Most of it is automatic, with the exception of the couple/uncouple buttons there is virtually no human interaction with the coupler, so much better than the old hook and chain couplers which certainly exposed humans to the "delights" of getting in the way of a few thousand tons of loco and train...

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Most of it is automatic, with the exception of the couple/uncouple buttons there is virtually no human interaction with the coupler,

Ah, not at Salisbury! Witness the 3 carriage train from Exeter joining up with the other 3 carriage train from Bristol to go to Waterloo. They often take 2 or 3 goes at joining them up :-) Back and forth etc.

Well, it's still a lot less 'human' than asking a bloke to jump in between two sets of 100+ tonnes of steel, with no more protection than a pair of heavy leather gloves.

And when it works, it works - as demonstrated on BBC2 last night (Nick and Margaret: The Trouble with Our Trains - link probably UK only). But that was with two brand-new trains, on a press preview run, so of course it works: just as most new technology works in the laboratory. But unless maintenance pay close attention to hosing out all the sand, salt, leaves, creepy-crawlies and whatever from the electrical connectors behind that flimsy and vulnerable-height 'caution' cover, reality may get a bit hit-and-miss after a few trips in the real world.

that flimsy and vulnerable-height 'caution' cover,

Chicago Transit Authority calls that the diaper.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

That flimsy cover is actually one of the most reliable bits of the system - the worst bits are those in the main coupler head.
The "cup and cone" are very good at keeping the train together, but when something larger than few small insects get in there coupling becomes a bit of a hit and miss affair until either whatever entered has been crushed to a thin film - whereupon coupling is achieved, or whatever is too big to smear into a thin film and something breaks - whereupon coupling fails totally.

In some places the train operators run with the "winterisation covers" in place all year round. These are a large, heavy duty bag that are meant to protect the inner working of the coupler from being filled with ice and snow, but work just as well against the "intrusion" of animal matter. Its a lot easier and less unpleasant to chuck the bag into a barrel of water than dig bits of dead animal out of the coupler....

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

The Pullman cars on train 59 tonight included the Great Northern Great Dome Prairie View (IPH's only one with its real name; the Santa Fe full domes didn't have names). It will return Monday morning.

This is also my friend's last NOLA run for a while, as the Uncommon Journeys season kicks off next weekend with probably 3 cars going out on #5 next Saturday. They will spend time in Oakland, L.A., and Albuquerque before returning to Chicago on #4 on May 23rd.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Old business:

The answers to the Chicago L quiz.

I figured out a few of them.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Still seeing new "heritage units".

This was a couple of days ago at Chesterton NS 1070 Wabash



Today I was rather surprised as no one had mentioned that this would be on the Southwest Chief 4.



The rather splendidly named Cyrus K Holliday

Built in 1921 it apparently rarely comes east.

Cyrus K Holliday was the founder and first president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, or ATSF, nowdays the "SF" in BNSF

---

More old business:

As you can see here, the City of New Orleans train 58 was early and I got a shot on the bridge, however the sun at that time was not helpful to see details.

Hmm. I will have to have a chat with my friend. He said the Pullmans would be on the rear.

Talked to him last night and got the story on this, in confidence. Suffice to say, one of the other car owners insisted at 10:00 on Sunday morning that his car should be at the end of the train. My friend was instructed to tell Amtrak that he didn't care where the three Pullman cars were. Amtrak didn't have a switcher available and had to use 58's road power to move first the other two cars, then the three Pullman cars, to the next station track, then go back to the yard to get the rest of the train. After all the air and power connections were separated and reconnected and tested and the air pumped up, the train left 45 minutes late. However, due to the padding in the schedule and CN having an exceptionally good day, they made up the delay by Jackson. He said they never had to go into a siding for a freight once and only had to wait five minutes for cross traffic at Memphis. Best run ever.

Here's a nice shot of the Baton Rouge. It was taken in Seattle in August 2013, so my friend was probably the person in charge of it then too.

Confirmed: he was the EIC on that trip.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Still seeing new "heritage units".

This was a couple of days ago at Chesterton NS 1070 Wabash

One of my favorites. I first saw it on the Monticello Railway Museum's Santa Train. My friend and I drove all the way down to Decatur to see that. Chased it part of the way across the state in the fog. Then we chased the CN Santa Train on our way home. I petulantly refused to buy the Athearn Genesis model of the Wabash one when I found out they screwed up the paint (it goes straight across the nose instead of dipping in the center). Now I can't find one.

