HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org
Subject: Re: Most spectacular passenger routes
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 14:40:46 GMT

In article <sam.1ajy@terapin.com>
sam@terapin.com (Sam Lewit) writes, in part:
 
>
>We've seen the thread on the 10 top western RR shrines, how about this one...
>The most spectacular PASSENGER rail routes in the world.
>
>...
>
>In the US (hey Europe's got some great railways!) I would have to go for the
>Zephyr through Colorado and the Empire Builder through Washington, Idaho and
>western Montana. The Durango & Silverton was great too (even though I was only
>able to do the half-way trip).
 
I've not yet travelled outside the U.S. and Canada, but I can't resist putting
in my .02 worth.
 
I'll second your nomination on the "Zephyr" route through Colorado, and
nominate three others, in decreasing order of "spectacular-ness":
 
       -  The British Columbia Railway, from North Vancouver at least to
               Lillooet and perhaps Quesnel.
 
       -  The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway, in my opinion better than
               the D&SNG.
 
       -  The "Agawa Canyon Tour" on the Algoma Central line north from
               Sault Sainte Marie.
 
You could add the CPR route through the Rockies (Vancouver - Banff) on the
Great Canadian Railtours train, but I don't want to get into an argument over
whether or not that qualifies as "regular passenger service".  I have yet to
ride the present "Canadian" route through Jasper and the "Skeena", so can't
comment on them.  (That's next summer's vacation!)
 
Other great scenic rides that you can still take by regularly scheduled
passenger train, though I wouldn't think they'd qualify to be among the top
ten in the world, would be:
 
       - The "Chaleur" to Gaspe.
 
       - The local overnight from Montreal to Senneterre, which passes through
               a couple of hundred miles of very scenic roadless country across
               the north of Quebec.
 
       - Either the "Pioneer" or the "Empire Builder" through the Columbia
               River Gorge.
 
       - The "Empire Builder" through the Glacier Park area.
 
       - The "Coast Starlight" between San Jose and Los Angeles.
 
       - The "Cardinal" through New River Gorge.
 
       - The "Adirondack" along Lake Champlain.
 
 
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: Mark Klayum
Subject: Last chance for EMD E9's
Keywords: EMD
Reply-To: klayum@adcalc.fnal.gov
Organization: Fermilab
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 15:53:21 GMT

Here is your last chance to see E9's in service on the Burlington Northern.

From Chicago Tribune, Sunday August 23, 1992.


All aboard for the final ride on EMD diesel locomotives

Three of what are considered to be the finest diesel passenger locomotives ever
built, EMD (Electro Motor Division of General Motors) E 9 AMs, will team up to
make their historic final run on the Burlington Northern line next Sunday,
August 30.
The diesels, which were built between 1949 and 1958 in La Grange, will be
hauling eight passenger cars and up to 960 passengers. The train will make two
round trips between Aurora and Chicago's Union Station, with intermediate stops
at Naperville and La Grange. Passengers may join at any stop along the way and
enjoy a complete round trip excursion.

The first trip leaves Metra's Aurora station at 8:45 a.m. and after stopping in
Naperville (9 a.m.) and La Grange (9:20 a m.) will arrive at Union Station at
9:45 a.m. It will then make a nonstop trip, leaving Union Station at 10:30
a.m., arriving in Aurora

The second round-trip excursion leaves Aurora at 1.10 p.m. arriving non-stop at
Union Station at 2:20 p.m. The return trip leaves Union Station at 2:45 p.m.,
stops at La Grange (3:00 p m ) and Naperville (3:25 p.m.) and arrives in Aurora
at 3:45

An all-volunteer crew will be at work aboard the train offering light food
service and souvenirs.

The adult fare is $20 and allows one to ride all day, getting off and on at any
point. One free children's ticket (ages 4 to 12) is included with each adult
ticket purchased and additional children's tickets are $5 each. Tickets will b
available at each stop, or write to Chicago Chapter NRHS, Post Office Box 53
Oak Park, 60303. To order tickets by phone, call 312-342-4244.


