Was looking at some back issues of TRAINS that had slid out onto the floor from their hiding place.Specifically, the issue of September 2003. Tony Koester’s articler on the NKP.
I had remembered reading about the old “Alphabet Route”, but not in some time. So I went surfing. Found a Wiki article ( Note:usual disclaimers). And a map:
It was a Freight route origins out of Chicago and St.Louis and carried to various points (as shown on Map). Basicly, the ‘service’ was conceived in 1931 (Feb.11), and lasted unitl 1980’s when CSX took over the WM and incorporated it into their system. THe Alphabet Route Alpha-Jet trains were designed to compete with the PRR’s TOFC Trains.
FTL: "… In the 1960s and early 1970s, the Alphabet Route partners promoted Alpha Jet service as an alternative to the TOFC service offered by the Pennsylvania Railroad (and then the Penn Central, after the Pennsylvania-New York Central merger in 1968) between Philadelphia and Chicago. The Pennsylvania offered 23-hour service between these points with its Truc Train runs, while the Alphabet Route partners offered 34-hour service (depending upon a prompt connection at Bellevue to the BC-1 priority freight to Chicago). Although this did not seem competitive, much of the 11-hour difference was due to departures and arrivals around midnight for the Pennsylvania service, where
I have collected old freight schedule books of railroads and possess two Reading books.
Here is what the Oct 1, 1970 schedule states:
Train AJ-1 Philadelphia - Detroit- Chicago - St. Louis, except Sunday.
Lv Port Richmond 645 pm
Lv Hagerstown, pa 445am
Ar Bellevue, Oh 615am
Ar. Chicago 200am (second day)
Ar St. Louis 730am(second day)
Classified:
Detroit (all), Chicago (freight), St. Louis (all), Hagerstown (N&W South)
Connections with NW BC-1 Lv Bellevue 1000pm (for Chicago)
NW BS -1 Lv Bellevue 930pm (for St. Louis)
As you can see, the train had major classification at the big NW (NKP) yard in Bellevue and cars took about 15 hours to work thru the yard. When the BC-1 left at Bellevue at 10pm it didnt dwaddle and was in Chicago BRC five hours later. That is moving on the NKP!
I will check EB schedules later…work is piling up fast and furious.
So sad to see that some parts of this route dont even exist. The NH as a thru route thru southern New England is now a narrow path thru the woods. Hard to imagine high speed trains on this route. The WM is now a winding bike path from Cumberland to Connelsville PA with some instreting grades.
The story of the Whys and Wherefores of the Alphabet Route; truly, leads one to conjecture and wonder. What if Jay Gould had been able to carry forth his idea of putting together another Transcontinental. A really true route from West to East. Makes one wonder where railroading on this continent would be in the 21st Century. It tells the story that it could have been; particularly, with the St.Louis/Chicago routings to New England lasting from 1931 til 1970’s.
Here is another link to a site where a guy has assembled a fairly large collection of information. Unfortunately it’s not easy to find most of it. You gotta keep using that “menu” list box on the left hand side, and drill down deep in some instances to find the good stuff. Organization is clearly not his strong suit, but some of the info rocks.
