G’day Cap’n Tom & fellow travelers waiting for the bar to reopen!
Thought I’d provide my “stuff” for our Sunday Pix Posting Day in between plays of the Jets & Patriots NFL playoff game! Surprised to see how close it’s been so far in the first half. BUT, the game for me is coming up next - GO JINTS! [yeah]
Some fine, fine “stuff” from Doug and I really am enjoying going through everything you’ve posted. Just like reading a book, only better since I’m doing it right here in the best bar this side of heaven! [swg]
Tom, those flicks at the Emporium for the week are super fine as far as I’m concerned. I see that the anniversary for the reopening of the Emporium is coming up and you’ve provided an ENCORE! double feature for the event. Nice touch! [tup]
So, you 'n Pete are heading off to Chicago and Union Station. I’m envious! [sigh] Surely would love to make the trip with youse guys. I checked the Amtrak schedule and see that there’s all kinds of round trips. My bet is you’ll come back on the Texas Eagle to take advantage of the dining car and the other Superliner amenities. My hope is that you’ll have a cooperative and motivated crew. Makes all the diff . . . . [tup]
[wow] Yesterday was quite the let down in terms of quantity. Da Boss came through, as always, in keeping things moving, and if Pete hadn’t dropped in at night, we’d have had no customers! Not good. On the positive side, our resident “barnyardman” Doug got things going with an early morning visit which helped kick start the Saturday Encore event. [tup] [tup]
Always enjoy a visit from Eric and it sounds as if you are off to quite an adventure. Surely hope we’ll get to meet at the Rendezvous. It’s a bit too far for me to drive and quite frankly, I’d just as soon take the train. BUT, as they say in parts of the “down east” - &q
ERIC Look forward to some tales of the dispatching days[tup].
That looks a very interesting museum at North Freedom with the two locos in steam[tup], if you have any more info on the museum or a link it would be great to see[yeah]. Thanks for the great pics[tup].
DOUG Glad your Bride is feeling a little better[tup].
Many thanks for the really great pics of the Chicago area in what must have been a wonderful time to see the many different railroad companies in operation there, many working passenger trains[^]. Looking forward to seeing Chicago by train[yeah].
LARS Hope the Giants can do some good this afternoon[yeah].
Many thanks for the British book covers[tup]. It seems as though the 70s on BR are getting the attention now that they did not get at the time. I must admit I lost a bit of my interest in the railways, for a while at the end of the 60s after steam finished, which was a shame as there were a few early diesel classes that disappered around that time.
Good to see two books on a familiar sight in steam and early diesel days, which have all but gone on the main line the MK1 Coach and the Brake Van.
TOM Sorry I was late with the post yeterday, part of the problem was looking at Our Place 1 looking for an encore and reading the posts there, I am so glad we are still able to visit the old bar[^][tup].
Hello to all one last time for today. Looks like we have quite the selection of movies this week! Should provide some extra income from boosted popcorn sales. Funny that manager Lars should mention my posts are like reading a book, because it’s exactly true. Credit goes to Robert P. Olmsted and his book Chicago’s Passenger Trains. Enjoyed your bookcovers as usual sir. There’s a plethora of great resources out there, if only we had access to it all. Sorry I can’t get into the football discussion this week, as my Bears aren’t playing. We all have great fear over here that they’ll shame us like they did last week against the hated Packers. Neat pix from Pete today from the Railroad Museum in Greenbay, even though that’s Packer territory. Can’t be all bad if they have a rail museum. Here’s my last batch of pix for today:
Probably the least known Chicago passenger trains during the time period of these pictures were those of the Soo Line. Operating right into 1965 with standard heavyweight equipment of the pre-stainless steel era, the Soo’s varnish nonetheless enjoyed a fine reputation within its somewhat sparsely populated territory. Prior to being painted in red and white, Soo’s maroon 554 leads #4 on October 12, 1963. The Laker has just pulled into Broadview and will follow IC 4018 and the Land O’Corn downtown.
Last run for the Laker! The Soo closed its Chicago passenger business in the cold of January 15th and 16th in 1965. Number 3, with GP9 2552 as the point unit, pauses at the Soo’s Schiller Park depot with the final Chicago departure on the evening of the 15th.
Well sorry for my absence. I have been out and about.[|)]
Anyway I have some time to post some pictures. I will have to get back to the posting tomorrow.
