decide to chase! It's really sad that almost all interurban lines are gone, Doug. There was a time when you apparently go travel for hundreds of miles on interubans and if you didn't mind changing trains, you could go for almost "forever", or so they say. I have only seen them in books and in museums here and there. There is one preserved car here in Plano; unfortunately resting on regular freight trucks, but the body is restored. I saw one really badly deteriorated body a little bit farther up north along the same line to Sherman. Lars, yes we have met before. I was here about a year ago (or less) but then had to drop off due to too much of that 8-5 stuff. That's changing now, so I try to find some time to drop in once or twice a week to chat at the bar and show some pictures. What would we do without libraries on our trips? They have Internet connection so we can keep up with the times, and magazines and newspapers so we can find out what's going on in the world, or state, while we are away from home. All at a very decent price: zero, zilch, nada. Can't be better, can it?Did you see any of the Sacramento Northern (nowadays California Northern) trains while you were up there. Or, more importantly, did you have time to go to the railroad museum in Sacramento? They have a fantastic collection of trains and memorabilia, all well worth a visit. Tom has threatened to enforce the Saturday only picture posting as soon as he has posted his trip pictures, so here is my last installment, Lamy to Fullerton.Trip report, Southwest Chief, Chicago - Fullerton.Last time I left you in the middle of nowhere and promised to start in Lamy, NM. Well, here we are.But before we reached Lamy we came through Las Vegas, New Mexico that is. The first time I saw that name was when driving through New Mexico over 20 years ago. It was a road sign that pointed to Las Vegas in one direction and Mora in another. It looked so strange to see a Swedish place name combined with Las Vegas like that. The track between Las Vegas and Lamy lead us through some really step terrain and sharp curves. We were in the third car from front but could see both the engine and the last couple of cars in several curves.No too far from Lamy we passed through this little canyon:And then we arrived in Lamy. When ATSF originally built the railroad they had intended Home of the Ambroid history page and the up-and-coming City Of Los Angeles from 1950 http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/ My pictures are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/8514678@N08/ siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts Posted by siberianmo on Monday, June 11, 2007 10:26 AM G'day Gents!MORE Pix from the 2nd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in St. Louis:Saturday - May 19, 2007 at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO).New York Central #113 - E Class S-2 (2-D-2). Built by ALCO-GE (1906) Joplin-Pittsburgh #2003 - Propane-E. Built by Fate-Root-Heath (1936). Baltimore & Ohio #50 - First non-articulated passenger diesel. Built by EMC (1935). St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco) #1621 - Decapod 2-10-0. Built by Baldwin (1926). Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (Burlington Route) #9908 Silver Charger. Built by EMC (1939). Union Pacific Big Boy #4006 4-8-8-4. Built by Alco (1941) Big Boy #4006 <Doug's foto> Doug ‘n Big Boy Union Pacific tender for Big Boy #4006. Built by Alco (1941). Union Pacific #90081 Rotary Snowplow. Built by UP (1966). Largest & heaviest made.More later . . . Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Monday, June 11, 2007 7:56 AM G'day Gents!Here's something just a tad different for the bar - a copy of a Post from "my other Thread" put forth by barndad Doug yesterday (Sunday) . . . . thought there'd be some interested in this fine spate of Pix as I don't believe we've seen 'em at the bar! Here's my humble collection of pix for the St. Louis MOT MoPac caboose. The history and use of the cabose is that it became widespread after the Civil War (1861-1865), with an estimated 2,500 in use by 1870. In 1900 there were 17,605 being used in the US. It was the conductor's office and the crew's home when away from their home station. The word caboose is generally thought to come from an 18th century Dutch or French term for a small cookhouse on a ship's deck, which had a similar sound. It is also called a way car or cabin car on some lines or certain regions. An older term was a conductor's car. In Canada it is often called a van. In railroad slang it is called a crummy, hack or shack. It was also the safety point at the rear of a freight train, displaying flags during the day and marker lamps at night. It allowedthe train to be observed from the rear, as crews looked for hot wheel bearings (hot boxes) or shifted loads. It lso carried tools and spare parts such as coupler knuckles and brake hoses The cupola on the roof is also called a lookout clerestory, observatory, monitor or dome One of the crew was always in the cupola while the train was moving. They would move from side to side when the train went around curves as this was the best time to see the cars well. Nice work, Doug - and appreciate the support for the lonely Thread! Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Monday, June 11, 2007 7:27 AM <w/permission: http://www.scenic-railroads.com/> A smile to begin the week! The similarities between my father and me are different.(A Yogi-ism!)G'day Gents! A new week for all and a work-week start for many - Monday is here once again! Hope y'all enjoyed the weekend and found the time for some RnR with those deserving your company! Time for a mugga Joe, fresh pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and a <light> or <traditional> breakfast from our Menu Board! C'mon, what are ya waitin' for?!?! <grin>Here's a SPECIAL THANX to the guyz who take the time ‘n make the effort to keep Da Boss apprised of planned absences! Really appreciate the "heads up" for it helps a lot in my knowing when to "jump in" to keep the forward momentum at the bar . . . We've been providing MANY, MANY Pix lately at the bar on days OTHER THAN Saturdays - and that practice is going to CHANGE once all of the Rendezvous 'n Canada Rail trip fotos get Posted. The idea is to encourage DIALOGUE AT THE BAR with Pix as SUPPLEMENTAL to the chat. So, let's keep that in mind as we plod along . . . Not to worry though, there are zillions of Rendezvous 'n Canada trip fotos left! <grin> Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative): CM3 Shane at 8:01 AM Friday - June 8th: Doom ‘n despair in the Red Bird's club house? I'm not so sure. Given the enormous salaries these characters draw, what's to be gloomy about?!?! Nah - win some, lose some and others are rained out. In baseball there's always a tomorrow - unless it's game 7 of the World Series! <grin>I haven't been back "east"in some time so to read that Boston ‘n New York harbors ain't what they used to be is rather disturbing. Then I stop ‘n think about WHO we are trading with by sea and it hits me like a brick - China, Korea ‘n Japan are west coast shippers. Hmmmm, rocket science? I doubt it! <grin>Really, really enjoyed that 1932 spread on the MoPac - don't know what it is about train schedules and consists, but I usually spend far more time staring into the words than necessary - just envisioning what those trains must have looked like, etc. Well done and most appreciated! Wonder what the situation was like back in those days once the trains crossed the southern border. I'd heard of all kinds of "things" going on, but all anecdotal. I've never traveled by train in Mexico, but have been far into the country by air ‘n sea - and not for pleasure . . . stories for the 3rd Annual Rendezvous in Chicago, perhaps. In case you are unaware, now that trolleyMAN Rob is oh-fish-ul-lee out as a "regular" - YOU are now the "holder" of the title, "Bar fly with the most continuous longevity on the stool!" Hmmmmm, perhaps that needs some reworking . . . <grin> I'll get Boris to wordsmith it a bit . . . <uh oh>Many thanx for the quarters, round, "heads up" and your continuing association with us! Pete at 3:51 PM Friday - June 8th: Didn't take you too long to pick up on the "larger dipper," eh And here I thought it was dedication to the bar ‘n clientele . . . <grin>My guess is that Rob will appear once he figures out that we truly do miss him ‘round the joint. He's got this notion that to participate means to do so fully - read every word, check out every detail and so forth. There have been and are others who feel the same way. That's most admirable - but it just can't be done with other constraints on one's time. So, maybe an Email from you - and others - to assure him that a visit now ‘n then would mean a lot - to all of us. I think you hit the nail on the head - as you usually do - with the comments on the port situation in Halifax. Shipping is far more active on the west coast as Canada's sea trade is also heavily focused on the Asian nations. It's a shame to see the port of Halifax diminished so - especially since I can trace my recollections back to 1957 . . .Rounds appreciated along with the visit! Enjoy the weekend and if you cannot make it in today - we KNOW you'll not forget us on Monday! That's the difference between those who truly give a Rat's Patoot and others who haven't made up their minds! Per at 8:09 PM Friday - June 8th: A fine Post with all kinds of commentary to pour through! Let me address just a few things I picked up on . . .My error - AFLECK should be AFLEC <quack quack> from the TV commercial. And I also knew about the "dropping" of the "mighty" once Disney exited the ownership. I'm a hockey fan, fer sure, fer sure. BUT having said that - I'm totally exasperated with the NHL and the way it operates. Hockey shouldn't be in southern California, Phoenix, Florida, and places HOT. Sorry, but that's my take on it. The league is far too watered down and perhaps it's just my dinosaur-tar pit mentality showing, but I liked it far, far better when there were 6 teams in each conference - period. I recall the 6 team league of years past - Boston - Chicago - Detroit - New York - Montreal and Toronto, but figured they needed more teams. Then they expanded in 1967 with these teams: California Seals (Oakland) - LA Kings - Minnesota North Stars - Philadelphia Flyers - Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues. Ah, the good ole daze! <grin>That #573 at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation is in horrible condition and awaits only MONEY to get her back t Happy Railroading! Siberianmo EricX2000 Member sinceDecember 2002 From: Phoenix, AZ 683 posts Posted by EricX2000 on Sunday, June 10, 2007 11:56 PM Time to drop a message in the slot for Monday morning. I had planned to post this last night but other things had to be taken care of. Tom – Received your mail, thank you! Will mail the CDs tomorrow, Monday. Sent the ones for Pete and Doug yesterday. Beyond the Fringe! Never heard about that one before but I certainly would love to see it! I love British humor! Wind Talkers is another movie I want to see. A visit to the Emporium is a must this week! Very good movies!Thanks for posting your Journey report again! New for me! Most enjoyable and interesting! I guess your trip was even better because of the people you met on the train. Or should I say, at the station before entering the train!A good looking cab in front of the VIA Rail Station in Halifax!! I guess I could get used to live there with that Mac Store supplying me with whatever I might need! Nice pictures!Seeing your pictures from the Museum of Transportation makes me understand I have to go back there one day. So much to see. It takes time, but it is so interesting to see the real thing. How did you manage to catch “Stealthy” Pete on a picture? Doug – East Troy, my friends in Baraboo, WI, told me something about that museum several years ago and at that time I decided I have to go there sometime. Next year sounds great to me. Too bad if they have to store their equipment so you can’t see it though. Maybe they will find a solution soon. Interesting website. I have bookmarked it. Nice pictures. I think they should use that substation. It should hav a pretty good muffler. A good size mailbox! Must be hooked up to Internet! Built in spam filter!!Lars – Good to hear from you again!!! We have missed you and Ruth has missed you (a lot)! But now she is smiling, laughing and singing all the time!! Hope you can make it to the Rendezvous next year. Doug is already planning and looking around. Thanks for the book covers! All those interesting books! I am still waitning to hit the Powerball Jackpot. One day...Once upon a time... Eric siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by siberianmo on Saturday, June 9, 2007 5:07 PM This is ENCORE! Saturday - and - Photo Posting Day!Remember: "Our" Place is CLOSED on Sundays. G'day Gents!SPECIAL RECOGNITION for the return of our Manager, the Larsman! Also good to see the Pix 'n chat from Doug 'n Eric! MORE Pix from the 2nd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in St. Louis:Saturday - May 19, 2007 The St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO)(more detailed descriptions <for many> previously provided by Eric ‘n Doug) Northern Pacific Caboose #1082 Doug checking out the rolling stock! Georgia Railroad 0-6-0 #724. Built by Baldwin (1896) U.S. Army Gas Turbine (experimental) 1-B-1. Built in Davenport (1954) St. Louis Water Division #1 SRD B. Built by Whitcomb (1924) Milwaukee Road EP2 Class - #E2. 