That Super Hudson ran the Broadway Limited Route in the late 30's and 40's. This Pennsy T1 4-4-4-4 was pretty cool too. My mom always took me travelling during the summer and road the rails. She always considered the NYC "dirty" compared to the CB&Q, AT&SF, or the IC. I had to go back to school after leave's via the GM&O. THAT was a dirty train. ws
I think you meant the 20th Century Limited, Bill. The Broadway Limited was the Pennsylvania's counterpart to it.
Yer probably right John... Road a lot of them back then as a kid... The Empire Builder, City of Miami, and the Panama Ltd too. Mom actually requested a stop for us to dis-embark in Hollywood Fla. Trains were de' rigueur in my moms' days. Even flew on a Constellation from ORD to MIA in about 1961. Days gone by. ws
Glad to see Big boy out there running under its own power. A true history lesson in motion. Much different than the units we have today
I too have flown on a Connie, but it was the Eastern Airlines shuttle from Boston to Newark. Eastern was buying jets in the early '60s, and was using up it's piston powered airplanes on short runs where the difference in speed wasn't important. I also rode the New Haven to New York (from Boston) several times, and the B&O from New York to DC and back. The B&O was spotlessly clean with great service. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the New Haven.
I am sure Mike Wolf will be interested to know that his Big Boy is on display in the Netherlands. Want one, but the car is taking more $$ than I have right now. Contributions accepted, or someone could buy my never-charged '72 Antique Auto repro battery from me... Cheers, Richard
John C., looks like Steamtown reads V8buick! #4012 was moved Wednesday into a restoration bay for a cosmetic Resto. To my knowledge and according to the local paper, there are no plans to make it operational as of now. Pretty cool stuff, 1 of 8 left. https://www.nps.gov/stea/learn/news...lay-for-cosmetic-restoration-and-painting.htm
Europe has been able to save a lot more steam engines then did the United States and Canada. The reason for this is that the USA had lots of oil; Europe didn't - at least that they knew about. The big change from steam to Diesel occurred here around 1950 with virtually no steam hanging on after 1956. In Europe the conversion to Diesel and Electric occurred a decade later. The Europeans could see the interest in steam engine preservation in the USA, and saved many more for possible future restoration. Most railroad companies in the US just sold their old steam equipment for it's scrap value. The New York Central didn't save a single Hudson - one of the most successful passenger steam engines ever built and a type that they developed, nor did they save a single Niagara - jointly developed by the NYC and Alco. The Niagara was neither the biggest, most powerful nor the fastest steam locomotive ever built, but it was the pinnacle of steam technology and the only steam locomotive that ever operated for fewer dollars per drawbar horsepower then the Diesel horsepower that replaced it. To a steam lover (such as I) this was a horrible and easily avoidable tragedy. The Union Pacific was a bit wiser.
For those of you who are interested the 4014 is on his way to California. He is currently going through Utah. Its planned route will take him near Pamona, Ca and offering 2 public excursions (you can ride) then heading to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and back to Cheyenne Wy https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm
Wanted to take my wheelchair-bound dad to CA for the ride, but evidently the access is in no way wheelchair accessible.
Thanks for the insight, John. Not much has survived from the steam era, so any effort going toward saving what’s left gets my attention. The cosmetic restoration of 4012 is a direct correlation to the interest driven from 4014’s resurgence according to steamtown. Apparently, visitor numbers skyrocketed this summer. They claim it’s the only big not east of the Mississippi.
John--many of the cars and engines that I posted above were abandoned in Hungary by the retreating Germans near the end of WWII. I have no idea how the old turntable and train house survived the war, but they did. (It was a hot day in Budapest when I took those pictures.) The small green engine at the top once worked the docks in the capital city of Iceland. When I took that picture in June of this year, the wind was really blowing and you had to bundle up due to the cold weather. I will post some more pictures soon.
