After looking at pictures of the Super Chief (albeit a model in MR mag)
“pleasue Dome” lounge car, I noticed what looks like thin rod fixed to the centre of the roof of the car, and running parallel to the length of the car. (One “before” and one “after” the actual dome)
Quite puzzling [:I] Is it a type of clearance gauge for the dome? [:I][:I] Haven’t seen it much on dome cars of other roads.
Dave
(Kozzie)[:)]
How does it jibe with radiotelephone (or radio/television) antennas? I don’t have a picture, but compare it with the inductive antennas on some PRR units…
Kozzie, do you by chance have a picture you could download for us to see?
[angel]
Dave–
That’s a radio antenna for broadcast band reception.
Thanks drephpe! Other RRs dome cars don’t seem to have this - does that eman they didn’t have that afacitility or maybe the antenna was moutned differently?
Paula - I can’t upload a photo, but the picture is in a Walthers ad on page 33 of the September MR magazine. (We’re a bit behind down here - Sept issues have just hit the newsstands last week…)
Thanks again people!
Dave
Other railroads’ dome cars don’t have broadcast radios…
Remember that many of these cars were built in the age before Muzak or affordable tapes. There might be a PA system for guide narration, but onboard music would be shall we say somewhat difficult to arrange without substantial vibration isolation. Radio is a much more reasonable solution…
A cross-check on this might be to check Canadian cars for aerials. IIRC the CBC got its start as a chain of railroad-owned broadcast stations for train entertainment…
Dave:
In a similar vein, I remember looking at equipment listings in old Official Guides and many of the luxury trains of the postwar era showed radio as one of the services provided. I know that the Indian-Pacific doesn’t have domes (what a pity), but did it ever have a similar radio installation?
Paul
Paul, I don’t know why, but dome cars weren’t inroduced down here - at least, not to any great extent. Which is a real pity becasue we have plenty of panoramic area along soem of our passemger rail routes. I don’t know if the Indian Pacific had a radion installation.
If Peter (M636C) gets to take a look at this thread, I’m certain he would be able to tell us. A trip across Australia on the Indian Pacific is something I’ve always dreamed of and maybe one day I will be able to do it. Passenger fares on the IP for someone on my income are quite high. Many folk here downunder that take the trip, do it by train one way, and fly back for the return journey.
This has been a very interesting thread. Everyones responses are appreciated [:)] I hope others are enjoying it too.[:)]
Dave
The lounge cars of the 1952 Trans Australian express did have radio, and a wire antenna stretched the length of the car in the centre of the roof. I believe it also had a wire recorder, predecessor of a tape recorder, since radio reception isn’t available on desert sections of the line. All of the Trans Australian lounge cars, until the Indian Pacific, had an upright piano in the non smoking section of the lounge car. These have gone now. There are video recorders and display monitors for movies in some of the cars now. smoking is allowed in a small cabin in first class, but second class passengers have to go to a cabin in the baggage car.
Clearances in the East and overhead electrification through tunnels meant that dome cars weren’t practical in Australia. Again there was a “dome” on the 1952 Trans Australian, a raised cupola for the train guard (conductor). This had end windows only, but would have given a good view along the train.
Peter
Dave–
Same is true for the Super–advertised wire-recorded music on board. This was part of the PA unit in the dome that had the radio. Take a look at a lot of the USA lounge cars, obs cars, and some coaches and you will also see the same antennas. This was an era when mostly-AM band broadcast radio was really a big thing (even into the 50’s for music and programs and early 60’s for music)… The ironic thing about the wire recorders was that their fidelity was a whole lot better than mag tape, but they were a royal pain and quickly got surpassed in the early 60’s.
…Saw a wire recorder in Korea a fellow soldier had…and Peter…There is a remedy for those desert trains wanting radio reception…XM radio is now available anyplace from satellite and almost anykind of music…and CD quality. $9.95 per month fee here in the states.
It would be good to get satellite radio in your car. I just drove across the desert and was beyond radio (and cell phone, except for two tiny hot spots) for most of two days. We now have digital radio via cable, but I know it’s on satellite (as is supermarket Muzak).