But I have noticed some really nice pictures out there.
BTW Tom. I have been getting a lot of info on the train accident in B.C. E-mails, news, and even through the railroad. I’m glad they all made it out of the locomotive and the cliff.
So here we go.
Milwaukee road E7A #18B sits waiting for it’s next passenger train. They are a nice looking locomotive. I would like one.[:D]
You certainly don’t see a lot of these bridges left. Located at Sabula, Iowa, GP38-2 #2045 leads a frieght.
A Milwaukee road commuter train, The E-unit and a cab car, are running through Deerfield, Illinois. This is located just outside of Chicago.
And still one of my favorite pictures. Tocama tower located at Tocama jct. This is one of the coolest shots of a tower I have seen.
Good evening folks, It’s nice to see so much activity on a sunday [tup] lots o great pictures for everyone to enjoy.Sorry i didn’t make it in yesterday, we’ve been prpeing for year end inventory ( happens on tuesday ) so we’ve been a tad busy at the store. However life is getting back to noraml which means I’ll be able to spend some more time here [tup][:)]
**Tom-**first off a couple wunnerfull encores yesterday, always nice to re-read them and the one that Pete brought forth as well. I did get your email and I have responded to it thanks. [tup]Good movie choices for sunday as well.four favourites of mine when you add in the one year aniversary movies upcomming for the emporium.I hope that there is no live explosions at this years in between live acts though [xx(]
**Eric-**Sounds like the streetcar taillights in Sweden were very simialr. The TTC taillights on the modern cars PCC’s and CLRV’s are essentially two big red bus style tail ligths with blinking signal lights. Yes the TTC cars actually have a blinking signal when they turn left or right onto a new street ( says something about todays car drivers,see the remarls Tom made about cell phones in cars as well )Interesting pictures of tthat electric switcher. Funny a locomotive like that over here would be a mainline electric frieght loco on most of the electric lines.I liked the steam shots from Wisconsin as well, alway’s nice to see restored steam. I’m guessing that the track inspection car is a 52 Plymouth. Looks alot like TH&B #1 which was a 52 P;ymouth inspection car. I could be wrong thow I’m not a car afficianado.
Doug-I loved re-reading the silk train story [tup]you really owned todays piture sunday with all thise wonderfull shots. Loved the station shots and that B&O F in the station [tup]
Well since I don’t see any of the tool bar gremlins as Tom calls them. I’ll drop off a couple of museum pictures for everyone.
Our museum’s only non-Canadain content Chicago El car #48 ( now operational with TTC guaged trucks and brake drums )
1893 open car 327. One of the museum’s only “airconditioned” cars, a crowd favourite. No pwer brakes on this one strait hand brake only ! 12 tons stopped by the motormans right arm !
The museum’s other “airconditioned” car. London Street Railway #23, also our only double trucked open car this one os 1901 vintage.It is an air brake equiped car,but is not in regular service.327 is a daily use car unless it’s raining.
Two cars in the west loop at the Meadowvale passenger shelter Small Witt 2786 ( 1923 ) and open car 327. This shot’s from 1988 the year the west loop was opened.
Hmm I’m still having luck with the toolbar so here’s one more round o shots from the musuem to wind out my posting day.
A night shot of TP-11 our musuem’s heavy snowplow. Shot a night during one of our Holly-Trolley night shows dec 1993. TP-11 was built by National Steel Car of Hamilton in 1944 she and her sister TP-10 ( located at the delson museum ) were the only purpose built snowplows purchased by the TTC. TP-11 has been undergoing a frame off restoration for the last 4 yeasr but is now in the reassembly stage in our shop barn.
Large Witt 2424 ( 1921 ) showing the door or right hand side of the car.
2005 shot of the museum’s first car TTC 1326 ( 1910 ) it a homebuilt wooden car ( body an frame ) the last of it’s class left ( over 400 were built between 1900-14 ) all were built by TTC predessesor Toronto Railway Company. all were retired between 1946-56. This car is operational but is used infrequently as she needs another full frame off resto. The car was completely restored by the museum in 1959-63 after arriving at the musuem in 1954.
Single truck railgrinder W28 formerly passenger car 57 ( 1917 ) built originally for TTC predessesor Toronto Civic Railway.