- Mark Klayum
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
From: Steve_Hooper@mindlink.bc.ca (Steve Hooper)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: rail grinder in ames
Date: 3 Sep 92 09:46:29 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

> Gregory D Westwater writes:
> 
> Re: Rail Grinders
> 
> If you go to see it be sure to take a camera.  I hear that they are
> particularly awesome to see working.
> 


They are great to watch from a distance....they are disgustingly filthy to work
ON.  They noise and dirt they throw up is horrible.

Note that from what I have understood, the old Speno Rail Grinders have now
been taken over by Pandrol Jackson, based out of New York (although PJ is a
European company)


--

 steve_hooper@mindlink.bc.ca   []  Conductor on the High Iron of
 OR      a777@mindlink.bc.ca   []     CP Rail - Cascade Sub
 The Great White North in      []
 Vancouver, BC CANADA          []   Opinions are mine, NOT CP's
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: jsm@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (John Scott McCauley Jr.)
Subject: Cranbury, NJ branch of NEC
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 23:32:06 GMT

There seems to be a single-track branch of the NEC heading SE from
New Brunswick NJ to Cranbury Station. It still has catenary, so I'd
guess it was used recently for passenger service.

Anyone have further details? If it wasn't used for passenger sevice,
why does it still have catenary? Most of the other lines around here 
with catenary support passenger traffic. If the line only is for freight,
they take it down really quickly!

	Thanks,

		Scott
From: drw@esl.com (Dave Waters)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Portola Backroads in November?
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:16:03 GMT
Followup-To: rec.railroad
Distribution: usa
Organization: ESL Inc.

In article <1992Aug31.223716.20729@uwm.edu>, dave@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Dave
Rasmussen) wrote: 
> 
> My question here though pertains to rail fanning in the backroads
> around Portola.....

That's a pretty ambitious trip - these roads are slower than they look on
the map. If there's snow, 50 will be clogged with skiers. Both of the Tahoe
highways
are windey and twistey, especially 89 around the west side. Both are
all-weather
roads, so not a problem if the weather is bad. As far as getting to Portola
on 89 north from Truckee (don't forget the SP there) I recommend following
89 to the little berg of Sattley and go due north on county road A23. It
runs
into 70 (Feather River Highway) about 2 miles east of Portola. 70 is a
great, but long trip back to Sacramento. If you have a scanner: UP:
160.515, 160.74 and SP: 160.32 and 161.55
> 
> Is Portola's museum still open then? Are there any other excursions or
> anything out that way the first weekend of November?

I'd suggest you call the museum and see if anyone will be there, or will be
willing to come over. It's area code 916, the phone number escapes me at
the moment. You never know, they might fire something up for you. Usually
someone's around so you can at least tour the place. Unfortunately, much of
the tourist activities are closed up by November, but railfanning is still
going strong!

Dave Waters

drw@esl.com

Opinions expressed are almost never that of, or agreed with by my employer.
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: mboucher@cortex.prospect.com (Mike Boucher)
Subject: Re: TRIP REPORT NEW HAMPSHIRE
Organization: Cortex Corporation, Waltham, MA, USA
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 20:50:56 GMT
X-Posted-From: cortex.prospect.com
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In Message-ID: <1992Aug25.175058.21675@ryn.mro4.dec.com>, Michael Greene
writes:

>|>|> so I missed it.  An ex-BM 4-6-0 was under restoration and
>|>|> a 2-6-2 (ex-Reader I think) was not being used.  The train
>|>
>|>Do you recall any of the engine numbers of these steam engines?  What
>|>does "BM" stand for?  Here is what my list shows:
>|>
>|>47op            0-6-0   CN      Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway, NH
>|>7470op          0-6-0   CN      Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway, NH
>|>108             2-6-2           Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway, NH
>|>501             2-8-0   MEC     Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway, NH
>|>
>
>BM is a reference to B&M Boston & Maine
>A number of the items at North Conway Scenic RR are owned by 
>The 470 Club as I recall.

The 501 is owned by the 470 RR Club, and last I heard was undergoing
restoration.  This is probably the engine mentioned in the original post.  The
only B&M engines I know of are 1455 at Edaville, and 3713 at Steamtown.

BTW: 47 and 7470 are the same engine.  The CN number plate, 7470, is still on
the front, but North Conway numbered it 47.  Anyone know why?