Today I was rather surprised as no one had mentioned that this would be on the Southwest Chief 4.



The rather splendidly named Cyrus K Holliday

Built in 1921 it apparently rarely comes east.

Cyrus K Holliday was the founder and first president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, or ATSF, nowdays the "SF" in BNSF

I think I saw that car in San Diego in late August, 1984. Probably once or twice since then. I'm guessing it's in town for Trains Days next weekend.

It just occurred to me that I've never directed you to my Flickr page. I haven't been keeping up on it.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I caught up with Facebook before going to bed and found this link. Iowa Pacific will be taking over operation of Amtrak's Hoosier State (Chicago to Indianapolis on the four days a week that the Cardinal doesn't run) if they can get their cars up to FDA standards. Meanwhile, they sent the engines and cars to the Wisconsin & Southern Ry's paint shop at Horicon, Wis. for a quick dose of orange and brown. I think it's even uglier like this than in New Jersey Transit's platinum mist paint.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Still seeing new "heritage units".

This was a couple of days ago at Chesterton NS 1070 Wabash

One of my favorites. I first saw it on the Monticello Railway Museum's Santa Train. My friend and I drove all the way down to Decatur to see that. Chased it part of the way across the state in the fog. Then we chased the CN Santa Train on our way home. I petulantly refused to buy the Athearn Genesis model of the Wabash one when I found out they screwed up the paint (it goes straight across the nose instead of dipping in the center). Now I can't find one.

Today I was rather surprised as no one had mentioned that this would be on the Southwest Chief 4.



The rather splendidly named Cyrus K Holliday

Built in 1921 it apparently rarely comes east.

Cyrus K Holliday was the founder and first president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, or ATSF, nowdays the "SF" in BNSF

I think I saw that car in San Diego in late August, 1984. Probably once or twice since then. I'm guessing it's in town for Trains Days next weekend.

It just occurred to me that I've never directed you to my Flickr page. I haven't been keeping up on it.

David do I have something for You, take a look at this Here..
I think you'll like it, whether you want it or not, I don't know..

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I believe that the Wabash Canonball was a fictional "named train". Back when the song was written many US scheduled passenger services were named. you can see the remains of this tradition in Bernie's and David's posts. The best of them were quite glamorous, and the song was trying to capture this. Added in edit: I did a little digging on the real Wabash Railroad. It appears they did rename one of their scheduled services the Cannonball, in 1949, AFTER the song became famous. The line became part of the Norfolk & Southern in the big US railway shakedowns of the 1970s and 1980s.


The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, commonly known as the Rock Island Line, had a long and at first glamorous, then tragic, history. It was the first railway to offer scheduled service across the Mississippi, crossing at Rock Island. There is still a railway bridge there today, but I don't think it is the original. The Rock Island Line never made it to the Pacific, and fell on hard times in the mid 20th century. They eventually became part of the Union Pacific in a very messy bankruptcy/merger/shutdown in the 1980s.

---

So more PV (private varnish) appears today on the Amtrak 29
However this one is a bit special - 7503 The Francis L. Suter

For over five decades, Pennsylvania Railroad Business Car 7503 served PRR presidents and vice-presidents as a rolling, 90-ton office on wheels across the vast PRR system. Outfitted to function as an office to the railroad official, his secretary and crew, it also boasted all the elegant appointments necessary to entertain visiting shippers and dignitaries. Kept virtually intact over the years and spared the dubious “modernization” so popular in the Fifties and Sixties, the Class Z74 car was rescued from a neglected side rail in 1983. Suffering from extensive rust and water damage, it has undergone a series of structural and cosmetic restorations, much of it lovingly performed by hand and under the watchful eye of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society. From its original nickel-plated fixtures and Italian marble sinks, to its working brass fireplace and porter call box, Pennsylvania Railroad Car 7503--reborn as the Francis L. Suter--is truly a unique piece of history. The oldest car in the United States capable of traveling 110 miles per hour behind a modern locomotive, this legacy of the rich tradition of the Golden Age of Railroading will transport the traveler back to an age when our nation's great railroads were the royalty of transportation.

