String Lining

[tree68]

Miningman

You would think with the Big Boy arrival that would be a big deal for the media but I suppose not.

Trains?  You mean they still have them? (Common public perception)

[Miningman]

Yes Wayne, noticed the same. Not a word anywhere on any network. Maybe something comes up over the weekend. 

Sesquicentennial items often are overlooked. You would think with the Big Boy arrival that would be a big deal for the media but I suppose not.

Well we didn't forget. Union Pacific and a whole lot of others didn't forget. 

[Flintlock76]

The 150th anniversary of one of the greatest engineering and construction achievements of the 19th Century, and not a damn thing about it on any of the news sites I look at.  Disgraceful.

Just the usual things about D.C. shenanigans, sports, and celebrities.

Well, we know where their priorities are, and where they think the public's priorities are.  

And it goes without saying if it wasn't for the "Canadian Content" here, so well supplied by Miningman, NDG, and SD70Dude I'd have no idea what's going on up there either!  

[Miningman]

 

 

May 10 Then and Now 

 

 

https://www.apnews.com/65f442d5a6be4fe09ea1e3776cdefde3

 

[NDG]

 

Monument at Promontory, 1955. 

 

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/golden-spike-national-historic-site-promontory-utah-1955-picture-id168818455?s=2048x2048

 

Thank You.

[SD70Dude]

And now for something (almost) completely different.

We've probably discussed these before, the original dome car, decades before shotwelded stainless steel became famous:

And some more CP passenger train equipment:

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cpr_rolling/four.htm

Article on dome car history:

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cpr_rolling/scenic_dome_cars_history.htm

[Miningman]

Some thoughts on the above^

1) as if 1942 wasn't dark enough with news from the war very worrying daily, Nazi subs terrorizing the Atlantic and our shores and who knows what's to come, they have to deal with a very heavy debilitating winter storm. 

2) Paul Tomkowicz-- I knew many many folks like him. Salt of the earth. Hope he had peace in retirement, great tomatoes in the garden and interesting adventure on his motorcycle. 

Can you still get 6 soft boiled eggs like that at a restaurant? Something tells me no way, but maybe.  Some great Kosher food places in Winnipeg, little left of it today though. 

I can feel that Streetcar ride, the lighting and heating in the car, solid and dependable, timeless. 

[NDG]

 

And those were better times indeed, Ottawa's current crop of electric railway vehicles are not handling the Canadian winter very well:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lrt-trains-unreliable-says-report-1.5038832

 

T'wasn't always Honey and Cookies.

 

The weather put a great strain on streetcar systems in winter.

 

Cold, Snow, Ice.

 

Special Scrapers had to be installed on Trolley Pulley to cut sleet on the Wires it cutting electricity to the pulley. 

 

Ice on wire. Examples.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nawukWL3POY

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1a_gHHJXZI

 

Power consumption would SOAR as car heaters would be on, and interior lighting.

 

Certain streetcars would be fitted with Scarifiers behind the rear truck to break up snow behind before it compacted.

 

Plows and sweepers would be out clearing the way. Rotarys where required, altho' latter not used in town as houses, etc. too close to track in range of their discharge.

 

Many routes, normally not operating 24/7 would have empty cars circulating to keep line open.

 

Employees out clearing and salting track switches, and so on.

 

This unique storm paralyzed Ottawa's streetcar system in 1942. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSTgr4kqoPA

 

Switch Cleaning, Winnipeg.

 

https://www.nfb.ca/film/paul_tomkowicz_street_railway_switchman/

 

Fatal.

 

https://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/images/MC/tspa_0001131f.jpg

 

Thank You.

[Overmod]

Good to have all the linestringers, including both Vince and NDG, posting regularly here.  And elsewhere.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Flintlock76

Hell, Mr. Edison's Lackawanna MU's lasted fifty years!  With 1930 technology!

How can you improve on that?

Some of South Shore's current fleet of MU cars are approaching that mark.  NICTD 1-48 were placed in service in 1980 and I believe that they have gone through a mid-life overhaul.  There is no current plan to replace them.

[NDG]

 

For. M.M.

 

Levack, Ont. 1977.

 

From ebay.

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dckAAOSwwiFcxwO6/s-l1600.jpg

 

Hope things are going well for you.

 

Thank You.

[NDG]

SD70Dude

Great to have you back Vince!

And those were better times indeed, Ottawa's current crop of electric railway vehicles are not handling the Canadian winter very well:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lrt-trains-unreliable-says-report-1.5038832

 

 

 

Same For Me!!!!  Too!!

 

Gotta Go!

Good to see you back! 

 

Made Complete at 2046 PDT.            

[Flintlock76]

Isn't that always the way when people decide to re-invent the wheel?

And over-engineer it at the same time?

As far as I'm concerned those who want to build a light-rail line could do a hell of a lot worse than pull out any surviving blueprints of 100 year old trolleys and interurbans and just re-produce 'em.

Hell, Mr. Edison's Lackawanna MU's lasted fifty years!  With 1930 technology!

How can you improve on that?

[Miningman]

Thanks Balt and Dude.. all you guys are simply great.

