Railroaders' Nostalgia > Cars added/subtracted enroute in crack IC passenger trains

Was surprised to learn that the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS and PANAMA LIMITED not only picked up/dropped St. Louis connection cars at Carbondale but also picked up/dropped cars at Jackson, MS.  I believe the CONLA also picked up/dropped at Memphis.
The Panama had a Chicago-Carbondale parlor car that had to be drilled in/out while the St. Louis cars were added/dropped; according to a 1965 Official Guide, train #5 was allowed 15 min. and #6 12" to accomplish this work.  Would be interesting to learn if any of you saw this move take place and how it was accomplished.
Andy

    Today that would take two to three hours minimum.

I once watched the Afternoon Zephyr turn into the North Coast Limited and the Empire Builder at St. Paul.  It was the height of efficiency and took less than 20 minutes.  Of course, there were plenty of crews, switch engines, and track for doing it.  There wasn't HEP to worry about, but there were steam lines.  I never have understood why Amtrak can't do much simpler switching moves (at Albany and Spokane, for example) with almost the same efficiency, recognizing the fewer resources Amtrak has available for the purpose.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/15 10:12 by BobB.

Well for one thing they have a bunch more rules to cope with than back then.
When our PVs are added or removed from the Sunset just east of Tucson, the show is the most agonizing show to watch. We could do it in less than 10 minutes with out any injuries or problems.

BobB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I once watched the Afternoon Zephyr turn into the
> North Coast Limited and the Empire Builder at St.
> Paul.  It was the height of efficiency and took
> less than 20 minutes.  Of course, there were
> plenty of crews, switch engines, and track for
> doing it.  There wasn't HEP to worry about, but
> there were steam lines.  I never have understood
> why Amtrak can't do much simpler switching moves
> (at Albany and Spokane, for example) with almost
> the same efficiency, recognizing the fewer
> resources Amtrak has available for the purpose.

Steam lines are harder to work with than HEP; I know from experience.

I think you can blame the lack of switch engines, carmen and mechanical forces, lack of track space,
and oh, yes maybe a few (?) new FRA rules in the last 50 years for this unfortunate path.  It can only
get worse.
 

"Back in the day"...meaning before Amtrak, it was probably the minority of trains that were not switched en-route.  All around the country, trains were switched quickly and with a minimum of delay.  Of course, the manpower needed to do the job was there, and were all IN POSITION when the train arrived.  It was quite the show of efficiency, and pride in the job. Thinking of the IC in particular, I recall a ride on the Louisianne in 1954...started out from New Orleans as a coaches only 7 car train, and arrived Chicago the next morning as a full service, with dining car and Pullmans, train of about 15 cars.  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

BobB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I once watched the Afternoon Zephyr turn into the
> North Coast Limited and the Empire Builder at St.
> Paul.  It was the height of efficiency and took
> less than 20 minutes.  Of course, there were
> plenty of crews, switch engines, and track for
> doing it.  There wasn't HEP to worry about, but
> there were steam lines.  I never have understood
> why Amtrak can't do much simpler switching moves
> (at Albany and Spokane, for example) with almost
> the same efficiency, recognizing the fewer
> resources Amtrak has available for the purpose.

I would like to know the directions involved here.  If westbound,
the AZ was combined five days a week with the EB/NCL.  If eastbound,
it would be the Afternoon Zephyr.  Just curious is all.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Edit:  Let me correct myself here.  The Morning Zephyr and the EB/NCL were 
combined eastbound, at St. Paul, I believe, late in the going.  I appologize for
any confusion I caused.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/15 18:27 by ntharalson.

As a retired Amtrak engineer who came up the old-school way through SP freight and passenger service, I opine that just about everything in railroading  takes more time to accomplish these days, for a variety of reasons related to safety and significantly differing equipment. I additionally note that railroad employee death and injury rate is a small fraction of what it was forty years ago, and that IC retired 16% of its E-Unit fleet due to wrecks over the years.

EO

 

Many trains had mail or express work at intermediate stations, so there was a bit of extra time in the schedule for that.  Erie and E-L switched in freshly provisioned diners en-route, and cut the tavern cars to be serviced and turned.  So, most yards had a station switcher, car department staff, and lots of experience.  That's not often the case today.