Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)

[al-in-chgo]

I have a quick question for Al - in - Chicago. Do you ever sleep?

     

        Yes, but not as much as I'd like.  I've been battling insomnia the last fifteen years and despite medication, there are times I can't get to sleep. 

       Also please keep in mind that here in Chicago we're on Central [Daylight] Time, so our clocks are set two hours ahead of the West Coast, Nevada, etc.  

 

[LNER4472]

Late, late at night the WAG's like me come out (lol).

WAG no. 1:  Something on the exx-PRR "Main Line" leading west from Philadelphia? 

WAG no. 2:  Boston Back Bay? 

 

Nope, and nope.

Hint: I didn't specify "still in use" for either, now, did I?

[LNER4472]

I suspect that the answer to both is the Mt. Clare Station in Baltimore.

To give a little more detail on this:  The Mt. Clare Station is often--OFTEN--cited as the "oldest station in the US/North America/Western Hemisphere", but the reality is that the CURRENT structure was built in the mid-1850s, replacing the earlier "first station"--which, if accounts are accurate, replaced the original ticket office, the moral equivalent of a "lemonade stand" shack. 

There are other contenders for both of the original queries.  

[al-in-chgo]

I suspect that the answer to both is the Mt. Clare Station in Baltimore.

To give a little more detail on this:  The Mt. Clare Station is often--OFTEN--cited as the "oldest station in the US/North America/Western Hemisphere", but the reality is that the CURRENT structure was built in the mid-1850s, replacing the earlier "first station"--which, if accounts are accurate, replaced the original ticket office, the moral equivalent of a "lemonade stand" shack. 

There are other contenders for both of the original queries.  

Savannah, Georgia?  Not the ex-SCL that Amtrak serves but the one right in town--last varnish out of there was Sou Rwy's NANCY HANKS IIRC. 

[nanaimo73]

good, you figured it out. the sucessor is Arkansas Southern, which owns the remaining section and also owns part of the old Memphis Dallas and Gulf(which never ran to said places)

So ask a question.

Thanks. Here's an Amtrak question for the morning readers.

During the 1970s, Amtrak served a state capitol city through a Union Station. After serveral years this city lost Amtrak service, but then regained Amtrak service on a different route. This second period of Amtrak service (which came to an end some time ago) used a very strange station, converted from a large structure. Name the city, and the structure used.

[LNER4472]

Savannah's dates to 1861-1876 (long time in construction).

Go older.  

[LNER4472]

During the 1970s, Amtrak served a state capitol city through a Union Station. After serveral years this city lost Amtrak service, but then regained Amtrak service on a different route. This second period of Amtrak service (which came to an end some time ago) used a very strange station, converted from a large structure. Name the city, and the structure used.

Montgomery, Alabama, service reinstated 1989 using a converted concrete grain silo structure up the tracks from the old station. 

[al-in-chgo]

Savannah's dates to 1861-1876 (long time in construction).

Go older.  

 

Well, Savannah did have to deal with this li'l business called the American Civil War.  lol. 

Another WAG:  Something in or near Charleston, SC??  -  a.s.

[nanaimo73]

During the 1970s, Amtrak served a state capitol city through a Union Station. After serveral years this city lost Amtrak service, but then regained Amtrak service on a different route. This second period of Amtrak service (which came to an end some time ago) used a very strange station, converted from a large structure. Name the city, and the structure used.

Montgomery, Alabama, service reinstated 1989 using a converted concrete grain silo structure up the tracks from the old station. 

Well done. This is a picture of the Station.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=233279

[al-in-chgo]

So who's up next? 

[LNER4472]

Parts of Columbia's South Carolina Canal & RR Co. depot on Gervais St. date back to 1846, with most of it being rebuilt 1867 after that little incident a few years earlier.  So, in a sense, this WOULD qualify as "oldest big-city", depending on your views on the issues of how big a city has to be, and the rebuiilding.  I'll defer to those I know weho say the rebuilding was substantial.

Look for a bigger city.  Well-done, though.

 

And you still haven't come up with the oldest of all. 

[al-in-chgo]

Parts of Columbia's South Carolina Canal & RR Co. depot on Gervais St. date back to 1846, with most of it being rebuilt 1867 after that little incident a few years earlier.  So, in a sense, this WOULD qualify as "oldest big-city", depending on your views on the issues of how big a city has to be, and the rebuiilding.  I'll defer to those I know weho say the rebuilding was substantial.

Look for a bigger city.  Well-done, though.

 

And you still haven't come up with the oldest of all. 

 

Thanks, I guess! 

 

[al-in-chgo]

Parts of Columbia's South Carolina Canal & RR Co. depot on Gervais St. date back to 1846, with most of it being rebuilt 1867 after that little incident a few years earlier.  So, in a sense, this WOULD qualify as "oldest big-city", depending on your views on the issues of how big a city has to be, and the rebuiilding.  I'll defer to those I know weho say the rebuilding was substantial.

Look for a bigger city.  Well-done, though.

 

And you still haven't come up with the oldest of all. 

Well, being halfway there is better than being no way there, I suppose.

Dude, what we need now is a great big hint or some resolution of this question -- it is unusual for this thread to sit idle for so long.  - allen

 

[al-in-chgo]

Okay, no one is rushing to post a question, so I'll propose a fairly easy one.  Want to grab some of the people who view this in the evening, not the middle of the night! 

List all five "Class One" U.S. railroads and the cites where they now have their headquarters.

Bonus:  Do the same for Conrail Shared Access. 

Double Bonus:  Do the same for the two major Canadian lines (hdqtrs are indeed in Canada)....... 

Hope to see some responses soon!   -  a. s.

