Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)

[al-in-chgo]

I didn't mean to mislead anyone but Canada is a foreign country but the trains did not come from Canada.

Al - in - Stockton

 

Talgo trainsets built in Spain for service on the Reading.  - a.s.

 

[passengerfan]

Sorry Al

No Cigar

Al - in - Stockton

[passengerfan]

I guess its time for a hint. The cars were built in Switzerland.

Al - in - Stockton

[passengerfan]

One final hint they operated south of the border down Mexico way.

Al - in - Stockton

[al-in-chgo]

One final hint they operated south of the border down Mexico way.

Al - in - Stockton

 

Was the equipment the tourist trains for the Copper Canyon tour? 

If so, I believe the operator at that time was the Chihauhua al Pacifico.  - a.s.

 

[oltmannd]

How about the TEE trainsets on the ON?  Built by.... wild guess... Brown-Boveri.

[passengerfan]

Sorry guys

still no cigar

Al - in - Stockton

[al-in-chgo]

Sorry guys

still no cigar

Al - in - Stockton

 

I'm out.     -  a. s.

 

[passengerfan]

I really thought this would be an easy one. For anyone who has read More Classic Trains the answers were all there. The three trains sets were built by Schindler in Switzerland for the NdeM and were the AZTEC EAGLES that operated between Mexico City and Nuevo Laredo. The three trainsets had difficulty tracking on the rough NdeM trackage until there foreign trucks were replaced with North American trucks from ex Santa Fe RPOs.

I will put out an easier question

What was the name of the first Alaska Railroad streamlined train and the correct spelling as interpreted by the ARR? And who rebuilt the streamlined cars for this train and streamlined the matching power for the train?

Al - in - Stockton

[KCSfan]

I will put out an easier question

What was the name of the first Alaska Railroad streamlined train and the correct spelling as interpreted by the ARR? And who rebuilt the streamlined cars for this train and streamlined the matching power for the train?

Al - in - Stockton

The name of the train was the AuRoRa which was put in service in the post WW2 years running between Fairbanks and Anchorage IIRC. At some later date the spelling was changed to Aurora as in Aurora Borelais (Northern Lights) from which its name was derived. It's just a guess but I'll say that Pullman Standard built or rebuilt its streamlined cars and EMD its locomotives.

Mark

[al-in-chgo]

I will put out an easier question

What was the name of the first Alaska Railroad streamlined train and the correct spelling as interpreted by the ARR? And who rebuilt the streamlined cars for this train and streamlined the matching power for the train?

Al - in - Stockton

The name of the train was the Aurora which was put in service in the post WW2 years running between Fairbanks and Anchorage IIRC. It's just a guess but I'll say that Pullman Standard built or rebuilt its streamlined cars and EMD its locomotives.

Mark

The Alaska Rail Road spelled or spells the train "AuRoRa,"  the capitalizations being the same initials as the railroad.    - a.s.

 

[KCSfan]

I will put out an easier question

What was the name of the first Alaska Railroad streamlined train and the correct spelling as interpreted by the ARR? And who rebuilt the streamlined cars for this train and streamlined the matching power for the train?

Al - in - Stockton

The name of the train was the Aurora which was put in service in the post WW2 years running between Fairbanks and Anchorage IIRC. It's just a guess but I'll say that Pullman Standard built or rebuilt its streamlined cars and EMD its locomotives.

Mark

The Alaska Rail Road spelled or spells the train "AuRoRa,"  the capitalizations being the same initials as the railroad.    - a.s.

Al,

Great minds think alike. I had edited my reply to show that spelling and just a minute or two later saw your above message.

Mark

[passengerfan]

I will put out an easier question

What was the name of the first Alaska Railroad streamlined train and the correct spelling as interpreted by the ARR? And who rebuilt the streamlined cars for this train and streamlined the matching power for the train?

Al - in - Stockton

The name of the train was the AuRoRa which was put in service in the post WW2 years running between Fairbanks and Anchorage IIRC. At some later date the spelling was changed to Aurora as in Aurora Borelais (Northern Lights) from which its name was derived. It's just a guess but I'll say that Pullman Standard built or rebuilt its streamlined cars and EMD its locomotives.

Mark

Mark

 Nice to have you back to bad you missed two parts of the question you only got the name of the train correct. You are way off Base with the Pullman Standard and EMD guesses.

Al - in - Stockton

[passengerfan]

Al

 Sorry I missed your reply you and Mark both have 1/3 point each.

Al - in - Stockton

[al-in-chgo]

Al

 Sorry I missed your reply you and Mark both have 1/3 point each.

Al - in - Stockton

 

I'm at the guessing point now, but I'll guess that EMD handled the motive power and the coaches, and that any parlor or sleeping-car arrangements were farmed out to P-S. 

Weren't dome cars brand-new out of EMD about that time?   -  a.s.

 

[KCSfan]

OK, if not PS was it ACF? With respect to the motive power it just ocurred to me that the ARR may well have still been running steam engines on its passenger trains at the time the AuRoRa was instituted. If so I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't streamline one in their own shops rather than ship it back to the lower 48 or Canada to have the job done.

