Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)

[NSlover92]

I am going to say the President Inag. Because clean up had to be half @$$ed and then they built a tempoary floor covering the still wrecked GG1, Which was later torched into peices and welded back together to be one of the last running GG1's. Even if it wasnt the president thing, I think all that is right, Not bad for a teen! Mike

[arkansasrailfan]

I was going to say Prez inarguration, but it goten taken.

My guess is the Democratic convention.

BUt I know that is not right.

[CShaveRR]

I think this was quite a few years before Sputnik.

Was it a presidential inauguration?

A visit from new British royalty?

[al-in-chgo]

     This thread has been dark for nearly two whole days, so I thought I'd post something that I hope is a little easier: 

     Most of you remember or have heard of a surprise crash in the Fifties when a GG-1 locomotive crashed into Washington Union Station.  The loco, with cars still attached, crashed into the waiting room and then crashed through the waiting room's floor.

     QUESTION:  What event of national importance took place just five days after the GG-1's crash into Union Station? 

    Remember:  No Researching!   Thanks, al s.

 

I was about 21 and remember the crash, but my mind is blank so I'll take a stab:

The Russians launched Sputnik and started the Space Race?

 

An excellent WAG; keep trying! 

[Ishmael]

     This thread has been dark for nearly two whole days, so I thought I'd post something that I hope is a little easier: 

     Most of you remember or have heard of a surprise crash in the Fifties when a GG-1 locomotive crashed into Washington Union Station.  The loco, with cars still attached, crashed into the waiting room and then crashed through the waiting room's floor.

     QUESTION:  What event of national importance took place just five days after the GG-1's crash into Union Station? 

    Remember:  No Researching!   Thanks, al s.

 

I was about 21 and remember the crash, but my mind is blank so I'll take a stab:

The Russians launched Sputnik and started the Space Race?

[Anonymous]

Whoops! Mah bad!

[al-in-chgo]

Ty, thanks for posting; I like to see some answers popping up. 

However, the answer is set in the Fifties, not the mid-1940's. 

Best, al s.

 

[Anonymous]

Yet another shot in the dark, knowing the general era of the crash. Here are my guesses:

D-Day

End of WW2

Something like that? 

[al-in-chgo]

     This thread has been dark for nearly two whole days, so I thought I'd post something that I hope is a little easier: 

     Most of you remember or have heard of a surprise crash in the Fifties when a GG-1 locomotive crashed into Washington Union Station.  The loco, with cars still attached, crashed into the waiting room and then crashed through the waiting room's floor.

     QUESTION:  What event of national importance took place just five days after the GG-1's crash into Union Station? 

    Remember:  No Researching!   Thanks, al s.

 

[CShaveRR]

Oh, all right!  Everything on my fictitious train--including the locomotives--had Chicago & North Western in its pedigree.  As I pointed out when posing the question, all of these cars are still in existence, or were in very recent times (that is what ruled out PM, Norris).  Some cars kept their same numbers and paint scheme, others were rebuilt to the point of unrecognizability.  But I could identify all of them by series, and many, if not most, of them by their former CNW number.

One exception to that:  EPRY 579 was formerly lettered CGW 579.

I think Chris has to get some credit for seeing what I was up to, even if he didn't get the right railroad.  And Norris, even though he later changed his mind, had the railroad right.

[Murphy Siding]

Norris, PM disappeared over 50 years ago, and there's no former equipment in active service. 

Chris had the right idea, Norris has the right railroad.  Now what--a question apiece?

Carl-can you clarify what is the right answer?

[arkansasrailfan]

Waaaaaittttt, what's the question?

[CShaveRR]

Norris, PM disappeared over 50 years ago, and there's no former equipment in active service. 

Chris had the right idea, Norris has the right railroad.  Now what--a question apiece?

[CopCarSS]

Every last one of 'em, Chris! Name the railroad, and I'll give it to you.

Another shot in the dark: C&O?

[Murphy Siding]

I'll take a shot in the dark: Have these cars had previous lives on another railroad that was near and dear to your heart, Carl?

Every last one of 'em, Chris! Name the railroad, and I'll give it to you.

On second thought,make that Pere Marquette?

[Murphy Siding]

I'll take a shot in the dark: Have these cars had previous lives on another railroad that was near and dear to your heart, Carl?