1B+D+D+B1. Built by GE (1919That's "Stealthy" Pete! More on Monday - Enjoy the Weekend! . . . Tom Happy Railroading! Siberianmo EricX2000 Member sinceDecember 2002 From: Phoenix, AZ 683 posts Posted by EricX2000 on Saturday, June 9, 2007 3:58 PM Good afternoon Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!Hello Ruth! What happened? You're smiling and singing, I could hear you from the outside?! Ohh, Manager Lars is back? No, I don't have time to stay, just want to drop some pictures before I am going to the post office. Tell the guys I'll be back later! Saturday is the day for pictures so I thought I should post some randomly picked ones. The Trainwreck saloon, a great place to eat and drink! Some locos and cars at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation. I thought I missed to take a picture of this streetcar, but here it is, #10. Ghosts in one of the Barretts Tunnels! Halifax? If so I wonder what Amtrak is doing there? Eric LoveDomes Member sinceJanuary 2006 From: northeast U.S. 1,225 posts "Our" Place reborn! 3rd Year of adults 'n REAL Classic Trains in a special environment! Posted by LoveDomes on Saturday, June 9, 2007 2:20 PM Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!Cindy my deAH - drinks on the house - the Larsman has returned! Boris ring the bell! I'll take a double ‘hit' of JD on the rocks if you please and put this fifty aside for a round later on . . . the change is YOURS my deAH! <grin>Greetings from a library in the outskirts of Sacramento, California - Yeah, a library! Finally couldn't take anymore of the isolation and told the Mrs. that I'd be back when I got back! This has been a nightmarish several weeks - all was fine in the Keys, but once the decision was made to come west, as Cap'n Tom would say <arrrgggghhhh> <double arrrrgggghhhh>! Far too much personal crap to get into, but ain't no way this is gonaa happen again - at least not where I'm concerned.So, I've spent the past 3 hours - yes 3 hours - checking out what's what and I must say I'm impressed. Super impressed. (Also super impressed with "Connie" who has so graciously allowed me to remain online . . .) Surely appears to me that in spite of the diminished resources at the bar, the place is humming along quite nicely just like a well tuned engine. The Rendezvous pix from the guys (Tom - Doug 'n Eric) have brought me to near-tears. Really! I wanted so much to be there with you guys and thought for awhile it was going to happen. Then events pretty much overtook me - getting the mother-in-law taken care of - the trips to the Keys - purchasing the house - this trip, and so forth. Surely looks like Cap'n Tom put together one heckuva slate of events for youse guys and it makes me happy ‘n sad at the same time. Happy for YOU - sad for ME! <groan. <double groan> Not jealous - not envious, just very sorry that this year didn't work out. Won't even begin to talk about 2008 - the way things are going in my life, I may be on the dark side of the moon by then. <groan> HOWEVER, Tom, please add me to the email list for planning the next one, ok??So the Wolfman ‘n the Cap'n survived one another in Canada, eh??? Figured you'd have a blast and hope all the plans went well - weather too. Nothing ticks me off more than to orchestrate such an adventure only to have uncooperative weather. <boo> <hiss> Anyway, I have "this image" of you two trying to order a brew in French and winding up with something far different! <laff laff> Really looking forward to the pix from the Canadian RR museum! Some truly fine shots thus far of the trip to Halifax . . . really looking forward to the rest of ‘em. Fergie looks pretty much the sailor and I know I've viewed his mug before. Maybe a ways back though . . . Looks like a sailor to me! <grin> Must've been a "hoot" to see him again, huh??I gather the Canadian brew must've been up to Pete's high standards, as I haven't noticed any complaints! <grin>My intent with this appearance is to let youse guys know that I'm still around, but just unable to communicate to my liking. The set-up where we're staying is archaic when it comes to computing. Fortunately they at least have email that isn't tied to a on-line configuration. Don't even ask me to explain that! Anyway, when it works I've been able to get some messages out - nothing in though. Figure that out yourselves! Expect to be leaving here next week - home by the weekend and hopefully back with the guys (and Ruth) shortly thereafter! Have faith gents, I haven't deserted the ship! I think the Mrs. has figured out that she's taxed me to the absolute breaking point this time . . . love her dearly, but families are something else to reckon with. <grimace 'n groan>Best regards to all who have tried their best to keep the bar ship shape. Looks like Shane has been ever present in his Monday thru Friday slot - Pete taking up the 6 days per week in the mid to late afternoons - Eric being the night owl and a new fellow - Per - (haven't we "met" once before??), who has provided some really great epistles (as Cap'n Tom calls ‘em). Oh yes, DL has been in ‘n out - so things appear to have been steady as she goes, huh???Special hello to Doug ‘n Rob too! Sorry to see that youse guys are no longer able to keep up with the flow, however, it sure is nice to know you're still around! I should ask, anyone heard from my "bookend" BK lately?? I sent several emails with no responses. Even called him three times - once from the Keys and twice from here. All I got was an answering machine. Hate to think the worst, but perhaps . . . I'm going to provide some ENCORE! book covers - just to remain within the spirit of this day and to let youse guys know I haven't forgotten HOW!Cindy my deAH, drinks on the Larsman, Boris ring the ding and get out those treats for the crittAHS - a bucket of ice cubes for Frostbite - a tray of seeds for Awk - a saucer of brine for Tex and a LARGE jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris!! ENCORE book covers for ENCORE! Saturday « First«86878889909192»Last » SUBSCRIBER & MEMBER LOGIN Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more! Login Register FREE NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter Submit More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Amtrak Skeptical about St. Louis - Springfield Route
Below is the press release that Amtrak issued concerning proposed service between St. Louis and Springfield. Missouri has made no significant investment in passenger rail, unlike in many other states such as Illinois where the state and freight railroads have made joint investments to improve service.
CHICAGO - Amtrak has provided a report to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that shows formidable obstacles to possible passenger rail service between St. Louis and Springfield, Mo. The report requested by MoDOT found strategic merit to the proposed route, including serving the state's third largest metropolitan area, tourism potential, and connections to Amtrak's national rail service. However, it would also require an initial significant capital investment and ongoing state operating support. The lack of a competitive trip time versus that of automobiles and a lower than expected ridership projection were also cited as concerns.
Specifically, the report found the route as-is would generate only 34,000 passengers annually, including 5,000 connecting from the current state-supported Amtrak service between St. Louis and Kansas City. This is primarily due to the lengthy travel times on the nearly 235 miles of track, largely owned by the BNSF Railway, with train speeds lower than that of the adjacent Interstate 44. The result is a trip time of almost six hours -- nearly twice that of driving -- even after building a $4 million track connection between the BNSF and Union Pacific Railroad to shorten the route and complement the current state-supported service at Kirkwood, Mo. by adding a stop there. The low speeds are mainly due to the BNSF track as it follows the undulating terrain in the scenic Ozark Foothills, with much of it as curvature.
The report estimates the direct cost of providing the service would be $4.1 million annually and would generate approximately $700,000 in ticket revenue. The initial annual state contract cost would be approximately $3.4 million. Another issue is the lack of available station infrastructure at proposed train stops in Sullivan, Rolla, Lebanon, and Springfield. Communities along the existing St. Louis to Kansas City service receive no state funding for station construction and must fund these projects locally. Proposed changes to federal regulations require all new train stations meet new standards, to include a full-length platform to serve the longest passenger train using the line. It could cost several million dollars per stop to construct the required station infrastructure. Due to cost constraints, Amtrak was not asked to study a major re-engin
<w/permission: http://www.scenic-railroads.com/>
Wednesday's Witticism
Drunks sober up. Fools remain fools.
Mid-week again and mid-continent USA is enjoying some pre-summer weather as the temps are expected to remain comfortable in the morning, with high 80s to lo-90s (F) during the afternoon. Blue skies for the most part, just a "great to be alive" day!
Petrol dropped to $2.82 (rounded) up at "Collusion Corner" - but who knows? We've got the 4th of July "hike" to look forward to, eh
Received an Email from trolleyMAN Rob yesterday. He "sounds" serious about stopping by - but it's best we don't get our hopes up, for his "play time" has been dramatically reduced. It's a shame he's missed (and is missing) so many fine Posts ‘n Pix . . .
As previously mentioned, we've lost the man as a "regular" and as our "Chief Chef." While life marches on, he is sorely missed . . . the last of the "plank owners" at the bar. Unlike so many who've simply dropped off the face of the Earth, Count Robulla wants to maintain the "ties" - which ain't so bad, eh Youbetcha!
It has been, and always will be, a personal choice to frequent this place . . . where there's a will, there's a way, so the saying goes, eh
So our 26th Month Anniversary came ‘n went with only ONE upfront recognition. Many THANX to our Manager Lars for remembering . . . yes, things have surely changed at this Bar by the Ballast. Ah, there's that word again, CHANGE . . .