Mark 

[ShopsYardMaster]

WAG--The Alaska RR rebuilt their MRS-1 Alcos with shrouding for the AuRoRa.

[passengerfan]

OK, if not PS was it ACF? With respect to the motive power it just ocurred to me that the ARR may well have still been running steam engines on its passenger trains at the time the AuRoRa was instituted. If so I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't streamline one in their own shops rather than ship it back to the lower 48 or Canada to have the job done.

Mark 

ACF built the original hospital cars that were streamlined by another Company. The diesels that were streamlined to pull the AuRoRa had the work done by the same Company that streamlined the cars. It was a west coast Company if that is any help.

Al - in - Stockton

[KCSfan]

My knowledge of west coast car builders particularly in the latter half of the 1940's is close to zero. I do know the SP built (or at least rebuilt) and modernized cars at its Sacramento Shops so perhaps the ARR contracted this work out to them. Two other possibilities come to mind; one of the Kaiser companies and Boeing. As their wartime contracts came to an end perhaps they cast about to diversify into potentially promising peacetime businesses but that is really a SWAG on my part.

Mark

[passengerfan]

My knowledge of west coast car builders particularly in the latter half of the 1940's is close to zero. I do know the SP built (or at least rebuilt) and modernized cars at its Sacramento Shops so perhaps the ARR contracted this work out to them. Two other possibilities come to mind; one of the Kaiser companies and Boeing. As their wartime contracts came to an end perhaps they cast about to diversify into potentially promising peacetime businesses but that is really a SWAG on my part.

Mark

Since I am going to be off the air for a couple of days I guess I will give the answer. You were on the right track when you said possibly wartime company trying to find anykind of work. The Company that streamlined a pair of RS-1's into an A and B unit and the AC&F built hospital cars for the Aurora was Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Later Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock. A wartime shipbuilder they were desparate for anything following the war. This was there only venture into RR equipment except for a persistant rumor they built some boxcars for the ARR. I have really found no actual proof of that yet.  Another Northwest Company to build RR Freight cars was Pacific Car & Foundry in Renton Wa. Remenber when they built what seemed like hundreds of State of Maine Boxcars in the fancy Red White & Blue scheme.

Will give it to you Mark your question sorry I won't be around for the next couple of days for your question

Al - in - Stockton 

[KCSfan]

OK, here's the next question. What was the name of the approximately 50 mile railroad that was built during WW2 between two military camps and was used to train Army Transportation Corps personnel in the maintenance and operation of a railroad under simulated wartime conditions? Derailments were so frequent that a big hook was dispatched to follow each train and during one record run a train derailed five times and the following wrecking train derailed another three times itself.

Mark

[jeffhergert]

Was that the one that was between Camps Claiborne and Polk in Louisiana?  As to the name, I'd have to look it up.

Jeff   

[KCSfan]

Was that the one that was between Camps Claiborne and Polk in Louisiana?  As to the name, I'd have to look it up.

Jeff   

Good job Jeff it was the Claiborne and Polk which quickly earned the nickname, Crime and Punishment. It was built in 1942 largely over the ROW of a former logging road through the swamps and bayous of south central Louisiana. It was the training ground for numerous Army Railway Operating Battalions which went on to see service in Europe and the Pacific theaters and the one that was sent to rebuild and operate the Alaska RR during the war.

Your turn to ask us a question.

Mark

[jeffhergert]

Until the mid 1960s, Boone, Iowa had 3 railroads operating into or thru the city.  Who were they? 

Jeff

[CShaveRR]

And back then, even in Michigan, I'd see box cars from all three of them:  CNW, FDDM, DCI (Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern; Des Moines & Central Iowa).

[jeffhergert]

So close, but not yet there.  CNW and FDDM are correct, but sadly, not the DCI. 

The third one was a branch of a class one. 

So close Carl, try again.

[KCSfan]

The Milwaukee Road was the other one if that branch was still in service in the mid-1960's.

Mark

[CShaveRR]

I can't look up Mark's response, so if he's correct, give him the prize (I used to see a few of their box cars, too!).

[jeffhergert]

The MILW was the third one.  My source put the abandonment as 1965.  There is still a Milwaukee street in Boone.

Carl got most of it, and Mark got the rest.  Either one of you can go as far as I'm concerned.  You're both winners to me.

To be truthful, I was surprised at winning the last round and couldn't think of a better question, one that wouldn't be too obscure.  My wife was able to answer it, after I gave her a hint about the MILW, I told her to think beer.  (Of course, her first answer was "Schlitz," but she got it on the second try.) 

[KCSfan]

I don't have the time right now to research the question I really want to ask so I'll just throw in a quickie in the meantime.

For years the Illinois Central ran a passenger train from New Orleans to Chicago that had no southbound counterpart. Its entire consist was deadheaded back to NO on a train of another name with only a single coach open for passenger occupancy. What were the names of these two trains and what was the reason for this schedule? I rode the northbound train many times in the 1952-5 time period.

Mark