Mike
-- 
Mike Boucher			mboucher@cortex.prospect.com
Cortex Corp			"Don't take life too seriously, you'll never
Waltham, MA, USA		 get out of it alive!"
From: jr@ksr.com (John Robinson)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Santa Fe Steam Special
Date: 26 Aug 92 19:40:53 EDT
	<1992Aug22.034647.3615@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>
Organization: Kendall Square Research, Waltham, MA
In-reply-to: elw4@po.CWRU.Edu's message of 21 Aug 92 23:46:47 EDT

The latest Trains (October?) has the schedules.
--
/jr, aka John Robinson                       Place stamps here
internet: jr@ksr.com                    Post Office will not deliver
uucp: {world,harvard,uunet}!ksr!jr      mail without correct postage
From: ken@aiai.ed.ac.uk (Ken Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Most spectacular passenger routes
Date: 1 Sep 92 14:17:31 GMT
Followup-To: rec.railroad
Organization: Bugs-R-Us


In article <1992Sep1.133907@axion.bt.co.uk> djenkins@axion.bt.co.uk
(David Jenkins) writes:

#  Although it isn't a regular public service (i.e.  get you from A to B
#  with minimum fuss) the Snowdonia Mountain Railway is worth a trip,
#  unless you don't like heights... 


Don't forget to travel from Llandudno to Porthmagog.  BR from Llandudno
to Blaenau Ffestiniog, and The Ffestiniog Railway from Blaenau
Ffestiniog to Porthmagog.  You can make the return trip in a day in
either direction.  The countryside is spectacular (although the Snowdon
Railway has a special claim in that regard!) and you get to travel
behind a steam locomotive on the narrow gauge section. 

-- Ken Johnson


-- 
//// Advice to dieters:         ////  Ken Johnson, A I Applications Institute
////   Never eat more than      ////       80 South Bridge, EDINBURGH EH1 1HN
////   you can carry.           ////                 E-mail ken@aiai.ed.ac.uk
////              -- Miss Piggy ////     phone 031-650 2756  fax 031-650 6513
Newsgroups: rec.railroad,ba.transportation
From: pierson@empror.enet.dec.com (dave pierson)
Subject: TGV Progress (was Re: Cost of transit systems vs highways)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Distribution: ba
Date:  2 SEP 92 20:38:41    

In article <1992Aug28.204608.24006@ntmtv>, adrian@ntmtv.UUCP (Adrian Brandt)
writes, in part:

>In article <o8g8PB1w165w@Garg.Campbell.CA.US>, Zio zZz
><zio@Garg.Campbell.CA.US> writes:

>|> Well, only one minor quibble...when the train goes into the transbay tube 
>|> I get a bit stressed...from my ears responding to the air pressure.  I 
>|> sure wish there was a way to avoid that.  It's an extremely minor 
>|> quibble, sure, but one that I'd love to fix!

>Not cheap or easy to fix.  The new German Federal Railways ICE (Inter City
>Express) high speed trainsets feature pressurized cabins.  This was all to
>prevent passengers' ears from "popping" when entering tunnels and when an
>opposing train passes.  The problem gets worse the faster you're going... (but
>the French don't pressurize the TGVs and they go even faster than the much
>newer German ICEs! 

	As I recall a recent RGI article, the TGV's built fresh for
	international service, based on the "reseau" sets, will be pressure
	sealed.  Dunno about the Chunnel sets.

thanks
dave pierson			|the facts, as accurately as i can manage,
Digital Equipment Corporation	|the opinions, my own.
146 Main St			|I am the NRA.
Maynard, Mass	
01754				pierson@majsty.enet.dec.com
"He has read everything, and, to his credit, written nothing."  A J Raffles
From: dfl@panix.com (Danny O'Bedlam)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Channel Tunnel status?
Keywords: channel tunnel chunnel
Date: 23 Aug 92 19:34:07 GMT
Organization: Panix, (New Yawk City)

In <1992Aug23.023033.28441@ecsvax.uncecs.edu> ehr@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Ernest H. Robl) writes:
>I haven't seen or heard anything on the status of the Channel Tunnel
>lately and wouldn't mind getting some updated information on the
>tunnel itself and related work in England and France.  What's the
>latest projected date for the formal opening?  Have any plans for
>opening ceremonies been announced yet?
>So, those of you in Europe, what's the latest word?  Thanks.
>-- Ernest

