HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: romeo@niagara.Tymnet.COM (Michael Stimac)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: NEC
Date: 25 Jan 93 19:32:02 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

In article <38761@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:

>What is the burned out elevated station (kind of on a bridge where
>one line passes over the other) between Overbrook and 30'th street?
>When was it last in service?

That is the former Overbrook Station. I have a 1955 timetable that
shows trains stopping there. I've no info on when it was closed.
I do remember it being "burned out" in the early '70s.

>Is there one other electrified branch heading northwest from the west
>end of Zoo?  Riding past on the Paoli Local I see tracks, but can't
>tell what's going on.  One of these days, I'll have to buy survey
>maps and trace out the different branches, past and present.

That would be the Belmont branch. It's a double-track line, but
wasn't electrified. I think this is because it was a freight line,
not a commuter line, but I'm not certain of this. I'm pretty sure
it was a connection to the Reading as well.

Michael Stimac
-- 
Michael Stimac
(415) 355-8889
romeo@tymnet.com
These opinions are not necessarily anyone's but my own.
From: M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: NEC
Date: 26 Jan 93 14:24:52 GMT
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730

In article <C1FvGw.Hss@acsu.buffalo.edu>
yhshowie@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Howard Wharton) writes:
 
>New Haven changed engines at Sunnyside before Pennsy ran catanary
>through Penn.
 
That was 1933, right?  Guess that's why I never saw it!  that's three years
before I was born and 20 years before I rode my first train to New York.
Thanks for the information.   It had never occured to me that they might
have done something like that, although I knew that the Hell Gate Bridge
Route pre-dated PRR catenary.  I guess if I'd ever thought of it I would
have assumed that the PRR had allowed the NH to extend their overhead into
Penn Station.  I have a couple of NH Employees' Timetables from the late
20s - guess I'll go reread them and see if I can find any relevant material.
 
>New Haven ran afew FL-9s into Penn, I seen a few pictures of them
>sitting in the motor storage (area in the open between the station
>and the Post Office).
 
Like I said, the story is probably apochryphal.  But it makes for good
reading anyway.
 
 
Len Bachelder        Archives Committee, Boston and Maine RR Historical Society
MITRE Corp.           Secretary, Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts
Bedford MA 01730      Member, 470 Railroad Club
<M00209@mbvm.mitre.org>
 
"Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, should'st die for me!"
                                                 - Charles Wesley
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: kenk@sdc.com (Ken Konecki)
Subject: Re: Chicago South Shore general question
Keywords: Chicago South Shore & South Bend
Organization: Systems Development Corporation
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:09:42 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.202036.6930@news.columbia.edu> brennan@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Joseph Brennan) writes:
>They share it and yet they don't.  They still have different ticket
>offices, around a corner from each other inside te same building, and
>the South Bend still loads from temporary-looking platforms off to one
>side;

The terminal in question is the IC (now Metra) Randolph Street/So.
Water Street suburban station.  The South Shore began using the
Randolph Street facility in 1912 and still run today from this
"temporary" terminal.  The platforms look temporary because
Randolph Street was never planned to be a permanent terminal for
the CSS&SB.

Cheers,
    -Ken K
-- 
Ken Konecki
e-mail:kenk@sdc.com    -or-    ...!uunet!tellab5!sdc!kenk
"Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery"
From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: ? about engine sets
Date: 24 Jan 93 02:41:43 GMT
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1jp1qtINN4as@grapevine.EBay.Sun.COM> maral@repare.EBay.Sun.COM writes:
> My son asked me a question the other day and I couldn't answer him
> so I thought I would tap the knowledge of all you experts.  The
> question is why do trains utilize various engine types when pulling
> a string of cars and why do some point forwards and some backwards?
> I kind of would like to know myself.  A 10 year old and 36 year old kid
> appreciates your response.

The answer is more "why not" - almost all types of diesel locomotive
can work together via control connections ("multiple-unit operation")
that allow one engineer to operate several locomotives from one
control stand.

The direction the locomotive is pointed in doesn't particularly
matter, except perhaps for the front unit, since the engines can
work as hard in reverse as forward and places for turning them to
get them poninted in the "right direction" are fairly rare these
days.

