THE TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official Newsletter
Internet Edition

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JULY 15, 2004 MEETING NOTES

    President Phil Snyder called the meeting to order at 7 PM. The minutes were approved as read by Vice President Ron Cleaves as was the Treasurer's Report by Ralph Stevens. National Director Tom Posatko's report included the fact that light rail started operations just two days before the National Convention.  Due to our recent success signing new members via our website, Phil named a committee to see if there was anything we needed to do to update and/or improve the Chapter's website.  The  committee consists of Ralph Stevens, Alan Patterson, and Mike Burkhart.

    Bill Folger talked about NJ Transit's light rail line. He reported that it took 58 minutes from Trenton to Camden.  He also handed out a few vintage folders from the Delaware County Tourist Info Center on the Red Arrow Line (which is reproduced for the enjoyment of our members later in this newsletter) as a follow-up to his program. Special thanks to Bill for digging through his files and sharing with us!

    After the break, we were treated to another fantastic slide program by Frank Ferguson.  It started with January 1, 2003 on Chen Ping Pass in China with views of the bridge built in 1994.  Still in snow, we saw the Jet Blower in Wilsmere Yard followed by Swedesboro, NJ. We saw the Winchester & Western, York Rail, and the Maryland & Delaware.  Then it was on to Durbin and Cass (WV), Snow Hill (MD), then Pocomoke and Cape Charles (VA) for car float operations.  PA views included Tobyhanna and Cresco, then BAR units in Binghamton (NY) and views of Scranton (PA). We saw engines from Baldwin, Alco, Climax, and Shay plus the 2003 Convention, Gettysburg(PA) and an AMTRAK trip to Florida.  Thanks for another great show that entertained and informed.

NEWS OF THE MEMBERS

    Founding Member Henry Dickinson was reported to be having some difficulties in the far north.  Our best wishes for restored health go out to Henry.  If you'd like to drop him a note, you can address it to:

Henry Dickinson, Jr.
1 Shady Oaks Lane
Kennebunkport ME 04046-9530

    Chapter Member Pete Cramer has been unable to attend Chapter meetings due to recent illness.  We all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him at meetings again soon. If you would like to drop him a note, send it to:

Franklin B. Cramer
3600 Rustic Lane Apt. 222
Wilmington DE 19808-1739

    It was thought that one of our distant members had left us until I received a note from Chapter Member David English. It turns out that he fell more than a year ago on July 28, 2003 and broke a hip. He was hospitalized for 2-1/2 weeks before being moved to a care facility.  His relatives helped with his mail, but dropped the ball around his NRHS membership. I have sent him all of the issues he missed and he has renewed his membership.  He asked that I notify the membership of his TEMPORARY address:

David English
c/o LifeCare at Lofland Park
715 E. King St. - Room 225B
Seaford, DE 19973-3305
All of our best wishes to Dave for a full recovery!

FROM THE EDITOR

    Your Editor was forced to switch computers recently for a variety of reasons. In so doing, I lost access to a laser printer and had to try to upgrade my old computer.  It only took 8 phone calls, 3 orders, 1 return, 1 new circuit board, 1 new cable, 3 software downloads, the new printer, and 7 weeks - but as you can see, we're back in business.  Believe it or not, this is my 93rd Chapter Newsletter.  (And no, I didn't count the 26 post cards over the last 10+ years.)  So, after 1400 pages, I decided not to wait for my 100th anniversary, and to indulge myself in an article or two despite the extra postage.  Of course, you knew one of the articles just HAD to be on a certain type of rolling stock, right?

NEWS BITS

•     The City of Baltimore is suing CSX Corp. for the tunnel fire that took place in 2001. Yes, it has been THAT long ago. You just knew that someone was going to sue someone to get paid and the city is asking for $10 million to cover the cost of fire fighting, repairing the water main, and other costs. CSX is planning to vigorously defend itself. [from the News Journal 07-17-2004 via Phil Snyder]
   
•     As part of Atlantic City's 150th birthday celebration, NJ Transit was planning to celebrate the first Camden-to-Atlantic City train ride by having the "ghost" of Dr. Jonathan Pitney - regarded as the Father of Atlantic City - board a NJ TRANSIT train on Thursday, July 1 to re-enact the first Camden-Atlantic Railroad  train ride into the City by the Sea. On July 1, 1854, the first trans-New Jersey train left Coopers Ferry Terminal in Camden and arrived on the then-bare Absecon Island in Atlantic City. The first train carried 600 dignitaries, politicians and members of the press. On July 1, 2004, NJ TRANSIT Train 4611 was to leave 30th Street Station in Philadelphia at 9:30 a.m. to begin the re-enactment with the "ghost" of Dr. Jonathan Pitney, played by Michael Doyle. It was expected that hundreds of people would be onboard when the train left Absecon station at 10:53 a.m. before it reaches Atlantic City station at 11:09 a.m. [from HDBtrains via Phil Toman ]
   
•     NJ Transit did special precautionary inspections on hundreds of its rail cars after a wheel fell off a Main Line passenger train that had just finished its final trip of the night. Train No. 1119 which goes from Hoboken through Passaic and Bergen counties, had just dropped off its last passenger, was going less than 10 mph through NJ Transit's rail yard in Suffern, N.Y., when a wheel came off one of the passenger cars at about 7:30 p.m. June 17. The train had been traveling at up to 70 mph and usually carries 400 to 500 passengers. This was the second time in the past year that an overheated wheel came off a NJ Transit train. This one involved a  different type of rail car and different cause than the one in July 2003 on a Northeast Corridor train en route to Manhattan with 1,200 people on board. Prior to that, officials said the last time they could recall a wheel falling off a train was about 15 years ago. [from an article by Joe Malinconico circulated by Newhouse News Service on June 29 via Edward J. Mayover]
   