	There hasnt been a LOT about the CHUNNEL because the tunnels
themselves are completed.  Currently (aside from the continuous
financing crises that EUROTUNNEL keeps finding themselves in AND 
the continuous contract & threats of lawsuit they keep finding 
themselves in with TML (the tunnel's BUILDER), the Chunnel is 
being outfitted with equipment... hardware.  Right of way is
being laid on both sides, as well as terminals.  There was an
update  in the most recent issue of IRJ (august) with some
good photographs.  I understand that some of the specially-built
rolling stock for the Chunnel will not be delivered on time, but
when the Chunnel opens freight traffic will be going through.

	Last I heard (and our net.friends on the other side can
correct me if this has changed) the opening date had been pushed
back to October 1993.

	Oh yeah, there is a couple pieces bout all this (from the
British rail side) in this weeks ECONOMIST - re routes to London.

-- 
***********************************************************************
* Danny O'Bedlam  = dfl@panix.com = cmcl2!panix!dfl = Danny Lieberman *
* PO Box 3131 Church St Station, New Yawk, New Yawk, 10008-3131 (usa) *
***********************************************************************
From: R.Todd.Minsk@dartmouth.edu (R. Todd Minsk)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Oroville Dam Railroad
Date: 26 Aug 92 19:15:38 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

I was curious if anyone has any information regarding the Oroville Dam
Railroad.

Thanks,

John

An article on the Oro Dam Railroad appears in Trains magazine, January
1966, p.20.

Todd Minsk, ferro-bibliographer
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: ajw@squid.mel.dit.CSIRO.AU (Andrew Waugh)
Subject: Re: Semaphore Signals
Organization: CSIRO, Division of Information Technology, Melbourne
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 92 04:15:49 GMT

In article <122200144@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> wbrill@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Warren Brill) writes:
>In rec.railroad, preiser@cancer.unm.edu (Doug Preiser) writes:
>> AT&SF has semaphores between Albuquerque and Raton.
>I drove out I-40 parallel to this route last summer, and noticed that the 
>semaphores all seemed to be pointing "up", while I didn't see a train for at
>least 150 miles one day. Does this mean that the "default" position
>when a train isn't in the block in question is "go"? It seems to me that most
>target signal systems display red over red as a default (unless they're
>only energized when a train is in either of the contiguous blocks or that
>block itself, such as Union Pacific does) unless there's a reason to display
>a green, such as a train entering the block.

Generally, automatic signals are "normally clear". That is, signals that are
only operated by the occupancy of track circuits by the train are usually
at 'clear', or as you put it 'pointing up', and only go to danger behind
a train. When the train has moved off the controlling track circuits, the
signal will clear again.

It is possible to have automatic signals at "normally danger". The
advantage of a "normally danger" system is that the arm is at clear for
fairly short periods of time. This reduces the chance of water running
down the semaphore blade and freezing in the bearing, making the signal
stick at clear. This is not very likely, however, and a disadvantage is
the additional relays (and trackside wires) needed to detect the approach
of a train and allow the signal to drive to clear.

Absolute stop signals controlled by a signalman (leverman or CTC operator)
are known as Home signals. These are normally at danger (stop) unless the
signalman explicitly clears them. This ensures that trains only move when
(and where) the signalman wants them to. Usually such signals are "stick"
signals, where even if the signalman leaves the controlling lever reverse,
the signal will not clear a second time behind the train, until the
signalman restores the controlling lever to normal and then reverses it
a second time. To complicate matters, it is often possible to "switch out"
this stick facility and allow the home signal to operate automatically. This
is usually where a connection is only infrequently used and means that the
signalman only has to work the home when the connection is actually being
used.

This is just a summary, of course. Things can get even more complicated,
particularly where you start to take account of national variations!

andrew waugh
From: vaughnw@asia.fai.com (Vaughn Wolffe)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Cost of transit systems vs highways
Date: 28 Aug 92 14:21:30 GMT



>From: lip@s1.gov (Loren I. Petrich)
>	And it works -- only half of the San Francisco -- East Bay
>commute traffic goes by the Bay Bridge. The other half goes by BART,
>which travels in a tunnel beneath the Bay. Guess who has the more

According to Greg Bayol(sp?) Caltrans district 4 in charge of the
Bay Bridge, it carries over 250,000 vehicles a day at an average 
occupancy of 1.13 per vehicle. Considerably less than half use
BART.