Customer ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (since my last narrative):
Lars at 3:24 PM Tuesday - June 12th: First daylight visit of the day! Thought perhaps we'd have a "shutout"! <geesh>
Good for you ‘n the bride - a couple of nights in the Bay Area is good for the heart ‘n soul! Great place for a bit of rekindling the flame and so forth! Enjoy, Mate!
We'll be looking for your return to the Saloon by the Siding AND making a "dent" into that pile of paperwork that's accumulated in your looooooooong absence. <groan> Not to worry, Boris has been keeping things in some semblance of "order" ?!?!?!? <uh oh>
Remembering our bar's Anniversary day means a lot to Moi - much appreciated! And to stop off at a library to do so adds even more meaning to your consideration!
OR were you in hopes that "Connie" would be around?? Hmmmmm, nah - YOU wouldn't think of such things, eh
Thanx for the round, treats for the critters ‘n conversation!
Mike at 4:32 PM Tuesday - June 12th: Two Pix ‘n URLs from our Resident URLMeisterMonster. Good show!
Pete at 5:58 PM Tuesday - June 12th: An inclusive, informative ‘n interesting Post from our Bar Chandler!
No, that sub is NOT one of the "flawed four" purchased from the Brits - I recall Fergie making mention that she was "up" like that initially for the winter. But wondered aloud why she was still out of the water . . .
Amazing how things "live" seemingly forever, even if flawed in content 'n context. That's why I "harp" on references and the like when putting out "stuff" here at the bar - especially where there are so many browsers bent on dropping off their "one liners" as if that's "proof." <barf> The downside of freedom of speech, eh Then again, one doesn't have to believe all that is espoused . . . .
I've probably been to San Diego at least three dozen times, mostly business. But when for pleasure, I ALWAYS took the time to visit Balboa Park - especially the Model RR Museum. Check this link: http://www.sdmodelrailroadm.com/
Also, here's a connection for the California State RR Museum in Sacramento:
http://www.csrmf.org/default.asp
Round appreciated - Enjoy your day!
James at 9:01 PM Tuesday - June 12th: Quite an inclusive Post from our Duluth Connection!
Grain cars in Halifax would be for export as the port is Canada's most significant Atlantic outlet . . . best guess is grain comes from the prairie Provinces, most likely Alberta.
You'd have to possess the "secret word 'n handshake" to know what goes on in the CN Pensioners shack . . .<grin> Good observation!
Sorry, but without West Coast S - Dave - around, there's no one I'm aware of who can claim the "title" of Southern Pacific Aficionado - so the answers to your questions may be awh
Good morning Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Nice to sit down for a while. Leon, tonight is the right time for my very favorite, Rumpsteak Café de Paris! That's right, medium! What? Ruth is cleaning and decorating the Penthouse? Really, no I won't say anything!
A whole bunch of pictures today! The Captain has been working hard as usual!
Tom – Thanks for the Tim Horton info! Obviously a very good hockey player! When I get a chance I will stop at Tim Horton's and try the coffee. Maybe also a doughnut! I’ll be back one day to go to the Museum of Transportation again and I’ll let you know when! I have a few more catalogs I’ll check for S-scale buses and other things. Just have to get them out of the box where they reside.It would be interesting to know exactly what is hidden in that tunnel. I am sure it is filled with old locomotives and cars. Nice pictures from the museum!! I especially like the first one of the Nickel Plate Road loco. Very nice! I never thought about taking a picture of it from that angle! I hope West Coast Dave can see the SP locomotive!It seems like you and Pete had very nice weather in Halifax! Blue skies and sunshine! Is that Naval Base a big one? Reminds me about a Swedish Navy base that is partly inside a mountain. They can take in submarines and destroyers inside, where they are well protected. Lars – No, no, I am not trying anything. One of these days... Thank you for remindning me about the Anniversary! We are all looking forward to have you back on a regular basis!Mike – Some old pictures from Chicago! I wonder how they managed to get that barge (?) that far into the city? The TWA picture reminds me that I have a similar one of a TWA Constellation. A beutiful airplane!Pictures and data on those four hockeyplayers! Interesting combination, trains, players and data! Thanks Mike!Pete – I think that SF Doodlebug is/was on its way to Sacramento! I took a quick look and the 5’ 6” track was at least all the way from St. Louis to Kansas City, including Jefferson City. They changed to standard gauge 1869. I found out that British Leyland went bankrupt in 2005. But before that the Trucks Division - Leyland Vehicles merged with Dutch DAF. Hmm, it’s kind of complicated, there should still be a company called Leyland Bus. No, it was acquired by Volvo Buses and the name disappeared in 1993. Sorry! I received your mail (Thank you!) and I sent a response tonight.James – Yes, St. Louis Museum of Transportation is a very interesting place to visit. It will take several days to see it all! Some of the cars and locomotives are in pretty sad shape, but they are working on them to put them back in good condition. But it takes a lot of work and even more money!
I am adding a picture of a SP locomotive. Class SP-2, #5021.
Eric
G-day Tom and all present!
Leon- A coffee and a turkey sandwich if you could, Thanks! Yike, Boris! What, Pig's feet!? Okay, Okay..... Ah Leon.. Better get some pickeled Pig's feet for "Our" critter.
Well things have been good and I have some good news, mostly on my part. A couple of people I know down at the museum trust me and a couple of my friends, to restore an old caboose back to its former self. It's a DM&IR Bay window that hasn't been used for quite some time. So I will be getting some pics of it as we go about working on this thing and I will keep you guys updated on it.
Acknowledgements starting on page 66.
Tom- I see that you have been quite a busy guy while I was gone, and a nice show with all of the Rendezvous pics. I really liked the mural at Truro. Someone has a lot of patience when it comes to those very large murals, and it looks good too. And an interesting building with the CN pensioners association located in it.... Hmmm.. What kind of mysterious things does the CN do here.... Also a bunch of great scenes, Thanks for sharing. Some great shots of the Bedford Basin and the Halifax rail yards. I see they have a some intermodal service up there. But I was quite surprised to see grain cars up there since you wouldn't think there would much for grain near the Bedford basin. Yet, I'm guessing they have some grain elevators around there. And some more nice photos from the St. Louis transportation museum. I am still quite impressed with that Zephyr. They really did a nice job restoring that old piece of time back to life. Thanks for sharing.
Some more nice Passenger Nostalgia about the NYC. All I can say is that it had to be a nice train even though I didn't ride it. At that time railroads were competing for the people to ride there trains and they made them look as nice and classy as possible, to keep everyone happy. To bad these legends aren't around anymore.
mmmmmm... Alco power.. I love hearing those things. They chug away without a worry in the world.... Well unless they don't need work.. but when doesn't a Alco need work. Nice pic of the Missouri Pacific RS3. Always good to see some Alco locos sitting around. And that nice looking SD45. Like I said, I wonder if that thing even works? They sure made it look nice. Hey, I know I can come down there, Prelube it and see if it won't turnover, how about that.
Back to the current page, some more nice photos from Halifax. That Heavy weight coach caught my eye. It's in pretty nice condition. Now do you know what trains this car ran on and do you have any background info on it? It's a very nice car. I wonder how the interior looks Thanks for the pics. Well, I'm happy I know the raod back or I would be stuck out in the middle of nowhere... Maybe by a set railroad tracks, eh. Alright, another question has risen. That Southern Pacific Northern GS-6 4-8-4.. what is up with the paint scheme I have never seen them painted in a black before. I have always seen them in the Daylight scheme.. Why Besides that, some very nice photos from you sir. 5- As Lars had mentioned, I also "dig" those Ferry Photos. And yes I spotted the Submarine... Interesting to see it above land.. But I guess they don't need it rusting through and sinking now do they..Thanks for all the fine photos.
Eric- Some nice shots you have there from inside the passenger train. It looks weird with all of those trees zooming by and everyone literally standing still in the car. It gives the effect of the train really moving fast! I can tell you this, The St. Louis transportation museum people sure know how to keep things looking nice. I am really impressed with there work. I need to get to St. Louis someday and give that place a looky! Thanks for the pic of the Lima built steamer. The paint looks really good.
Thanks for the sign that explained that tunnel to me. I can't believe how old that thing is. I was quite surprised by that little fact. Interesting none-the-less. Thanks for the pics.
Per- First to start things off, even if it is a little late, Happy National Day in Sweden. I'm sure there had to be some great parties and events going on.
That's a nice interior shot of that wooden passenger car. I'm afraid it would be a little uncomfortable for me to sit on but I bet people thought it was great when they first came out. Thanks for the pic. Thanks for the link to all of your great photos. Soon I will beable to have a "puter" portfolio like that one, as soon as my Canon Digital SLR arrives in the mail. Then I can take some pictures. I can't wait!!!
Well, I think your right when it comes to sharp curves like that. It's probably to avoid any type of grade they might encounter along the way. It was the same with Tehachapi pass. I don't know if you have seen it but it was built to get trains out of the mountains and to avoid the really steep grades.
How long ago was it when you took the pics of that gas electric You're right, they are in the exact area and they're on the same flat cars too. So I wonder if the guy hadn't taken the photo almost the same time you were there. Interesting. Thanks for the other
Hi Tom and all.
A pint of Batham's please Ruth, no no I don't know anything about a Connie.
PER As I was saying to LARS the bride and I are hoping to visit the museum in Sacramento any tips on what is best to see and any hidden treasures that be great.
Many thanks for the photo journey on the Southwest Chief this a train we are thinking about using to get to California and coming back on the Zephyr. The landscape in New Mexico is like none I had ever seen before. We had a visit to Santa Fe and managed at trip on the preserved line out of Santa Fe although the train did not go as far as the junction with the BNSF. Thanks for the pictures and info on the Santa Fe ‘Doodlebug'.
Your trip on the Amtrak to Los Angeles reminded me of a train trip a few years ago on a branch line that connected with a preserved line in the North East of England. The train was a 3-Car Diesel Multiple Unit which was the school kids special, you literally could hear the train before it arrived. The Guard (Conductor) said, as the 6 or so of us boarded the train " We have a space for normal human beings in the last car" Boy was that train noisy. The journey was enlivened when one of the youths got his head stuck in the railing by one of the doors, luckily with the help of some of his pals he was able to get his head free before his stop although at one stage it looked as though the Fire Service was going to have to be called. At each station the noise got less until they had all left but the train was full of litter, which the guard collected.
The ‘Chili Line' sounds an interesting railway, was it part of the Denver & Rio Grande system do you know.
