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Classic Trains General Discussion
381

Good Afternoon Tom

A liilre follow up info on SILVER SKY. The car after its CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR service was assigned to the RIO GRANDE ZEPHYR and the rooms were opened up and the sleeping accommodations removed and more or less served as a dome observation lounge while in that service. When the Rio Grande joined Amtrak this car along with several others were sold to VIA. The partitions and the sleeping accommodations were loaded through the observation door and left on the carp-et of the rear lounge and sent to Montreal in that shape. The car was to be rebuilt for Via service and Hep installed but at last report the car is now ready for scrap or may have already been scrapped. I understand that some of the dome windows were removed to replace some in Via Park cars and the car waas last reported sitting outside in Montreal with the weather taking its toll. These former CZ cars were the basis of the CPR Park cars. The Via intended name was to have benn JASPER PARK after rebuilding.

TTFN AL

382

Hi Al,

Now that’s good info and much appreciated, given how much of a VIA Rail Park Car fan that I am.

Here’s another for your enjoyment:

Califronia Zephyr Silver Crescent (courtesy: www.trainweb.com)

Enjoy!

Tom][4:-)][oX)]

383

Tom thanks for the picture of SILVER CRESCENT it resides today in a Florida Museum under protective cover and should last longer than this forum. It is one of the best preserved in a museum I havge ever seen. It did receive some damage in a hurricane several years ago but was faithfully restored and is in great shape today.

TTFN AL

384

Evening Tom,

Here’s a photo for you and Al:

WP #881 Silver Crescent (from: www.trainweb.com)

Until the next time!

Lars

385

G’day!

PASSENGER RR FALLEN FLAG #39

Here’s another Passenger RR Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads:

Norfolk & Western (N&W)

Headquarters: Roanoke, VA

Mileage: 1950: 2,129

Locomotives in 1963:

Diesel: 610

Rolling stock in 1963:

Freight cars: 75,621
Passenger cars: 251

Principal routes in 1950:

Lambert’s Point (Norfolk), VA-Columbus, OH
Portsmouth-Cincinnati, OH
Lynchburg, VA-Durham, NC
Roanoke-Hagerstown, MD
Roanoke-Winston-Salem, NC
Walton-Bristol, VA
Bluefield, WV-Norton, VA

Passenger trains of note:

Pocahontas (Norfolk-Cincinnati & Columbus)
Birmingham Special (New York-Birmingham, AL; joint with PRR and SR; operated by N&W Lynchburg-Bristol)
Cavalier (Norfolk-Cincinnati)
Pelican (New York-New Orleans, LA; joint with PRR and SR; operated by N&W Lynchburg-Bristol)
Powhatan Arrow (Norfolk-Cincinnati)
Tennessean (New York-Memphis, TN; joint with PRR and SR; operated by N&W Lynchburg-Bristol)
Cannon Ball (Norfolk-New York; joint with ACL; RF&P; and PRR; operated by N&W Norfolk-Petersburg)

Of Note: In 1964, the N&W added the Wabash and Nickel Plate road to its system along with the Columbus-Sandusky line of the PRR, which the PRRR sold to the N&W. In 1981, the N&W added selected lines of the Illinois Terminal RR to its system. This Fallen Flag focuses on the pre-1964 N&W.

Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

386

Hi Tom,

Something like this will surely ruin one’s day:

North Coast Limited - CB&Q 557 on rails, NP 552 down slope at Evaro Hill MT 6/10/62. (from: www.trainweb.com)

Until the next time!

Lars

387

Lars the picyure of the Evaro Hill accident could not have come at a worse time for the NP as the World’s fair was on in Seattle at the time and the NP really had to scramble to get the damaged equipment repaired and back in service as fast as possible, if memory serves me right one passenger was killed in the Evaro Hill accidentlled . The only car wiritten off in the Evaro Hill accident was the water baggage car. The NP NORTH COAST LIMITED had one spare that saw them through the World’s fair then in October two regular baggage cars were rebuilt to water baggage cars. These water bagge cars were never used on the MAINSTREETER as that train made more stops and operated on a more leisurely schedule allowing for additional water stops for the diesels to take on boiler water. Como shops rebuilt the damaged NCL cars and did an excellent job with crews working around the clock to get the damaged cars back in service as soon as possible. This was the second NCL accident an earlier one killed the engine crew at Granite , Idaho when the WB train derailed at speed approaching a curve before a bridge and the three units plunged into the water. I believe the Evaro Hill wreck was the only accident to kill a passenger on the NORTH COAST LIMITED in the trains 70 plus year history.

388

Can ANYBODY update the info on SILVER SKY?? Please!!! for the 3 years just prior to amtrak, up to and including the last RGZephyr run, I virtually lived in that car on the weekends between Denver and Glenwood Springs. I dearly hope somebody has found a way to preserve it…***

389

Look at page 19 of this forum gave the latest update on SILVER SKY their.