According to BART's ridership reports it carried 120,352 riders
in June( highest in last 3 months) in transbay service per day.
BART transbay travel has dropped 2.6% from June 1991. 

It is not working. Highway expansion along the BART corridors
continues.


>	The only criticism I consider really serious of BART I have
>seen is its cost, but I think it is difficult to avoid that for a
>system with its performance. If there is any good reason to think
>otherwise, then give reasons, rather than flames.


Using published facts instead of your personal unfounded conjecture,
it lacks the speed and seating capacity to lure people out of their
cars in sufficient numbers so as to prevent congestion or highway
expansion. In fact(as opposed to conjecture and fantasy) ridership
is decreasing in real numbers and in percentage of total travel
for the Bay Area. Your failure(refusal) to consult establish sources
negates any claim to reason.




	>And how much is a CalTrain tunnel to the Transbay Terminal
>expected to cost? At least $600 million, and probably $1 billion. And
>this for only 1 mile of tunnel.

That is less than a tunnel under San Jose, which you seem to support.



   Vaughn Wolffe        vaughnw@hadar.fai.com


Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: CZ94000 <CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA>
Subject: RE: Vancouver to Seattle by Amtrak
Organization: McGill University
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 14:37:57 GMT

In article <1992Sep2.204437.15758@unixg.ubc.ca> banarji@unixg.ubc.ca (Ajai Banarji) writes:
>  Vancouver-Seattle by Amtrak
>
> So it appears that this is another new Amtrak service which we may
>in a year or so. I know that Amtrak used to run on this route in the 1970s.
>Does anyone have a timetable of this route? Just curious to know the stops.
>I suppose Bellingham would be one.
> We can expect a lot of Vancouverites going cross-border shopping
>on this train.

From the Summer 1981 VIA timetable (which also lists Amtrak routes
into Canada):

0700        Vancouver              2344
0724        New Westminster        2313
0800 (arr)  Blaine                 2212 (dep)
0818 (dep)                         2210 (arr)
0845        Bellingham             2145
0926        Mt. Vernon-Burlington  2105
1020        Everett                2011
1045        Edmonds                1947
1130        Seattle                1915

Tom Box
CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA
From: dfl@panix.com (Danny O'Bedlam)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Bay Ridge Line and possibly other NYC lines.
Date: 25 Aug 92 21:42:50 GMT
Organization: Panix, (New Yawk City)

thanks again, Joe, for the capsule history of surface rail in Brooklyn,
bay ridge and the SBK.  TA takes delivery of new cars via 36th st, which
is not in good shape, I checked the other day, more likely, they use the
Harlem River at 207th St main shops.  There is also a connection to some
old right of way in the Bronx I believe that may connect to MKs factory.
I remember travelling up MNCR a couple years back and seeing brand new
"D" R68 units with a strange terminal listed on the roll signs, that led
me to that conclusion...

back in Brooklyn, McDonald Ave has been for a couple years now, partially
paved over.  I believe for most of the elevated, the old tracks remain,
either just on the surface or partially buried.  in some spots they have
been removed.

I would recommend connecting the Bay Ridge line with the 4th avenue subway,
permitting service from A) 95th/4th to Canarsie, B) Park Slope & Downtown
Brooklyn (trains leaving Pacific St) to Canarsie/East New York, C) Fresh
Pond to Flatbush Junction (1 block south of the 2 terminal) a/k/a 
Brooklyn College area.  I would also applaud passenger rail use of the
NY Connecting RR, and would insist on a connection to a revitalized
(and electrified, natch) Montauk Branch - LIRR, that would head for the,
yes, you guessed it - 63rd st tunnel!


-- 
***********************************************************************
* Danny O'Bedlam  = dfl@panix.com = cmcl2!panix!dfl = Danny Lieberman *
* PO Box 3131 Church St Station, New Yawk, New Yawk, 10008-3131 (usa) *
***********************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.railroad