HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: terryfry@access.digex.com (Terry Fry)
Subject: Re: Diesel vs. Electric Locomotive Maintenance
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 17:32:58 GMT

In article <35752@cbmvax.commodore.com> grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:
>In article <BvsIDw.KGM@access.digex.com> terryfry@access.digex.com (Terry Fry) writes:

>They were straight AC "wired" as you put it.  Conversion to 60 Hz would
>have required replacing the main transformer and related components with
>60 Hz rated gear and inserting rectifiers in the traction motor circuits,
>since the interpole "DC" motors that work effectively on 25Hz AC can't
>be made to work well at 60 Hz.  Obviously, this amount of re-engineering
>on "worn out" 40-50 year old equipment wasn't attractive, assuming that
>space and other constraints would have allowed - any electric locomotive
>more complicated that the 600 volt "trolley" motors are typically packed
>full already.
>

Those engines ran "before" my time, I was in high-school during the last 
years of operation... and not anywhere near Potomac Yard to see any operations.

I once mentioned the GG1 in the same breath as rectifier, and did I recieve
mail on that one.  Some of the more detailed messages I have since forgotten
but the general difference still sits in my mind.  I often wondered
that some of the GG1's logevity must reside in the simplicity of design
they had.

It was a moot point, the other poster was also correct, main chassis
deterioration was to the point of no return, and after 40-50 years of
running, I think that they made their money's worth.
From: gurd@next04wor.wam.umd.edu (Daffy Duck)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: St. Louis METRO LINK update
Date: 13 Oct 92 22:29:08 GMT
Reply-To: gurd@wam.umd.edu

The following article appeared in the October 5, 1992 Passenger Transport.
Copyright 1992, American Public Transit Association.

St. Louis Marks Rail Progress

   ST. LOUIS, MO. -- The Metro Link light rail line has achieved an  
important benchmark -- the 75% percent completion point in construction.   
The Bi-State Development Agency is set to begin passenger service on the  
18-mile line in July 1993.
   "Construction of the region's new light rail line is progressing  
rapidly," said Bi-State Executive Director John K. Leary Jr. "Complemented  
by an integrated bus network, Metro Link will improve regional mobility  
and the resulting Metro System will significantly improve public  
transportation options."
   Key construction milestones include:
   - completion of rail bridges over Interstate 170 and I-70 near Lambert  
Airport;
   - completion of preparation for concrete deck for the Laclede Landing  
Station;
   - completion of the structural foundations for passenger stations at  
the Kiehl and Delmar/Wabash sites.  Station canopies are in the process of  
being installed;
   - completion of preliminary shoring needed to begin replacement of the  
Broadway and Washington Tunnel ( a single-cell concrete box structure will  
replace the collapsed portion of the double-arched tunnel structures.);
   - completion of station structures at 6th. and Washington and start of  
placement of precast concrete roof structures; and
   - completion of 70 percent of tunnel concrete floor slabs.
   A contract has been awarded for two park-and-ride lots, and  
construction is underway on a third.
   Bi-State has recently received its second Metro Link light rail vehicle  
from Siemens-Duewag Corporation.  Each of the agency's 31 light rail  
vehicles will undergo acceptance tests upon arrival.
   "We're extremely pleased with the progress of construction," said  
Leary.  "With access ramps, sidewalks, and station canopies being  
installed on passenger platforms, our light rail system is swiftly  
becoming a reality.  It's an exciting time for Bi-State employees and the  
people of the St. Louis metropolitan area."
From: chrisw@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Chris Wiles)
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 15:45:30 GMT
Subject: Billy jones goes desiel
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA
Newsgroups: rec.railroad



	I was reading in the paper the other day about the Billy
Jones Wildcat railroad and how they just purchased a desiel locomotive
to supplement the steam locomotive they currently have. Anyone else
have details on the desiel, ie specs?

		chris wiles
From: lip@s1.gov (Loren I. Petrich)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Metrolink (LA) information
Date: 16 Oct 92 14:44:22 GMT
Organization: LLNL

In article <1bls7lINNj9i@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ba903@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Charles P. Hobbs) writes:

	[Detailed schedule info deleted...]

	I estimated the travel times from the schedules, and I find:

San Bernadino:
	LA <-> Pomona:
		54 min.

Santa Clarita:
	LA <-> Santa Clarita:
		1 hr 7 min.