Have a great trip to Madrid and California.
LARS Great to see you in again real glad you found the library. Any info you have about the museum at Sacramento would be great from you as well, when you have time.
Many thanks for the book covers, particularly like the B&O painting. As far as I can make out the A4 on the British book cover is No 60029, which carried the name ‘Woodcock'. The loco was shedded at King Cross (London) and was one of the A4s fitted with a corridor tender.
Have a safe journey home and look forward to your visits to bar when you get back home.
JAMES Great to see back at Our Place after the busy time you have had lately.
Thanks for the photos of the Santa Fe ‘Doodlebug' it certainly is an interesting railroad vehicle; hopefully it is on its way to a railroad museum.
ERIC You are right there is so much to see at the St Louis museum. That was my third visit and I have seen things I have not noticed before each time I go. Of course nowadays I have some idea of the history and the significance of the exhibits than the first visit when I knew hardly nothing about North American Railroads and locomotives. I am pleased to say Classic Trains and Our Place has helped me greatly to understand N.American railroads.
I wonder how far the 5 feet 6 inch track extended on the Missouri Pacific before it was converted to standard gauge.
I have a feeling that the Leyland bus builders were taken over although I have lost touch.
Looking forward to more info on the narrow gauge line at Linkoping.
I sent e-mail, but the way the puter was yesterday you may not have received it.
TOM The puter is working better today although still slow. I thought I had lost my post yesterday but it appeared as did page 68.I will have a look at my photobucket again later to see if that will work again later.
Enjoying the info on the PRR Broadway dining cars from you and CM3. As you say, the info at Our Place is one to trusted we are lucky compared to some other railway info on the web. It a recent (British) Railway Magazine they have looked back over some British train performance myths. One example is of a legendary run by a Caledonian 4-6-0 at the turn of the 1900s, the writer found the original log and found the train timer had included the weight of the locomotive and tender in the train weight. When this was deducted from the load the engine hauled, it was a good run but not anywhere near the horsepower originally credited to the loco. The article on locomotive performance still appears in the RM, it has been running for well over 100 years now.
Many thanks for the great St Louis and Halifax photos, I guess that is one of the submarines that were bought from Britain and were not popular. I well remember you telling me about Tim Horton, I very much enjoyed th
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house
Good old Al ordered something to begin with CR, a nightly Crown Royal or morning Crumpet.
Wow! 26 months, that's almost 800 days, or ten times around the world in a balloon.
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c00000/3c04000/3c04100/3c04114v.jpg
Wrigley & Sun-Times
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/il/il0600/il0630/photos/037143pv.jpg
Wrigley & Trump
http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/8690/trump12tx.jpg
Wrigley & Marine Angel
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c10000/3c19000/3c19700/3c19799v.jpg
Wrigley Field
http://img.nytstore.com/IMAGES/NSAPSD2_EXTR.JPG
TWA
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0183396/L/
American Airlines
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c20000/3c23000/3c23500/3c23568v.jpg
CV Ambassador
http://216.94.16.48/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=1775812032&id=36
http://216.94.16.48/people/index_view.cfm?photoid=64502357&id=28
Data
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196108&type=Player&page=bio&list=#photo
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12244
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13967
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13789
CV freight train
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2002031916410019996.jpg
Mike
Ahoy Cap'n Tom ‘n fellow travelers at the bar!
HAPPY 26th MONTH ANNIVERSARY to "Our" Place! The best watering hole in cyber space and this side of the Ether!! A 5- Salute to the Cap'n who makes all of this possible!
Hello Ruth my deAH! You look splendiferous as always and I'm saddened to know that this place has been so quiet on a day where there ought to be RECOGNITION! My, my how things have changed since I first came aboard . . . BUT, I'm here and let's have some treats for the crittAHs - a large jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris and a Larsman special hero for me - ham, Swiss, mustAHd ‘n buttAH with two extra large ‘n crunchy pickles from the barrel. A round for whenever there's a bunch at the bar, a frosty mug of Keiths for me - AND - the change is YOURS! <phew>
Some continuing extra fine pix from Da Bossman and I'd say he's really keeping this place hummin' along and is getting some super support from Eric ‘n Pete, who have been as "regular" as possible without taking a laxative! <whoa!> I hope to join youse guyz once we get back home and my "routine" gets established. Surely cannot have Da Boss exerting himself on a non-stop basis.
Cap'n Tom, I "dig" those pix from the ferry. That's a wonderful area to visit and I recall a couple of port calls up that way that were memorable for this sailor. Always thought of the place as "quality" and very much steeped in tradition. Doesn't matter to me that it's not my traditiion - the idea of it is what counts! Thanks for putting all of those trip pix together for us. I'm enjoying 'em all!
We're heading up to San Francisco tomorrow for a couple of nights and then our flight back to New York. We've always enjoyed ourselves in that town - although I must admit, I'm really no fan of what goes on there - hardly what I consider to be a lifestyle of my choosing. Nevertheless, there are still bastions of "normalcy" around and places we like to dine. So it should be an opportunity for the two of us to recharge - unwind and get back to being Mr. & Mrs. We both need it.
Don't want to belabor this piece with my personal tripe. The purpose of my visit was to join in on the "celebration" - but it seems I'm the only one celebrating! <geesh> My guess is Cap'n Tom hasn't made mention of anything just to "test the waters," as he's done in the past. A shame, really.
Ok, boyz - time for me to skedaddle - I've got the reservations squared away for SFran and our return flights and found this ‘convenient' library en route where we're staying. NOPE - haven't spotted that lovely creature who was here on Saturday - still the same ‘crew' - National Geographic ‘n Popular Mechanics "gals" I'd guess! <grin>
For Per: The reference to "20 Fingers" goes back to a time when we had a guy who simply "dropped data" on us pretty much with every post. He truly had his heart in the right place, but when it came to passenger trains, there was no stopping him as page after page after page of "pure data" would fill up the thread. So much so that Doug named him "20 Fingers" - and it stuck. He's no longer with us as an active member, as he's entrenched in Tom's Legion of the Lost, most probably never to be seen or read from again! <phew> <grin>
For Eric: Still trying to "pin" something on Ruth and I, huh Gotta use a different lure ‘n bait if you're gonna be successful, mate!
For Pete: Don't know what your California plans are, but should you find yourselves in this part of the state, a day at the RR museum is a MUST for a guy like you. Sacramento isn't a bad place to check out and all depends on what time you've got and what you ‘n your Mrs. enjoy doing. No sea coast here - but still nice.
For James: Thanks for the kind remarks - didn't think you were around, otherwise I'd have made mention. Good to see ya!
We fly back on Friday . . .
Until the next time!
Lars
Continuing on with Pix from Day Three: Saturday - May 26th, 2007 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Pete ‘n Fergie on the ferry to Dartmouth (Halifax side)
From the ferry to Dartmouth - Halifax side
Across the harbor is Dartmouth
Ferry bridge
Canadian Forces Naval Base - Halifax
Spot the submarine!
To be continued . . .
MORE Pix from the
at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO).
New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road) #170 - Hudson 4-6-4. Built by Alco (1927).
Southern Pacific # 4460 - Northern GS-6 - 4-8-4. Built by Lima (1943).
Chesapeake & Ohio #2727 - Kanawha 2-8-4. Built by Alco (1944).
Trains in the shed:
Santa Fe #5011 - Texas 2-10-4. Built by Baldwin (1944).
Boston & Providence RR Daniel Nelson # 952 - 4-4-0. Built by B&P 1858-1863.
Chesapeake &Ohio #2727 Kanawha (above)
General Motors #103 - FTA (Demonsrator). Built by EMC (1939).
Missouri Pacific coach # 6210. Built by American Car & Foundry (1940).
General Motors #103 - FTA (above)
Illinois Central #30 Dynamometer Car. Built by IC (1943).
Tuesday at the Tavern by the Tracks - coffee's hot - pastries fresh ‘n our <light> ‘n <traditional> breakfasts are ready for serving!
Quite a day yesterday, rather surprising for a Monday - but most appreciated by Cashinator and Tilla (our cash registers for those who either don't know or have forgotten!). <KaChing> <KaChing>
Looks like a day justifying some ACKNOWLEDGMENTS!
Once again, many THANX go to those of you who take the time ‘n make the effort to provide some "heads up" notice when absences or late arrivals are on the horizon. It TRULY helps me a lot in knowing when to provide stimulus ‘round here to keep the Posts going . . .
Per at 10:54 AM Monday - June 11th: Greetings! Great to have you aboard to help kick off a new week. "Rinsing down" your breakfast with Tequilla surely puts you into a class of your own ‘round here! <grin>
Should make a point straight away regarding Pix Posting on this Thread on other than Saturdays: There's really no prohibition, but moreso an "agreement" most of us have held to over the years to limit the fotos to those with supplemental relevance to the discussion at hand and do the "dumps" on the weekend. We also have tried to keep the numbers of ‘em down to 8 or less, just to help with the "loading" issues that many of the guys have experienced . . . So don't be alarmed, you aren't being singled out! <grin>
Having said that, I just poured through your 15 fotos and found ‘em all of interest! Actually, your Post could have been easily provided in two-parts, eh Nevertheless, appreciate the travelogue and great narratives to go along with what we're viewing. THAT's the way to do it!
I'm ALWAYS ready for a passenger train trip, especially long distance and in particular with VIA Rail (western routes) - only thing getting in the way is my bride's availability to accompany me - she's still employed! <geesh>
Another fantastic "sky shot" with that sunset foto!
Clever move to "frame" the Amtrak station with an archway from the larger structure. Always a bit sad to see the passenger rail stations reduced to mere function than charm. Who wuddathunkit way back when, eh
In a life long ago, almost as if it didn't involve me, my travels took me to Victorville and Barstow MANY times. Been to Victorville by car ‘n police helicopter - but that's a story for another place and time, eh <grin> Anyway, I used to enjoy watching the trains in that part of the country, but never as a bona fide "foamer" so much as ancillary to what I was doing for a living. Hard not to stop for a moment to enjoy those mighty machines pulling their loads, eh
I've never considered myself a "fan" of the desert landscape. However, I must admit to being captivated by the beauty of it from time to time. Driving from Needles to San Bernadino, for example, can be an enjoyable ride while taking in the vistas along the way . . . not a place I'd want to drop anchor, but still there's "something" about it.
