Recent Amtrak trip

[jpakala]

March 6-8 we were on the TE sleeping car (2 roomettes) that, along with a coach, goes on to L.A.; we boarded in Alton, IL, Tucson our destination, return on March 12-14. Our car was right behind locomotive until SAS, then at end of train. Multiple long straight back & forth moves left our car with coach in front of it to be added to SL. Temp controls worked well. Track was smooth in AZ, NM, and for a while east of ELP; roughest between FTW-SAS. Real silverware for dinner on SL west but not returning, tablecloths both ways; paper placemats for other meals & fancy plastic ware. My favorite meal was the Savory Chili with scallions, cheese, etc. in a baked potato, also the omelette with veggies etc. on SL. Salmon was good on SL, so-so as a 'box' meal on TE. (I wore coat & tie for dinners, as men did in 1950s.) Newer car westward, older style east, numerous little differences, such as a shower curtain vs door, restroom design, roomette closet vs open coat hanging space. We were over 2 hrs late into TX down to 37 min. at Temple but delay at Austin. We were over 2 hrs late at TUS. They said at Maricopa there would be 4 ot 5 stops, owing to short platform. Eastward was 47 min. early into TUS. Good SLAs but we didn't tip first one as he left for hotel at SAS and we didn't know. Clear, courteous announcements both ways as far as masks and crew changes (except car attendants), but very uneven styles: no drill sergeants this time but a range from entertainer to confidant/engager. Use of "guys" was such as we've never heard on an airliner or oceanliner. One TE meal car attendant rattled off desserts so we had to ask her to repeat and she was overanxious about knowing exactly what we wanted at the next meal. Engineers were uneven in horn use because one blew 2 longs, a short, and 2 longs for every crossing and that included tiny dirt lanes and private rural driveways that even had a shut gate at the tracks! Our SLA at Alpine, TX said we had time to enter the station and see the mural, which we did. We were on time back at Alton, a wonderful new station.

 

[Cal]

Engineers were uneven in horn use because one blew 2 longs, a short, and 2 longs for every crossing and that included tiny dirt lanes and private rural driveways that even had a shut gate at the tracks!

By the way, engineers don't just choose which crossings they blow the horn at. Most crossings they are required to do the horn sequence (which I believe is actually 2 longs, 1 short, and 1 long, maybe that engineer just enjoyed the horn) and others have been made quiet zones where engineers are not supposed to honk the horn unless trespassers are present.

 

[Willbridge]

By the way, engineers don't just choose which crossings they blow the horn at. Most crossings they are required to do the horn sequence (which I believe is actually 2 longs, 1 short, and 1 long, maybe that engineer just enjoyed the horn) and others have been made quiet zones where engineers are not supposed to honk the horn unless trespassers are present.

You have it right. The crossing whistle signal is one of the survivors of a big list of whistle signals in the days when trainmen did not carry portable radios. If you have the chance to see Cecil B. De Mille's extravaganza The Greatest Show on Earth, the engineer on the first section of the circus train correctly blows the signal for the rear brakeman to walk back down the track and protect the stopped train from the second section. The movie was made in 1952 when there were audiences that knew those signals.

 

[BlackDiamond]

You have it right. The crossing whistle signal is one of the survivors of a big list of whistle signals in the days when trainmen did not carry portable radios. If you have the chance to see Cecil B. De Mille's extravaganza The Greatest Show on Earth, the engineer on the first section of the circus train correctly blows the signal for the rear brakeman to walk back down the track and protect the stopped train from the second section. The movie was made in 1952 when there were audiences that knew those signals.

We still use a number of those signals when we operate at the trolley museum, besides the --.- for grade crossing there is 4 shorts to call for signals, i.e. for someone on the ground to give us the OK to move, and so on. There are also conductors signals to the motorman 1 to stop at next station, 2 to go, 3 to stop immediately. We usually all carry radios but sometimes hand, whistle and bell signals are more efficient.

 

[Dakota 400]

(I wore coat & tie for dinners, as men did in 1950s.

Good for you! It's been many years since I have seen a gentleman so attired in a dining car. Thank you for your report.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good for you! It's been many years since I have seen a gentleman so attired in a dining car. Thank you for your report.

While I won't "dress up" for Dinner on Amtrak, I do wear clean, fairly new Clothing to Dinner in the Diner, but it's always comfortable attire since relaxing while on Holiday is a Luxury to me after having had yo wear a Coat and Tie to work for over 30 years!

 

[jpakala]

By the way, engineers don't just choose which crossings they blow the horn at. Most crossings they are required to do the horn sequence (which I believe is actually 2 longs, 1 short, and 1 long, maybe that engineer just enjoyed the horn) and others have been made quiet zones where engineers are not supposed to honk the horn unless trespassers are present.