Ventura County:
	LA <-> Moorpark:
		1 hr 24 min.


	This seems a bit slow, I must say.
From: jordan@IMSI.COM (Jordan Hayes)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: SP Coast Line (San Jose-LA) may be sold
Date: 9 Oct 92 15:10:36 GMT
Organization: Investment Management Services Inc., NYC

Loren I. Petrich <lip@s1.gov> writes:

	: 	Planes serve only those individuals whose journeys both start
	: 	and stop in big cities.

	: You must be kidding.  California has one of the most
	: extensive intrastate air transport networks in the country.

	I presume your point is: what's the need of trains when one can
	have airplanes?

No sir.  My point is that flying serves more than "only those
individuals whose journeys both start and stop in big cities" ... I
guess that's why I formatted my reply in that way.

/jordan
From: santafe@watnxt08.ucr.edu (michael a parisi)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: More on Metrolink (L.A.)
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:03:30 GMT





rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) writes:
>
>To me the price seems quite competetive, considering that the service
>should be somewhat more frequent than Amtrak service.

The fares between Metrolink commuter trains and Amtrak intercity trains
are not meant to be competitive.  Amtrak does not compete on routes with
commuter trains. (Note the footnotes in the Northeast Timetables at 
stations such as Stamford, New Haven, Poughkeepsie, etc.).  

As far as the current Amtrak fares go, in this particular case (in the
L.A. area) they are priced as such (usually) to discourage local ridership.
The Amtrak trains that serve Pomona are the Sunset Limited and Southwest
Chief and the latter plus the Desert Wind serve San Bernadino.  These
are long-distance trains and are not meant (although they can) to serve
passengers within a metropolitan area.  Usually, these stops are meant
to serve people in the suburbs who are going on long-distance trips out
of their metro area and they are spared the trouble of having to go to
the nearest major terminal (LAUPT in this case) to board the train.

I would assume that as Metrolink develops and adds more frequencies,
passengers will no longer be able to travel on the long-distance
Amtrak trains within the L.A. area.  (Please don't apply this to the
San Diegans-they're a different story).

I have obtained the entire Metrolink fare structure chart and will post
it ASAP along with their initial timetable.
From: kat@werple.apana.org.au (Kathryn Andersen)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Railways in SF
Date: 12 Oct 92 23:53:50 GMT
Organization: werple public-access UNIX, Melbourne
NNTP-Posting-Host: werple.apana.org.au

clive@x.co.uk (Clive Feather) writes:

>In article <1992Oct7.020101.21144@cs.su.oz.au> matthew@cs.su.oz.au (Matthew Geier) writes:
>> The reason im looking for this book is that it appears to be the only case
>> where my interests in SF and railways meet in one book.

>Two very good short stories about railways in SF occur in the
>_Unorthodox_Engineers_ series, by Colin Kapp:
Ah, now *that* was a fun book!
I suppose it's out of print now, isn't it.  (whimper).

Kathryn Andersen
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Vila:  Blake would have been proud of you, you know.
Avon:  I know.  But then, he never was very bright.
				(Blake's 7: Traitor [D3])
-- 
 _--_|\		Kathryn Andersen	<kat@werple.apana.org.au>
/      \	Hawthorn -> Melbourne -> Victoria -> Australia
\_.--.*/	-> Southern Hemisphere -> Earth -> Sol -> Milky Way Galaxy
      v			-- My other account is an Apollo --
From: eaker@ukulele.crd.ge.com (Chuck Eaker)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Empire Builder Lost? (was: LIRR Joke)
Date: 15 Oct 92 20:59:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: crd.1992Oct15.205952.8495
Organization: GE Corporate R&D Center

In article <16187@mindlink.bc.ca>, Steve_Hooper@mindlink.bc.ca (Steve Hooper) writes:

|> In one case
|> I recall, the Southern Railway of B.C. (SRY) was on strike and management was
|> running the trains.  They had guys out there that had never been ON a train,
|> let alone switch cars.  The were running through switches, over running
|> authorities, and in one case, a guy almost lost his leg.  The union was about
|> to invoke unsafe work practices to the NTA when the strike was settled.

I had very different experiences when I worked as a brakeman
on the N&W summers while in college. There was a strike at a
lumber yard served by the railroad.  Whenever a local arrived
to switch the lumber yard, 5 managers would be waiting to take
over the train (Ohio had a full-crew law then), but they all
had operating experience. I actually think they all relished
the chance to operate again. The Road Foreman of Engines
usually served as the engineer and the Trainmaster and
assistant Trainmasters formed the ground crew.

