Half way into the city, on my journey to work on the commuter train network, my inbound train joins the main line, from my suburban line, at a station called Northgate. The number of tracks jump from 2 to 4, and if my service is delayed just a fraction, we often see, at Northgate, another inbound train on the main line also pulling in, over on the other inbound platform.
Then, the big question: which train will leave first, will it be “neck and neck”? Many variables, yes, but one can’t help watching the other train, as it: slides past ours (oh no!), or slips back (yes!), or even just keeps up (who will get ahead??).
Some people, (yes, including me), stop reading the newspaper, and look back across at the other train, and of course, some in the other train do the same. Pretendingindifference, we secretly wonder if “our” train will get into town first…hmmmm…at least it brings variety to the regular commute…that’s my excuse anyway…ha ha…
Every once in a while we get that for just a couple of minutes on Metra, as trains from more than one of the former CNW lines slip into Ogilvie together. Or maybe it’s just a train from the coach yard backing in alongside a scheduled train. Either way, the sensation is there.
Wouldn’t want to really encourage anything, though–might make for some less-than-smooth stops at the end.
Carl, I agree totally, one wouldn’t want to to see services “racing” each other into town - but one does wonder, on the run in, who will get in first - and there are many variables, e.g. how many passengers each train will pick up on subsequent stops on the way etc etc.
Sometimes,here in L.A. two Metrolik trains will leave or arrive at the same time.I have seen three Metrolink trains moving in the station at the same time!
Esspee, I imagine the size of the LA station, probably with many platforms (?) would mean that paralell running would occur fairly frequently?
I lived for 11 years in Sydney, with a much bigger network than here in Brisbane. I remember coming into the city on the train from the western suburbs, there would be easily 12 tracks (open to correction from other down-under posters) in the right of way, when it gets into the area close to the city centre - that lends itself to plenty of paralell running.
Back in the day…it used to be a regular occurence for B&O and PRR trains leaving Washington Union Station enroute Baltimore, Philadelphia and New Youk. Both roads scheduled trains out of the station at identical times and the lines ran parrallel for the first several mile.
I am told that during the Steam era for both roads the B&O would generally win. After the PRR electrified it’s line there was no c
…Dave…I have never experienced it but the stories abound from the competition out of Chicago with the NYC and PRR passenger trains each afternoon back in the steam era. I understand a parallel condition existed then with their crack afternoon passenger trains leaving {scheduled}, at similar times and it was quite a contest for several miles. Many pictures of such event and believe even on some calendars.
I’m surprised we have no comment from someone from the Chicago area making a note of the NYC and PRR daily “race” with more details.
And from another poster re: the GG-1 being able to out accelerate a competing steam engine…No doubt in my mind about that. I rode behind GG-1’s and from my memory they would literally push you back in the seat at start out of the station.
Balt and Quentin - thanks for your input. One can visualize it in one’s mind! Would have looked impressive with competing services leaving at the same time. I wonder if Trains Mag has any old photos on file of that?
I can sort of imagine your description of riding behind a GG1 when I think of when the electric multiple units that service the suburban network here in Brisbane accelerate quickly - one is nudged into the seat.
Many years ago we traveled from Johnstown, Pa. to NYC…{and on out on Long Island} and I still have memories of our train pulling into Harrisburg and at that point is where we shed our steam engine{s}, and aquired GG-1’s to take us the rest of the way to Penn Station in NYC.
I still have memories how it felt when those electrics pulled us out of Harrisburg…The force really did push us back to the seat back and it pulled us out of there in surges. One could just feel the force building up and attaining a speed of roughly 90 mph as we got running.
As for pictures of “the great race out of Chicago” between NYC and the Pennsy…I’ll wager there is quite a few pic’s at Trains of that event.
I’m rather sure a relative picture has appeared in the magazine quite a few times over the past years.
Maybe I can find one here and if so I’ll email it to you…
…Dave, to my surprise I have not located a photo of above discussed “race” out of Chicago between the steam powered NYC and PRR passenger trains. I’ll keep trying.
I’ve seen many paintings and photos of the 20th Century and the Broadway racing each other eastbound out of Englewood.
MY own repeated experience was leaving New York on a Grand Central train, possibly just headed for New Haven and using a train, possibly the Bankers with its good dining car, and running parallel mile after mile between New Rochelle and Bridgeport with a train from Penn Station, slowing down together for the curves, speeding up. Eventually one or the other would make a station stop that was omitted by the other, such as Bridgeport. And the connection between the two would be easy, across the platform, and New Haven during the engine change.
But also today, one can easily find parallel operation on the four tracks between Grand Central Temrinal and 125th Street, in either direction during the rush hours, similarly only slightly less frequenctly on the four tracks between Harold Tower near Sunnyside and Jamaica on the LIRR.
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the CNW 400’s and Milwaukee Road Hiawathas between Chicago and Minneapolis. By the way, the NYC and the PRR met less often than imagined becasue the Century left Chicago 1/2 hour earlier. so unless there was a delay they didn’t meet outbound all that often
…They met often enough to generate the many stories we have seen over years past…and as mentioned above, the many pictures and painting done on the occurances. It sure has been a surprise to me by entering the appropriate info in “Google” and similar other areas that I have found none yet…
Dave, the paralell running you describe on the four tracks between Grand Central Terminal and 125th Street is the sort of thing I experience some mornings heading into work. Even if the two services aren’t timetabled exactly together, if only a couple of minutes apart, it only takes a few longer stops with a few more poeple getting on (or off) for one service for the other to catch up.
Almost had a race situation last Friday (11-10-06) when I took an early Metrolink from Fullerton (left there at 6:19 AM) to LA Union Station. I was making an early start to take Surfliner #799 to San Luis Obispo for lunch with other members of the Train Travel Meetup Group. After going over the flyover and up the west bank of the LA River, we were halted just short of Mission Tower (we were a bit early).
As we waited, another Metrolink on (I believe) on the San Bernardino Line and painted in Sounder colors came up the east side, approached the tower and was stopped with part still on the bridge. I guess we were destined for the same track on the approach as, first the other train and then ours, eased into the station for widely separated station tracks.
The trip to SLO went nicely, even if UP did delay our return trip by holding us for a freight between Surfside and Gaviota. We were over an hour late into LAUS and they had to hold the San Diego train for us to get back to Orange County.
Hey Jack - thanks for the anecdote. Even when trains aren’t timetabled at exactly the same time, it only takes a stop at one signal for a couple of minutes, and suddenly, we are in paralell mode!
As Carl correctly pointed out, Metra trains on the former C&NW lines often come in together. For example, in the morning, all inbound Metra trains on the UP North and UP Northwest lines stop at Clybourn. I have observed not only 2 trains leaving Clybourn simultaneously, but also seeing two trains on the Northwest line arriving together. (The Northwest line has three tracks, so “Express” trains will use the center track whilr the locals will use the Eastern track. Don’t forget, C&NW used left hand running.) I have not seen it, but theoretically there could be three trains running parallel out of Clybourn.[2c]