Somewhere in an earlier Post you made reference to "Stewarts" - which I believe you meant to call, "Stewards." A term used for those engaged in food service aboard ships, trains ‘n planes of old.
Next comes the "dah" lessons! Beginning with the letter "T" . . . <go fer it!>
CM3 Shane at 11:30 AM Monday - June 11th: Always time for quarters ‘n a round! That's what makes YOU "the" SURVIVOR at the Bar - from near inception to date, we've been able to count on you. Many thanx - as always.
Appreciate the input on the Broadway Limited - my earlier Post refers . . .
Lars at 1:47 PM Monday - June 11th: Treats for the critters, a smile on Ruth's face, some typical Larsman dialogue AND book covers! All's well with the world when the Larsman is onboard!
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, I'd have never thought of a library for accessing the internet either! Shows how much I know about those places these days <daze> eh AND I SHOULD know better, given that I spent so much time in the campus library during and after my "career" at college (following my REAL career, that is!!)
By the by, YOU are on the "list" for Emails regarding the 3rd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in Chicago 2008. I don't plan on getting the first one out ‘til July though . . . plenty of time. More than likely I'll Post the "basic stuff" here at the bar, just to give those who either don't know or have forgotten how we go about planning these extravaganzas
Leon, coffee and a cheese Danish! That's all, thank you!
A lot of activities here this Monday! Getting busy again!
Tom – I am sorry to say I forgot to bring your CDs to work today, so I could not mail them as planned. Now they are in my briefcase and will be mailed tomorrow, Tuesday! You mentioned the bus you bought for your S-scale layout. I have checked that catalog I talked about, but they do not have anything for the S-scale. I will check further. 846 miles, just right for a train ride!! Thanks for the info!I was told that dual citizenship was not allowed, which I did not consider being a problem since I think that it is wrong having two citizenships. At that time the old country did not allow dual citizenship either, but they changed that 6-7 years ago. And that was for the most stupid reason. I’ll tell you another day. I certainly hope West Coast Dave is safely at home now. Maybe I should show some SP pictures?You are right about Cindy working Saturdays, but I guess you never saw Ruth, did you? I guess she was there beacuse Manager Lars had been there and she was too happy to remember to go home again!! She just forgot she wasn’t on duty!About the photo from Sunday, it is from the old country. I will have more info on it in a few days. I took it back in 1968, 39 years ago. Thanks for “borrowing” Doug’s pictures from your other thread! Looking at your pictures from the Museum of Transportation I have to repeat myself, I need to go back one day. I missed a lot of things. Like the New York Central #113, Joplin-Pittsburgh #2003 and Baltimore & Ohio #50. Thanks for the nice pictures!!I see that you also have info on those PRR diners! More pictures from Halifax! I memorized that name, Tim Horton’s for future use! Is Tim’s nationwide or a more local chain?Per – How could you forget the Arizona hockey team, the Coyotes? Info about the Barrets Tunnels on this picture.
Inside the tunnel you can see a steam locomotive, less the boiler and cab, sitting on a flat car. The arrows are pointing at the rails on the flat car and the third arrow is pointing at a wheel.
The picture I posted is from Linköping, Sweden. I took it 1968 and it shows the remains of the narrow gauge MÖJ. I will come back to this later this week. Thanks for the rest of your report from your almost cross country trip!! Very enjoyable and nice pictures. Most interesting picture are the ones of that Santa Fe diesel on the flat car! CM3 – Thanks for the info on those diners, etc. That made me curious and I will do some research myself. Looking forward to more info from you though! I saw that Tom found something too.Lars – Why don’t you take a picture of that gal, Connie? I always like to see pictures of centerfold gals! Ruth is kind of concerned though. More nice book covers! The last one, Southern Pacific Historic Diesels, made it on my list over books to look for! James – That truck is under a FP45. As far as I know that truck is called FB 3. St. Louis Museum of Transportation has a lot of stuff to check out! It will take more than one day to see it all. What’s in the tunnel is shown above. “Half” a steam engine on a flat car! What is behind it I don't know. The Santa Fe M190 is something different! I tried to find more info tonight but was succesful. I’ll check my books to see what I can find. Thanks for the pictures.Pete – You don’t know if there are any British bus makers left? How about Leyland? They must still be around. You are right!! That photo was taken in Sweden 39 years ago in the city of Linköping (I used to live there in the early 70’s). I will come back later this week to that narrow gauge railroad that was once upon a time.If you are married to an American citizen you can become a citizen after three years! Or, at least, apply for citizenship after three years.
Good Evening everybody present!
Leon, please a pint of your best dark ale and a round for everyone present!
Tom. Thank you for all the work on the dining/kitchen cars. It was a very interesting reading! Imagine that they had separate kitchen cars. It can not have been easy on the waiters, having to walk between cars with a fully loaded tray in hand. But I guess the track was better in those days than what it is now.
When James wrote his comment about tour groups on trains, I came to think about the one time I was part of a tour group on Amtrak. A wine society I used to belong to had been up in Napa Valley and we were taking the Amtrak back to Los Angeles. The conductor had tried very hard to keep one car open for us and he finally got all the other passengers out of that car when he told them that there will be a few people coming on board in Martinez. He wasn’t sure if “they came from the prison, or not” but he just wanted to let the passengers know. Apparently there was a rush to get out of that car before the train stopped in Martinez!
Lars, oh yes I know what you mean about a real railroad. I just wish I had taken the opportunity to ride the City Of San Francisco back in 1967 when I had the chance, but I wasn’t sure if I would have enough money, so I took the bus instead from San Francisco to New York. As it turned out, there had been enough money.
You just HAVE to give me a hint about that “20-fingers” at the bar thing!
You only need to buy one more suitcase. It’s the “Mary Poppins” type case. It may be a bit hard to find, though, but once you get it, that’s the only suitcase you will ever need ;-)
James, I’m not really sure about why those sharp curves were there either. It may just be that the grade would have been too steep but it didn’t feel like it. I came through this lava field in Arizona. One of the Interstates goes right through it. It is one of the weirdest things I have seen. All of a sudden there is all this lava on both sides of the road instead of the flat landscape that was just before and again, right after. But it is a large field, so there must have been one heck of an volcano there at one time, or maybe all of it just seeped out of the ground.
I can’t believe you found another set of pictures of the same Doodlebug. That guy must have been there about the same time I passed by. The units are on the same flat cars parked on the same track! Imagine that the bug had come back to Albuquerque! I remember reading in the Trains magazine many years ago when ATSF emptied their roundhouse in Albuquerque and sent a lot of equipment out around the country. Now part of it is coming back, how about that?
Here are a couple of more pictures I took as we rode past:
This was not a passenger trailing unit, more like a mail or baggage unit.
I like duck too. It’s just too bad it cooks down to almost nothing when all the fat drips away. But what’s left, is really tasty!
I’ve always thought of grits the way you look at it, Peter, and that’s why I haven’t tried it. I was forced into trying Vegemite once while “down under” and that’s also one of those acquired tastes, so once was enough for me.
It’s not really a bar at the train club, just a coffee house with beer and wine. But they have a decent selection of beer so I’m OK with it. I have seen signs for a new place in the same building, though, so who knows, maybe one of these days I’ll pay them a visit.
That’s it for today and maybe for a longer time. I am off to Madrid on Saturday and to California after that. If there is time later this week, I pop in again, otherwise I see y’all towards the end of the month.
A pint of Holden's Mild please RUTH. I see you are looking a lot happier since we have heard from LARS.
PER I think ‘grits' must be an acquired taste. I have tried them once and I'm afraid that is all I want too. One of my British friends was in New Orleans for a time and he could not get on with them ether. The bride quite likes them though.
That sounds a good place to have the train club with a bar near by. In Rugby,England I used to go to the monthly ‘Steam Club', which was held in the upstairs room of a bar. It was mainly slides of steam locos and I quite miss it sometimes, we used to get some well-known names in British Railway photography. With some having colour slides of BR steam from the 1950 and 60s.
I don't know if there are any British bus makers left now perhaps DL can let me know if there are any now.
ERIC Thanks for the info on the painted coupling rods on American steam locomotives. I was quite pleased the rods on 60010 in Delson museum were not painted, they were had a heavy coat of grease to stop the rust.
Reading about the Alco Hi-Ad trucks reminded me about them saying why the British pacifics were prone to slipping on starting, with a heavy train, was due to weight transfer from the driving wheels to the trailing truck. I wonder if the American railroads had a method of preventing this with their steam locomotives. Of course the American locomotives were a lot heavyer than the British ones.
Many thanks for the photos.I see one of the VIA locomotives #6425 was one of the actual locos Tom and I had to Halifax.
I guess the photo with the rails in the undergrowth were taken in Sweden
DOUG Many thanks for the photos, info and the link to the East Troy Electric Railroad. They look to have some great equipment and a good photo gallery on their site. It is such a pity they suffer from vandalism, it seems a worldwide problem nowadays. I see they run ‘Brew Trains', although I don't know why I would I notice this in the link. Having some real ale served aboard a vintage car sounds a great idea to me.
Loved the mailbox.
LARS Great to see you in the bar again. As you say we are ticking along but we sure have missed you.
The Bride and I are most probably heading out to California later in the year and we hope to stop at Sacramento as I have heard there is a large railroad museum there.
Yes we were very lucky with the weather both at the Rendezvous and in for the most part in Canada and both were indeed a wonderful time. We did raise our glasses to you at the Train Wreck during the Rendezvous.
Great to see the book covers again.
HOORAY for Connie.
TOM The ‘Windtalkers' is another film I would like to see, and it seems that the ‘Beyond the Fringe' recording was lucky to survive. I believe that ‘Fringe' was the forerunner on another satire TV show called ‘ That was the week that was' (or TW3 as it was known as) I wonder if you have heard of that show. I have seen clips of that show. And, of course the Stooges.
Very much enjoyed the Canadian Rail Journey part II encore, great meeting a group from St Louis on the Ocean, so far away from the city. I went back and read parts III and IV from the old thread, great reading and enjoyed the photos too. Two Budd trains in Halifax when now it is all Renaissance. Noticed while looking back at the posts there was one where NICK was teaching BORIS English.