•     The Las Vegas Monorail Company started its service to the public at 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 15. The privately funded $650 million transportation system will run along the Las Vegas resort corridor and connect nine major resort properties and the Las Vegas Convention Center. The initial 4-mile route will stop at the following seven stations: MGM Grand; Bally's/Paris; Flamingo/Caesars Palace; Harrah's/Imperial Palace; Las Vegas Convention Center; Las Vegas Hilton; and the Sahara. These properties represent more than 25,000 hotel rooms and approximately 4.4 million square feet of meeting and convention space.
  
      Led by the late Robert N. Broadbent, a former Clark County Commissioner and community leader who originally chaired Transit Systems Management, the Las Vegas Monorail is the result of a decade-long effort by entrepreneurs, business leaders and elected officials who successfully raised $650 million from revenue  bonds, which will be supported by monorail fare revenue.
  
      The privately funded first phase of the Las Vegas Monorail connects nine major Las Vegas resorts with more than 24,000 hotel rooms. This initial route runs from the Sahara to the MGM Grand hotel-casinos on opposite ends of the Strip, with stops at the Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas Convention Center, Harrah's/Imperial Palace, the Flamingo/Caesars Palace and Paris/Bally's. Plans call for the monorail to eventually connect downtown Las Vegas and McCarran International Airport. One-way fare will be $3 per person, with round-trip fare costing $5.50. The monorail plans to run 20 hours per day, from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., 365 days a year. For more  information, call (702) 699-8200 [From www.lvmonorail.com via Ed Thornton]
   
•     NS, CP move to improve performance of northeastern rail network Norfolk Southern and Canadian Pacific Railway signed a memorandum of understanding for an exchange of trackage rights, freight haulage and yard services that will increase operational efficiency and enhance rail service to customers. CP announced in June 2003 it was restructuring its northeastern U.S. operations and was seeking proposals for ways to increase freight volumes, reduce operating costs and improve earnings. CP's northeastern U.S. network is operated as the Delaware and Hudson Railway. Under the agreement, CP and NS will consolidate freight marshalling at yards in Buffalo and Binghamton, N.Y.:
  
      CP will cease yard operations in Buffalo, shifting all freight marshalling to the NS yard there. Similarly, NS will shift its yard operations in Binghamton to CP's East Binghamton yard. New trackage rights and freight haulage arrangements between CP and NS have three major components:
  
          + CP will be able to move NS freight traffic between Rouses Point and Saratoga Springs, N.Y., under a haulage arrangement. NS will operate its own trains over CP's line between Saratoga Springs and Binghamton, N.Y., under a trackage rights arrangement. The arrangements will provide NS with a substantially shorter route to Quebec and the Maritime Provinces and generate higher revenue for CP.
  
          + CP's freight traffic between Binghamton and Buffalo, N.Y., will move in NS trains under a haulage arrangement, replacing a trackage rights agreement under which CP operated its own trains between the two cities. The arrangement will generate additional revenue for NS and reduce CP's operating costs.
  
          + CP will operate over a new NS route using existing rail lines between Detroit and Chicago under a trackage rights agreement. It will be the shortest rail route between the two cities and will provide CP with a faster, lower-cost lane. (New trackage rights arrangements and the discontinuance of trackage rights require  approval of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.) [from http://www.nscorp.com/ August newsbreak]
   
•     The Friends of the East Broad Top, Inc. have completed the restoration of historic Caboose No. 28 of the East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Co. and the car was to return to service on Saturday, August 14, 2004. Caboose No. 28 was built in 1920 for service on the East Broad Top Railroad, which operated a high-traffic, coal- hauling narrow-gauge main line from Mount Union to Woodvale in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The car was originally assembled in the railroad's Rockhill Furnace shops. Eighty-four years later, the historic car was reconditioned in the same shops by volunteers from the Friends of the East Broad Top. The restoration, which involved almost 900 volunteer hours, began in December 2003 and included extensive metalwork and carpentry to prepare the car for regular operation while at the same time restoring it to its historic appearance. Before beginning the disassembly, the volunteers carefully documented the car with detailed measurements and hundreds of pictures, and then commissioned the creation of custom wood components matching the car's original specifications.
  
      East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Co. - Originally chartered in 1856, the East Broad Top began service as a three-foot-gauge common-carrier railroad in 1873. When it ended freight operations in1956, it was the last narrow-gauge railroad east of the Mississippi. Subsequently acquired by the Kovalchick Salvage Company  of Indiana, PA, limited train operation resumed in 1960, and steam tourist service has continued in every year since that time. In addition to operating the oldest surviving piece of narrow-gauge trackage in the United States, the railroad's shop complex in Rockhill Furnace, PA, is widely recognized as one of the most significant historic industrial sites in North America. In 1964, the EBT became a U.S. National Historic Landmark. The railroad was named to Preservation Pennsylvania's "Pennsylvania at Risk" list in 1992 and the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of most endangered historic sites in 1996. For additional information, visit www.ebtrr.com or contact: East Broad Top Railroad, P. O. Box 158, Rockhill Furnace PA 17249; (814) 447-3011 (telephone); (814) 447-3256 (fax)
   