Today I picked up two Amtrak painted Walthers Budd coaches (new from retailer) for $A15 = $10.80 at an exhibition (normal price up to $A75). A complete Super Chief set (four Athearn Genesis F units (two powered) plus Walthers cars) costs $A1090.
Nearer this topic, I got a shot of the “Indian Pacific” arriving in Sydney behind DL40, the local equivalent of an F45 (well in appearance -it’s really a C-C trucked F59). It was still in its original Australian National green and yellow. They were often used on the Indian Pacific, but never East of Adelaide. It was actually second unit on the trip, but the train had to be split, and the lead unit backed up to bring in the second part of the train. Still the photo was nice - I only got it because the train was two hours late due to trackwork. I didn’t check the lounge for antennas - I forgot!
Peter
At the risk of veering a little off topic (hoping Quentin, drephpe, Paul and Overmod will indulge me), [;)][:)] heh heh, Peter, you mentioned the “Indian Pacific” had to be split at Sydney Central - is it running with more cars than usual lately or has it been longer for some time now? [;)][:)]
Dave
Dave–
As thay say, that ain’t off topic! Probably of interest to a lot of us Yanks and Aussies and others. I, for one, am pleasantly surprised at a modern pax train anywhere that would have to be doubled into a big metro station due to that much business, and would be just as interested in learning about this rare phenomenon.
When I rode the Indian Pacific in 1999 - the train was split at a suburban station just outside Sydney 's main station because it was too long for the platform.Not sure of the name of the station , may have been Sydney Central . I rode it all the way from Perth and I believe the same loco pulled us all the way – #55 I seem to recall. I did not notice any radio antenna’s at that time . Great trip , especially the time we had at Kalgoorlie-- supper and a show in town and–Broken Hill - time for a beer in town before the train departed! Love to do it again - or perhaps the Ghan next time.!!
Hey Richard, I’m glad you had a good trip [:)] That’s one I’ve yet to do…[:p]…one day…
Sydney’s main station is Sydney Central, so maybe your train was split as Strathfield? That’s a major station on the Sydney commuter system just before Central. Peter will know for sure if the IP does the split maneuver at Strathfield or closer to Central Station…
Dave
(Kozzie)
Dave:
You are still on topic since I remember a similar situation with the combined Super Chief/El Capitan in about 1969. The train ran 18 cars (!) with about five or six F units on the front end. The inbound consist was too long for the Dearborn Station platforms and the last three cars were cut off with an RS1 which switched them to an adjacent track for unloading.
Paul
Thanks Paul [:)] Interesting sensation for people in those last three cars…sliding in, then sliding out and in again…
Now I’m going to wax lyrical for just a little bit [:)]
Some time ago, when I was living down in Sydney, I saw a friend off on the Indian Pacific, they were in Ecomony Sitting car - it turned out to be the last car for passengers and it was car number 22! Platform 1 at Sydney Central was long enough for that length but the locos were way in the distance at the other end!
I stayed around until the train pulled out - everyone that was standing near to me all waving to their friendand family in the train. Although we were all strangers, by some unspoken agreement we all seemed to hang around until we couldn’t see the the train anymore , and then we all drifted back to the platform gate. Just for a brief moment in time, we all had a common bond - that strange sort of deflated feeling after the excitement prior to departure. [:(]
You just don’t get that “atmosphere” that builds up to train departure time anywhere else -the departure of a long passenger train weaves it’s own magic…[:)] [;)]
Dave
Dave,
The split occurs in the yard at Sydney Terminal. The trailing (first class) cars might still be at Redfern platforms.
The last time I counted there were 28 cars.
The train basically has two first class sections, each with its own dining car and lounge car. The split occurred at one (the leading one) of the first dining cars.
They often run two first sections, but one reason I’ve heard is for the wildflower season in Western Australia (ie Spring). That would apply now. I saw quite a lot of the wildflowers in August.
Peter