Many thanks for the photos from St Louis, and the ones Doug posted on the other thread. It just looks like Doug is about to take Big Boy # 4006 off shed and on to Cheyenne.
I see in the link you have to be a ‘Legal Alien, for 5 years before one can become a U.S. Citizen so a bit of a while for me then.
It think we have talked about it before but that certainly is a sobering thought seeing the smoke of a torpedoed ship on the horizon and not knowing if a loved one was safe or not.
Well TOM I am having a real problem with the puter today
A place to pick up snacks!
When in Canada, I ALWAYS grab a cuppa Joe at Tim's! <grin>
CN heavyweight coach at Pier 21
Halifax's Pier 21
Fergie ‘n Pete
Fergie ‘n Tom
Thanks, Tom, But I'm good for now. But get a round for the guys.
Okay I admit it, I almost forgot about our manager who puts in his fine share of posts to keep this place rolling. I always enjoy coming in and seeing all the book covers he has provided for all to see. Some of the books look really good and others I have never even heard of. But thanks for sharing them.
Just a small piece on the Santa Fe's M190 "Doodle Bug" Gas electric!
Picture from: http://www.pbase.com/intermodal/image/75899624 Picture by:Brian Kreimendahl.
Picture from: http://www.pbase.com/intermodal/m190_doodlebug Picture by:Brian Kreimendahl
I was actually quite surprised to learn that this doesn't have any compartments for passengers. To me it looks like a mail car.
I couldn't seem to find much info on this locomotive so maybe someone knows more about?
Happy railroading
James
Tom- So I see you have taken over for awhile. Ruth looked a little tired. Good to see you. Could I get a turkey sandwich along with a coffee please. Thanks!
Well, Its been the week of the graduations. One right after another. I have had cousins and friends graduate all over the place. But all the food was good and the parties were fun. And a lot of happy people too. So I have not been on lately due to this. But I' back and ready for some more conversations. I will work my way back starting from the most recent.
Tom- Am I glad to be back after that long absence. phew.... Neat little Nostalgia on the Pennsylvania railroad. Sounds like a really nice passenger train they had there. Someday I will ride one of the Amtrak trains and see what it's like to ride the rails at 80 MPH. Of course I could go over to England and enjoy trains along there too. I would like to ride the rails at 150 MPH. Now that would be fun!
And some more nice pictures from the rendezvous. I am still a little amazed about how they advertise on the locomotive even when you tell me the reason behind it. I like it. It makes for a nice billboard. I was also impressed with the Halifax train station. The interior looks pretty nice and it's good to see it being used. Thanks for all of the great photos. Ah and some more great pics of the Aero Train. But my eye strayed to the Missouri Pacific transfer caboose. I always like seeing some of those old time transfer cabooses. There are couple still wandering around the Duluth area. I hope they stay in service for a little longer.
Also, thanks for the interesting story. It's always nice to meet people unexpectantly. It's happened to me before. And I know what you mean when you get a tour group on the train. Some of the time it can get quite annoying. But I'm glad everything turned out ok. Fun trips are when the memories count.
Some more nice pics from the rendezvous. Now I have seen some big hotels but that is on the top of the list. Plus it gets better with the train station attached to it. Also some great shots of the grounds around the hotel.
Oh... Now that is a nice looking NP caboose. One the more recent built cars. An all steel car. Someone spent some time and money bringing that thing back to its original form. Glad they did too, it looks great. And the Bipolar brings up the rear. I am still surprised how nice that electric looks. But I wonder why they took the pantograph off the locomotive Does anyone know why
I have to say, you sure know how to keep this place going. What a nice looking interior for that transfer caboose and I am really impressed with the restoration of that NP caboose. The interior and exterior are almost flawless.
CM3- Thanks for all of the info on the Sunshine Special. There are a lot of times to look at. You better know which one you want before stepping on the train.. Some neat stuff.
Per- Some ducks, I like ducks, especially when there on my plate....... Did I say that..
Thanks for all the neat photos on you train trip. It was interesting to see the end of the train on the curve. I don't think I have seen a curve quite as tight as that one. Now I wonder why they do that? In the pic, There doesn't seem to be much for hills but I can't see the rest of the land. Also a great pic of that small canyon you passed by. When I want to Arizona we saw some things that were a little strange. You would be driving along on flat land and then "poof" there would be all of these dips and crevices in the land. It's really strange. When I saw that AT&SF boxcar on the ground it reminded me of my trip to Arizona. When we passed through New Mexico almost all of the ranches had a box car or two sitting around. And almost all of those were AT&SF. It was a fun trip. I hope to go again. WOW! Now I am really impressed with your trip. That funny looking locomotive on the flat car is Santa Fe's version of a Gas electric. All of them carried passengers and this one is quite a treat. I didn't know there was even one still around. I will have to see what I can do to find any more info on that. I'm glad you got a picture of it.
Doug- One of your pictures caught my eye. I saw a transfer caboose in the background that resembles the Milwaukee road's version of the caboose. Do you know what railroad that car use to belong too But it looks like a neat little museum, to bad vandals have been doing there business on the cars. But if they want it to stop, keeping them stored inside would be a good idea.
Eric- You have a picture of a locomotive truck, is that under an FP45/ F45? But they are the EMD later style of truck that run under most of the SD series, excluding a few like the SD40-2. But the SD45s and FP/ F45 all ran with that style of truck under them. Now if I could only remember the name of that style of truck?
Also some really nice pics from the St. Louis Museum of transportation. They certainly have a lot of stuff in your first photo. Plus I can see a Business car hiding behind an Alco. But by the looks of the business car with the one window boarded up, I'm thinking its going to need some work. But one item in that picture doesn'
Hello Ruth my deAH, ‘tis the Larsman back again and this time with a powerful hunger <ummmmm> AND thirst! A Lars Special hero of ham ‘n Swiss, mustAHd ‘n buttAH with two large pickles from the barrel if you please. I'll take a tankard of Keiths and a hug from you would be nice as well! Oh yes, treats for the crittAHs and a small jar of pickled pig's feet for our "man" Boris! A round on me and the change is YOURS!
Back online today at the library - WHY didn't I think of this earlier, huh Just never crossed my feeble mind is the answer! <groan> Oh, I'm NOT about to divulge any "personal" info regarding "Connie" - but the gal in this place belongs in a centerfold - Popular Mechanics comes to mind! <hee hee> "Connie" is off today . . . Not to worry, Ruth - YOU are the focal point of my dalliances! IF I were to "dally," that is! <grin>
Really enjoying the pix from you, Cap'n Tom - the Rendezvous & Canada trip! Looks like you're doing a "solo act" these days though . . . Anyway, keep those pix coming, they surely are attention grabbers!
Per, I enjoyed your bunch of pix as well and have made that journey aboard Amtrak some years back. Our route of preference over the years has been the California Zephyr. However, after last year, we pretty much decided that would indeed be our LAST year. We go back to the times before Amtrak on that route - when it was a REAL railroad, if you know what I mean! Anyway, some nice shots!
I see Doug has been checking out places to go 'n things to see for the Chicago Bash! Never too early, huh?? <grin> How can you go wrong in Chicago!?!? Probably gonna be a two week Rendezvous! <grin>
Some fine Posts along the way and I appreciate the "welcome back" commentaries! Makes the old heart feel a bit warmer . . . Nice to be wanted!
Hey, Per! You surely do know how to put the words together and the pix too. If you keep this up, we'll be "dubbing" you the "new" 20-fingers at the bar! A looooooong story. <grin>
Enjoyed the elaboration on the Broadway Ltd from our Cap'n . . . figured he'd not let the details slide. It's TRUE ya know, this place is far, far different than so many others in that for the most part, the guys really try to avoid the unsupported and "think" before speaking.
I've been to the California State Railroad museum so many times I think the displays know ME on sight! We have relatives in this part of the country - not Sacramento proper, but close enough. I'm kinda like a few others ‘round this saloon - love trains, they just aren't an obsession <yet>!! However, my Mrs. thinks this bar IS! <uh oh>
The Mrs. has some "things" to shop for - can you believe it?? We've only been out here for nearly a month (or so it seems) so she's decided we need to squeeze MORE into our suitcases than they were manufactured to hold. Buy another suitcase? Are you kidding - we have so many at home I should open a "stand"!! <arrrrrggggghhhh> Anyway, while she's shopping, I'm doing "my thing" at the keyboard. Love it! Now if I could only find a local tavern . . .
This may be my final post ‘til we get settled back home, so let me leave you with a few more book covers and another round! Boris, ring it!!
That's EIGHT! Ok, bossman?? <grin>
Take a break, Ruth - I'll watch things for awhile . . .
I see a bit of activity this Monday (daylight) with visits from Per ‘n CM3 Shane . . .
Regarding the discussion involving the PRR Broadway Limited and dining cars that was initially queried by Per - I have found a few things to add to the chat:
But first to summarize with appropriate excerpts:
From Moi at 9:06 AM on June 8th - a PRR Broadway Ltd advertisement (1949).
NEW MASTER DINING CAR - Attractively furnished and decorated. Enjoy delicious food . . . meticulous service. Entire car reserved for dining.
From Per at 8:09 AM on June 8th
The Broadway Limited advertises that the entire diner is reserved for dining, what did it used to be? Do they mean that half of the car was a kitchen and that this train has a separate kitchen car?
From Moi at 7:27 AM today - June 11th
I'm hardly the aficionado when it comes to the true histories of Classic Trains and so I'll yield to others with regard to questions about the Lake Shore Limited and Broadway Limited. HOWEVER, I'd say it was the New York Central on the tracks to Chicago along the lakes - and the Broadway Limited diners were full-service diners from the get-go - with the kitchen facilities within the same car. No separate galley car that I'm aware of.
From CM3 Shane at 11:30 AM today - June 11th
PRR Classs D85D diners were twin-unit cars. They were blt. by Budd.PRR also had separate kitchen/dornitory cars (Class D70DR), and full diners (no kitchen) Class D70CR.Will provide more information later this week.
PRR also had separate kitchen/dornitory cars (Class D70DR), and full diners (no kitchen) Class D70CR.
Will provide more information later this week.
Now, from Joe Welsh's Broadway Limited we find several references to dining cars. Here's one in particular for December 12, 1967:
PRR No. 4620 Dining room car <and> PRR No. 4621 Kitchen-dormitory car.