As to mixing the different types, this is simply a matter of
convenience.  A certain amount of "power" is needed to pull the
train over the line and as many units as needed will be drawn
from the available pool.  In some cases certain types are
assigned to certain trains or locations, in others flexibility
rules.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     work:   to be avoided at all costs...
but no way officially representing:   uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
Commodore, Engineering Department     domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
From: bob@1776.COM (Robert Coe)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: historical question
Keywords: stainless cars
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 17:28:17 EST
Distribution: na
Organization: 1776 Enterprises, Sudbury MA

jbvb@vax.ftp.com  (James B. VanBokkelen) writes:
> The Budd Co. (USA) developed and patented the "shot welding" process for
> stainless steel, and the first cars I know of that were built using it were 
> the "Budd-Michelin" railcars, which had stainless bodies and rubber tires
> instead of steel wheels.  These were built in the early 1930s.  None were
> particularly successful, and those that stayed in service beyond the first
> year got steel wheels retrofitted.

What sort of roadbed were these rubber-tired vehicles intended to run on?
If rails, what was supposed to keep them on the rails?

   ___            _                                           -  Bob
   /__) _   /    / ) _   _
(_/__) (_)_(_)  (___(_)_(/_______________________________________ bob@1776.COM
Robert K. Coe ** 14 Churchill St, Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776 ** 508-443-3265
From: romeo@niagara.Tymnet.COM (Michael Stimac)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: NEC
Date: 27 Jan 93 03:24:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: tymix.3247
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

In article <16B61E192.M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org> M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org writes:
>In article <C1A9rx.Hww@acsu.buffalo.edu>
>yhshowie@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Howard Wharton) writes:
> 
>>
>>In article <3212@tymix.Tymnet.COM>, romeo@niagara.Tymnet.COM (Michael Stimac) writes...
>>  Power (motors) were changed at Sunnyside...New Haven's motors that ran
>>into GCT were designed to run on NYCs underrunning 3rd rail not on
>>PRR/LIRR overrunning third rail. I belive that the FL-9s shoes could be
>>changed to over or underrunning.
 
>Sorry, I can't let this one go by without comment.
 
>Len Bachelder        Archives Committee, Boston and Maine RR Historical Society

Hey, Len. I didn't have anything to do with the paragraph you quoted
above. As the old-time usenet admonition goes "check your attribution".

I don't claim to know a thing about the FL-9, and wouldn't make
any definite statement about their properties.

If you want to shoot me down, wait until I say something about the
Pennsy or its rolling stock.

:-)  :-)

Michael Stimac
-- 
Michael Stimac
(415) 355-8889
romeo@tymnet.com
These opinions are not necessarily anyone's but my own.
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: phinton@larson.helios.nd.edu (paul hinton)
Subject: Re: South Shore Wreck 1/18
Reply-To: phinton@larson.helios.nd.edu (paul hinton)
Organization: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 13:57:39 GMT

In article <1993Jan20.160557.9328@sei.cmu.edu>, weinstoc@sei.cmu.edu (Chuck Weinstock) writes:
|> 
|> Just a quick question: the USA Today writeup of the wreck talked about a
|> bridge in a place called "gantlet".  I assume the reporter got confused at
|> that they really meant that the bridge had a gauntlet track.  Or is there a
|> place on the South Shore with a gauntlet track called gantlet?
|> 
|> 
|> 
|> Chuck Weinstock				weinstock@sei.cmu.edu
|> Software Engineering Institute		(412) 268-7719
|> Carnegie Mellon University		(412) 268-5758 (Fax)
|> Pittsburgh, PA 15213

The correct spelling is "gantlet."  A gauntlet is a type of weapon.  Just
read James J. Kilpatrick's articles on spelling pitfalls and the press. The
South Bend Tribune got the spelling right in all of its articles, but the
Chicago Tribune was downright pitiful, using both spellings all over the
place.

P.J. Hinton
Paul.J.Hinton.1@nd.edu
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: ctillier@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Clemens Emmanuel Tillier)
Subject: Re: European track
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 18:37:08 GMT

In article <63601@mimsy.umd.edu> mangoe@cs.umd.edu (Charley Wingate) writes:
>It might be pointed out that the range of AVERAGE daily temperature in the
>american plains is on the order of 100 degrees F (~55 degrees C).  The total
                                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>range is worse.  It's possible that some differences in practice are due to
>the Europeans not having to deal with such extremes-- certainly in the UK
>they don't have to.

