Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)

[Murphy Siding]

     espeefoamer-Are we getting warm?

[espeefoamer]

it was a brass eagle. The engineer my grandfather knew kept his highle polished and mounted it on his engine.He took it home with him at the end of each run.

Sorry I couldn't answer earlier but the library was closed yesterday due to the holiday.

[al-in-chgo]

it was a brass eagle. The engineer my grandfather knew kept his highle polished and mounted it on his engine.He took it home with him at the end of each run.

Sorry I couldn't answer earlier but the library was closed yesterday due to the holiday.

 

 

Hi, no one's posted in the last 27+ hours, so here's a cutie:

According to a company-sponsored advertisement on the back of the July 1, 1967 "SCL Passenger Schedules"** (the 32-pp. orange-cover foldover for passengers), how cheaply could it be to travel RT on the Silver Meteor from NYC to Miami via coach, "which includes your reserved seat."  ?

Hints:  The standard "Rail and Pullman Car Fares" published toward the back of the 7-1-67 Passenger Schedules do not quote RT simply as twice one-way, but instead display much lower fares over 2 x one-way if return trip made within 6 mos.  The special offer on back of the above Schedules has at least two slight differences:  it mentions that summer fares have been extended thru November 15; and, as it happens, the price quoted in that ad is a TINY bit smaller than the standard RT listing in Fares. 

I myself do not know how significant the "includes your reserved seat" is.  But there are no meals included.  Whether SAL ACL or the brand-new SCL charged extra fare for its streamliners is something I do not know. 

**I'm sure most of you know this, but 7-1-67 "Passenger Schedules" was the first merged operations schedule. 

In the spirit of THE PRICE IS RIGHT tv show, try not to let your answers exceed the exact dollars-and-cents fare.  However, I can be swayed if you are reasonably near the special fare and your logic looks sensible.

I know, I know, this is one of those "I've got the book and you don't"   type of quiz question but I thought this trip down pre-Amtrak memory lane might be fun to guess at. 

                                                  "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."  (Traditional saying). 

[Murphy Siding]

     How about $99?

[blhanel]

1967, you say?

How about $79?

[jeffhergert]

I'll say $89.00.

Jeff

[al-in-chgo]

 

 

Murphy Siding Joined on 05-12-2005 S.E. South Dakota Posts 5,778	Re: Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)
	How about $99     TOO HIGH, ERIC,  BUT READ BELOW - a.s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1967, you say?

How about $79?  TOO LOW, BRIAN, PLS TRY AGAIN.

 

View the complete topic at:
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1363914/ShowPost.aspx

Posted By: jeffhergert in General Discussion
Subject: Re: Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)
__________________________________

I'll say $89.00.  TOO HIGH, JEFF, PLS TRY AGAIN 

 

You all did wonderfully well in setting the RT special fare below $100.   Your logic should tell you in which range to post your next answers, if you post (and I'd recommend it!). 

One extra hint:  this was before the Deregulation era, so as it happens, the correct fare does not end in an eight, a nine or a zero.  Nor does it end in $.98 or $.99 .  No deliberate psychological pricing, in other words.  

Following this, with a hunch or two, will probably get us within striking distance of declaring a winner.  Remember, though:  try not to go over.   The legend continues . . .  I'm really impressed. 

Any others out there want to take a stab?   -  a. s.

 

[jeffhergert]

Try Number Two:  $84.77

Jeff

[blhanel]

Hmmm... I'll go the other way this time, $87.55.

[Murphy Siding]

    Ah gee-wiz Al, you don't have to call Eric.  You can just call me by my name-Norris

If we're playing The Price is Right, I'll guess about $87.60

[arkansasrailfan]

Oooooooooooo, you got burned

[nanaimo73]

    Ah gee-wiz Al, you don't have to call Eric. 

Short for Leif Ericson? Was he Norwegian?

[WSOR 4025]

$86.50?

[al-in-chgo]

    Ah gee-wiz Al, you don't have to call Eric. 

Short for Leif Ericson? Was he Norwegian?

 

Maybe short for Eric the Red, since that's the color of my face right now.  My bad, and my apology offered.  - a. s.

 

[al-in-chgo]

$86.50?