Yeah of all the places to rip up a Streetcar system doing so in Ottawa'had to be the stupidest one. Nations capital, tourists, civil servants, commerce, you name it. 

Now they think it's a big new progressive green deal with something that they had working well and foolishly lost 65 years ago.

[Flintlock76]

Hot damn!  Vince is back!

Welcome home, Miningman!  The place wasn't the same without you!      

[SD70Dude]

Great to have you back Vince!

And those were better times indeed, Ottawa's current crop of electric railway vehicles are not handling the Canadian winter very well:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lrt-trains-unreliable-says-report-1.5038832

[BaltACD]

^Welcome back - just knew a North Country miner would kick a germs ass!

[Miningman]

Hello NDG , and ALL. Thank you for your kind thoughts and concerns.

I like that "Way better times for Lachine" picture. 

Very similiar to this picture which we can call "Way better times for Ottawa"

OER 1003 on Sparks Street 1950's.

[NDG]

 

FYI.,

 

MTC 2654 , Lachine 1956. As on ebay.

 

Note Coal Oil Red Marker, R. Rear.

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-ScAAOSwoGxcy2s4/s-l1600.jpg

 

Tree here, now.

 

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.4348753,-73.6689053,3a,75y,111.88h,84.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVlA8xnCRnq4ma8FbPEnl4g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

 

 

WAY better times! for Lachine.

 

https://scontent.fyka1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11870855_986093971442056_148129697494357063_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.fyka1-1.fna&oh=4e30c3dc1b28274d26c3181827456da9&oe=5D2C8E24

 

 

Centre Entrance Car.

 

http://pages.infinit.net/webzine/tu-photo-8.gif

 

Centre is Entrance with Conductor's Position at rear.

 

Right and Left are Exits.

 

 

Large Rear Entrance Car. No. 940.

 

http://pages.infinit.net/webzine/tu-photo-9.gif

 

From Here.

 

http://pages.infinit.net/webzine/st-transport-urbain1861-74.html

 

Thank You.

[NDG]

 

Fifty Years Ago. May 1969.

 

I took this photo of CP Extra 4104 West @ Eager on the Cranbrook Sub. on it's Second trip West after repainting @ Ogden Shops.

 

http://www.trainweb.org/galt-stn/cproster/locomotive/4100s/cp4104.jpg

 

It was the LAST Cab Unit to receive this Scheme at CP Ogden Shops.

 

Thank You.

[tree68]

NDG

Got the Hoop!  1973.

That was about the time I'd watch 'em pick up orders on the fly from the crane at Rantoul, IL (ICG).  Every now and then, the agent would have to hoop up an order manually.

[NDG]

FYI.

Got the Hoop!  1973.

 

https://basininstitute.org/home/image.html?zn=7&id=c754145d434ec2ed6c690f26fa7a4113

 

Both these guys are no longer with us.

 

Time, the Great Leveler.

 

Another.

 

Awaiting the Meet on a Middle Order.

 

https://basininstitute.org/home/image.html?zn=7&id=364aa83223e01e6b86cc6b098050d47d

 

The SD was B/O.

 

Thank You.

[NDG]

 

FYI.

 

The End of Trams, London.

 

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=8uSq_1556455278

 

Thank You.

[NDG]

 

FYI.

 

AFAIK CP 8413 was one of several GMD locomotives selected for Trade In on new GP35s.

 

Some parts were reused on the new locomotive.

 

CPR Diesel Roster. 

 

http://www.mountainrailway.com/Diesel%20Roster%20Page.htm

 

Thank You.

[Leo_Ames]

Was that CPR GP7 wrecked?

[Overmod]

NDG

CP 8413 GP7. 1953.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YVcAAOSwkhtcvig~/s-l1600.jpg

 

Used as trade in on CP 5015 GP35 1965.

 

Almost frightening to consider that it's been gone more than four times as long as its entire service life.

[NDG]

FYI.

CP 8413 GP7. 1953.

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YVcAAOSwkhtcvig~/s-l1600.jpg

 

Used as trade in on CP 5015 GP35 1965.

 

On ebay.

 

Thank You.

[NDG]

 

This Just In.

 

CNR Turcot Yard, Montreal, 1961.

 

http://rollymartincountry.blogspot.com/2019/04/cnr-1961-turcot-yard-cpr-westmount-glen.html

 

Scrapping would begin anew in the spring, a mile to the West.

 

https://archives.lib.uconn.edu/islandora/object/20002%3A860202427

 

At Westmount, CP 7041 one of a few CP S2s which had mixed trucks.

 

NYC End Car.

 

Thank You.

[NDG]

 

Across Canada. 1922.

 

Lovely!

 

Many Years, Many Miles, Many Changes, Many Experiences, Many Memories..

 

A Great and Wonderful Land. 

 

A Mari usque ad Mare

 

O Canada.

 

Thank You.

[Miningman]

Mike sent me this and I thought it worthy of String Lining 

Kettle Valley Rwy and the Crows Nest Pass

https://archive.org/details/acrosscanadaanno00cana/page/48