•     Amtrak's decision to exit mail and express will improve some schedules and keep the railroad's focus on its core passenger service business. Amtrak President David Gunn recently told employees that the mail business, which takes a toll on passenger operations, no longer made business sense for the railroad. The  schedule of the New York-Pittsburgh-Chicago Three Rivers was designed to meet the needs of the mail business. As a result of ending the mail business, the train will undergo significant changes. With the new timetable, both the Three Rivers and the Pennsylvanian will be replaced by a single New York-Pittsburgh-Chicago train, which will run roughly according to the schedule of the Three Rivers, but without a sleeping car. In March, service on this train west of Pittsburgh will be eliminated, following the legally required notice to the communities that will no longer be served by Amtrak; Youngstown, Akron and Fostoria OH, and Nappanee, IN.
  
      The withdrawal from the mail and express business will impact some employees, but many will have the opportunity to remain with the company in other capacities. Finally, as a result of surplus equipment and the expiration of the postal service contract, Amtrak is arranging for the disposal of roadrailers, bogies and other equipment used for the mail and express business. [from Friends Of Amtrak - Amtrak Employee Advisory]
   
•     VERMONT PAYS $2.5 MILLION TO KEEP AMTRAK: Vermont's two Amtrak trains will keep chugging along for another year, thanks to a $2.5 million state subsidy that's $200,000 more than last year. But the Ethan Allen Express and the Vermonter continue to be well worth the expenditure of state funds, according to a state transportation official and local business leaders. Once signed, the contract will run from July 1 through the end of next June. The Bush administration has made its position clear by proposing to slash Amtrak's budget - a move that Amtrak officials and passenger rail advocates say threatens its very existence. The Ethan Allen Express serves the western part of the state with one daily roundtrip between Rutland and New York City. The Vermonter serves the eastern side of the state with daily roundtrip service between St.Albans and Washington, D.C., making nine stops in Vermont, including Burlington, Montpelier, White River Junction and Brattleboro.
  
      Budget cuts at Amtrak have been felt in Vermont. There are no longer ticket agents at any stations in the state. Amtrak pays for a custodian to open and close the station in downtown Rutland an hour before and after each arrival and departure. And because there are no ticket agents, the Ethan Allen and the Vermonter no longer have a baggage car, which would require an Amtrak station employee to be on hand. As an alternative, the state is considering installing automated ticket machines at stations in Vermont. Paul Shannon of the New England Transportation Institute and Museum in White River Junction, said the Vermonter continues to attract a steady stream of passengers. "Besides the college students, there's a lot of the older folks that like to ride the train," said Shanon, the institute's treasurer. "It's a whole mixed bag." He said passenger rail transportation won't garner the political support it needs until the price of gasoline climbs to the point where the public demands action. "The state of Vermont deserves an awful lot credit for its insight into supporting Amtrak," he said. [from Friends of Amtrak, 8/02 via AMERICAN RAIL LINK via Edward J. Mayover])
   
•     BILL RESCINDS MONEY FOR NEW STATION IN NEW YORK: A House of Representatives committee has quietly stripped away $40 million intended to pay for moving New York City's Pennsylvania Station train service into the historic James A. Farley post office building, according to a copyrighted story in the Long Island, N.Y., daily newspaper Newsday and Associated Press. The federal funding, which has sat unused for several years while officials worked to build a train station in the historic Farley building across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station, was originally obtained by the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Dem., N.Y. Moynihan worked for years to create a huge rail hub inside a more architecturally impressive building than the basement under Madison Square Garden, where Penn Station is located. [ from Trains News Wire, 8/2 via AMERICAN RAIL LINK via Edward J. Mayover])
   

GUEST SPEAKER

Our guest speaker for October 21, Al Gianantonio, will present special a program on the History of the Baldwin Locomotive Works with never-before-seen images! We need a computer projector for this program, so if you have access to one or can borrow one from work, contact Tom Posatko or Phil Snyder ASAP.

This copyrighted article was written for the "Transfer Table", the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society by Chapter Member Greg M. Ajamian © Greg M. Ajamian 2004

BIG FLATS (FM), BIGGER DEPRESSED (FD), & SCHNABELS (LS) By Greg M. Ajamian

    Frank Ferguson, Mike Burkhart, and I took off on a railfan trip to the Pittsburgh area to shoot the Bessimer & Lake Erie from June 2-6, 2004. We all wanted to catch the B&LE in its own paint scheme in case it disappears due to its takeover by CN. In addition, they wanted to catch a few short lines and I hoped to catch a heavyweight flat car or two. That's why, near the end of day two, we took a side trip to New Castle, PA for two reasons: Mike and Frank wanted to shoot the New Castle Industrial Railroad and I wanted to check out the headquarters of Kasgro, Inc.; a company that builds and leases standard and heavyweight flat cars.

    With Mike navigating based upon a lap full of maps and a notebook full of Railfan & Railroad Magazine articles, we suddenly came upon a sign for Kasgro. Turning into the driveway for their office, we realized that they had a storage track filled to the brim with big red flat cars and which led right up to the engine house for the short line. 