Sleeps 6 and can accommodate 16 during the day!!

Oh and how about a 15 day "Circle" trip to the west coast, Starting in Washington, to Chicago, then San Francisco, from there to Seattle, then return to Chicago, and finally back to New York.

I wonder if that is what it is on now if so it will appear on the California Zephyr later.

All on the back of Amtrak scheduled services. How much? Well just a little over $53,000 (£34,500).

Hmm just need to win the lottery, well actually I suppose I need to buy a ticket first, something I have never done!!

---

Still seeing new "heritage units".

This was a couple of days ago at Chesterton NS 1070 Wabash

One of my favorites. I first saw it on the Monticello Railway Museum's Santa Train. My friend and I drove all the way down to Decatur to see that. Chased it part of the way across the state in the fog. Then we chased the CN Santa Train on our way home. I petulantly refused to buy the Athearn Genesis model of the Wabash one when I found out they screwed up the paint (it goes straight across the nose instead of dipping in the center). Now I can't find one.

David do I have something for You, take a look at this Here..
I think you'll like it, whether you want it or not, I don't know..

This is what David was talking about, a Wabash SD70ACE by Athearn, in this instance an HO scale locomotive(engine) or 1/87th the size of the real locomotive, if David still wants one, He better buy it quick, it's $199.99 plus shipping and any applicable sales tax.

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

As you may or may not be aware Toledo OH held its "National Train Day" yesterday and the Amtrak Exhibition train was there.

I did not see much of the move to get the equipment there, however today the Late er Lake Shore 49 brought it all back in one go!!

After the standard train came the Exhibition train, 2 coaches and 3 luggage vans,



On the end of which was the "exhibit" F40PH 406



It hasn't actually got a prime mover anymore but I believe has a head end generator for light and power.

Coupled to that was the "Salute to the Veterans" no 42



Which had 3 superliners in tow.

If you would like to see the whole train pass the video is:

HERE

Possibly the most unusual set up I have seen passing Chesterton.

---

More odd things turning up on the end of scheduled services

The California Zephyr 6 brought these two east yesterday.






Unusual.

Not sure why as I thought all the maintenance was done locally, I can only assume they are in transit to Beech Grove.

Unfortunately as the California Zephyr is running much later than normal due to track works, it doesn't get in till around midnight here so I didn't wait for it to turn on the wye, when the pictures would have been a little clearer.

I just hope there is nothing interesting on it today as it has just reached Denver 7 and a half hours late, with a projected arrival at Chicago of 11:13pm CT 5 hours 23 minutes late. Which will be 5:13am BST!!

---

I am beginning to realise that the PV (Private Varnish or privately owned railcars) is a lot bigger than I realised.

Obviously during the winter they are not used so much but recently I seem to see a new one every few days, and today was no exception, arriving on the Texas Eagle



The imposing pair of "Patrick Henry Creative Promotions" railcars.

These even had a spot on the "Travel Channel" check the website.

The PHCP Train

Just $9750 per day charted trips!

---

I believe that the Wabash Canonball was a fictional "named train". Back when the song was written many US scheduled passenger services were named. you can see the remains of this tradition in Bernie's and David's posts. The best of them were quite glamorous, and the song was trying to capture this. Added in edit: I did a little digging on the real Wabash Railroad. It appears they did rename one of their scheduled services the Cannonball, in 1949, AFTER the song became famous. The line became part of the Norfolk & Southern in the big US railway shakedowns of the 1970s and 1980s.

True about the song. The Wabash was merged into the Norfolk & Western in the early 60s (as was the Nickel Plate). N&W's parent company managed to steer clear of government efforts in the early 70s to involve it in the Penn Central mess. N&W merged with Southern Railway in 1983 to form Norfolk Southern, which is one of the two eastern Class 1 systems today. The heritage units were done for the 30th anniversary of that merger.

The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, commonly known as the Rock Island Line, had a long and at first glamorous, then tragic, history. It was the first railway to offer scheduled service across the Mississippi, crossing at Rock Island. There is still a railway bridge there today, but I don't think it is the original. The Rock Island Line never made it to the Pacific, and fell on hard times in the mid 20th century. They eventually became part of the Union Pacific in a very messy bankruptcy/merger/shutdown in the 1980s.