I think the engineer was overdoing not only the blowing but also the frequency because the other engineers did not blow the horn for private driveways with gates shut and so on, as I watched carefully. Of course they all used the horn (albeit the others properly 3 longs & 1 short before 3rd long) for regular grade crossings whether they were electrical or mere crossing boards.

Good for you! It's been many years since I have seen a gentleman so attired in a dining car. Thank you for your report.

Thank you. I rode Dakota 400, the last two times being 1956 from Rochester to Brookings with parlor car as far as Mankato, then coach, and 8/6/58 from Rapid City to Brookings with 2 duplex roomettes for my sister & me. My parents drove, & at Philip my sister heard a pebble against the window of a duplex roomette across the aisle as as she took a photo of me in my doorway. Dad had tossed it and we then went to car's door and chatted with them. They thought the Philip platform side of the 400 had our rooms but when we left Rapid City three was a backup move which meant at Philip our windows were on the northern side (depot on southern). They stayed overnight at Philip. Lots of people were at the depot. The train had I think 2 coaches besides our Pullman and many cars up front (baggage/mail non-streamlined types).

 

[jis]

I think the engineer was overdoing not only the blowing but also the frequency because the other engineers did not blow the horn for private driveways with gates shut and so on, as I watched carefully. Of course they all used the horn (albeit the others properly 3 longs & 1 short before 3rd long) for regular grade crossings whether they were electrical or mere crossing boards.

Don't they usually have a "W" Board before each crossing denoting where whistle must be blown?

Of course nothing prevents the Engineer from blowing horns elsewhere as and when needed.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Of course nothing prevents the Engineer from blowing horns elsewhere as and when needed.

Or even when not needed, especially on the NEC where there are a lot of rail fans out taking videos. Yes, I have caused a few unneeded horns at NRK. Then there are the ones who don't bother. grr (j/k)

 

[Cal]

because the other engineers did not blow the horn for private driveways with gates shut and so on, as I watched carefully.

Every crossing is different, some private crossings will require it, and other's don't. The engineer was probably not "overdoing it," but simply following what was there.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Or even when not needed, especially on the NEC where there are a lot of rail fans out taking videos. Yes, I have caused a few unneeded horns at NRK. Then there are the ones who don't bother. grr (j/k)

I was making a video a few years ago of the Three Rivers at Gap PA and the engineer on that train gave me the full road crossing horn plus bell which was nice.

 

[GAT]

I live a block off San Francisco Muni’s T-line light rail transit, and most of the streetcar operators (should they be called Engineers? ) clang their bells frequently. Maybe they are cable car operator wannabes. Anyway, I love the sound; it brings a bright personality to my economically challenged neighborhood.

 

[20th Century Rider]

While I won't "dress up" for Dinner on Amtrak, I do wear clean, fairly new Clothing to Dinner in the Diner, but it's always comfortable attire since relaxing while on Holiday is a Luxury to me after having had yo wear a Coat and Tie to work for over 30 years!

It's always good to appear at dinner looking 'clean and spiffy' but I haven't worn a suit since I retired a quarter of a century ago... Amtrak travel is very casual which is what I really like about a train!

 

[Dakota 400]

Thank you. I rode Dakota 400, the last two times being 1956 from Rochester to Brookings with parlor car as far as Mankato, then coach, and 8/6/58 from Rapid City to Brookings with 2 duplex roomettes for my sister & me. My parents drove, & at Philip my sister heard a pebble against the window of a duplex roomette across the aisle as as she took a photo of me in my doorway. Dad had tossed it and we then went to car's door and chatted with them. They thought the Philip platform side of the 400 had our rooms but when we left Rapid City three was a backup move which meant at Philip our windows were on the northern side (depot on southern). They stayed overnight at Philip. Lots of people were at the depot. The train had I think 2 coaches besides our Pullman and many cars up front (baggage/mail non-streamlined types).

You were riding this train during the same time period that I was. Usually, it was just Chicago to/from Rochester. One Summer, when we needed to be there for an extended period of time, my family took a trip of a few days from Rochester to/from Rapid City. We always traveled in Coach including the trip to Rapid City. On one trip, we got upgraded to the Parlor Car; no memory of why. But, as a child, I thought that was really cool! On another trip, our connection into Chicago on PRR was late and we missed the Dakota 400. We were put on the Twin Cites 400 (which left Chicago later than Dakota and was a faster train). Then, transferred to the Dakota 400 in Wyeville (I think).

The Diner was dropped in Mankato as I recall for the trip to Rapid City. A Cafe/Lounge car was added. Seating at a counter for the meals as I remember. Does this agree with your memory of that train?