    The short line units were already "in the house" for the night, and so tightly packed in that no photos were possible, even through the shop windows. Sorry guys. On the other hand and subject matter, I was thoroughly delighted to borrow Frank's short stepladder to shoot most of the flats over the chain link fence from the Kasgro parking lot. There were at least nine 8-axle flats (KRL 70846, 70861, 70884, 70917, 70926, 70967, 70979, 600451, 600452). I said "at least" because I couldn't see all of them as they wound around a curve behind the fence and some very thick bushes. There were also four 12-axle flats; one with four six-wheel trucks (KRL 865000) and three with six four-wheel trucks (KRL 370354, 370355, & 370364). These all had flat loading desks (no depressed centers) and therefore would all be classified as "FM" by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Try to imagine the sight. There were at least 14 flat cars in a row; one long, flat, red platform supported by 136 axles! 

    As we pulled out of the parking lot, one and a half rolls of film later, Mike just casually mentioned, "you know, there are THREE Kasgro sites and another short line in New Castle." So naturally, he began providing navigation instructions towards number two targets for each of us. En route, we stumbled upon a string of assorted, retired equipment, which included a yellow and black switcher (South Buffalo #39), another retired locomotive (IBCX 1706), and a black crane with its boom car. It took an extremely close look and just the right sun angle to see the thickly painted over and cracked outline of "Penn Central" and "X-14" to finally identify it. (And, yes, Richard Hall appreciated the slides I brought back for him).

    We actually came back past this string of equipment before leaving town. While Frank got a few more shots that he wanted, Mike pointed out the unusual doors on the last two box cars. I snapped off a couple of shots to give to author and rolling stock expert, Craig Bossler. When I sent him the slides, he immediately recognized them and sent back three articles on the "Hello Dolly" box cars [ Railway Age 6/26/67 pg. 53, 5/10/71 pg. 34, Railway Locomotives & Cars 8/67 pg. 44]. These cars, reporting marks TDLX for Transport Leasing a subsidiary of Pullman, Inc., had built-in dollies to assist loading. After the load was placed in the car through the double 9-foot plug doors, it could be pulled to the ends to the car on the dollies via a cable pulled by the lift truck.

    But, back to the original story. During our original visit to the line of stored equipment, while we each clicked away on the equipment of our choice, we noticed a VERY large red and white car about 100 yards farther down the industrial road alongside of the equipment. Naturally, we HAD to go see what was there, right? Well, I certainly did, and I just happened to be the driver!

    It turned out to be a terrific find (at least for me). It was a giant (138-foot), Kasgro "Red and Ready" depressed center flat (KRL 16450) with no less than eight four-wheel trucks. Despite the extra axles, all depressed center flat cars get the classification "FD", whether they are the typical capacity four-axle versions or "heavy duty" types with extra axles and/or extra trucks with span bolsters. There it was, all by itself, with an open, wide, flat, fenceless area all around; clean, with fresh paint, and at least one side in clear open sunlight. I tried to capture enough details for a future scratch-building or kit-bashing project in N-Scale. . Well, so much for THAT roll of film! At that point, I thought I had reached the high point of the trip and anything else we saw while we were in the Pittsburgh area, as exciting as it might be for Frank and Mike, would be anti-climatic for me. But wait - think again.

    Eventually, as I shot details of KRL 16450, I sensed that my traveling companions were straining a bit patience-wise, so it was time to move on. With Mike's directions, we soon came upon yet another Kasgro sign, so I turned into the side street and we cruised past the various industrial sites in the area. We did find a freshly painted flat car body, undecorated, still up on the shop trucks, but the chain link fence at the top of the embankment made any reasonable photo out of the question.

    As I was driving back out, I pulled over to investigate one last thing, in the distance, between the buildings, behind some parked equipment, through the chain link fence.  Way off, behind some miscellaneous freight railroad cars, with only one corner of the top of one end visible, was either the beefiest end of a bulkhead flat that ever existed, or - - - could it be, one of the few Schnabel cars in North America. It looked like only one thing to me, but could I be THAT lucky? I had only seen one Schnabel car in twenty years of rail photography, and that was after tracking it for three weeks on the Internet. But that little bit of the car that was visible really, really looked like the pictures I had seen for one of the older Schnabel's. We (ah, I) simply HAD to investigate further. Driving out the way we came in, we discovered yet another driveway a few feet further down the road, so - - -

    It turned out to lead towards a CSX yard facility and along the chain link fence behind the Kasgro buildings. Lo and behold, there was the car in question. And, indeed it was a Schnabel! It was PTDX 201, all 14 axles of it, in grey with an ABB (Asea Brown Bovari) placard. This former Westinghouse car, WECX 201, has been photographed at various times in black, grey, and tan paint schemes.

    I grabbed the camera despite the chain link fence, despite the glare from the sun behind the car, despite the engineer in the CSX unit in the yard looking on. It wasn't until I had taken a few shots that I looked up and realized that there was another Schnabel to my left = another 14-axle tan PTDX 203, AND then ANOTHER one = a tan PTDX 204 resting on only a dozen axles. Then I noticed this giant green thing, oh my gosh, another one = KWUX 102, a 22-axle monster, right behind the PTDX 201 that I was shooting ! ! !

    It wasn't over yet! After a few more shutter clicks (yes clicks, I haven't "gone digital" yet) and a short walk, I discovered yet another Schnabel = the vintage WECX 301, another 22-axle giant, in typical Westinghouse blue, a little further down the line. But, believe it or not, there was still one more. As I got back to the car, Frank asked me if I checked out the spot of green behind everything else. There was another one = KWUX 101, with a mere 20 axles, tucked away, around a curve, between the buildings and well behind everything else. That's it, six Schnabels in one day! In one place!! Do the math, that's 104 axles on just six railroad cars!