Whoa there... 100 degrees F is only about 37.8 degrees C.
55 degrees C comes out to a *HOT* 131 degrees F...

Clem <ctillier@phoenix.princeton.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: CSX saftey cabooses
From: mccartney_g@ab.wvnet.edu
Date: 26 Jan 93 21:58:16 -0500
Organization: Alderson-Broaddus College

I just seen one of the CSX cabooses tonight heading east on a freight towards
Grafton on the B&O.  I think this is the first time I have seen one of these
cabooses running when it wasn't on a work train.

				Greg McCartney
				McCartney_g@ab.wvnet.edu

BTW:  This caboose I believe said Operation Red Block on both sides, but didn't
catch the number.
From: romeo@niagara.Tymnet.COM (Michael Stimac)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: NEC
Date: 22 Jan 93 20:30:55 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

In article <1993Jan21.223109.5326@ryn.mro4.dec.com> pierson@empror.enet.dec.com (dave pierson) writes:

>	Actaully, they were pretty compatible, from 1920ish on.  The power
>	didn't run thru because that "wasn't done", at the time.  Earlier, Penn
>	Staion was third rail, 600VDC, overrunning third rail, so either
>	PRR DD1 e-loks or NH power with thrid rail shoes (also used elsewhere)

		^^^^^^
		BLECHHH!

>	ran into Penn Station.


"Motors", please!!!


e-loks, indeed  :-(    humpf!

Michael Stimac

news fodder
news fodder
news fodder
news fodder
news fodder
-- 
Michael Stimac
(415) 355-8889
romeo@tymnet.com
These opinions are not necessarily anyone's but my own.
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: rocky@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com (Dave Kennard)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Costa Rica Railways
Date: 21 Jan 93 11:22:16 GMT
Organization: Northern Telecom Europe
NNTP-Posting-Host: nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com

In article <C140qp.EFq@specialix.com> jim@specialix.com (Jim Maurer) writes:
>kenneth.gansel@rose.com (kenneth gansel) writes:
>>Date Entered: 01-18-93 12:32
>>I am going to Costa Rica at the end of February, does anyone have any 
>>information on the Railways in the country??  It is my understanding 
>>that they have a meter gage and one line to the West of San Jose is 
>>electric.

>If the main purpose of your trip is to look at the railroads, you
>should find out if they are running again!  One friend was there
>about a year ago and both railroads were shut down.  Another one
>went about 4 months ago and they were still shut down, but they
>were thinking about opening part of one of the railroads for commuter
>service only.

Unfortunately, a severe earthquake hit the Pueto Limon area in April 1991
damaging all communications between San Jose and Limon.  The roads were
fairly quickly restored with temporary bridges where necessary, but since
Costa Rica is the not a rich nation, funds have not yet been found to
repair the rail link.  The last I heard is that the authorities there do
intend to re-build the railway, but when ... ??  :-(

Dave Kennard

-- 
+-+ +-+ +- | | |  |  Regards,  Dave Kennard.
| | | | |  |/   \/  Dept. 92941, Northern Telecom Ltd, Oakleigh Road South,
|-+ | | |  |\   /  New Southgate, LONDON. N11 1HB, England, UK, (etc..)
| \ +-+ +- | | /  Voice (+44) 01-945-2195 <rocky@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com>
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: LChishol@massey.ac.nz (Len Chisholm)
Subject: Request for info - action Brisbane-Rockhampton mid-February
Followup-To: rec.railroad
Summary: Visiting area Feb 9-12 approx - what unit trains , museums,excurs ...
Keywords: Brisbane Rockhampton Gladstone Australia excursions
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2c
Distribution: aus
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 93 04:59:08 GMT

Hi there.

I am a New Zealand railway enthusiast intending to be in the
Brisbane-Rockhampton area around February 9-12.

I believe that there is export ore ( or something ) being shipped
from Gladstone - is this the case ?
How frequent are the trains and what times are they likely to be
at Gladstone and Rockhampton ?

Are there any excursions or special events running near that time ?
What museums/preserved railways/etc are likely to be operating ?

Please Email me if you can help with any of the above questions.