Sorry guys, but $84.77, $87.55, $87.60, and $86.50 are all too high.  You all correctly figured out that $89.00 is too high a price and that, therefore, your entries should be below that point.

HINT:  What price given originally do you know is too small?  Your winning answers will be above that point.  IOW the entries above are mostly trending in the wrong direction.

Perhaps we can solicit some more guesstimates?  I'd like to declare a winner by early this evening (around 1830 CST) so a new question can open the weekend.

Thanks, and keep trying!  al

 

 

[Murphy Siding]

   $71.67

[blhanel]

You went the wrong way, Murph.  My initial guess of $79 was too low!

I'll go with $80.45 this time...

[Murphy Siding]

You went the wrong way, Murph.  My initial guess of $79 was too low!

I'll go with $80.45 this time...

Rats!  I was taking a clue from the date Al had listed. 7-1-67 ( )

[al-in-chgo]

You went the wrong way, Murph.  My initial guess of $79 was too low!

I'll go with $80.45 this time...

    Impeccable logic, and this your latest guess is closer to the right answer than before -- Although you're getting warmer, you're still several dollars plus some change off.   Let's all of us look at all prior guesses; the lowest one that is too high is above where you'd want to be, and the highest one that is too low has gone from $79 to $80.45 (yours), but it is nonetheless too low.

Keep trying, folks!  The end is in sight!  - a. s.

 

[espeefoamer]

As a wild guess,$85.55.

[CNW 6000]

$82.66

[al-in-chgo]

As a wild guess,$85.55.

  A very sensible guess, but over a dollar too high.

[al-in-chgo]

$82.66

  The closest figure to date that doesn't go over.  Good goin'!  Care to try again?  - a. s.

 

[CNW 6000]

$83.55

[WSOR 4025]

$84.25

[Anonymous]

42! That's the answer to life, the universe, and everything!

(From The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) 

[al-in-chgo]

$83.55

 

Good goin'!    DING!   DING!   DING!  

You're only eighteen cents below the actual amount:  $83.73. 

Since that's less than a daily paper and a local phone call, even in 1967, you have won!   

And you get to post the next question . . . 

  Congratulations!  - al

[CNW 6000]

  YIPE!  That's what I get for guessing well, lol.  Since my 'handle' on here is derived from a slightly unusual engine...that's the theme I'll go with for my question.  I tend to like oddball power...so here we go:

Around WWII there were 3 railroads that tried unique steam-electric engines.  Name the 3 and delineate which (if any) built, tested, and used their engines before the war and which (if any) built, tested, and used their engines after the war.

[al-in-chgo]

  YIPE!  That's what I get for guessing well, lol.  Since my 'handle' on here is derived from a slightly unusual engine...that's the theme I'll go with for my question.  I tend to like oddball power...so here we go:

Around WWII there were 3 railroads that tried unique steam-electric engines.  Name the 3 and delineate which (if any) built, tested, and used their engines before the war and which (if any) built, tested, and used their engines after the war.

 

Do you mean locomotives whose motive power was steam engine and diesel-electric, or do you mean something along the lines of a hybrid steam engine / electric motor (I'd guess catenary) combo?  - a. s.

I for one think it's time for bed!  Clearly I am outclassed.    - a. s.

[Railway Man]

  YIPE!  That's what I get for guessing well, lol.  Since my 'handle' on here is derived from a slightly unusual engine...that's the theme I'll go with for my question.  I tend to like oddball power...so here we go:

Around WWII there were 3 railroads that tried unique steam-electric engines.  Name the 3 and delineate which (if any) built, tested, and used their engines before the war and which (if any) built, tested, and used their engines after the war.

1938:  GE builds a pair of 2500-hp steam turbine/electric transmission demonstrators for Union Pacific, which tries them for a few trips and says thanks but no thanks.  GN demo'd them in 1943 and after that GE scrapped them.

1947-1948:  Baldwin and Westinghouse deliver 3 6,000-hp locomotives to C&O, which were scrapped in 1950.

1954:  GE and Babcock & Wilcock build Jawn Henry for N&W, which lasts to 1957.

Guess if you wanted to have seen these back then, you'd best have been quick on your feet!

RWM