    Even though it was utterly impossible to get a decent shot of ANY one of them, I drank in as much as I could of this wonderful sight, and thought to myself that a photo, any photo (no matter how bad), is still better than no photo. So when I finished the roll, I finally walked back to the car.

    When I got home, I re-checked Tom Daspit's website (http://www.garlic.com/~tomd/schnabel.html), and discovered that a few other folks had evidently found this spot. Quite a few of the Schnabel photos on those pages were taken at that same location in New Castle, PA. Most of those folks had better lighting and an open shot of a single car. Nonetheless, I was happy to have seen so many at one time.

    One other note, there was a small open shack that looked like a toll booth sitting in the yard when I was there. I thought it was a strange place for a watchman's shed, but who knows. When I showed the slides to Craig Bossler, he immediately recognized the yellow "shack" as once having sat atop one end of a giant 20-axle depressed center flat, namely GEX 80003. He quickly produced a slide of it and we confirmed it was a perfect match!

    Just for the record, we never did get a shot of the other short line in town, but I did take a few more (rolls of) photos during the last two days of the trip.
© 2004 Greg M. Ajamian

[ Data in the above tables derived from photos & other data in the collections of Tom Daspit, Craig Bossler, and Greg Ajamian]

If you would like to see some photos of various Schnabel cars, check out:
http://www.rica.org/index.html
http://www.garlic.com/~tomd/schnabel.html
http://southern.railfan.net/flat/flat.html
http://www.bbcx1000.com/index.html
http://home.att.net/~Berliner-Ultrasonics/rrschnab.html

Reporting Marks
From the NRHS Reporting Marks List [from http://www.nrhs.com/reporting_marks/index.html]:

Car Classification & Other Definitions:

[The following information was obtained from the website of the Railway Industrial Clearance Association of North America and includes glossary entries from a list complied and provided through the courtesy of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-way Association: http://www.rica.org/ind_info/equipment.html +  http://www.rica.org/ind_info/glossary.html ]

FD Class: Depressed center flat car of special construction having the portion of floor extending between trucks depressed to provide necessary overhead clearance for lading.

FM Class: Ordinary flat car configuration. May have multiple axles and/or trucks. This car has flooring laid over sills and has no sides or ends.

FW Class: Flat car with hole to enable lading to be lowered due to clearance limits.

LS Class: A car of special construction having two separable interlocking units which form a car body. Units may be separated and load interposed between and locked in place to form a complete transportation unit.

HEAVY DUTY CAR: Car having weight capacity in excess of 100 tons.

LIGHT WEIGHT ( LT WT ): Weight of empty railroad car expressed in pounds. This figure is stenciled on the car. also referred to as Tare Weight.

LOAD LIMIT ( LD LMT ): Absolute maximum allowable weight of load, including both net weight and dunnage, that a freight car is authorized to carry. This figure is stenciled on the car.

SCHNABEL CAR: A heavy duty, privately owned railroad freight car composed of two symmetrical halves that carry a load attached between the pivoting arms of each half of the car. The load and any accessories, such as suspension bars, become structurally a part of the entire car assemblage. In some cars, that portion including the load and arms can be hydraulically shifted horizontally or lifted vertically in order to clear fixed obstructions or equipment on an adjacent track.

SPAN BOLSTER: In a heavy duty car having more than two trucks, the structural connection between two adjacent trucks which links them into a single assemblage upon which one end of the car is supported.

WELL CAR: A specially designed flat car having an opening through the load carrying platform to facilitate the handling of exceptionally high loads or loads with high centers of gravity. The load is suspended by the car frame at a minimum clearance Above Top of Rail.

This copyrighted article was written for the "Transfer Table", the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society by Chapter Member Greg M. Ajamian © Greg M. Ajamian 2004

ACELA TO BOSTON & BACK by Greg M. Ajamian

    This article was originally intended to run shortly after my business trip to Boston on May 27, 2002 as a contemporary look at express service on the Northeast Corridor. Owing to the publishing delay, it can now serve as a comparison basis, in case someone wants to take the trip and compare what they see to the way it was back then.

    In years past, I used to spend the majority of time traveling for work, mostly by air. As a result, if I never see another airport, I wouldn't mind in the least. I needed to get to Boston for a conference and decided to take my first trip on an Acela instead of flying. My calculations indicated that in order to fly, the shuttle would pick me up for the  one-hour ride to the airport plus the airline wants you there two hours before flight time to check in and get through security. I would have to sit around the airport for a while, followed by about a one hour flight, a quarter to a half hour for the baggage to show up, and almost an hour to get from the airport to the hotel downtown. Or, I could  drive myself down to the train station in about 25 minutes, park the car, walk across the street, and spend five hours and fifteen minutes on the express train right into downtown Boston. Since the fares were almost the same (once you factored in the shuttle, parking, taxi, etc.), there was no contest, I decided to take the train.

    I left the Wilmington, DE AMTRAK Station at 10:15 AM aboard Acela Express Train 2158. For Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, all northbound trains have even numbers; all southbounds have an odd number designation. Similarly, the CSX trains through our area typically use odd numbers for what they call westbounds (which seem more southbound around us) and even numbers for (northbound) easterlies.

    Before departing, I jotted down the consist: locomotive #2004 + two Business Class coaches + one Café car + two Business Class + one First Class + locomotive # 2018. The first Business Class coach was a "Quiet Car." [more on that later]. The trip took 5 hours and 20 minutes. We were five minutes late when we arrived at Boston's Back Bay Station. It was then a one and a half mile taxi ride to my hotel in Cambridge.