Also this margin note:
Twin-unit diners operated on the postwar Broadway Limited. Placing the kitchen and dormitory in one car allowed the creation of an elegant, full dining room in the other car. The main reason for operating a diner with two cars was to handle passenger demand more effectively; these 68-seat diners handled 20 more passengers per seating than a standard diner. John Dziobko.
There's much more! However, the reference to "postwar" surely would make that ad I Posted well within the parameters for 2-car diners - one a kitchen-dormitory and the other a full dining room. Soooooo, that should address the issue, eh <phew>
Unlike the dribble 'n drivvle found elsewhere, at this bar we TRY to back up what we say and admit to mistakes - my initial guess was indeed incorrect. But it was a guess, nonetheless, eh <grin>
As I indicated, I'm hardly a Classic Trains aficionado, but time permitting, do enjoy a bit of research. Shane ‘n I are alike in that the anecdotal NEVER is acceptable!
Catch y'all later . . .
Good Afternoon Barkeep and all Present; coffe, please; rpound for the house, and $ for the jukebox.
Just a quick stop as I am between tasks.
PRR Classs D85D diners were twin-unit cars. They were blt. by Budd.
work safe
Ruth, I will join Tom in a mugga Joe, fresh pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and a light breakfast! And why not a Tequila to rinse it all down!
Tom. I didn't recognize any of the movies at the theatre this week. If I find the time I'll try to drop in and watch the Windtalkers. It's a subject that interests me very much. I've seen a couple of TV programs about the code-talkers, but no the movie.
Your encore description of the old trip in Canada on board an all-Budd train was great! Oh, how I wish I could have been on one of those classic trains!
I went directly from "dit" to "dit" "dit" "dit"; how's that for progress?
Your father really experienced the war close up, didn't he? I'm glad he survived all those dangers you wrote about, what an experience! Sometimes it's good to have grown up in a "neutral" country and not having had those problems and dangers growing up. Your grand parents must have been really worried going down to the shore and looking out at the black smoke out there.
I have an attorney working on my citizenship application, but there isn't much he can do. I wrote my senator but that didn't result in anything either. With a backlog of over 9,000 applications in "name check" at the FBI, and nobody really working on them because it is not a priority, it's going to take a while. What irks me is all this talk about making it easy for the illegals to come in when there is obviously a problem tending to the applications that are already in the pipe line.
I see the subtle difference with the dual citizenship. The U.S. does not recognize it and it is of no value here (but at least it is allowed to have it nowadays). It's the old country that may, or may not, recognize it, and it comes in handy when traveling.
I was more or less correct about Zamboni. His ice rink was in Paramount, CA, (not in Lakewood) and that's where he built his first machine. It was based on a Willy's Jeep (looked kind of funny). Traveling around the country with an ice skating daughter made me pick up a few things here and there. If I only could sort them in the correct file for later retrieval!
It is kind of strange to have hockey teams in the south, isn't it? But with the technology we have today, it is all possible and I guess NHL wants to get as much money as they can, so that's why we have the California, Texas and Florida teams. I guess the Stars couldn't be the North Stars when they moved south, could they?
I'm glad you corrected me on the exhibition picture, Eric. Of course it wasn't the Baltic exhibition! That was down south in Malmo some 10 years later!
Yes, 11 months to get the citizenship would be a more normal time, but with over 9,000 applications in a backlog that isn't worked on, I see no end in sight at all.
What is, or where is, the Barrett Tunnels? And what did you catch on film in there? I can't make any of it out.
And while we are on the subject of pictures: Another mystery pic of yours; this one is from Sweden, but I have no idea where.
Good luck with the part-time chasing of whatever you decide to chase!
It's really sad that almost all interurban lines are gone, Doug. There was a time when you apparently go travel for hundreds of miles on interubans and if you didn't mind changing trains, you could go for almost "forever", or so they say. I have only seen them in books and in museums here and there. There is one preserved car here in Plano; unfortunately resting on regular freight trucks, but the body is restored. I saw one really badly deteriorated body a little bit farther up north along the same line to Sherman.
Lars, yes we have met before. I was here about a year ago (or less) but then had to drop off due to too much of that 8-5 stuff. That's changing now, so I try to find some time to drop in once or twice a week to chat at the bar and show some pictures.
What would we do without libraries on our trips? They have Internet connection so we can keep up with the times, and magazines and newspapers so we can find out what's going on in the world, or state, while we are away from home. All at a very decent price: zero, zilch, nada. Can't be better, can it?
Did you see any of the Sacramento Northern (nowadays California Northern) trains while you were up there. Or, more importantly, did you have time to go to the railroad museum in Sacramento? They have a fantastic collection of trains and memorabilia, all well worth a visit.
Tom has threatened to enforce the Saturday only picture posting as soon as he has posted his trip pictures, so here is my last installment, Lamy to Fullerton.
Trip report, Southwest Chief, Chicago - Fullerton.
Last time I left you in the middle of nowhere and promised to start in Lamy, NM. Well, here we are.
But before we reached Lamy we came through Las Vegas, New Mexico that is. The first time I saw that name was when driving through New Mexico over 20 years ago. It was a road sign that pointed to Las Vegas in one direction and Mora in another. It looked so strange to see a Swedish place name combined with Las Vegas like that.
The track between Las Vegas and Lamy lead us through some really step terrain and sharp curves. We were in the third car from front but could see both the engine and the last couple of cars in several curves.
No too far from Lamy we passed through this little canyon:
And then we arrived in Lamy.
When ATSF originally built the railroad they had intended
MORE Pix from the 2nd Annual "Our" Place Classic Trains Rendezvous in St. Louis:
Saturday - May 19, 2007 at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO).
New York Central #113 - E Class S-2 (2-D-2). Built by ALCO-GE (1906)
Joplin-Pittsburgh #2003 - Propane-E. Built by Fate-Root-Heath (1936).
Baltimore & Ohio #50 - First non-articulated passenger diesel. Built by EMC (1935).
St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco) #1621 - Decapod 2-10-0. Built by Baldwin (1926).
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (Burlington Route) #9908 Silver Charger. Built by EMC (1939).
Union Pacific Big Boy #4006 4-8-8-4. Built by Alco (1941)
Big Boy #4006 <Doug's foto>
Doug ‘n Big Boy
Union Pacific tender for Big Boy #4006. Built by Alco (1941).
Union Pacific #90081 Rotary Snowplow. Built by UP (1966). Largest & heaviest made.
Here's something just a tad different for the bar - a copy of a Post from "my other Thread" put forth by barndad Doug yesterday (Sunday) . . . . thought there'd be some interested in this fine spate of Pix as I don't believe we've seen 'em at the bar!
Here's my humble collection of pix for the St. Louis MOT MoPac caboose. The history and use of the cabose is that it became widespread after the Civil War (1861-1865), with an estimated 2,500 in use by 1870. In 1900 there were 17,605 being used in the US. It was the conductor's office and the crew's home when away from their home station. The word caboose is generally thought to come from an 18th century Dutch or French term for a small cookhouse on a ship's deck, which had a similar sound. It is also called a way car or cabin car on some lines or certain regions. An older term was a conductor's car. In Canada it is often called a van. In railroad slang it is called a crummy, hack or shack. It was also the safety point at the rear of a freight train, displaying flags during the day and marker lamps at night. It allowedthe train to be observed from the rear, as crews looked for hot wheel bearings (hot boxes) or shifted loads. It lso carried tools and spare parts such as coupler knuckles and brake hoses The cupola on the roof is also called a lookout clerestory, observatory, monitor or dome One of the crew was always in the cupola while the train was moving. They would move from side to side when the train went around curves as this was the best time to see the cars well.
The history and use of the cabose is that it became widespread after the Civil War (1861-1865), with an estimated 2,500 in use by 1870. In 1900 there were 17,605 being used in the US. It was the conductor's office and the crew's home when away from their home station.
The word caboose is generally thought to come from an 18th century Dutch or French term for a small cookhouse on a ship's deck, which had a similar sound. It is also called a way car or cabin car on some lines or certain regions. An older term was a conductor's car. In Canada it is often called a van. In railroad slang it is called a crummy, hack or shack.
It was also the safety point at the rear of a freight train, displaying flags during the day and marker lamps at night. It allowedthe train to be observed from the rear, as crews looked for hot wheel bearings (hot boxes) or shifted loads. It lso carried tools and spare parts such as coupler knuckles and brake hoses
The cupola on the roof is also called a lookout clerestory, observatory, monitor or dome
One of the crew was always in the cupola while the train was moving. They would move from side to side when the train went around curves as this was the best time to see the cars well.
Nice work, Doug - and appreciate the support for the lonely Thread!
A smile to begin the week!
The similarities between my father and me are different.
(A Yogi-ism!)
A new week for all and a work-week start for many - Monday is here once again! Hope y'all enjoyed the weekend and found the time for some RnR with those deserving your company!
Time for a mugga Joe, fresh pastries from The Mentor Village Bakery and a <light> or <traditional> breakfast from our Menu Board! C'mon, what are ya waitin' for?!?! <grin>
Here's a SPECIAL THANX to the guyz who take the time ‘n make the effort to keep Da Boss apprised of planned absences! Really appreciate the "heads up" for it helps a lot in my knowing when to "jump in" to keep the forward momentum at the bar . . .
We've been providing MANY, MANY Pix lately at the bar on days OTHER THAN Saturdays - and that practice is going to CHANGE once all of the Rendezvous 'n Canada Rail trip fotos get Posted. The idea is to encourage DIALOGUE AT THE BAR with Pix as SUPPLEMENTAL to the chat. So, let's keep that in mind as we plod along . . . Not to worry though, there are zillions of Rendezvous 'n Canada trip fotos left! <grin>
CM3 Shane at 8:01 AM Friday - June 8th: Doom ‘n despair in the Red Bird's club house? I'm not so sure. Given the enormous salaries these characters draw, what's to be gloomy about?!?! Nah - win some, lose some and others are rained out. In baseball there's always a tomorrow - unless it's game 7 of the World Series! <grin>
I haven't been back "east"in some time so to read that Boston ‘n New York harbors ain't what they used to be is rather disturbing. Then I stop ‘n think about WHO we are trading with by sea and it hits me like a brick - China, Korea ‘n Japan are west coast shippers. Hmmmm, rocket science? I doubt it! <grin>
Really, really enjoyed that 1932 spread on the MoPac - don't know what it is about train schedules and consists, but I usually spend far more time staring into the words than necessary - just envisioning what those trains must have looked like, etc. Well done and most appreciated!
