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Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play) Locked

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Thursday, February 21, 2008 2:57 PM

 

 

Murphy Siding


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Re: Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)
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     How about $99     TOO HIGH, ERIC,  BUT READ BELOW - a.s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 blhanel wrote:

1967, you say?

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

 

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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 My 2 cents [2c].  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.  Sign - Dots [#dots] The legend continues . . .  I'm really impressed. 

Any others out there want to take a stab? Sign - Welcome [#welcome]  -  a. s.

 

al-in-chgo
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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, February 21, 2008 10:47 AM

I'll say $89.00.

Jeff

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Posted by blhanel on Thursday, February 21, 2008 7:32 AM

1967, you say?

How about $79?

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Thursday, February 21, 2008 6:47 AM
     How about $99?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:07 PM
 espeefoamer wrote:

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" Blush [:I]  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). 

al-in-chgo
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Posted by espeefoamer on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 7:12 PM

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.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, February 18, 2008 9:13 PM
     espeefoamer-Are we getting warm?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by KCSfan on Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:59 PM

I vaguely remember reading that Scotty gave them each a coin. It could have been a silver dollar but I'm more inclined to think it was a gold double eagle.

Mark

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Posted by jeffhergert on Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:46 PM

From a book I have, that doesn't mention gifts to engineers, the train cost $5500.00.  It departed Los Angeles at 1 pm on Sunday July 9, 1905 and arrived in Chicago at 11:54 am on July 11th.  2265 miles in 44 hours and 54 minutes. 

The train came to be known as the Death Valley Coyote or the Scott Special.

Maybe there's a hint in the name?  Coyote tails?

Jeff

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Posted by diningcar on Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:33 PM

The Scott Special left La Grande station in Los Angeles at 1:00 PM on July 9,1905 and arrived at Dearborn station in Chicago 44 hours and 54 minutes later. Distance was 2265 miles.

Walter Scott paid Santa Fe $5500 cash to take him to Chicago in 46 hours which was 11 hours and 56 minutes faster than the eastward run had ever been made. And so the line was cleared so no other trains were on the track as the Special went through. Engines were changed at Barstow, Needles, Seligman, Williams, Winslow, Gallup. Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Raton, La Junta, Syracuse, Dodge City , Kent, Newton, Emporia, Argentine, Marceline and Shopton to Chicago used one engine. At each engine change point the replacement engine was spotted just beyond the clear point of a crossover. The engine to be replaced was unhooked and quickly ran through the crossover and the new engine would back in, be connected and and air tested and then be away.

The story I have heard was that Mr. Scott gave $20 gold pieces to each of the crewmen at the end of their run. If true it would have had to be done through an intermediary as time would not permit personal visits. 

 

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Posted by jeaton on Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:19 PM
I don't know the answer and you won't find it in the article, but check out "Walter E Scott" in Wikipedia.  Quite the popular fraud.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, February 17, 2008 8:02 PM

     Death Valley Scotty was a flashy, cowboy/showman, from about 100 years ago.   He was famous for walking into the ATSF in Los Angelos(?), and asking how much it would cost to get to Chicago in record time-something like under 48 hours.  They quoted him a huge price, and off they went!  I think they set records for speed all the way accross the line.

     Being the guy was a showman, who also liked to show off money, I wonder if the gift to each of the couple dozen engineers was cash?  perhaps $100 bill, or something?

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Sunday, February 17, 2008 7:10 PM
 snagletooth wrote:
 espeefoamer wrote:

This question is about the AT&SF Death Valley Scotty special.At the end of each division,Scotty gave each engineer that pulled his train a gift.What was it? My grandfather worked in the La Junta shops in the late teens and early 20s,and he knew an engineer who pulled this special and he told my this information.

A picture of Lt. Ahura in a bathing suit!Evil [}:)] SorryDunce [D)].

   Actually I never heard of this train. When someone finally guesses it, can you enlighten those of us "not in the know" with some more info, please?

********************

Yes, please do enlighten us.  I'm flying blind.  Was Scotty the nickname for the engine, the train, the passenger agent, and if it was an ATSF train pre-Amtrak, a rough idea of the decade would help? Or is that too much??   

Would you please beam me up, "Scotty," there's intelligent life here but I cannot find a way to address them intelligently.   -  a. s.  

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Posted by snagletooth on Sunday, February 17, 2008 5:00 PM
 espeefoamer wrote:

This question is about the AT&SF Death Valley Scotty special.At the end of each division,Scotty gave each engineer that pulled his train a gift.What was it? My grandfather worked in the La Junta shops in the late teens and early 20s,and he knew an engineer who pulled this special and he told my this information.