    As a result of the 9/11 attacks, security was present and visible in lobby of the Wilmington Station, but anyone could walk almost anywhere without being approached. When I went up to the platform a little early for some train watching, there was no uniformed officer on the platform for a while.

    Since the Chapter has had numerous excursions on The Corridor between Wilmington and Philadelphia, there wasn't much I hadn't seen before. Crossing over into New Jersey, I still wasn't paying much attention as I had been over the line to NYC many times as well. Crossing the Jersey Meadows, I could look up at the construction work  going on UNDER the NJ Turnpike. Seeing the condition of some of the concrete and the amount of bracing they were putting in place, you might not want to think about it while you were driving (or worse yet, stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic) a hundred or so feet above the swamp. Then it was through the Hudson Tubes into Penn Station. There was enough light making it down to the level of the train for you to see the impressive track work as you approach the station. After our mandatory stop in the Big Apple, it was northward again in no time.

    This was only my second time north of New York City by train, and the first time that I had done it in daylight. There is no doubt about it - the Hell Gate Bridge is one very impressive structure - and so is the approach. It is almost unbelievably massive and stands out high above its surroundings. I would like to get some photographs of it one day, even if it means a trip to and through some less than savory neighborhoods. As we made our way north, I was surprised by the number of locomotives I saw with the old style New Haven paint scheme; including a four axle GP with flared radiators at the rear. There was plenty of evidence of recent and very near future rail construction. "Snap track" sections with both wood and concrete ties seemed to be everywhere along the right of way. I also saw quite a few concrete bridge castings loaded on 6-axle flats.

    I eventually noticed that you can actually hear the tilt mechanism - a little hiss - or is that just the change in the airflow around the car? The open area between cars, the "vestibule," is about four or five times larger than the similar area of standard passenger trains and the opening or "doorway" (there is no door) is at least twice as wide as a normal door between coaches. By the way, the door to enter the car from the platform is only slightly wider than a standard car door.

    I decided to pay the additional $87 to upgrade from Business Class to First Class for the one way to Boston from Wilmington just to see what it was like. If I loved it, I might spring for the upgrade on the return. If I didn't, I still had my Business Class seat (there is no "standard" or coach class seating on an Acela). In Acela First Class, there is more space than in First Class on an airplane with the 2+1 seating arrangement (two seats on one side of the aisle, only one on the other). There were tables between some pairs of dual seats, but all of the tables had signs reserving them for groups or families - despite the fact that I never saw a group or family get on the train during my trip. Some grumpy business types occupied some of the tables anyway. I noted however, because of the fixed armrest in First Class, you actually have more room when traveling alone if Business Class is NOT crowded since you can sprawl across both seats (seating is 2+2) by raising the arm rest versus a single seat in First Class. But, if the train is full, the single Business Class seats seemed a little tight.

    One thing that surprised me was the lack of any significant fencing to separate the right of way from the rest of the world. Despite the high speed running, the high frequency of trains, and the population density, you can just stroll up to and across the tracks in many places. Also surprising was the fact that there was NOT very much "high  speed" running at all. But, that must be normal (as opposed to being due to some unusual restricted speed for whatever reason) because we arrived essentially on time.

    As a general assessment of the scenery, North Philadelphia was still run-down but the scenery seems to be improving a bit. There was a great deal of new or recent construction and renovation or buildings near the tracks. And, there seemed to be quite a few "better" houses immediately next to the tracks. The railroad stations (which we sailed through on the express), for the most part, had been cleaned and/or renovated. There were only a few stations that appeared broken down or neglected; once you were north of Philadelphia.  Newark, NJ station was still in dire need of a good pressure washing and coat of paint.

    Heading north, there were lots of trees near the tracks in CT. The scenery reminded me very much of what you see along many remote tourist lines. The salt flats that lie between the rails and the open water looked like hundreds of acres of potential mosquito breeding ground on this overcast day. By the time we got to the bridge at New  London, CT, we were treated to short wait and a little drama as it had been raised for a tug escorting a submarine heading out to sea.

    The food SERVICE was excellent; a very pleasant attendant, cloth napkins, and real silverware. However, the food was pitiful. Microwaved and not too tasty, it was not even as good as a standard airline meal in coach.

    It was surprisingly bumpy, especially from Philadelphia to Newark, NJ. The ride seemed to become smoother the farther north we went. Either I was getting used to it or it was newer roadbed and track, or both. Funny thing was that it never seemed as smooth as the regular trains between Baltimore and Washington. The only truly "high  speed" running was north of Mystic, CT where I would estimate we could have hit 100 mph.

    For the return trip, I did not upgrade as I wasn't that impressed and didn't feel it was worth the additional $87. I actually had more room and significantly more quiet than I did in First Class. Since the train was mostly empty, I was able to get a table (with four facing seats) all to myself in the Quite Car. No cell phones or loud conversations are allowed so for the first time in recent memory, I did not have to listen to somebody giving someone on the other end of their cell phone the extremely important and urgent news that, "I'm on the train and I'll call you later - oh, wait, I'm losing you, are you there, are you there?" It was a superbly, delightfully silent car - except for the one selfish, inconsiderate, #@$%!, individual who got on the Quite Car in New Haven and babbled constantly on his cell phone until he thankfully exited in New York (still on the phone).

