April 2008 Memphis Buff

THE MEMPHIS BUFF VOLUME 35, ISSUE 4

NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

APRIL 2008

NS Executive Train Vintage Caboose Photos Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Trip Report:The Capitol Limited & The Lake Shore Limited. (Part I)

Memphis Chapter Officers President – David Chase

dchase@memphisredbirds.com

Vice President – Bruce Smedley National Director – Bill Strong

williambstrong@bellsouth.net

Secretary – Oliver Doughtie

doughtio@bellsouth.net

Treasurer – Thomas Doherty

TRDoherty@aol.com

Librarian – Mike Pendergrass Publication Editor – Tom Parker

tscottparker@gmail.com

Last Month’s Meeting We had seventeen attendees at the March meeting. Tom Parker announced to the group that he running low on material for the Buff. Please contact Tom with any pictures, articles or even notes from a recent trip. All submissions are welcome and much appreciated.

Bruce Smedley presented a “Comparison of British and American Steam.” Bruce explored the major factors that caused British and America steam to evolve differently during the first half of the 20th century. These factors included geography due to the fact that the British rail network is much more compact than the American system, the age of the railroad due to the fact that most of the British rail system was built in the 19th century using lighter weight materials, and the labor factor due to the fact that the British rail system historically was much more labor intensive that the American counterpart. All of these factors resulted in smaller trains (approx.

30 cars or less in Britian) and smaller steam locomotives as the largest British locomotives were generally Pacific type engines.For those who have a chance to travel to Britian, Bruce recommends the National Railway Museum in York, which is Britian’s largest train museum. It is a short 90 minute train ride from London.

April Meeting Jim Ammon will be our speaker for the April meeting. Jim is with NYK Logistics , a major intermodal company with a location in Memphis, and is involved with container routings across the country. He is very knowledgeable about current day railroad activity in Memphis and will give an overview of what each of the Memphis railroads are running through and interchanging in Memphis.

BUFF ONLINE: www.buff.illinoiscentral.net User Name:Member Password: Buff (Capital “M” & “B”) Cover Photo: NS F7-A 4271 leads the Norfolk Southern Executive train through the Grandview neighborhood of Decatur, IL on October 9, 2007. Photo by Ed Sanders.

The Norfolk Southern Executive Train

NS Executive train crosses Lake Decatur in Central Illinois on October 9, 2007.

Ed Sanders snapped these photos of the NS Executive train as it passed through Central Illinois on Ocotber 9, 2007.

In the lead is NS F9-A 4271, followed by F7-B 4276 with F9-A 4270 in an A-B-A lashup, Business Car #7, “Pennsylvania”, Executive Dome Car # 24, “Delaware” and Theater

Car #23, “Buena Vista”.

What the pictures do not show is the nearly 100 years of history that is embodied in the locomotives and cars of the train. The A-units probably handled coal trains in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia while the B-unit hauled freight in the Upper Midwest. In the early part of the twentieth

NS Business Train, Decatur. IL, October 9, 2007.

Ed Sanders Photo

Ed Sanders photo

century the business car was transporting rail officials in the East and in the 1950's the dome car was filled with tourists on the Sante Fe's crack train,“The El Capitan” in the West.

The A-units were originally built in 1952 for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The locomotives were sold to MorrisonKnudson in 1975 and were rebuilt to F9PH standards in 1980-81 for the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), later to become Maryland Rail Commuter Service (MARC).

After their retirement from MARC they went to RailCruise America and were used in dinner train service.

F7-B 4276 was built in 1950 for the Chicago Great Western.

The CGW merged with the CNW in 1968 and in 1985 the B-unit was added to the CNW's business train fleet. The CNW

was acquired by the UP in 1995. In 1998 it along with a second B-unit was sold to RailCruise America.

When RailCruise America went out of business in January, 2006, the KCS bought the entire RailCruise America train for its cars to be used on the KCS executive train. The KCS already had its own executive F-units and declared the RailAmerica F-units surplus. The NS purchased the units from the KCS in October, 2006.

They were taken to the NS shops in Altoona Pa where they were given a full mechanical overhaul and repainted in the Southern Railway's “Tuxedo” color scheme with the NS thoroughbred logo on the nose.