Thanks in anticipation,


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
|  LEN CHISHOLM , Systems programmer  | EMail: L.Chisholm@massey.ac.nz  |
| Department of Production Technology | Phone: +64 6 3505262            |
|         Massey University           | FAX:   +64 6 3505604            |
|   Palmerston North, New Zealand     |                                 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.railroad,uk.misc,uk.transport
From: hawesgb@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Steam trip
Date: 24 Jan 93 19:39:29 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: Univ. of Cincinnati

Early notice !!!!!!
Overnight steam trip from Cincinnati OH. to Knoxville Tn.
Date July 10 and 11.
Price TBA.
I will post all details when they are finalized, just wetting your appetite for
now.
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: ajw@squid.mel.dit.CSIRO.AU (Andrew Waugh)
Subject: Re: Steam Heat on Steam Locomotives
Organization: CSIRO, Division of Information Technology, Melbourne
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 21:48:53 GMT

In article <1jlatmINN8is@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> elw4@po.CWRU.Edu (Evan L. Werkema) writes:
>Did steam for passenger trains using steam engines come directly
>from the engine boiler? I'd imagine the steam pressure would be too
>high for the steam lines to accept; did they lower the pressure
>somehow? And is the "steam for heat" line externally visible on the
>boilers of passenger engines, or was it internalized somehow?

If you ever have a chance, buy "The American Railroad Passenger
Car". This book has a superb discussion of the technology of passenger
car equipment including heating.

Basically, the answers to your questions are i) Yes, the steam did
come from the locomotive boiler, though not always directly; ii) Yes,
generally the steam pressure in the passenger area was very low; and
iii) I would guess that the steam heat connection came off the
auxiliary steam manifold which was usually located on the top of
the firebox. Steam heat connections were provided on the pilots.

The answer to ii) begs a large number of questions. I do remember
that a large number of techiques were tried over the years. Often,
the actual heaters were water radiators. Each car had a self
contained water circuit with a water heater which used the steam to
heat the water. This technique had two advantages. It could be
retrofitted to the older stove heater systems. It kept the steam right
away from passengers.

andrew waugh
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: dewi@bnr.ca (Dewi Williams)
Subject: 7-day Underground passes
Originator: dewi@bcrks78
Reply-To: dewi@bnr.ca (Dewi Williams)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ltd
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 13:16:30 GMT


I'd appreciate it if some Londoner could inform me how much it costs
to get a 7-day pass for the Undergound/tube.

Questions:
  - How much (pounds)
  - what area does it cover
  - Can it start on any day or must it be e.g. Sunday-to-Sunday
  - Any restrictions e.g. cannot use during rush hours

Thanks . . . Dewi
dewi@bnr.ca
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org
Subject: Re: passenger service in binghamton?
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 13:58:39 GMT

In article <1993Jan27.104141.2100@walter.cray.com>
rl@ferris.cray.com (Randy Lambertus) writes:
 
>  What is exactly is the current state of the roadbed from Lake Hopatcong
>to Scranton? I know that from Hopatcong west the rails are torn up, but
>how far does that extend? When I was at Steamtown in 1991, the rails
>west of Scranton seemed to be in use by someone, maybe the DO system?
>Anyway the rails were still single tracked across the viaduct at
>Nicholson, PA. What was the reason behind removing the section in Jersey?
>Political or economic? Some time ago there were rumblings about retracking
>this section and restoring some sort of service. Steve, any new word?
>
>
>Randy Lambertus               Cray Research, Region 4            rl@uk.cray.com
My understanding of the situation is as follows.  The trackage in NJ was
torn up, and I suspect as you do, that the reasons were as much political
as economic.  Makes it that much harder for any one to force the return
of service.  In PA, I believe the right of way is owned by the Counties
through which it passes.  I don't know about the portion through the
Delaware Water Gap, but Wayne(?) County owns Stroudsburg west to somewheres
around Mount Pocono, and from there to Scranton it is owned by either the
County, the State or the National Park or some combination thereof.
Steamtown is supposedly repairing the track between Scranton and Mount
Pocono with the intention of operating its trains there this summer.  I
believe that a short line allied with the Lackawanna Valley is running
freight service at least as far as the Tobyhanna Army Depot.  There is
talk from time to time about restoration of service all the way from
Scranton to Stroudsburg, and I believe the rail is still all in place there.
There has also been talk of restoration of service from Stroudsburg east,
but at least in NJ as we all know the rail is gone.  I believe though  that
the right of way is intact and owned by the Counties through which it
passes or some other public agency.  This incomplete information will
have to suffice until somebody posts more complete and accurate data.
 