[Murphy Siding]

Okay, no one is rushing to post a question, so I'll propose a fairly easy one.  Want to grab some of the people who view this in the evening, not the middle of the night! 

List all five "Class One" U.S. railroads and the cites where they now have their headquarters.

Bonus:  Do the same for Conrail Shared Access. 

Double Bonus:  Do the same for the two major Canadian lines (hdqtrs are indeed in Canada)....... 

Hope to see some responses soon!   -  a. s.

I'll take a stab:

BNSF  Fort Worth, Texas

UP Omaha, Nebraska

NS Norfolk, Virginia

CSX Jacksonville, Florida

KCS Kansas City, Missouri

CN Montreal Canada

CPR Not a single clue>>>Somewhere in Canada, perhaps?

Conrail Shared Assets Philadelpia, Pennsylvania?

[rrnut282]

Isn't CN in Toronto?  The CN tower was originally a rr communcations tower.

IIRC, NS has an office in ROA (Roanoke, Va) though many departments like engineering are in ATL.

[oltmannd]

BNSF  Fort Worth, Texas

UP Omaha, Nebraska

NS Norfolk, Virginia

CSX Jacksonville, Florida

KCS Kansas City, Missouri??

CN Montreal Canada

CPR Montreal Canada

Conrail Shared Assets Mount Holly NJ

[al-in-chgo]

BNSF  Fort Worth, Texas

UP Omaha, Nebraska

NS Norfolk, Virginia

CSX Jacksonville, Florida

KCS Kansas City, Missouri??

CN Montreal Canada

CPR Montreal Canada

Conrail Shared Assets Mount Holly NJ

It's been a number of years now since Canadian Pacific moved its headquarters out of Montreal.  HINT:  Where would you move a transportation company if you wanted relatively low costs and a pro-business Canadian province? 

[LNER4472]

Dude, what we need now is a great big hint or some resolution of this question -- it is unusual for this thread to sit idle for so long.  - allen

 Okay, I guess I'll just sound the big buzzer:

Oldest: Ellicott City Railroad Station in Ellicott City, Md., built 1831 and still standing as a railroad museum.

Oldest urban RR station structure: Baltimore's President Street Station, 1849-51, headhouse survives, restored 1990s as a muxseum (currently closed but still preserved).  As noted earlier, Columbia's 1846 structure might qualify as an acceptable answer as well.

Want another history (not current RR) question?  On what railroad line can you ride today (well, any time they're running this year) over a railroad turntable converted to a bridge? 

[oltmannd]

BNSF  Fort Worth, Texas

UP Omaha, Nebraska

NS Norfolk, Virginia

CSX Jacksonville, Florida

KCS Kansas City, Missouri??

CN Montreal Canada

CPR Montreal Canada

Conrail Shared Assets Mount Holly NJ

It's been a number of years now since Canadian Pacific moved its headquarters out of Montreal.  HINT:  Where would you move a transportation company if you wanted relatively low costs and a pro-business Canadian province? 

It's too late for me.  I had to go look it up.  I knew they moved from Toronto to Montreal a number of years ago, but I didn't know they went "Western".

[al-in-chgo]

BNSF  Fort Worth, Texas

UP Omaha, Nebraska

NS Norfolk, Virginia

CSX Jacksonville, Florida

KCS Kansas City, Missouri??

CN Montreal Canada

CPR Montreal Canada

Conrail Shared Assets Mount Holly NJ

It's been a number of years now since Canadian Pacific moved its headquarters out of Montreal.  HINT:  Where would you move a transportation company if you wanted relatively low costs and a pro-business Canadian province? 

It's too late for me.  I had to go look it up.  I knew they moved from Toronto to Montreal a number of years ago, but I didn't know they went "Western".

Points of information:  (1) CP is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta; (2) Conrail Shared Assets in Philadelphia, PA. 

Bragging rights to Murphy Siding.  Now let's stick with the historical question posed above. 

 

[al-in-chgo]

 

Previously quoted:  Bragging rights to Murphy Siding.  Now let's stick with the historical question posed above.   

 

        ??                      ?? 

[al-in-chgo]

 

Previously quoted:  Bragging rights to Murphy Siding.  Now let's stick with the historical question posed above.   

 

        ??                      ?? 

Is this thread breaking down?  I really find that hard to believe.  Dale, are you in a position to ask a new question???   -   al

 

[nanaimo73]

Here's one Al-

Which United States railroad had the heaviest 4-8-4 steam locomotives when they were constructed?

[Murphy Siding]

Here's one Al-

Which United States railroad had the heaviest 4-8-4 steam locomotives when they were constructed?

Something on N&W perhaps?

[J. Edgar]

 guessing....AT&SF 2900's

[nanaimo73]

 guessing....AT&SF 2900's

Good guess, you are right.

They were built during the war, and weighed 510,700 lbs.

4-8-4 2912 - CHILDRESS TX - 10/23/1983 - {GARY STUEBBEN Photo}

4-8-4 2912 - Pueblo CO - 05/75 - {Con Sweet Photo}

4-8-4 2925 - Cleburne TX - 06/15/76 - {Bill Phillips Photo}

4-8-4 2928 - w CALIFORNIA LIMITED - CANYON DIABLO BRIDGE - 1947 - (ATSF Railway Public Relations Dept){Brian Watt Collection}

4-8-4 2919 - ATSF Photo - {Richard Kurtz Collection} - 80" drivers. Engine used between Argentine, Kans and Clovis, N.M. Oil burner

[J. Edgar]

woohoo....do i get to ask a Q now?

[J. Edgar]

 well im gonna anyway....lol

 what was the name and year of the first RR chartered in the state IN?

[J. Edgar]

 and for the bonus round....what did this RR later become known as?