DME - We Didn't Get to Know Ye

The scene above is not the Black Hills of South Dakota, but the Norfolk Southern Railroad's Dillerville Yard in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I've never seen a Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern train but I've sure seen a lot of their cars in this part of the country. On October 30, 2008 this regional road was taken over by Canadian Pacific. Not too bad a deal for the people who got into the railroad business in 1986 for $26 million and sold to CP recently for $1.48 billion. It remains to be seen if CP will put up the big bucks to upgrade this old Chicago & North Western route and expand it into the Powder River coal fields in Wyoming. We don't know yet the effects of a new national government's desire to more tightly regulate carbon emissions. This could make or break the plan to expand CP into the coal fields.

Wood Cars @ Risk - Too Late

Above, at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, is a prime example of what is in store for wooden cars stored outdoors. It is the framework of PRR cabin car (caboose) #492015 after having the rotten wood removed. The frame has been scrapped since this photo was taken. Sitting on top of the frame is the pantograph from a PRR electric multiple unit car, also a complete loss due to corrosion. Fortunately another PRR class ND cabin car is inside the museum's restoration shop awaiting the services of a skilled wood craftsman. For most of the historic collection the artifacts at risk are one of a kind and their loss is permanent. Please help The Friends of The Railroad Museum preserve and restore our priceless historic heritage.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

Wood Cars @ Risk - PRR 473567

PRR class FM flat #473567 was built by American Car & Foundry in 1909. This car was used to move the "John Bull" replica from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania to Sacramento, California and back for "Steamfest 1999" at the Railroad Museum of California. A wood deck is imperative because only wood can hold the many nails used to secure heavy loads in transit. Today her wood deck has been removed due to deterioration. A museum volunteer contributed sawn oak lumber for a new deck and now she sits waiting for funding for sandblasting and painting before receiving the new decking. In the photo below you can see PRR #459752 in the Norfolk Southern yard in Lancaster, Pennsylvania demonstrating what happens to wood flat decks outdoors. You can help this project.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP WEDNESDAY: What happens when it's too late for preservation PRR 492015

Wood Cars @ Risk - Reading 5078

In the early days of railroading in the United States three types of freight cars were common: the gondola for bulk commodities, the flat for large objects not requiring protection from the weather and the box or house car for everything else. Despite many changes in modern railroading most people still associate the box car with the movement of freight.

Records of the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society indicate Reading class XMs #5078 was built by Bettendorf somewhere between 1918 and 1920. During the First World War American railroads were taken over and managed by The government U.S. Railroad Agency. In 1918 the USRA ordered 25,000 single-sheathed steel frame box cars of the American Association of Railroads design No. 1001-B. The Reading Company received 1,000 of these cars. This one was sold sometime in the 1950's to a kitchen appliance manufacturer who used it probably for storage until donating it to The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania in 1977.

Today she sits on a turntable track in the museum railyard without any stencilling or a full paint job, still being used for storage. You can help preserve this part of our historic heritage.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP MONDAY: Flat car without a deck PRR 473567

Wood Cars @ Risk - D&H 8148

Delaware & Hudson Railway gondola #8148 was built by American Car & Foundry in Berwick, Pennsylvania in 1906. It has a wooden gondola body on a steel unerframe. It has drop ends for loading and unloading. Before coming to The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in 1974 the D&H completely reconditioned the car. Nevertheless, wood cars displayed outdoors continuously deteriorate. You can help preserve this historic car.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP FRIDAY: Reading 5078 Box Car

RR Economy Update

As the economy went into recession last Fall railroad traffic followed as well. November 2008 traffic was down 10 percent from a year earlier. Lower prices for metals and grain resulted in lower shipments of the same. As for autos you know what happened. For example, CSX is storing almost 300 auto racks at the Kentucky Railroad Museum. BNSF has mothballed intermodal cars on an unused mine spur in New Mexico. The word "layoff" is starting to be heard across the industry. One commodity that seems to be holding up is coal.

Despite the slowdown in rail shipments, truckers are down even more. Smart truckers are rushing to get as many trailers as possible on to rail cars and off the deteriorating interstate highway system. Railroads are continuing major capital expenditures like UP's double tracking of the Sunset Route from Los Angeles to El Paso. BNSF continues to grade for a second track through New Mexico's Abo Canyon on the Transcon Route.

The less efficient locomotives seem to be going into storage instead of to the scrapper. A lot of SD40's and SD50's are involved. NS is mothballing their remaining GE Dash-8's.

On the passenger front, Amtrak's trains are still running at capacity. Seeing there is no rolling stock acquisition program on the near horizon, it would seem Amtrak will be able to sustain some fare increases. It remains to be seen whether Amtrak's management can come clean with Congress and impress on them that railroads (and all other transportation) cannot operate without taxpayer subsidy. I hope they can make Congress believe Amtrak will never be self sustaining; statements to the contrary are just idle, silly dreaming.

Finally, compare the annual cost of public funding of passenger railroads by seven countries (in billions of US Dollars) Germany 22.8, France 9.9, UK 4.6, Austria 2, Spain 1.7, Denmark 0.9 and the USA 0.8 billion per year.