When the regular crew stopped to do the switching, they would
leave the train and the managers would take over, do the
switching and leave. The regular crew continued the run. This
went on for several weeks.

-- 
Chuck Eaker / P.O. Box 8, K-1 3C12 / Schenectady, NY 12301 USA
eaker@crd.ge.com        eaker@crdgw1.UUCP       (518) 387-5964
From: ggg9y@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Garth G. Groff)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: More on Metrolink (L.A.)
Date: 15 Oct 92 12:10:50 GMT
Organization: University of Virginia

SAN BERDOO FARES

$16 might not seem so outrageous if you consider the
cost of gasoline, car amortisitation, parking, etc.
A few years ago I saw an article that said the real
cost of operating a car was about .50 per mile.  I
would not be surprised if it was more in California, 
especially Southern California, and it has certainly
increased with inflation.  I don't remember how far
San Berdoo or Pomona are from downtown LA, but the
cost of the train might compare favorably if anyone
should really want to go downtown, and if anyone 
would really want to commute that far (I know they do,
but it takes all kinds).

~S
--
Garth (Haridas) Groff
"Not yet famous author"
ggg9y@poe.acc.virginia.EDU         Chant "Govinda Bohlo Hare"
From: BRANDT_JOBST/HP1900_01@HPLOMG.HPL.HP.COM
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Swanton Pacific
Date: 15 Oct 92 01:11:10 GMT

I stumbled onto this event by coincidence as I rode my bicycle to
Santa Cruz last Sunday 11 Oct.  I was disappointed not to hear,
either before the fact, or a report afterwards, of the benefit
Bar-B-Q at the Swanton Pacific RR in Swanton just north of Davenport
(Santa Cruz Co).  The centerpiece of course was not present because
standard gauge tracks haven't graced this location in 70 years or so
but former SP 2472 was to be seen in photos, paintings, T-shirts and
models a-plenty.  Meanwhile at the new authentic Victorian style train
station steamers 1912 and 1913, perfect 19" gauge replicas of 2472,
a P10 pacific, showed their stuff as they rolled off under the two
immaculately maintained former SP semaphores, a double and single one.

Work is progressing northward across the creek and on to the north end
of the valley.  Having run on the previous two weekends, the rails
were showing their sheen.  It was a glorious warm day unlike most of
the weather so near the coast at this time of year.  The fog stayed off
shore.  In the roundhouse, engine 1914 is close to completion with its
pressure tests absolved waiting only for detail work and paint.  Unit
1915, alas, resides in Sacramento in the state railway museum for
lack of hardware to make it complete (but it looks good).

jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com
From: eoliver@laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au (Eddie Oliver)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Europe trip report and signals, part 2
Keywords: SJ, NSB, DSB, signals
Date: 16 Oct 92 00:28:23 GMT
Organization: Macquarie University, Australia.

In article <ns.719066492@csd> ns@csd.cri.dk (Nick Sandru) writes:
>I added to the SJ signal aspects described by jps@dworkin.wustl.edu
>(James Sterbenz) the approach aspects shown by dwarf signals. I have
>also made a correction: three green lights on a home signal mean
>'short block' and not 'slow'.
>
[various other cases also displayed]

So the more restrictive the indication, the more lights are required to
display it? Or putting it the other way round, fewer lights permit
higher speeds?

This seems strange (and possibly dangerous). Admittedly filament failures
can be electrically detected, so that if one of the lights doesn't work,
the whole signal can be set to a more restrictive indication. But what if
the line of vision to one of the lights is obstructed for some reason?

I have always believed that a principle of signalling should be that any
failure condition produces a MORE restrictive indication, but these aspects
seem to have the opposite characteristic.

Eddie Oliver
From: elw4@po.CWRU.Edu (Evan L. Werkema)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Unusual Conrail Cars
Date: 16 Oct 1992 12:29:34 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: elw4@po.CWRU.Edu (Evan L. Werkema)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc12.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, cab@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (carl.a.benevit) says:

>In article <1992Oct13.135053.5077@pellns.alleg.edu> pgifford@reis36.alleg.edu (Pete Gifford) writes:
>>      ____
>>     /    \
>>    |      |
>>    |______|       (Lousy picture)
>>     wheels
>>Any ideas what it might be or what it might be hauling?
>>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>>Pete Gifford
>
>Not so bad picture, really. My guess based on the picture, is a coil
>car. The cars carry coils of wire. The wire could be shipped in gondolas
>but it is exposed to the elements. These cars shield the wire.