 

[jpakala]

I know from Official Guides that a parlor for a while went all the way to Huron, arriving a bit after midnight I think, and from my late uncle (Volga resident) that a bar-lounge car or such went as far as Brookings for a while. Brookings depot for years had a lunch-counter eatery or such. It was more or less a meal stop. At Mankato in 1958 they added I think Pullmans. I remember a nicely dressed couple et al. (rather than descending to the platform) waiting between cars to walk from coaches (or the yet-to-be-removed diner) to sleeper space because a RR worker was afixing a canvas piece across what was apparently a little gap between the inter-car diaphragms. Wyeville, WI was indeed (though tiny) a stop where some train transfers occured because my sister mentioned waiting there in the mid-to-late 1940s anyway (I think the platform was stones). BTW at Mankato just before the parlor car was vacated the "Attendant" (as his hat read) squatted to wipe passengers' shoes. There were only 7 of us by then because most had detrained at Rochester (Mayo Clinic drew many there as today).

I didn't mean to say "I think Pullmans" because the "I think" was an error. One or more sleeping cars replaced the parlor car at Mankato. The Brookings depot eatery for the Dakota 400 would have been merely a breakfast eastbound, but when there was a second train it would have had more use other than local residents & railroaders. You're right about the cafe car from Mankato to Brookings because that would have offered breakfast and early lunch onboard eastbound and food in evening westbound leaving Mankato (it was dark by then even in early August, so many would have eaten before the diner was off). The parlor car drawing room I saw a picture of in a book some years ago and wondered what it was like because there weren't a sofa plus two chairs. I'll ask my cousin who was a coach passenger (with her mother) but was ill and so they were put into the drawing room. At Mankato I'm not sure what happened (they detrained at Brookings).

 

[Siegmund]

Continuing with the sidebar on the Dakota 400, this 2-page spread from the most recent issue of Kalmbach's Classic Trains describing the situation in 1954 may be of interest to people in the thread. A heck of a lot of switching of cars on and off this train at different places.

(Standard disclaimers apply, it's not my photo, buy the magazine if you want a hard copy or want to enourage this type of thing to be printed, etc etc.)

 

[Dakota 400]

Continuing with the sidebar on the Dakota 400, this 2-page spread from the most recent issue of Kalmbach's Classic Trains describing the situation in 1954 may be of interest to people in the thread. A heck of a lot of switching of cars on and off this train at different places.

(Standard disclaimers apply, it's not my photo, buy the magazine if you want a hard copy or want to enourage this type of thing to be printed, etc etc.)

Thanks for this information. I just placed an order for this magazine.

 

[Dakota 400]

The Brookings depot eatery for the Dakota 400 would have been merely a breakfast eastbound, but when there was a second train it would have had more use other than local residents & railroaders. You're right about the cafe car from Mankato to Brookings because that would have offered breakfast and early lunch onboard eastbound and food in evening westbound leaving Mankato (it was dark by then even in early August, so many would have eaten before the diner was off). The parlor car drawing room I saw a picture of in a book some years ago and wondered what it was like because there weren't a sofa plus two chairs. I'll ask my cousin who was a coach passenger (with her mother) but was ill and so they were put into the drawing room

I do not recall eating in a depot. I am glad that my memory was correct about the cafe/lounge car. I do recall seeing the Parlor Car Drawing Room when we were riding in the Parlor Car. It was empty during my trip and we peeked in when we were walking around the train. How did I manage to correctly pull the name Wyeville out of my memory after all of these years! When we were involved in the transfer between trains, the area was paved (this would have been in the '50's).

I appreciate you sharing your information and memories with me. That was a special time of my life (even though I was so young) and those train trips helped to get me "hooked" on trains as well as travel in general.

 

[Barb Stout]

Thank you. I rode Dakota 400, the last two times being 1956 from Rochester to Brookings with parlor car as far as Mankato, then coach, and 8/6/58 from Rapid City to Brookings with 2 duplex roomettes for my sister & me. My parents drove, & at Philip my sister heard a pebble against the window of a duplex roomette across the aisle as as she took a photo of me in my doorway. Dad had tossed it and we then went to car's door and chatted with them. They thought the Philip platform side of the 400 had our rooms but when we left Rapid City three was a backup move which meant at Philip our windows were on the northern side (depot on southern). They stayed overnight at Philip. Lots of people were at the depot. The train had I think 2 coaches besides our Pullman and many cars up front (baggage/mail non-streamlined types).

Brookings, SD: My dad's old stomping grounds. Were there any other stops between Brookings and Philip?

 

[Dakota 400]

Brookings, SD: My dad's old stomping grounds. Were there any other stops between Brookings and Philip?

Many,many stops are shown on an old timetable.