Hello
recently I came across a picture of a c&nw commuter train in the middle of the '50s. It showed a mixed consist of solid green heavyweights and yellow-green bi-levels.
I heard the first bi-level cab cars arrived at c&nw in 1960. Does anybody know if haevyweights and bi-level cabcars ever worked togheter, even for a few years or months?
Thank you
I do not know for sure but my recollection is that those first C&NW bi levels were still steam heat cars which is why they could operate with the older standing type commuter cars
I think the cab cars were Head end power rather than steam heat. This makes me suspect that, no, they did not intermingle with the older cars. But I stand ready to be corrected by someone who actually knows the facts!
Dave Nelson
Dave has it right - the bilevels were built to use onboard dynamos and steam heating but were converted to HEP when the cab cars arrived. The IRM has a couple of articles about their three cars here http://www.irm.org/railwire/rw179.html
The CNW Historical Society would be able to provide any additional information you might desire.
The “mixed” consists existed not only on the commuter operations but on intercity trains. There were even single level cars with a false upper level to provide an asthetic match with the bi-level equipment.
Dale
They ran one of the old lounge cars on the 5:15 express train to the Northwest suburbs for years. It was darn comfortable and you had to be at the station before the train pulled in or you would never get a seat on the car. It was kind of hilarious watching some of the slightly inebriated passengers being shoveled into the back seat of their cars when the train got to their destination.
Don’t they still run that car up to Kensoa today?