Every last one of 'em, Chris! Name the railroad, and I'll give it to you.

CNW?

[CShaveRR]

I'll take a shot in the dark: Have these cars had previous lives on another railroad that was near and dear to your heart, Carl?

Every last one of 'em, Chris! Name the railroad, and I'll give it to you.

[nanaimo73]

What is there in this list that would turn on the waterworks for me?

A long lost shortline? Something to do with Michigan?

How about that KRL car?

[Murphy Siding]

    Would these all be former B&O cars?

[CopCarSS]

I'll take a shot in the dark: Have these cars had previous lives on another railroad that was near and dear to your heart, Carl?

[CShaveRR]

With the exception of the KCS and TFM, all the other cars are private owners(the X cars) or shortlines/regionals?

Not quite--keep in mind that CHTT is a UP reporting mark.  As a freight car freak, I wouldn't get excited about a collection of shortline/regional/private freight cars unless there was some significance to the particular cars.

Further hint:  at one time I might have been able to add some WC numbers to this list, but I don't think so any more.

[KCSfan]

What is/was the longest (route miles) American railroad which existed or still exists, which Amtrak has not operated on on a scheduled route?

Definitely KCS if the KCSdeM is included which after all is an American railroad. Very possibly the KCS even if the Mexican lines are excluded.

Mark

[ShopsYardMaster]

With the exception of the KCS and TFM, all the other cars are private owners(the X cars) or shortlines/regionals?

[CShaveRR]

No, not twelve--found out that there were some domestic chores that required doing, and this particular question will take a long time to formulate--it's 4:45 Central Time as I get started.

Okay.  There's this train.  It has three typical UP locomotives for power:  numbers 3054, 3097, and 9059.

Since it's moving slowly, I take note of a few car numbers.  And when I realize what's happening, I start to write all of them down.  Since I'm not looking at what I'm writing on, the order gets mixed up a little, but that's not important.  The numbers themselves, however, are:

TFM 21015

ATW 8230

KCS 60148

EPRY 579

ALAB 32625

HPJX 90034

CHTT 6591

FCCM 172088

IHB 6030

SIRX 96376

MMA 165

CHTT 642120

GCCX 73126

RCLX 169320

CRIX 173009

NAHX 172432

GCCX 174695

AOK 182111

RRRX 182997

KRL 48013

HPJX 59000

NRLX 225

AOK 350555

WW 4101

NOKL 818976

WSSX 1019

KO 834243

As I continued to take down these numbers, I couldn't believe what was happening.  It brought a tear to my eye, and for once I wished I had a camera with me, because nobody would believe this.

Oh, all right--the train itself is a total fabrication, but the car numbers are not--I'm pretty sure all of these are still in existence.  There is an assortment of cars here--box cars, gons, flats, covered hoppers, RBLs, even a depressed-center flat.  What is there in this list that would turn on the waterworks for me?

[nanaimo73]

C&NW?

Good work Brian. I believe C&NW has never been used by Amtrak on a regular basis. CRI&P and SLSF are two others.

Where is Carl? Are they making him work 12 hour days?

[blhanel]

C&NW?

[nanaimo73]

Still exsists? FEC maybe?

I should have worded this part better-
"railroad which existed or still exists"
The answer I'm looking for is a fallen flag.

[Anonymous]

Still exsists? FEC maybe?

[Murphy Siding]

The other question involves a railroad which was several times the length of MRL.

Hmmmm.....DM&E?

[nanaimo73]

Could it be Montana Rail Link and was it Cleveland Union Terminal.

Yes, it was Cleveland Union Terminal, used until December 26, 1971, by the Lake Shore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Union_Terminal

Next was Chicago Central Terminal, which the City of New Orleans used until March 6, 1972.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Station_%28Chicago_terminal%29  

Houston Union Station lasted until the Lone Star was cancelled, on July 31, 1974.
http://www.kingswayrc.com/gcst/union/union.htm

St. Louis Union Station saw the Inter-American depart on October 31, 1978.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(St._Louis)  

Buffalo Central Terminal was used by the Lake Shore Limited until October 28, 1979.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Central_Terminal

The other question involves a railroad which was several times the length of MRL.