Wood Cars @ Risk - B&S 35

Buffalo & Susquehanna combination baggage car, smoker, and passenger coach #35 was built by the Barney & Smith Car Co. of Dayton, Ohio around 1906. With stained glass windows, leather seats, Pintsch gasoline lighting and all-wood construction this rare combine is the last piece of existing rolling stock from the B&S. This all-wood car was used in daily passenger service on this logging road from Galeton, Pennsylvania to Buffalo, New York. In the 1960's the car was put into work train service and eventually stored under cover until coming to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in 1997.

What you see above is #35 in a "cocoon", a cover designed to protect the car without any moisture builing up inside. The protection is not permanent and the car will need restoration to uncover the ornate floral inlay "marquetry" of the interior walls, intricate gold-leaf stencilling, and an octagonal porcelain floor pattern buried beneath layers of grime. You can help in preserving the future of this unique historic railroad car.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP WEDNESDAY: Delaware & Hudson 8148 Gondola

Wood Cars @ Risk - PY&A 1818

We move indoors today for a look at a historic wood car. This is Pittsburgh, Youngstown & Ashtabula #1818, a class GG gondola built around 1895. She is a "hopper bottom" gondola, the first type of hopper car. Over 2,000 of these cars were ordered from PRR Altoona, Buffalo Car Co. and Pullman Palace Car Co. The exact builder of #1818 for this PRR subsidiary is unknown. Its ironic that when the last class GG cars were being built in 1899, The Pressed Steel Car Co. of Chicago was turning out class CL steel hopper cars for PRR. Displaying this historic artifact indoors slows the deterioration of the wood construction, but #1818 will still need lots of wood replacement.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP MONDAY: Wood @ Risk B&S #35

Railroad History at Risk - Luxurious View at the Rear

Pennsylvania Railroad #8420 Sleeper-Lounge-Observation car "Tower View" was one of the last two observation cars used on the well-known Broadway Limited. It was part of a large post-war order placed by the PRR with Pullman-Standard to re-equip long distance trains. She entered service in 1948 and was withdrawn from the Broadway in 1967. Number 8420 has one double bedroom with two fold-down beds and two Master Rooms each with two fold-down beds, shower, wash basin and toilet. The car also has a 15 seat lounge and a 10 seat observation area. In her outdoor display spot at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania the luxury veteran shows a good bit of exterior corrosion. Her vestibule door is open and protected by a screen to prevent inside humidity buildup. Nevertheless, the inevitable erosion by the atmosphere will continue unless stabilized. You can help in preventing the loss of this valuable piece of history.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP FRIDAY: Wood @ Risk PY&A 1818

Railroad History at Risk - A Good Meal Enroute

Reading #1189 was built by Pullman-Standard as a diner in 1927 and rebuilt in the Reading's shops in 1949. The original small windows were replaced with large panoramic ones and air-conditioning was added. Configured as a club car she saw her last service with the Reading renamed "Crusader" following the sale of the original stainless steel train of that name to Canadian National in 1963. Car #1189 arrived at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania in 1970 and is displayed outdoors, unrestored, but not unloved. You can play a role in preserving this historic treasure for the future.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY: PRR #8420 tail end of a great train

Railroad History at Risk - A Modern Step

Lehigh Valley Railroad #1552 parlor car was built by Pullman-Standard in 1927. She went into service on Lehigh Valley Railroad's premier passenger train Black Diamond from New York City to Buffalo, New York. During the early 1950's the car was modified to run in mid-train. The sun room was eliminated and the vestibule added. The clerestory roof was replaced with an arch type and it is possible that during this rebuilding a changing room was added next to the men's room. Among its more modern equipment are a Frigidaire air conditioning system, 6 wheel roller bearing trucks and a shaft driven generator to charge batteries. At this time additional sheet metal was added to give the car a more streamlined appearance. The car was painted Cornell Red. After Black Diamond stopped service in 1959 #1552 saw only special occasion service until arriving at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania in 1970. Being displayed outdoors for almost 40 years has not been kind to the condition of this once-luxurious car. Without steps to stabilize and then restore her condition she will be eventually lost. You can be an important part in preventing this.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP ON MONDAY: RDG #1189 Dining Car

Railroad History at Risk - A Good Night's Sleep

This car is former PRR #8451 10 roomette 6 double bedroom Pullman sleeping car "Scioto Rapids" built in 1949. The car's first service was on PRR-N&W through service from New York to Roanoke, Virginia via Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She was originally painted Tuscan Red. The car subsequently served Penn Central and Amtrak's Canada routes as "Toronto Rapids". Later it became the property of private collector Bennet Levin of Philadelphia who donated the car with his marking "Juniata Rapids" to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in 1996. You can play an important part in preserving this railroad treasure.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP ON FRIDAY: Lehigh Valley #1552 Parlor Car Survivor

Railroad History at Risk - High Speed Pioneer

PRR/PC/Amtrak #860 Metroliner Snack Bar Coach is perhaps the only car of its kind to survive the scrap line and tell the Metroliner story to our children and grandchildren. Seen here outside the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, she suffers the inevitable erosion of time and climate. You can be part of the future of this artifact by joining with the Friends of the Railroad Museum and contributing to this car's restoration and preservation.

If you are interested in taking part in the future of this great institution join The Friends of The Railroad Museum. Read about their work on the Museum's website. You don't have to live in the local museum area, although Friend's membership will provide you with free admission. The bi-monthly journal "Milepost" is worth the membership fees alone with it's railroad history presented in a way that's interesting to railroad fans and scholars alike. You should also look at the museum's restoration successes by clicking here.

COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY: PRR #8451 Sleeping Car at the peak