Yes, From Zephyr to Amtrak, by David Randall, is quite interesting, although I have found the error which describes the NYC’s and PRR’s master rooms incorrectly. There may be other errors. I also have Robert J. Wayner’s Car Names, Numbers, and Consists, and his Pullman Panorama Volume 1 (I do not recall seeing any advertisement of the second volume). Another book that can help connoisseurs and would-be connoisseurs is Passenger Car Catalog Pullman Operated Equipment 1912-1949. It includes photographs of many cars, both as built and rebuilt–and most of the pictures of the rebuilt heavyweights clearly show divided vestibule doors (there was a question about dutch doors on heavyweights some time back, and my memory was not really clear, so I did not respond to it). I have some other books, but I believe that these four contain answers to classic car questions.
I’ll take it. Who was the Purple Diesel Eater, and what year did he start painting them black?
Can’t be that many purple diesels out there [(-D]…ACL had purple as I recall. This one could be interesting.
President of Atlantic Coast Line in '59
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=368012
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809624,00.html
You have the right road, but the wrong year. What was the president’s name?
Thanks for the song; I don’t think I had heard it since 1958 nor did I remember Sheb Wooley’s name.
William Thomas Rice
There was a purple diesel at Wilmington in 1958
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/7/6/9776.1072923300.jpg
And a black diesel at Jacksonville in 1960
Wanswheel, you have it! Tom Rice became president in 1957, but it may have taken him a year to get his program underway, and it, of course, took a little while to get them all repainted. Did you notice the name on the nose of the locomotive in the picture you posted?
Your question.
Deggesty, here’s a fuller picture of the salute to General Rice, and his obit:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1232714
http://www.csx.com/?fuseaction=about.news_detail&i=48115
Too easy: At least 5 Trains named for a president?
George Washington - Amtrak - Chicago-Washington
George Washington - C&O - Washington-Louisville/Cincinnati
John Quincy Adams - NH - New York-Boston
Abraham Lincoln - Amtrak - Chicago-St. Louis
Abraham Lincoln - Alton/GM&O - Chicago-St. Louis
Lincoln Limited - C&A - Chicago-St. Louis
Lincoln Service - Amtrak - Chicago-St. Louis
Jeffersonian - Amtrak - New York-Washington
Jeffersonian - PRR - New York-St. Louis
Jacksonian - PRR/L&N/NCStL/ACL/FEC - Chicago-Miami
ZephyrOverland, you’re 200% right. Add only the Washingtonian, indirectly named for George, because my grandfather drove it on the CV in the steam era.
I was considering the Washingtonian but I decided not to include it because the train was named after the city (which is named after the president) and the fact that the northbound run was named the Montrealer, again after the city.
I guess it’s my turn to ask a question…
Name at least four North American passenger trains that used a specific clock time in their name. An example would be “8:35 Limited” (not a real name). I’m not looking for any names with “morning”, “afternoon”, “evening” or “night” designations, and to keep this small, I’m also not looking for any “midnight” designations, even though technically “midnight” is a specific time (I’m aware of about 30 train names with “midnight” in their name.)
SP Noon Daylight
SP Sunset Limited
NH Sundown
B&M Minuteman, every minute counts
NYC Paul Revere, a midnight specialist
CN Ocean Limited, would you believe clock time at low tide?
I can’t think of a single one, unless the 400 in all the Chicago & Northwestern trains means 4:00. I would guess every commuter train out there is considered named by its clock time. “I’m tak’n the 9:15”.
Texas Z,
I too can’t think of a single one either. The origin of the 400 name came from the schedule of the original Twin Cities 400 which ran the 400 miles between Chicago and Minneapolis in 400 minutes. The route was actually 409 miles and the scheduled time was IIRC 6 hrs 50 mins (410 mins). Close enough on both counts to justify the 400 name.
Mark
It was actually 419.2 miles, since it ran through Milwaukee. The route through Madison was 409.2 miles.
I can’t think of any train name which had an actual time in it; I’m only a would-be connoisseur.
The Noon Daylight [tup]
The other names…nope.
Remember, an actual time should be included in the name, not time of day…
Good thing there’s only 720 clock times on either side of noon.
The New York Times, Jan. 9, 1943: The Reading’s Seven O’Clocker from Philadelphia has been discontinued after some twenty years of special service.
That’s another one. [tup]
The Seven O’Clocker was a Philadelphia-Jersey City train via the Reading and the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
At least two more to go. A clue - one of them is from north of the border.
Since it’s gotten pretty quiet here I’ll give another 24 hours for submissions. At that time I’ll give the rest of the answers.