    We left Boston's Back Bay Station at 4:20 PM and were due into Wilmington at 9:26 PM (but didn't arrive until 9:42 PM). The consist for the return aboard Train 2173 was locomotive #2037 + + one First Class + the Quiet Car Business Class coach 3538 + another Business Class coach 3528 + Café car 3319 + two Business Class coaches 3516 & 3510+ locomotive #2006.

    Shortly after leaving Boston on the return trip, there was an announcement on the public address system than we had "reached our top speed of 150 miles per hour." They also used the PA at one point just to explain that we had a stop signal and would be "waiting for two east bounds." Yes, they said eastbound, not north.

    In case you happen to be a rare freight car enthusiast, I saw not one, but two all-blue DuPont Remington box cars. They were adjacent to the through tracks, on a siding beside a warehouse on the north side of the tracks, just north of the station and bridge in Bridgeport, CT. I also noticed that Bridgeport is very similar to Wilmington as far as railroad architecture goes. The tracks are on top of a curved, raised platform with cut stone vertical sidewalls similar to the wall that swings around and under I-95 in Wilmington.

    If you're into old architectural details, just north of Darien, CT, the bridge over the local street still has a railing with cast iron stanchions and strap iron lattice. Although quite rusted and showing its age, it was clear that there used to be a lot of workmanship that went into even the little things to make them look more attractive.

    Finally, I noted that the right of way seemed to be surprisingly free of trash and debris. Almost no trash was visible along the track north of New Haven until you got close to Boston. Even the ROW near NYC and through NJ only had a few miscellaneous bits. Gone are most of the abandoned buildings backing up to the tracks. They have either been torn down, replaced, renovated, or are in the process of being renovated. There only seemed to be a few automobile junkyards left that were visible from the train.

    Bottom line, five hours on a quiet train beats another plane ride, hands down, any day!
© 2004 Greg M. Ajamian

SCHEDULE NOTES

Notices, announcements, schedules, etc. are provided here as a service to the members. The Chapter has no affiliation with any commercial operation, museum, or tourist line.

NOW THROUGH Monday, September 27, regular RR Museum of PA hours. RAILROADS & PHOTOGRAPHY: 150 YEARS OF GREAT IMAGES: The locomotive and the camera grew up together and the iron horse soon became a favorite subject of photographers.  This exhibit features outstanding photographs of railroads from across the United States, compiled by the Center for Railway Photography & Art of Madison, Wisconsin, and suggests how deeply railroading has affected our culture, visual heritage and daily lives. During regular hours at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg throughout the summer.

NOW THROUGH ??? SUSQUEHANNA 142 STEAM TRAIN EXCURSIONS: The Delaware River Excursions will operate on the tracks of the Belvidere & Delaware River Railway between Phillipsburg and Carpentersville, NJ, making a leisurely one-hour round trip between the stations. On Thursdays and Fridays you will have the opportunity to ride our beautifully restored 1930 Brill Model-55 motor car - The Delaware Turtle - and on Saturday and Sunday, we will be operating a full train powered by our own #142 2-8-0 New York Susquehanna & Western STEAM locomotive. This is a rare opportunity to travel behind antique railroad equipment on a beautiful ride along the Delaware River! For more info, call 877-train-ride. Schedule: Departs Phillipsburg at 11 am, noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 PM. Trips sponsored by the New York, Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society. [ from electronic edition of the AMERICAN RAIL LINK]

NOW THROUGH December 31, 2004,  Mail in Motion: The Railway Mail Service - Steamtown. A special exhibit, entitled Mail in Motion: The Railway Mail Service is currently available for public viewing in the Changing Exhibits Gallery at Steamtown National Historic Site. This collection of photographs, documents and artifacts focuses on the significant role that American railroads played in the delivery of the mail in the 19th and 20th centuries.

NOW THROUGH January 2005,  Hagley Museum's exhibition on the history of NYC's Penn Station.  This HO-gauge scale model is complete with operating trains.

NOW 'TIL WHENEVER,  America on the Move at Smithsonian Nat. Museum of American History largest-ever exhibition, has a companion Web site with material from the  exhibition, plus behind-the-scenes accounts of the making of the exhibition and more stories from curators about our objects and their place in American history-focused looks at topics ranging from maritime history to motorcycles, from racing to radiator emblems, and an examination of broader issues such as migration, gender, globalization, and technology. A powerful search tool will provide access to hundreds of objects in the transportation collections. http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove

Saturday, September 18, TRANSPORTATION DAY in Wilmington, Delaware - no details available at this time.

Saturday, September 18, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. RAILROAD KIDS DAY @ RR Museum of PA : Sing along with popular railroad songs, hear traditional and fanciful railroad stories and learn important railroad safety tips during this weekend of activities designed especially for young railroaders and their families. Included in the regular Museum admission.

October: Fall Foliage Festival Days on Gettsyburg Railroad, Monday through Friday trains depart at 12:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday trains depart at 11:00 am.

Saturday, October 2, 2004 through Sunday, April 10 (2005), regular Museum hours. FAMOUS EASTERN PASSENGER TRAINS OF THE 20TH CENTURY @ RR Museum of PA : & The purpose of travel is not merely to reach the goal, but to find enjoyment en route, stated literature from the Pennsylvania Railroad. This exhibit recalls the days of elite passenger train travel through historic photographs and artifacts, where you glimpse life on board famous trains like the Pennsylvania Limited, Broadway Limited, Crusader, Royal Blue and the Twentieth Century Limited. Included in the regular Museum admission.