NS 7, “Pensylvania” was built in 1911 by Pullman for The N&W and named the “Pocahontas”. Conrail purchased the car in 1988 and renamed it the “Boston”, numbered CR 100. It

NS Business Train, Decatur. IL, October 9, 2007.

was renumbered CR 5 in 1994.

The NS acquired the car when Conrail was disassembled.

NS 24, “Delaware” was built in 1955 by Budd for the ATSF and numbered ATSF 552. It was purchased by Auto-Train in 1971 and renumbered 514, then was purchased by Western Rail Services in 1982 and the number changed back to 552.

The car was sold to a short line in 1986, purchased by Conrail

Ed Sanders Photo

in 1988 and renumbered CR 55. Again, the NS acquired the car upon the dissolution of Conrail.

The heritage of NS 23, “Buena Vista” is not as clear. It is the former SOU 19 which was converted into a “theater” or “track inspection car” from a former dining car. It is a heavyweight car so it would date from the 1940's or earlier.

Norfolk Southern Executive Train Fleet NS 4270 NS 4271 NS 4275 NS 4276 NS 1 Virginia NS 2 Carolina NS 3 Claytor Lake NS 4 NS 5 Maryland NS 6 Atlanta

F9-A EX BO 937 F9-A EX BO 947 F8-B EX CGW 113D F8-B EX CGW 114B HW Business EX SOU 1, SOU 16 HW 4 Bedroom EX SOU 1A HW Business EX NW 500 HW Business EX CR 1, SOU 3 HW Business EX CR, SOU HW Business EX SOU 2

NS 7 Pennsylvania NS 8 Tennessee NS 9 Alabama NS 11 Illinois NS 12 Indiana NS 13 Georgia NS 20 Ohio NS 21 West Virginia NS 23 Buena Vista NS 24 Deleware

HW Business HW Business HW 8 Bedroom HW 8 Bedroom LW 10 Bedroom HW 8 Bedroom HW Business HW Business Theater/Inspt Dome

EX CR, NW EX SOU 5 EX SOU 15 EX SOU 16 EX NW 491 EX SOU 18 EX SOU 7 EX SOU 8 EX SOU 19 EX ATSF 522

(See SouthernExchange.Net and O Gauge Online Forum for more Information)

At the February meeting, Mike Pendergrass loaned me a collection of about 100 caboose photos for use in the “Memphis Buff”. Here are a few of the more intersting ones. I'm sure you'll be seeing more on future “Caboose” pages.

Converted Boxcar Cliffside R.R. 101 - Cliffside, North Carolina, 9/5/1942 - Mike Pendergrass collection

Derelict Carolina Southern Caboose - Ahoskie, North Carolina - Mike Pendergrass collection

CHV 70, built 1916 – Photographed at Lanett, AL, 9/1/62 - Mike Pendergrass collection

MBRR 207, Meridian, Mississippi, 1/1/92, Photo by D.W. Read - Mike Pendergrass collection

MBRR 207 - Meridian, Mississippi, 1/1/92, Photo by D.W. Read - Mike Pendergrass collection

Alabama Central Caboose - Jasper, AL, 9/18/59 - Mike Pendergrass collection

WAB 2229 - National Museum of Transportation, St Louis, MO (Before Restoration) - Mike Pendergrass collection

Dillsboro, NC – March 2008 – The Murphy Branch of the Western North Carolina Railroad delivered thousands of mountaineers from the wilderness of their landlocked hills. A year after iron rails reached Asheville in 1880, workers scattered to the west of the city, digging, filling, and blasting an extension of the line that stretched 116 miles to Murphy, providing thousands with a path to reach the outside world.

The iron horse beat riding a wagon, but in many ways the young railroad was still primitive. In 1892, a visitor from Chicago described it as “little more than two streaks of rust and a right-of-way.” With tongue in cheek, he told the Chicago Tribune, “when the wind is just right, the fastest train on the line, the ‘Asheville Cannon Ball,’ can make 10 miles an hour.”

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Rails changed the way of life for Western North Carolina residents. Mercantile business was commodities for a few of the bare necessities. Conveniences and luxuries were not even dreamed of and cash was hard to come by. The iron rails brought a flood of salesmen who peddled oil lamps that superceded tallow candles and New England “factory cloth” to replace scratchy, uncomfortable homespun. From door to door they sold books, pump organs, enlarged pictures, jewelry, lightning rods, baubles and doodads.