Rock Island did indeed have the first railroad bridge over the Mississippi. The bridge was promptly struck by a riverboat, whose owner sued for obstruction of the waterway. The railroad was successfully defended by the well-known Illinois attorney Abraham Lincoln. The present bridge is not the original (nor is it the only bridge at Rock Island). It is called Government Bridge because it is owned by the US Government, due to its east end being on Arsenal Island. The railroad is on the top level and the lower level is a road. I just drove across it a couple months ago.

The Rock was in and out of bankruptcy more than most railroads. It tried to merge with UP in the 60s, but the case dragged on before the Interstate Commerce Commission for so long that its physical condition deteriorated to the point that by the time the merger was approved, UP no longer wanted it and backed out. The Rock was unable to afford the up front cash payment to join Amtrak and was forced to continue operating its own passenger trains until 1978, I believe. It went bankrupt for the final time in 1976 and shut down in 1980. With the bad taste of the Penn Central rescue that formed Conrail still in its mouth, Congress refused to do anything to save the Rock. The trustee abandoned parts of it and sold other parts to various other operators. The commuter district from Chicago to Joliet is now owned and operated by Metra, with local freight service handled by Chicago Rail Link; CSXT and Iowa Interstate have rights to traverse the line to get to CSX's property west of Joliet. CSX has a 99 (or is it 999?) year lease on the line from Joliet to Henry, Ill., although the segment from Utica to Henry is now subleased to IAIS. IAIS owns from Henry to Peoria Heights (beyond which the line into Peoria is owned by Tazewell & Peoria) and Bureau to Council Bluffs, Iowa plus a few branches. The Spine Line from Minneapolis to Kansas City was bought by the Chicago & North Western, which is now UP. Southern Pacific, which connected with the Rock in middle-of-nowhere Tucumcari, NM, used its subsidiary Cotton Belt to buy the line from there to Kansas City (and also to St. Louis, but never operated that part except for a few miles at one end to feed coal to a power plant). This is also now UP. Grain branches in Kansas were bought by the Kyle Railroad. Etcetera, etcetera.

The railfan rumor mill continues to abound with tales of the imminent takeover of IAIS by either UP or NS, but I refuse to believe these until I read it in a reputable news source.

There was a modeler who envisioned that the Rock had survived and come out of bankruptcy in the early 80s, then gone on to buy Southern Pacific and one important line of BN to finally reach the Pacific ocean and become the dominant western carrier. He painted models of modern diesels in Rock Island dress and other stuff like that. Rather clever.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Still seeing new "heritage units".

This was a couple of days ago at Chesterton NS 1070 Wabash

One of my favorites. I first saw it on the Monticello Railway Museum's Santa Train. My friend and I drove all the way down to Decatur to see that. Chased it part of the way across the state in the fog. Then we chased the CN Santa Train on our way home. I petulantly refused to buy the Athearn Genesis model of the Wabash one when I found out they screwed up the paint (it goes straight across the nose instead of dipping in the center). Now I can't find one.

David do I have something for You, take a look at this Here..
I think you'll like it, whether you want it or not, I don't know..

This is what David was talking about, a Wabash SD70ACE by Athearn, in this instance an HO scale locomotive(engine) or 1/87th the size of the real locomotive, if David still wants one, He better buy it quick, it's $199.99 plus shipping and any applicable sales tax.

That's what I want, but it's a bit more than I want to pay for non-DCC/sound. The ones I have, I got for around $130.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

More odd things turning up on the end of scheduled services

The California Zephyr 6 brought these two east yesterday.






Unusual.

Not sure why as I thought all the maintenance was done locally, I can only assume they are in transit to Beech Grove.

Regular running maintenance is done locally. Major work is done at Beech Grove.

Unfortunately as the California Zephyr is running much later than normal due to track works, it doesn't get in till around midnight here so I didn't wait for it to turn on the wye, when the pictures would have been a little clearer.

I just hope there is nothing interesting on it today as it has just reached Denver 7 and a half hours late, with a projected arrival at Chicago of 11:13pm CT 5 hours 23 minutes late. Which will be 5:13am BST!!

I don't think I'll stay up for that either. Don't know why it's running late; the detour route is longer but faster, so it should actually get to Denver with time to spare.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.