A picture of Lt. Ahura in a bathing suit!Evil [}:)] SorryDunce [D)].

   Actually I never heard of this train. When someone finally guesses it, can you enlighten those of us "not in the know" with some more info, please?

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Posted by espeefoamer on Sunday, February 17, 2008 4:50 PM

This question is about the AT&SF Death Valley Scotty special.At the end of each division,Scotty gave each engineer that pulled his train a gift.What was it? My grandfather worked in the La Junta shops in the late teens and early 20s,and he knew an engineer who pulled this special and he told my this information.

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 17, 2008 4:01 PM
 KCSfan wrote:

OK here's a question that should be pretty easy to answer. Lets say it's 1946 and you are traveling from Minneapolis to Cincinnatti via the Burlington and New York Central. You have a ticket that has coupons for passage over each of the two railroads. In addition your interline ticket includes a coupon for passage on another transportation company. What is the name of that other company and between what two points will it transport you?

Mark

 

That would be for the Parmalee Transfer (bus) between Union Station and Central Station in Chicago. 

 

 

 

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Posted by KCSfan on Sunday, February 17, 2008 2:05 PM

esspeefoamer answered the last question so it's his turn.

Mark

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Posted by snagletooth on Sunday, February 17, 2008 12:51 PM
          Whistling [:-^].......soooo.............anybody got a question?Confused [%-)]
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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:35 PM

 espeefoamer wrote:
The company was Parmalee(sp?) which ran a bus connection between the various railroad terminals in Chicago.You would have taken it from Union Station(CB&Q) to La Salle St.Station(NYC).

Not quite right but close enough Espee to declare you the winner. The Parmalee Co. contracted with all railroads to transfer through passengers (and their luggage) who had to change from one to another of the seven downtown stations in Chicago. Our hypothetical passenger would have to go from Union Station to Central Station (not LaSalle) to catch his train to Cincinnati. While NYC trains such as the 20th Century from Cleveland, New York City and other mainline points used LaSalle St. Station, NYC trains that operated over the former Big Four and Michigan Central lines departed from and arrived at the Illinois Central's Central Station which faced onto Michigan Ave.

Your turn to ask a question.

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:05 PM
The city of Chicago, you walk on the sidewalk......Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]
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Posted by espeefoamer on Saturday, February 16, 2008 5:47 PM
The company was Parmalee(sp?) which ran a bus connection between the various railroad terminals in Chicago.You would have taken it from Union Station(CB&Q) to La Salle St.Station(NYC).
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Posted by snagletooth on Saturday, February 16, 2008 5:40 PM

Yea, I know. Kinda a half joke answer. BTW RTA also runs Pace buses in the suburbs. Or at least they used to.

Anyway, final guess would be a voucher of some kind for either the Checker or Yellow cab co.'s. Not sure which was predominent in Chicago in the 40's. If that isn't it, I'll let everyone else guess.  

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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, February 16, 2008 5:24 PM

 snagletooth wrote:
RTA?

Sorry but wrong again. The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) which you mentioned in a prior reply operates the bus, subway and El lines in Chicago. By RTA I think you are referring to METRA which is a public entity that operates the commuter services in Chicagoland over present day routes of the BNSF, UP, CN/IC, and NS.

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Posted by snagletooth on Saturday, February 16, 2008 5:09 PM
RTA?
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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, February 16, 2008 4:23 PM

Not the CTA but you're warm Snaggletooth.

Mark

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Posted by snagletooth on Saturday, February 16, 2008 4:09 PM
a guess here, but... a CTA ticket from Chicago Union Station to  (?)  Randolph St. Station
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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, February 16, 2008 3:54 PM

OK here's a question that should be pretty easy to answer. Lets say it's 1946 and you are traveling from Minneapolis to Cincinnatti via the Burlington and New York Central. You have a ticket that has coupons for passage over each of the two railroads. In addition your interline ticket includes a coupon for passage on another transportation company. What is the name of that other company and between what two points will it transport you?

Mark

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Posted by nanaimo73 on Saturday, February 16, 2008 1:20 PM
Yes, superheating is the correct answer.
Dale
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Posted by KCSfan on Saturday, February 16, 2008 12:31 PM

Nananimo, I have an e-mail stating your question about the major advance in steam locomotives in 1905 but when I return to the forums I don't see the message. Did you delete it? In any event I'll take a guess as to the answer and say superheating.

Mark

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Posted by nanaimo73 on Saturday, February 16, 2008 10:47 AM

Thanks Brian,

Murphy, RWM and Snaggletooth, do you guys have a question ?

Dale

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