Passenger business was so good by the turn of the 20th century that six passenger trains ran every day between Asheville and Lake Junaluska and four daily between Asheville and Murphy. It was not easy to cut this branch line through the mountains. If it had not been for the practical, self-educated engineer Capt. J. W. Wilson, a rigidly honest and industrious man, it might not have been accomplished for years. One of Capt. Wilson’s most challenging tasks was the grade on the west side of the Balsams that was steep and curvy, with gaping ravines. His second obstacle was the 836foot Cowee Tunnel through a shaky mountain west of Dillsboro. High iron topped the Balsam Mountains at 3,100 feet, at the time the highest elevation of any railroad in the Eastern United States.

The railroad was built by convicts working under the gun. One of the most chilling accidents during construction drowned 19 inmates in the Tuckasegee River at the mouth of the tunnel. Crossing the river to work, the raft carrying the iron-shackled convicts capsized and those aboard, except for guard Fleet Foster and convict Anderson Drake, died in the waters. Foster was rescued by Drake, who stole the guard’s wallet while pulling him to shore. When the wallet was found in Drake’s duffel,

he was whipped and put to work in the tunnel at hard labor instead of receiving a hero’s honor.

Those who died were buried in unmarked graves on top of a small hill near the mouth of the tunnel.

In the early years of the 20th century, the railroad took its toll on equipment with a number of runaways on Balsam Mountain and a couple of wrecks inside Cowee Tunnel and in the river, but loss of life was small. As improvements were made to the railroad, accidents declined.

The Murphy Branch experienced its heaviest business in the early 1940s when the massive Fontana Dam was constructed during World War II. Thousands of carloads of cement, equipment, and other materials reached the construction site by rail on a spur line built from Bushnell to Fontana. Huge shipments of copper ore from mines in the western end of North Carolina and Copperhill, Tennessee, increased the line’s tonnage. In the 1920s, ribbons of concrete crawled through the mountains, linking towns together.

Passenger traffic on the Murphy Branch, then owned by the sprawling Southern Railway System, began to decline as a result of the introduction of automobile and bus travel. Southern discontinued all passenger traffic on the Murphy Branch on July 16th, 1948, ending 64 years of service that opened Western North Carolina to the outside world. When freight traffic dropped off by 1985, Norfolk Southern closed the Andrews to Murphy leg of the Murphy Branch and the State of North Carolina purchased the Dillsboro to Murphy tracks to keep them from being destroyed.

By 1988, many entities had come together to form the Great Smoky Mountains Railway, which then began running excursions. Rolling stock for the GSMR was purchased from various railroads around the nation. The Dillsboro to Nantahala route was one of the most scenic on the Murphy Branch and the excursion trains caught on right away. Upward of 200,000 passengers enjoy the scenery each year aboard the excursion trains. American Heritage Railways purchased the GSMR in December of 1999. The Great Smoky Mountains Railway operates today as the newly organized Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. In 2007, the railroad ran approximately 1,000 excursions.

About the GSMR The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad offers both steam and diesel train excursions through the scenic mountains and colorful countryside of western North Carolina.

Contact: Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Dillsboro, NC 828–586–8811

Trip Report: A Tale of Two Cities (and Two Limiteds), Part I

by Tom Parker In October, 2006, my wife and I decided to take a vacation trip to Washington, D.C. via Amtrak for our vacation.

While putting the trip together I decided that we should include New York City in our plans.

roomette on the “City”, but decided that we would book a bedroom on the “Capitol Limited” because of the longer duration and the fact that we wanted to be ready to go when we hit the ground in Washington. Once we settled in, we decided the roomier accommodation was well worth the additional cost.

After dinner another Amtrak #58, City of New Orleans pulls into Central glass of wine and to bed.

The final itenerary was: #58, the “City of New Orleans” to Chicago, #29, the “Capitol Limited” to Washington, D.C., and after a couple of days in the capitol, a morning local to New York City. (Through fares did not apply on Acela trains and Acela tickets did not allow checked baggage.)

