Eastern Railroad Discussion > Orange Blossom Special TOFC info

Hi everyone.  I am trying to find out what  the Seabord  system  symbol was for the  Orange Blossom Special TOFC  train was?   I  did  find out the CSX symbol   for it was  R171   in  the 90s.   Thanks  in advance.

R171/172 for as long as I saw them growing up in Charleston SC.

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And for educational purposes the original OBS was Seaboard #7 southbound, #8 northbound, winter only, first class onlyl all Pullman.  First run in 1925, last in 1953.
john

I didn’t venture south of DC at the time, so I’m not sure if this will help you, but…
 
North of Pot Yard, on B&O rails, it was symbolled OBSN/OBSS, at least until 01/06/1987.
As of 03/08/1987, it was symbolled 171/172. (That resymbol may have actually coincided with the issuance of the first CSX timetable (eff. March 1, 1987).
Those two dates above are from my photo field notes; they’re not official transition dates.
 
The first CSX alphanumeric system became effective July 1, 1987, at which time it would've become R171/R172 (the “R” prefix designating a scheduled merchandise freight, and a 100-199 number indicating intermodal).

/Ted

Maybe there are copyright issues, but has Amtrak ever used the name "Orange Blossom Special" for any of its Florida destination trains? Just curious. 

OldCond Wrote:
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> Maybe there are copyright issues, but has Amtrak
> ever used the name "Orange Blossom Special" for
> any of its Florida destination trains? Just
> curious. 

No Amtrak never did

bluesboyst Wrote:
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> OldCond Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Maybe there are copyright issues, but has
> Amtrak
> > ever used the name "Orange Blossom Special" for
> > any of its Florida destination trains? Just
> > curious. 
>
> No Amtrak never did

it wouldn't be so much copyright but a trademark or servicemark  issue...pedantic I'm sure but....

When the OBS showed up on the RF&P it never left the main line.  It would pull up next to the Potomac Yard tower and there would already be an RF&P engine (for cab signal requirements) with a crew ready to go.  In a matter of minutes it was on its way to Richmond.

RFandPFan Wrote:
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> When the OBS showed up on the RF&P it never left
> the main line.  It would pull up next to the
> Potomac Yard tower and there would already be an
> RF&P engine (for cab signal requirements) with a
> crew ready to go.  In a matter of minutes it was
> on its way to Richmond.

That's how through trains were handled when coming onto the RF&P and they had engine swapping or adding on down to a science. Still has to be done when a train comes onto the property without a Cab Signal engine though that is less and less often as many engines are equipped and will even switch territories automagically.

Thanks Everyone for the info.  I have learned  a few things given the post in this thread.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/20 10:27 by CSXQ090FAN.

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RFandPFan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When the OBS showed up on the RF&P it never
> left
> > the main line.  It would pull up next to the
> > Potomac Yard tower and there would already be
> an
> > RF&P engine (for cab signal requirements) with
> a
> > crew ready to go.  In a matter of minutes it
> was
> > on its way to Richmond.
>
> That's how through trains were handled when coming
> onto the RF&P and they had engine swapping or
> adding on down to a science. Still has to be done
> when a train comes onto the property without a Cab
> Signal engine though that is less and less often
> as many engines are equipped and will even switch
> territories automagically.

R409 was another train that normally had Conrail power in the 80's and 90's required an RF&P-equipped leader.  I noticed intermodals like R173, R175 and R191 would usually have cab signal equipped units when they arrived.  By the mid-90's CSX had a good number of GP40-2's (6100 and 6200 series) set up to lead on the RF&P Sub. 

In the beginning, RF&P units were added at Pot Yard and Acca (Richmond), but it wan't long before someone figured out to just leave RF&P units on both ends, so there would be no more switching.  The middle of the consist was a real mix of CSX power.

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