The museum’s second car Toronto Civic Railway 55. (1915 ) sisiter to car W28 as restored to passenger format and livery of the Toronto Civic Ra
Hmm, Sunday, the bar is closed. I’ll see if I can push this message underneath the door. I actually heard Boris snoring in the shed. I wonder why he prefers to sleep there?
A beautiful Sunday! Didn’t get much done but that is okay. It gave me more time to read all the posts here.
Doug – Blew the whistle[?] I tried to be very discrete and just said that I am 27++. But I must say that I am impressed by your mathematical skills!![;)]
The Mid-Continent Museum has 20 locomotives, 14 steam and 6 diesels. At least that is the latest number I have seen or heard. #1385 is an old C&NW Class R-1, 4-6-0, built by Alco 1907.
How come the Grand Central was dismantled if it was declared a historical landmark? I saw that one PA-1 (Delaware & Hudson #18) is being restored as Nickel Plate’s #190.
It looks exactly as #187 in one of your nice pictures. I especially like the picture with Santa Fe’s PA’s in the snowstorm. Probably because it shows something I don’t like, snow! I really can feel how the engineer on that train felt running the train in that weather.
I also like the picture of the three RDC’s arriving to Union Station! Reminds me of that RDC’s Amtrak had parked on track 15 at Union Station Washington D.C. during the X2000 test period. The engines were idling all day and the exhaust fumes were sucked straight into the X2000. Terrible! After complaining a number of times they shut the engines off. [sigh]
Thank you for all the info and pictures![tup]
Tom – I never found out exactly where the shoting took place. But it sounded almost like it came from the alley behind our house so I went out there with a flash light to see if I could find any dead body. I didn’t. I agree, id
[#oops] I just missed your post Rob! I guess I should have reloaded the page before posting.
Some very nice pictures of streetcars!![wow] Wish we had more of those in service today! Did you have any activities this last Christmas at your museum?
A glorious start to the day here in mid-continent USA with blue skies, temps below freezing, and just an all ‘round good “feel” to being outdoors! [yeah] Juneau loves this! [swg]
A rather pleasant surprise with the OUTSTANDING contributions of Pix and narratives from barndad Doug! A 5-[tup] to you Sir! [tup] [tup] [tup] [tup] [tup] Surely kept me interested, in spite of the NFL playoff games. [swg]
Trolleyboy Rob didn’t let us down either with those GREAT trolley Pix and supporting info! [tup] [tup] [tup]
Appreciate the visits by James with those FINE LOOKING shots and of course our late night/early morning Post from Eric, the desert Swede! [tup] [tup] [tup]
Can’t forget the SUPER FINE book covers from Manager Lars and the visit from Wolfman Pete. [tup] [tup] [tup]
Put ‘em all together, and we “done good” Gentlemen, we “done good”!! [swg]
Reminder: Ruth has the bar from 9 AM until Leon the Night Man comes in at 5 PM ‘til closing.
Boris, serve ‘em all of the “spiked” OJ they can handle! [tup]
Good Afternoon Barkeep and All Present; Coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Lots of interesting material posted over the weekend.
Eric - Isn’t the power bureau job fun? Leaves are a big problem around here as you might expect. I have pictures of GE engines encrusted in them.
Barndad provided all sorts of information re Chicago stations. I visited all of them over the years and rode into and out of most of them. I, for one, hated to see the demise of Northwestern Station. I especially liked the shot of the ATSF PAs in the snow. SOO stuff was magnificent. The Laker was one train I always wanted to ride never got the chance.
Lars - Geez! IMHO, 4.5 Giants players showed up yesterday. The rest of them were in a trance. That’s all I’m going to say.
Pete - The strange steam engine you had in the picture is a Heisler. If you can get me the name on the “tender” I can get you some more information.
Rob - Thanks so much for TTC pictures and open car material as well. Connecticut Company had a bunch of them back in the day.
Our ‘Steamed Proprietor - Wow! Ask for movies and they appear! And we can get all nostalgic by looking at UP and CP materials.
Will try and post more later. Mea culps if I left anybody out.
I’ll have a pint of Holts Mild whilst I catch up with the posts. Glad to hear about the TV location policy here at Our Place - ie you can watch if you want, ignore if you want. Just how it should be!
That Canadian derailment was no laughing matter. Interesting to read your comments on West Highland line protection Pete. That line is now signalled for Radio Signalling I think (ie no semaphores or colour lights) - so I wonder if they keep the wires for rock fall protection or now use something else?