390

Morning Gents,

Nice followup, Al - as always, you’re on top of things over on this thread![tup]

Texn22 ***: Insofas as “ANYBODY” goes - why not YOU[?] Nothing in your profile to help us out in knowing about YOU - but, that shouldn’t stop YOU from doing a “search” for info on the SILVER SKY. Check out page 19 for a picture that I Posted. We’d love to read some train travel stories from YOU. After all, this isn’t just a one-way kinda thread.[swg]

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

391

Hi Tom,

[wow] Now that’s something else - here you’ve provided the Lion’s Share of great info for one and all; and someone comes along and wants others to do more work … takes all kinds.

Here’s a couple of pix for this fine Sunday (previously Posted over at the bar for Sunday Photo Posting Day! …

The Auto Train #510 (from: www.trainweb.com)

Westours “Chulitna” #1056, former Auto Train #510 (from: www.trainweb.com)

Until the next time!

Lars

392

G’day!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #50

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Southern Railway (SR) from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . THE SOUTH . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suits to a “T” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

W****HY has an average of one new factory a day located along the lines of the Southern Railway System during the past three years?

Because industries are discovering that the South served by the Southern is a “gold mine of opportunity”! With a wealth of natural resources and advantages, expanding consumer markets, skilled and willing workers . . . and a bright future . . . the South suits all industries – to a “T”.

Look Ahead – Look South!” Earnest E. Norris, President.

. . . . . . . . . . SOUTHERN RAILWAY SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Southern Serves the South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

393

Something for the dome lovers out their.

Baltimore
&
Ohio
(B&O)

The B&O purchased a pair of Pullman Standard 8-car coach streamliners following WWII for Baltimore-Chicago service. The two trains were delivered to the B&O in May 1949 and entered service as the COLUMBIANS May 5, 1949. The fourth car in each consist of the COLUMBIAN was a Strata-dome coach.
All cars in the COLUMBIAN trains were numbered and named the two Strata-dome coaches were 5550 HIGH DOME and 5551 SKY DOME. These cars seated 42 on the main level of the cars 18 forward of the dome and 24 aft of the dome. Beneath the dome was a pair of comfortable lounges for passengers to relax in; one of these lounges seated 6 the other 11. The domes were only 15’ 3” above the rails giving these two Strata-domes the distinction of being the lowest height short domes operated in North America. Upstairs in the dome of the two Pullman Standard built Strata-domes were 24 seats arranged in six pairs on either side of the center aisle. The backs of the seats were lower than those found in any other dome cars. One feature found on the B&O Strata-Domes not found on others was on the forward bulkhead of the car above the aisle was located a speedometer, clock, altimeter and barometer.
In December 1950 the B&O purchased three Strata-dome sleeping cars from the C&O and after updating these virtually new cars that had never entered service for their original owner assigned them to the CAPITOL LIMITED and SHENANDOAH. These Budd built cars dated to August 1956. After purchase by the B&O before entering scheduled service the cars made a brief visit to Pullman for upgrading for sleeping car service. At the short end of the car forward of the dome on the main level was 5 roomettes. On the main level to the rear of the dome were 3 drawing rooms. Beneath the dome was a single bedroom, car attendants quarters and conductors office Upstairs the dome seated the usual 24.
The CAPITOL LIMITED re

394

G’day!

PASSENGER RR FALLEN FLAG #40

Here’s another Passenger RR Fallen Flag from Classic American Railroads:

Erie Railroad

Headquarters: Cleveland, OH

Mileage in 1950: 2,341

Locomotives in 1960:

Diesel: 695

Rolling stock in 1960:

Freight cars: 20,372
Passenger cars: 519

Principal routes in 1950:

Jersey City-Paterson, NJ-Middletown-Hornell, NY-Youngstown, OH-Chicago (Hammond-Chicago via rights on the Chicago & Western Indiana)
Marion-Dayton-Cincinnati, OH (Dayton-Cincinnati via rights on the B&0)
Hamilton, OH-Indianapolis, IN (rights on the B&O)
Leavittsburg-Cleveland, OH
Pymatuning, PA-Leavittsburg, OH
Hornell-Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
Salamanca-Dunkirk, NY
Corning (Painted Post)-Attica, NY
Avon-Rochester, NY
River Junction-Cuba Junction, NY
Carrolton, NY-Eleanora Jct., NY (Brockway-Eleanora Jct. via B&O rights)
Corning, NY-Newberry, Jct., PA
Lanesboro-Wilkes Barre & Scranton, PA
Lackawaxen-Avoca, PA
Newburgh Jct.-Campbell Hall-Graham, NY
Maybrook-Pine Island, NY
Croxton (Jersey City)-Nyack, NY
Piermont-Suffern, NY
NY&NJ Jct.,-Ridgewood Jct.
Paterson (Newark Jct.)-Newark, NJ
Croxton-Midvale, NJ

Passenger trains of note:

Erie Limited (Jersey City-Chicago & Buffalo)
Lake Cities (Jersey City-Cleveland & Buffalo; later extended to Chicago)
Pacific Express (Jersey City-Chicago)
Atlantic Express (Chicago-Jersey City)
Midlander (Jers

395

Hi Tom,

Nice Fallen Flag - the Erie from days gone by. Has quite a history, but we’ll save that for the bar! Haven’t come across anything with the Erie markings that is permitted to be used by third parties …

Nice B&O segment Al, if I didn’t know better I’d swear you and Tom conjured up this “coincidence” with your Posting here and his over at the bar with the new series beginning with the B&O![tup]

Also enjoyed the Nostalgia on the Southern another nice selection![tup]

B&O #5551 Sky Dome (from: www.trainweb.com)

Until the next time!