After staying overnight in the Big Apple, we would catch #49, the “Lake Shore Limited” to Chicago then #59 back to Memphis.

We made all our reservations on line, picked up our tickets early and checked our bags a day or two ahead, so all we had to do was drive down to Central Station, park our car next to the track and hop aboard with our carry on bags when the train pulled in.

The train arrived twenty minutes early, so we got on board and were on our way.

Station, 20 minutes early

We had brought some small bottles of wine with us, so we had us a glass and went to bed.

We arrived in Chicago about thirty minutes ahead of schedule. We had an eight hour layover so we killed several hours taking a walking tour of downtown Chicago and getting something to eat. All together, our layover ended up being about an hour and half longer than expected due to our early arrival and the “Capitol Limited” being held for about an hour for passengers off the “Empire Builder” which was running late.

Finally at about 6:30 PM we were off. We had opted for a

The next morning found us in southern Pennsylvania, traveling through the Appalacian Mountains, twisting through the mountains by following river valleys.

We arrived at Cumberland, MD around 9:30 A.M., running about an hour and

A nice touch were the flowers in our bedroom

ten minutes behind. Much of that was attributable to our late departure from Chicago and no time would be made up snaking our way through these mountains.

The next stop was Martinsburg, WV. The station is the oldest working station in the United States. Built in 1847, it has been in continous service for over 150 years.

Across the track from the Martinsburg station is the old B&O roundhouse complex. It is covers 13 acres and was built between 1866 and 1872 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It replaced the shop facilities that were destroyed on October 19, 1862, by Confederate troops under the command of Colonial “Stonewall” Jackson.

The new complex consisted of the East Roundhouse, the West Roundhouse, the Bridge and Machine shop and the Frog and Switch Shop.

The facility was closed down in 1988 and in 1990 vandals set fire to pallets in the East Roundhouse and it was nearly totally destroyed.

Crossing the Wills River, just out of Glencoe, PA

The station in Martinsburg, WV

In 1999-2000, the Berkeley County Commision bought the complex and transferred the property to the Berkeley County Roundhouse Authority.

The Authority has been working to restore the facility and have replaced all the windows, tuckpointed all the brickwork

and sandblasted the interior walls. The burned out roundhouse has been preserved as much as possible with intentions to rebuild it when funds are available. The buildings are open for a self guided tour and a “Roundhouse Rail Days” festival is held each year.

The Martinsburg, WV, B&O Roundhouse Complex. The burned our East Roundhouse is in the foreground. Behind it is the Frog and Switch Shop/Machine Shop.The West Roundhouse is in the background.

The next stop is Harpers Ferry, WV. Harpers Ferry is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenanadoah Rivers. It is also the junction with the B&O line from Winchester, VA. Harpers Ferry gained notoriety on October 16, 1859, when John Brown and his followers tried to seize the arsenal. Special trains rushed troops led by Colonel Robert E. Lee to the scene. This marked the first time in history that a railroad was used for military purposes.

The abolitionists were soon cornered and forced to surrender. Brown was later hanged.

Washington, DC is fifty five miles and about an hour and a forty five minutes away. Next month: Washington, DC, New York City and the Lake Shore Limited.

Harper's Ferry, WV

The line from Winchester, VA, converging with our track at Harper's Ferry, WV, crossing the Potomac River.

CABOOSE

IC 9792 at Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL September 1, 1997.

Tom Parker photo.

Meeting Schedule April 14, 2008 May 12, 2008 June 9, 2008 July 14, 2008 August 11, 2008 Meetings are the 2nd Monday of each month in the White Station Branch Library from 7-9 pm.

5094 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN (in front of Clark Tower)

Contact the Editor Tom Parker 3012 Wood Thrush Drive Memphis, TN 38134 tscottparker@gmail.com

THE MEMPHIS BUFF welcomes contributions for publication. Copyrighted materials must contain the source. Original documents and photos are preferred for clarity. Enclose a SASE for the return of your materials. Articles sent via the Internet should be in Microsoft Word format. Photos should be JPEG files @ 72 dpi and at least 800x600 size. Consideration for a cover photo would require a much higher resolution. THE MEMPHIS BUFF is a not-for-profit publication for the Memphis Chapter of the NRHS. All credited photos herein are copyright by the photographer and may not be reused without permission.