Re: PC: Yes, cabin cars on 'passenger' trains---documentation

["Jim Kosty" <j_kosty@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Talking about the old NYC mainline upstate in NY - I have been railfanning 
the old NYC main since I was about 13 (1970) and was always amazed at the 
high speed of the trains run up there, as well as the frequent amount of 
trains.  Back in January of 1971, I remember seeing a westbound mail and 
express train passing through Newark NY doing at least 75 miles per hour 
with several NYC E units as sole power.  The train consisted of Flexi Vans, 
mail cars and baggage type cars.  Shortly thereafter, one of the eastbound 
SV jobs came through with mixed PC, NYC and PRR power.  The cars were an 
even mix of TTX flats and Flexi Vans, and once again, this train was flying 
low!  The PC main east of Buffalo was always in pretty decent shape, I am 
sure in a big way due to the invested monies of the State for the Empire 
Service passenger trains.  During this time, the old NYC main was welded 
rail on track 2, while track 1 still consisted of 39' sectional rail.  
Nonetheless, the jointed rail did not have that "peened - down", flattened 
rail end appearance as did the Erie Lackawanna lines down home.

The other amazing comparison is to look at CSX now running the stretch of 
railroad.  They have bee maintaining track 2 quite well, but track 1 looks 
as though it is getting to be worse than any PC track was up there.  CSX has 
a lot of slow orders, muddy spots, and "bounce" to their trains on Track 1.  
They run a lot of trains, but they are NOT maintaining the track to the 
standards it had been kept under Conrail and Penn Central.

Jim Kosty

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! 
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/