Lars - glad you (and others of course) enjoyed the Swanage report - it is a well run preserved line, no doubt about it.
I agree with you about the web - you can only really rely on info up there about things you know a bit about to start with - so you can reality check it as they say. I once heard it described as a ‘library without librarians’ and that is pretty true.
Like Tom says, your memories of the C-Zephyr trip would be interesting - who needs the details - just some highlights that stick in your mind is all worth reading and appreciated.
Thanks for those pics by the way - I could not view them but clearly Pete could and I got the gist of what they were from his response. It’s the thought that counts and that was appreciated!
Eric - yes - interesting that diagrammatic maps date back to late 1920s - in fact the author specifically notes an early map of the Chicago L being diagrammatic (not intentionally, but juts because the grid street pattern made it so) and that this was probably an influence.
Your post on Narvik and Kiruna remind me of a trip I did on that line about 13 years ago now. Most enjoyable -the memorable thing was although it was mid summer when near Kiruna / Abisco(?) national park how sparse the vegetation was so far above the arctic circle, yet when you descend into Narvik the gulf strea
Ruth, I’m ready for a tankard of Keiths Ale, a Larsman special (ham ‘n Swiss, buttAH ‘n mustAHd ‘n two large pickles from the barrel) along with treats for the critters and of course a small jar of pickled pig’s feet for Boris! [yeah]
New York City is now without an entry in the next round of the NFL playoffs as the Jets ‘n Jints bit the dust. I really expected the Patriots to win their game, but honestly believed we could overcome the Eagles. Not to be. What a huge disappointment this season has been for those of us who have followed the Giants from the Polo Grounds to Yankee Stadium to the Meadowlands. Bothers me to no end to think about the extraordinary measures it must take to MOTIVATE bizillionaire atheletes with the world by the short hairs. Can you imagine [?] Sickening, just sickening. Well, they’re gone and my “prophecy” came true - Eagles in without the “trouble maker,” Cowboys out “with the troublemaker.” About the only thing that brings a smile to my face! [tup] Now, let’s go Chicago. I see it as the Bears vs Chargers and I really think the Chicago guys can win it all in February.
A rather nice Sunday as Tom said with all sorts of info from the stalwarts of “Our” Place. I too echo the sentiments of Rob ‘n Tom directed to Doug, ,you most certainly outdid yourself yesterday! A gold-star 5-[tup] Salute to you, Sir! [tup] [tup] [tup] [tup] [tup]
Truly just like reading a book!
DL, here are the titles of the book covers I provided:
The Last Years of British Rail - 1980-84 by John Stretton
British Rail - Northern Scene - A 1970s Railway Album by Andy Sparks
British Rail - 1974 - 97 - From Integration to Privatisation by Terry Gourvish
British Railways Mark 1 Coaches by Keith Parkin
British Railways Brakevans and Ballast Ploughs by Eric Gent
I’ll join DL in a pint if Holt’s Mild please RUTH and a round for a great photo day[tup].
DOUG Enjoyed the last part of the Chicago area pics[tup].It is sad to see the photos of the ‘last run’ of trains[:(], like the one showing The Laker. I was sitting in the observation car of the Empire builder last week at the KC Union Station rail experience while a volunteer described the history of the car. Tom has a photo of the inside of the car. Good pics of the early Amtrak days and their RDCs[^][tup].
The Packers ground is not too far from the NRM in Green Bay and I must admit we had our lunch in a restaurant in the stadium. DONT LOOK AT THE NEXT PIC.[:D].
JAMES Thanks for the pics[tup]. I agree that is a great bridge and the tower. They are called Signal Boxes in Britain. I see some are called Towers some Interlocking over here. I wonder what the difference is between the two[?].
ROB Real good to see the Trolley pictures from the Museum.[tup] I have missed them[yeah].
The open cars like #327 are known as ‘Toast Racks’ on the Isle of Man where they still run in the summer months on the Manx Electric Railway.I bet it is a great atmosphere during the “Holly Trolley” event with the cars running at night[^].
I am hoping that showing GG1s and PRR photos will make the boss forget how many beers I owe him[:)].
ERIC. Hope you like the pic above[:)]
Thanks for the info on the locos at the Mid-Continent and Green Bay Museums in Wisconsin[tup]
Good evening Leon. Just a Keith’s for me this evening. I’ll leave some spare change for a round once the good stuff starts flowing tomorrow[{(-_-)}].Bit slower today but it is Monday and some of us were back at the ole grind [tdn].