  If it looked like a single heavy flat car with two bunkers on it, it's a coil
car.
         ,---------,,---------,
         I_________II_________I
        ~~o==o~~~~~~~~~~~~o==o~~

  That profile, though, is also reminiscent of a aircraft car, it which case
it would be one large shroud about the height of a Hi-Cube on a standard 
flatcar.  

         ___________________________
         I_________________________I
         I                         I
         I_________________________I
        ~~o==o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o==o~~

-- 
      ______.._,____,__._._     _.__.__,_.._,_..______      
   ___IooI==          ====I     I====  \====/   ==IooI___   __________________
 |_I__I__I____Santa Fe____I_| |_I___Evan Werkema__I__I__I_| Ielw4@po.cwru.edu 
~`-~O==O~============~O==O~-`~`-~O==O~=============~O==O~-`~~o==o~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: gurd@next04wor.wam.umd.edu (Daffy Duck)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: More on Metrolink (L.A.)
Date: 15 Oct 92 06:13:38 GMT
Reply-To: gurd@wam.umd.edu

michael a parisi writes
> 
> 
> The Metrolink phone number (1-800-371-LINK) is an automated system
> that allows the caller to keep pushing buttons in order to get the
> desired information.  I noted that a couple of the planned stations
> on the Pomona line won't be ready on opening day as well as the 
> San Fernando station on the Santa Clarita line.
> 
> Now to the fares....
> Expensive, expensive, expensive!!!!!!!
> One-way between Pomona and LAUPT is $5.50! ($10 return)
>     "      "    Moorpark and LA is $6.50.
> Pomona is still within L.A. County.  I can't wait to see the fares
> when the system reaches out to San Bernadino, Redlands, and Riverside.
> 
> I realize that there are discounted monthly passes available, but what
> about the occasional rider?  Is Metrolink only interested in attracting
> commuters?

With Metrolink's limited schedule of 4 round trips on two of the lines and  
only 3 round trips another, I don't think they will attract too many  
occasional riders.  Perhaps when they are operating an all-day schedule  
they will have more reasonable one-way/round trip fares.
From: M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Water scoops
Date: 16 Oct 92 19:01:52 GMT
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730

In article <1992Oct16.030619.9198@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
zephyr@cory.Berkeley.EDU (COIFMAN) writes:
 
>
> I recall reading about high speed steam engines on the east cost that
>would take on water via water scoops on the bottom of their tenders while
>on the fly, so to speek. This struck me as quite odd, but I soon forgot
>about it. Now all of this talk about GG1's has dredged it back up.
>
> I am currious about the mechanics involved with these water scoops. e.g.
>where was the the water held (between the rails or outside)? How long of
>a run did it talke to fill a tender or how much water could they take
>on? Were they successful? Was there a lot of dammage associated with
>their use? (ripping the scoop off and leaving abig hole in the bottom of
>the tender for example) Etc.
>
Someone will, I am sure, chime in with lots of details, but I'll start it off.
 
Many main lines (NYC, PRR and I think NH, etc., etc., etc.) had such an
arrangement.  Typically, the water was contained in a wooden (maybe sometimes
concrete) trough roughly centred between the rails.  It could be scooped up
on the fly, reliably even at high speeds, though if you were standing close
beside the rails you might get a shower.  How much, how fast?  I don't know.
Was there much damage?  I don't really know, but I doubt it, because they were
very common - essentially anyplace you wanted to be able to make a long high
speed run.  Which meant that they tended to be found on the biggest and busiest
railroads, where one would suspect they had better work!  Invitation to some
really knowledgeable person to comment.  . .
 