Lars

396

Good Morning Tom

Lars I hope this satifys your dome craving for this day.

Chesapeake
&
Ohio
(C&O)

The Chesapeake & Ohio purchased six domes all delivered by Budd in 1948 these six domes were of two different types. There were 3-coach–lounge observations 1875-1877 and three family room dome cars 1850-1852 as they were called. Both types of domes were built for the CHESSIE a new daytime streamliner between Washington – Newport News and Cincinnati. The CHESSIE would have operated as two sections east of Charleston. One section of the CHESSIE to and from Washington and the other section of the CHESSIE to and from Phoebus (Newport News), consolidating westbound at Charleston and splitting at this point eastbound. Alas, it really didn’t matter, as the CHESSIE never entered service. The forty-six cars delivered by Budd in August 1948 for the CHESSIE trains were disbursed over the next few years. All six of the dome cars were sold. The Dome sleeping cars were sold to the B&O in December 1950 for service in the CAPITOL LIMITED and SHENANDOAH. The C&O had seriously considered adding these cars to their own SPORTSMAN and even went so far as to assign names to the cars even though the names were not actually applied as follows:

1850 BELLE ISLE DOME

1851 CHAMBERLIN DOME

1852 HAMPTON ROADS DOME

See the B&O Chapter for further detail of these cars.
The other three CHESSIE domes the coach lounge Observations featured 20 seats forward of the dome and 16 seat lounge aft of the dome in the rounded end of the cars. A newsagent’s stand and the cars restrooms were located beneath the 24 seat domes. The C&O assigned these cars to service in the PERE MARQUETTES between Chicago – Grand Rapids and Detroit – Grand Rapids. The three cars 1875-1877 were sold to the Rio Grande in September 1949. Before delivery to the Rio Grande the cars were fitted with an adaptor complete with diaphragm for mid-train operat

397

G’day!

ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!

To continue with the theme set by passengerfan Al for this morning, here’s something previously Posted:

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #15

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the C&O from a 1940 advertisement found in one of my scrap books.

YOU’LL WISH YOU COULD LOOK both ways AT ONCE!

EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS call it “The most beautiful train trip in the East,” this mountain-and-canyon route of Chesapeake and Ohio Lines. On this magnificent journey you look out and down upon waves of mountains – the majestic Alleghanies, the mysteriously tinted Blue Ridge . . . upon valleys stretching like bright carpets to the far, purple hills. The scene changes – and you look up the towering green walls of the New River Gorge as you roll smoothly through the widest and deepest canyon this side of the Rockies. Yes, when you watch this panorama of thrilling beauty from your train windows, you’ll wish you could look both ways at once!

On your next trip east or west GO CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO . . . and enjoy glorious mountain country!

You’ll travel in complete comfort, on the smoothest of roadbeds, in cool, clean air-conditioned cars that invite you to relax by day and Sleep Like a Kitten at night . . . When you travel west or east, plan to ride through The Chessie Corridor on these famous trains- THE GEORGE WASHINGTON – THE SPORTSMAN – THE F. F. V.

Sleep like a Kitten

THE CHESSIE CORRIDOR, The Scenic Ro

398

Hey Al & Lars

Check this out:

B&O #7600 Moonlight Dome (courtesy: www.trainweb.org)

Note the lights atop the roof for scenic illumination …

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

399

Good Morning!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #51

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Canadian Pacific (CP) from a 1963 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sail away
to Europe in a Canadian Pacific White Empress. Come aboard at Montreal, and discover a 1000 miles of beauty as you sail up the St. Lawrence, past Québec’s historic Château Frontenac and on to Greenock and Liverpool.

Ride away
to the Canadian Rockies aboard Canada’s only scenic doomed streamliner, “The Canadian.” Discover 2,881 miles of spectacular scenery along the Banff-Lake Louise route as you cross Canada in streamlined comfort.

Hide away
at Banff Springs Hotel a mile high in the Canadian Rockies. You’ll enjoy gourmet food, gracious service. And you’ll find golf, tennis, swimming, fishing – every resort facility. Open May 31 to September 14.

Holiday all the way with Canadian Pacific
Trains/Trucks/Ships/Planes/Hotels/Telecommunications. WORLD’S MOST COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

400

Hi Tom,

Just thought I’d swing by here on the way to the bar to see wazzup … not much going on.

That Canadian Pacific outfit was surely quite the transportation system - wroldwide. Many folks “down here” probably never knew just how extensive a network they had. FIne organization. Met a few sailors from those times - very professional and proud folks.

Enjoyed that Moonlight Dome from B&O - I have that in my album as well. Saved me a post. [swg]

Until the next time!

Lars