**Tom-**The old Emporium looks as wonderfull as ever [tup] I love old theaters like that, we have a beauty here in Brantford called the Sanderson Centre, Great vnue for music and live acts opera you name it they do it.
**Lars-**I’m looking forward to a return to normacy around here for me ( whatever that means )I’m looking forward to the first new theme day of tthe year.The B&O should bring out some good info. I myself will try to dredge something up as well. it will be latter on in the evening though as I’m working the early swing tomorrow.
**Eric-**This year we did not run a Holly-Trolley night. The last few years have had so-so turn outs so we felt it might be better to give them a rest for a couple of years.December tends to be very busy for the public and the vollenteers.The last three yeasr we have given more emphasis to our Halloween night shows which keep getting busier !Thanks for solving the car dilema. Tom was right on it twaS A cHRYSLER PRODUCT [TUP]
**Pete-**Interesting extra couple of pictures.[tup] That musuem is really something. Am I wrong in guessing that the one locomotive is The Mallard[?]The xmas shows were fun , but as I said the crwds weren’t worth the risks. people slipping on frosty track or the track even breaking ( our mainline is all “used” track , most is 100lbs but some is still 90Lbs.)Toast racks is a very apt name for an open car. There were several built in canada over the yeasr that featured raised stadium style seating, these were built from the get go as tour cars in
Leon, I would like Steak and Bisquits tonight, please! Yes, the usual to drink. Thank you!
I agree with Rob, kind of slow today. But there is always something to read and learn!
Tom – We had a real nice day here in Phoenix today with sunshine and 75˚. 77 tomorrow (Tuesday). [:)]
The Mentor Village Emporium Theatre looks great! I wouldn’t mind seeing Von Ryan’s Express again![tup]
CM3 – The Power bureau job was, hmm, kind of fun. To be honest, I liked it but my stomach didn’t. I got my ulcer back after a year and went back to my job as a road foreman for another year before I got a technical job at the head office.
Yes, leaves can really create a lot of problems. In the fall when you are running a train and have to apply the brakes alittle bit and all the sounds from the track goes quiet you better release the brakes again right away. No fun at all. [tdn]
DL – I would say that railroad diagrammatic maps are very common today. Very clear and easy to read.
The summer is great in northern Sweden. Midnight sun and mosquitoes![%-)] In the winter the mosquitoes are gone but instead you have almost 24 hour darkness and a lot of snow!
I have been running some test runs with the X2000 on that railroad in the winter but I have never been to Narvik.
Lars – It has been quiet for a long time since we heard shooting from that apartment complex last time. But there are always idiots around. [|(]
Yes, I am very much looking forward to my spring vacation this year! [:)]
Pete – Yeah, I like that top picture, but don’t tell Doug! [;)]
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Tuesday and a heavy schedule of “things to do, places to go and people to meet” for Moi. So, I’ll make this brief!
Coffee’s fresh ‘n hot; bakery goods are ready and our ‘n breakfasts are ready for servin’!
Good to see CM3 at 10:36 AM - DL at 12:17 PM - Lars at 3:24 PM - Pete at 5:40 PM - and Rob at 10:38 PM yesterday! Then Eric popped in for his nite-cap at 1:12 AM today! [tup] [tup] [tup] Good to have ya all on board and appreciate the ongoing dialogue ‘n Pix! [yeah]
Those Pix of the Emporium are really from the St. Louis Fox Theatre. An elegant place to view live theatre these days after having undergone a massive restoration through private endeavors a few decades ago. Always enjoy going there! [tup]
Tonite’s Gala at the Emporium should be a sure fire winner! All seats are “reserved” and I expect that the balcony will have more than a fair representation of the Mentor Village misfits (aka: customers of “Our” Place!). It’s a black tie affair, so be sure to wash up, dress up ‘n show up! [swg] Festivities begin at 7 PM sharp. [tup]
Today is Tuesday Theme for the Day - Baltimore & Ohio! Stand by for some good stuff coming down the tracks . . . [tup]
Reminder: Ruth has the bar from 9 AM until Leon the Night Man comes in at 5 PM ‘til closing.
Boris, serve ‘em all of the “spiked” OJ they can handle! [tup]