 
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: wcgo@nynexst.com (Bill Ortel)
Subject: Illinois Central records
Organization: NYNEX Science & Technology, Inc.
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 92 12:59:29 GMT

Does anyone know whether employment records of the Illinois Central
railroad are available for genealogical purposes?  I am interested
in obtaining information about my great grandfather, who would have
probably retired in about 1880, as a stationmaster in the Chicago area.
Thanks,
Bill Ortel
wcgo@nynexst.com
From: mangoe@cs.umd.edu (Charley Wingate)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Water scoops
Date: 17 Oct 92 02:36:27 GMT

Nobody thus far has mentioned the B&O, which had pans on its track north of
Balto. and on its route to NYC on CNJ and Reading track.  B&O never had a
problem with tender bursting, but they did have some sort of device to force
the scoop up to prevent end-of-pan accidents.
-- 
C. Wingate        + "The peace of God, it is no peace,
                  +    but strife closed in the sod.
mangoe@cs.umd.edu +  Yet, brothers, pray for but one thing:
tove!mangoe       +    the marv'lous peace of God."
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: terryfry@access.digex.com (Terry Fry)
Subject: Re: Diesel vs. Electric Locomotive Maintenance
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 06:37:05 GMT

In article <26692@dog.ee.lbl.gov> wbrown@bevsun.bev.lbl.gov (Bill Brown) writes:
>In article <1992Oct7.181819.14844@Princeton.EDU> jsm@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (John Scott McCauley Jr.) writes:
>	(stuff deleted)
>>3) The GG1 lasted decades and probably would still be used someplace
>>   today if it weren't for the PCB problem in the transformers.
>	(more stuff deleted)
>
>I seem to recall reading that the cast steel underframes were failing
>due to metal fatigue.  Many had been repaired by welding, but that sort
>of thing has its limits.

I think also that there was a big push to move to 60hz power, removing
the expensive converters required on the line.  The GG1's
were not rectifiers, I am assuming they were AC wired?

Newsgroups: rec.railroad
From: andradee@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Re: Does anyone know the status of Amtraks swedish car trials?
Organization: University of Lowell
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 15:19:35 GMT

In article <1992Oct13.033828.17595@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>, ehr@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Ernest H. Robl) writes:
> In article <wesley.718924694@darth>, wesley@pws.ma30.bull.com (Wesley Dunnington) writes:
>> I remember reading several months ago that amtrack would be testing a
>> tilting passenger car made in Sweden for possible use on the Boston-nyc-etc
>> run. Has this happened yet? What did they find out?
>> 
>> wesley
> 
> 
> The November issue of _Trains_ reports on p. 11 that the Swedish
> equipment, which will also include an electric locomotive capable
> of running on NEC voltages, is expected to arrive in early November.
> The trainset is designated as X2000; the locomotive as X2.  The
> tests are to be conducted with a five-car trainset in both push and
> pull operations.
> 
> -- Ernest

I believe that the article also said that Amtrack will use the dessel
turboliner power cars to run the tests on the New Haven to Boston run also.
I beleive that the tests will be run at different times on the different
portions of the route. Example, only the non-electrified portion for a while,
then switch to the electrified portion (or visa/versa).
From: rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: More on Metrolink (L.A.)
Date: 14 Oct 92 22:53:01 GMT
Organization: People-Net [pnet51], Minneapolis, MN.

santafe@watnxt03.ucr.edu (michael a parisi) writes:
>
>Now to the fares....
>Expensive, expensive, expensive!!!!!!!
>One-way between Pomona and LAUPT is $5.50! ($10 return)
>    "      "    Moorpark and LA is $6.50.
>Pomona is still within L.A. County.  I can't wait to see the fares
>when the system reaches out to San Bernadino, Redlands, and Riverside.
>
>I realize that there are discounted monthly passes available, but what
>about the occasional rider?  Is Metrolink only interested in attracting
>commuters?

The published Amtrak fare to Pomona from LAUPT is $10, one way. 

the published Amtrak fare to San Bernadino from LAUPT is $16, one way

Other points quoted are not mentioned. To me, the price seems quite
competitive, considering that the service should be somewhat more
frequent than Amtrak service.

-- Dan Meyer

Remember: " Buffalo never Oink " Seen on a South Dakota travel brocure.
Advertisment: Try the Railway Post Office , a railfan BBS ! (612) 377-2197.
UUCP: {crash tcnet}!orbit!pnet51!rambler
INET: rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org
From: jordan@IMSI.COM (Jordan Hayes)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: LIRR joke
Date: 12 Oct 92 13:31:43 GMT
Organization: Investment Management Services Inc., NYC

And of course the classic (somewhat dated) ...

	Q: What do President Carter and the LIRR have in common?

...

/jordan
Newsgroups: rec.railroad