 
Len Bachelder        Archives Committee, Boston and Maine RR Historical Society
MITRE Corp.           Secretary, Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts
Bedford MA 01730      Member, 470 Railroad Club
<M00209@mbvm.mitre.org>
 
"Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, should'st die for me!"
                                                 - Charles Wesley
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: ggg9y@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Garth G. Groff)
Subject: Re: (no subject given)
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 15:54:37 GMT

USED RDC CARS

The Hobo Railroad and its affiliates in New Hampshire
have a small fleet of RDC cars (about 12 if I remember
correctly) from Boston (MTBA?).  According to a fellow
I spoke with this summer when I visited the line, the
MTBA tried to sell them for scrap, but the junkman 
demanded $20,000 each to haul them away because of the
asbestos lagging around the engines.  Apparently much
of the fleet is still "stored" near Boston awaiting a
sale.  Prices unknown, but you might write MTBA.

Hobo RR's cars are all used as trailers.  Although the
engines in most still run well, they were run by the 
MTBA as trailers and didn't have proper lubrication in
their transmissions.  Now all but one have stripped
gears and other damage that makes repair improbable.
Further, the Hobo RR fellow said they cannot get parts
to fix them (and you can bet that they got the best
cars left).  [Maybe the Canadian National has parts;
I have heard that they have just retired all their cars].

~S
--
Garth (Haridas) Groff
"Not yet famous author"
ggg9y@poe.acc.virginia.EDU         Chant "Govinda Bohlo Hare"
From: AFECU@CUNYVM.BITNET (Aron Eisenpress)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: NEC
Date: 27 Jan 93 20:26:58 GMT
 <16B5CF000.M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org><3213@tymix.Tymnet.COM> 
 <3226@tymix.Tymnet.COM> <3229@tymix.Tymnet.COM><38731@cbmvax.commodore.com> <3213@tymix.Tymnet.COM><38761@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

In article <38761@cbmvax.commodore.com>, grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George
Robbins) says:
>
>What is the burned out elevated station (kind of on a bridge where
>one line passes over the other) between Overbrook and 30'th street?

An old map (it's on the back of a neat book called "Man-Made Philadelphia")
shows a station a 52nd Street, where the Cynwyd (Manayunk) line branches off.
Dunno when it was last used, but the book dates from 1972.


In article <3229@tymix.Tymnet.COM>, romeo@niagara.Tymnet.COM (Michael Stimac)
says:
>
>       [...]           There is the Schuylkill branch which takes
>off from the Main Line at 52nd Street (not exactly Zoo, but only
>3.9 miles from Suburban Station).
>
>This line is (was?) electrifed as far as Norristown, going through such
>towns as Bala, Cynwyd, Manayunk, Conshohocken, and Ivy Rock. Beyond
>Norristown the line continues to a junction with the Lehigh Valley
>at Laurel Junction passing such towns as Phoenixville, Pottstown,
>Birdsboro, Shoemakersville, Pottsville, and New Boston.

The branch through Bala only runs as far as Cynwyd, and only weekdays
(6 trains each way).  My understanding is that the bridge over the
Schuylkill isn't in good enough shape any more.

Manayunk and on has service from the ex-Reading side, through Market
East, North Broad, etc.  (The Bala branch is ex-Pennsy -- did that
ever run thorugh on the Reading trackage?)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: ggg9y@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Garth G. Groff)
Subject: Re: Hey.  The Frisco is more than an afterthought.
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 13:09:30 GMT


FRISCO

This important railroad is hardly an afterthought.  I 
mentioned it last because the context of the argument
was the original components of the BN merger.  The
Frisco was added much later.  I have no intention of 
slighting your favorite railroad, or anyone else's!

~S
--
Garth (Haridas) Groff
"Not yet famous author"
ggg9y@poe.acc.virginia.EDU         Chant "Govinda Bohlo Hare"