Wonder what the situation was like back in those days once the trains crossed the southern border. I'd heard of all kinds of "things" going on, but all anecdotal. I've never traveled by train in Mexico, but have been far into the country by air ‘n sea - and not for pleasure . . . stories for the 3rd Annual Rendezvous in Chicago, perhaps.
In case you are unaware, now that trolleyMAN Rob is oh-fish-ul-lee out as a "regular" - YOU are now the "holder" of the title, "Bar fly with the most continuous longevity on the stool!" Hmmmmm, perhaps that needs some reworking . . . <grin> I'll get Boris to wordsmith it a bit . . . <uh oh>
Many thanx for the quarters, round, "heads up" and your continuing association with us!
Pete at 3:51 PM Friday - June 8th: Didn't take you too long to pick up on the "larger dipper," eh And here I thought it was dedication to the bar ‘n clientele . . . <grin>
My guess is that Rob will appear once he figures out that we truly do miss him ‘round the joint. He's got this notion that to participate means to do so fully - read every word, check out every detail and so forth. There have been and are others who feel the same way. That's most admirable - but it just can't be done with other constraints on one's time. So, maybe an Email from you - and others - to assure him that a visit now ‘n then would mean a lot - to all of us.
I think you hit the nail on the head - as you usually do - with the comments on the port situation in Halifax. Shipping is far more active on the west coast as Canada's sea trade is also heavily focused on the Asian nations. It's a shame to see the port of Halifax diminished so - especially since I can trace my recollections back to 1957 . . .
Rounds appreciated along with the visit! Enjoy the weekend and if you cannot make it in today - we KNOW you'll not forget us on Monday! That's the difference between those who truly give a Rat's Patoot and others who haven't made up their minds!
Per at 8:09 PM Friday - June 8th: A fine Post with all kinds of commentary to pour through! Let me address just a few things I picked up on . . .
My error - AFLECK should be AFLEC <quack quack> from the TV commercial. And I also knew about the "dropping" of the "mighty" once Disney exited the ownership. I'm a hockey fan, fer sure, fer sure. BUT having said that - I'm totally exasperated with the NHL and the way it operates. Hockey shouldn't be in southern California, Phoenix, Florida, and places HOT. Sorry, but that's my take on it. The league is far too watered down and perhaps it's just my dinosaur-tar pit mentality showing, but I liked it far, far better when there were 6 teams in each conference - period. I recall the 6 team league of years past - Boston - Chicago - Detroit - New York - Montreal and Toronto, but figured they needed more teams. Then they expanded in 1967 with these teams: California Seals (Oakland) - LA Kings - Minnesota North Stars - Philadelphia Flyers - Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues. Ah, the good ole daze! <grin>
That #573 at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation is in horrible condition and awaits only MONEY to get her back t
Time to drop a message in the slot for Monday morning. I had planned to post this last night but other things had to be taken care of.
Tom – Received your mail, thank you! Will mail the CDs tomorrow, Monday. Sent the ones for Pete and Doug yesterday.
Beyond the Fringe! Never heard about that one before but I certainly would love to see it! I love British humor! Wind Talkers is another movie I want to see. A visit to the Emporium is a must this week! Very good movies!Thanks for posting your Journey report again! New for me! Most enjoyable and interesting! I guess your trip was even better because of the people you met on the train. Or should I say, at the station before entering the train!A good looking cab in front of the VIA Rail Station in Halifax!! I guess I could get used to live there with that Mac Store supplying me with whatever I might need! Nice pictures!Seeing your pictures from the Museum of Transportation makes me understand I have to go back there one day. So much to see. It takes time, but it is so interesting to see the real thing. How did you manage to catch “Stealthy” Pete on a picture? Doug – East Troy, my friends in Baraboo, WI, told me something about that museum several years ago and at that time I decided I have to go there sometime. Next year sounds great to me. Too bad if they have to store their equipment so you can’t see it though. Maybe they will find a solution soon. Interesting website. I have bookmarked it. Nice pictures. I think they should use that substation. It should hav a pretty good muffler. A good size mailbox! Must be hooked up to Internet! Built in spam filter!!Lars – Good to hear from you again!!! We have missed you and Ruth has missed you (a lot)! But now she is smiling, laughing and singing all the time!! Hope you can make it to the Rendezvous next year. Doug is already planning and looking around.
Thanks for the book covers! All those interesting books! I am still waitning to hit the Powerball Jackpot. One day...
Once upon a time...
This is ENCORE! Saturday - and - Photo Posting Day!
Remember: "Our" Place is CLOSED on Sundays.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION for the return of our Manager, the Larsman!
Also good to see the Pix 'n chat from Doug 'n Eric!
The St. Louis Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood, MO)
(more detailed descriptions <for many> previously provided by Eric ‘n Doug)
Northern Pacific Caboose #1082
Doug checking out the rolling stock!
Georgia Railroad 0-6-0 #724. Built by Baldwin (1896)
U.S. Army Gas Turbine (experimental) 1-B-1. Built in Davenport (1954)
St. Louis Water Division #1 SRD B. Built by Whitcomb (1924)
Milwaukee Road EP2 Class - #E2. 1B+D+D+B1. Built by GE (1919
That's "Stealthy" Pete!
More on Monday - Enjoy the Weekend! . . .
Good afternoon Captain Tom and Gentlemen!!
Hello Ruth! What happened? You're smiling and singing, I could hear you from the outside?! Ohh, Manager Lars is back? No, I don't have time to stay, just want to drop some pictures before I am going to the post office. Tell the guys I'll be back later!
Saturday is the day for pictures so I thought I should post some randomly picked ones.
The Trainwreck saloon, a great place to eat and drink!
Some locos and cars at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation.
I thought I missed to take a picture of this streetcar, but here it is, #10.
Ghosts in one of the Barretts Tunnels!
Halifax? If so I wonder what Amtrak is doing there?
Cindy my deAH - drinks on the house - the Larsman has returned! Boris ring the bell! I'll take a double ‘hit' of JD on the rocks if you please and put this fifty aside for a round later on . . . the change is YOURS my deAH! <grin>
Greetings from a library in the outskirts of Sacramento, California - Yeah, a library! Finally couldn't take anymore of the isolation and told the Mrs. that I'd be back when I got back!
This has been a nightmarish several weeks - all was fine in the Keys, but once the decision was made to come west, as Cap'n Tom would say <arrrgggghhhh> <double arrrrgggghhhh>! Far too much personal crap to get into, but ain't no way this is gonaa happen again - at least not where I'm concerned.
So, I've spent the past 3 hours - yes 3 hours - checking out what's what and I must say I'm impressed. Super impressed. (Also super impressed with "Connie" who has so graciously allowed me to remain online . . .) Surely appears to me that in spite of the diminished resources at the bar, the place is humming along quite nicely just like a well tuned engine.
The Rendezvous pix from the guys (Tom - Doug 'n Eric) have brought me to near-tears. Really! I wanted so much to be there with you guys and thought for awhile it was going to happen. Then events pretty much overtook me - getting the mother-in-law taken care of - the trips to the Keys - purchasing the house - this trip, and so forth.
Surely looks like Cap'n Tom put together one heckuva slate of events for youse guys and it makes me happy ‘n sad at the same time. Happy for YOU - sad for ME! <groan. <double groan> Not jealous - not envious, just very sorry that this year didn't work out. Won't even begin to talk about 2008 - the way things are going in my life, I may be on the dark side of the moon by then. <groan> HOWEVER, Tom, please add me to the email list for planning the next one, ok??
So the Wolfman ‘n the Cap'n survived one another in Canada, eh??? Figured you'd have a blast and hope all the plans went well - weather too. Nothing ticks me off more than to orchestrate such an adventure only to have uncooperative weather. <boo> <hiss> Anyway, I have "this image" of you two trying to order a brew in French and winding up with something far different! <laff laff> Really looking forward to the pix from the Canadian RR museum!
Some truly fine shots thus far of the trip to Halifax . . . really looking forward to the rest of ‘em. Fergie looks pretty much the sailor and I know I've viewed his mug before. Maybe a ways back though . . . Looks like a sailor to me! <grin> Must've been a "hoot" to see him again, huh??
I gather the Canadian brew must've been up to Pete's high standards, as I haven't noticed any complaints! <grin>
My intent with this appearance is to let youse guys know that I'm still around, but just unable to communicate to my liking. The set-up where we're staying is archaic when it comes to computing. Fortunately they at least have email that isn't tied to a on-line configuration. Don't even ask me to explain that! Anyway, when it works I've been able to get some messages out - nothing in though. Figure that out yourselves!
Expect to be leaving here next week - home by the weekend and hopefully back with the guys (and Ruth) shortly thereafter! Have faith gents, I haven't deserted the ship! I think the Mrs. has figured out that she's taxed me to the absolute breaking point this time . . . love her dearly, but families are something else to reckon with. <grimace 'n groan>
Best regards to all who have tried their best to keep the bar ship shape. Looks like Shane has been ever present in his Monday thru Friday slot - Pete taking up the 6 days per week in the mid to late afternoons - Eric being the night owl and a new fellow - Per - (haven't we "met" once before??), who has provided some really great epistles (as Cap'n Tom calls ‘em). Oh yes, DL has been in ‘n out - so things appear to have been steady as she goes, huh???
Special hello to Doug ‘n Rob too! Sorry to see that youse guys are no longer able to keep up with the flow, however, it sure is nice to know you're still around!
I should ask, anyone heard from my "bookend" BK lately?? I sent several emails with no responses. Even called him three times - once from the Keys and twice from here. All I got was an answering machine. Hate to think the worst, but perhaps . . .
I'm going to provide some ENCORE! book covers - just to remain within the spirit of this day and to let youse guys know I haven't forgotten HOW!
Cindy my deAH, drinks on the Larsman, Boris ring the ding and get out those treats for the crittAHS - a bucket of ice cubes for Frostbite - a tray of seeds for Awk - a saucer of brine for Tex and a LARGE jar of pickled pig's feet for Boris!!
ENCORE book covers for ENCORE! Saturday
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