October 9-10, 2004 Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD. www.gsmts.com

October 21-24, 2004 N.R.H.S. National Directors' Meeting Utica, NY, Hosted by Utica & Mohawk Valley Chapter

Friday, October 22 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. HALLOWEEN HAUNTING @ RR Museum of PA : A ghostly evening as you visit the haunted, cavernous Railroad Museum. Kids and adults: come in costume! Jack O-Lantern Station for young children and the faint of heart features seasonal crafts and other activities. Halloween tickets may be purchased in advance in person at the Whistle Stop Shop museum store ages 3 to 12: $4.00 per person and ages 13 and over: $6.00 per person. Halloween tickets will be available beginning February 3, 2004.

October 23 & 24, 2004 Fall at Auburn Heights, 1 - 4:30? PM, ride 1/8 scale Auburn Valley Live Steam RR, see Stanley Steamers & Antique Std. Gauge trains Admission $10, Children $7, for info http://www.auburnheights.org or 302-239-6379

Saturday, November 6, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 7, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. TRAINS & TROOPS @ RR Museum of PA : Guys and gals in uniform, experience many splendid railroad and military archival exhibits and displays, enjoy patriotic music and learn the significant role railroads played time and again in the defense of our nation.

Saturday, November 6, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. TAKING THE SWING TRAIN 40S DANCE @ RR Museum of PA : Jump, jive and swing to the popular Sound of Roses live band among the trains in the Railroad Museum's awe inspiring Rolling Stock Hall. Come in uniform or &lsquo40s clothing! Dance tickets should be purchased in advance by phone at (717)687-8628, ext 3008, in person at the Whistle Stop Shop museum store or on line at www.rrmuseumpa.org, using a printable ticket request form. Special savings combination ticket per person for the dance and for both days of Trains & Troops: $30.00; General public dance ticket per person: $20.00. Dance tickets will be available beginning February 3, 2004.

November 7, 2004 Railroad, Steamship, Transportation Artifacts Show 9 AM - 4 PM Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Gaithersburg, MD www.gserr.com

November 20 & 21: Railfan Weekend on Gettsyburg Railroad Passenger train departs Gettysburg Depot at 9:00 am, travels to Mt. Holly Springs and returns with photo  opportunities. Train returns around 5:30 p.m. Limited seating. Reservations only. Lunch included in fare aboard our table car. Other snacks/beverages available. For the serious railfan only. Fare per day: $75.00 or Two day fare: $100.00. Saturday night photo opportunities will be available after slide show.

November 27 & 28: Pioneer Polar Day's on Gettsyburg Railroad Santa rides with the passengers and offers a special "treat" for the young Santa seekers. Reservations  suggested. Train leaves at 11:00 am. Regular fares.

December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19: Pioneer Polar Day's on Gettsyburg Railroad Santa rides with the passengers & offers a special "treat" for the young Santa seekers.  Reservations suggested. Train leaves at 11:00 am. Regular fares. Special train on December 18 offers lunch with Santa aboard the Pioneer Crusader Table Car, limited seating, reservations only. Fares for "lunch train" are $20.00 for adults and $12.00 children 12 and under. Lunch and train ride are included in fare costs.

Saturday, December 11, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 18, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS @ RR Museum of PA : Nostalgic glimpse at holiday rail travel. Meet costumed engineers, conductors, ticket agents and passengers representing the past century; enjoy seasonal music and festive decorations and the Jack Frost Station for young children.

December 27 & 28, 2004 Holidays at Auburn Heights, 1 - 4:30? PM, ride 1/8 scale Auburn Valley Live Steam RR, see Stanley Steamers & Antique Std. Gauge trains. Admission $10, Children $7, for info http://www.auburnheights.org or 302-239-6379

CHAPTER EVENTS  

Thursday Sept. 16, 2004 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Frank Ferguson

Thursday Oct. 21, 2004 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by special guest - Al Gianantonio entitled History of the Baldwin Locomotive Works

Thursday Nov. 18, 2004 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Richard Hall

Sunday Dec. 5, 2004 5 PM Holiday Dinner program by Steve Barry instead of the normal monthly meeting

Thursday Jan. 20, 2005 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Allan Patterson

The Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month [except August & December] in the Darley Room at the Claymont Community Center on Green Street in Claymont, Delaware.  Visitors are always welcome. Admission to regular meetings is free. Check out our Website, thanks to Russ Fox at:   http://www.WilmingtonNRHS.com

The Transfer Table
   The Transfer Table is published six to ten times per year as the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.  Items in this publication do not represent the official position of either Officers or Members of the Wilmington Chapter or the Editor of this publication.

    Permission to reprint articles and news items appearing herein is granted to NRHS Chapters and other newsletters provided appropriate credit is given.   Contributions are always welcome and should be sent to the editor at SD40GMA@aol.com or send to: P.O. Box 1136, Hockessin, DE 19707-5136. Deadline for entries is the 25th of the month.

    Chapter Officers
    President:   Phil Snyder
    Vice President & Historian:  Ron Cleaves
    Treasurer:   Ralph Stevens, Jr.
    Secretary:   Dan Frederick
    National Director:   Tom Posatko
    Editor:  Greg Ajamian
    Education Fund:   Ed Thornton
    Public Relations:    Frank Ferguson, Jr.
    Trip Director & Event Photographer:  Bruce Barry
    Web Master:   Russ Fox

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