The Great Train Contest

[RailFanLNK]

Just a few days away from leaving LNK to NYC. We probably will not be taking the CZ :angry: but will connect to the Lakeshore Limited in CHI after flying SWA from OMA. Ok...2 1/2 years ago I made a "contest" out of a quiz for an ex-girlfriends kids. I had a first prize of $50 and second prize of $25 dollors for the most correct answers. The two kids thought it was "stupid" and chose not to play the contest. They didn't know the "prize" was cash. I was bummed at thier lack of intrest so I opened up the "prizes " and stuck the money back into my wallet. Then they raised hell cuz I didnt tell them that there was money involved. Oh well...there loss not mine! So, I did the EXACT same contest with Brenda and her girls and they were "all over it". Asking questions, working hard to finish up the quiz before we got to Glenwood Springs. So now...I want to create a 10 question "quiz" for the Lakeshore Limited. Can all of you help? I will give you the questions that I made for the CZ so you can see what kinda of questions I was looking for. Remember, I have never ridden the LSL, so you'll need to provide me the answers. Some questions should be about Amtrak, and others about the LSL route. Thanks for your help!

 

[RailFanLNK]

Here's the CZ quiz so I need questions somewhat like these:

1. What are the hogs?

A. The engineers.

2. What can't you do when the train is going through long tunnels?

A. Move from car to car due to exhaust being let in.

3. What was the name of the conductor AFTER the city of Denver?

A. Casey Jones....(whatever the name of the actual conductor was) :lol:

4. When was Amtrak created by the Federal Government?

A. May 1st 1971.

5. What is an LSA and what does it do?

A. Lounge Service Attendent, pretty much the head honch in the dining car.

6. Name two other trains that Amtrak operates in the USA?

A. Crescent and Sunset Limited (or whatever they came up with)

7.What is one of the longest train tunnels in the US and whats it called?

A. Moffat Tunnel.

8. What was the name of your tablemates at lunch, where were they from and what do they do for a living?

A. They were Betty and Bob from New York and they were retired teachers travelling Amtrak. ******

9. What is the name of the train we are on and what are the train's numbers?

A. California Zephyr and #5 and #6

10. What is the second stop after Denver?

A. Grandy CO.

Tiebreaker: What will be the actual time we will be arriving in Glenwood Springs. Has to be to the "minute".

***** Question #8 they had written Brenda's and my names down, put down where we worked etc. They said that question was "so easy" until we told them that they were going to be eating with someone else. They were so "scared". (there 16 and 18 years old). They were DREADING IT!!!! They ended up with two retired school teachers and we literally had to go find them and yank them off the train because we were pulling into GSC. They loved sitting with someone different and breaking bread.

So this is what I provided. IF you have some questions, please give me the answers and I'm a tad nervous about asking the crew of the LSL too many questions. Some reviews seem like there's some Ambrassiveness on the LSL. Guess we will find out soon! Thanks everyone!

Al

 

[gswager]

I thought the other longest tunnel is in Washington. I forget what's the name, the same name as pass.

 

[Guest]

"9. What is the name of the train we are on and what are the train's numbers?

A. California Zephyr and #5 and #6"

... how about a question as to why the numbers are sequential?

...what will be your sleeper's number on the return trip?

...at what station will the train service crew change?

...names of bodies of water on the left or right?

...If there are firemen, where are the fires?

 

[RailFanLNK]

Thank you guest!,

1. Why are the sequential?

2. I'll pass on this one, I don't want them digging through stuff to find the number, but its a good question!

3. Where does the crew change at on the LSL?

4. What are the bodies of water? Lake Erie and the Hudson River?

5. Weren't the firemen in the caboose? And werent they there in case sparks flew off and started fires?

 

[gswager]

5. Weren't the firemen in the caboose? And werent they there in case sparks flew off and started fires?

Hint: steam powered locomotive.

Firemen's job is to shovel coals into the boiler.

 

[Guest]

Thank you guest!,1. Why are the sequential?

2. I'll pass on this one, I don't want them digging through stuff to find the number, but its a good question!

3. Where does the crew change at on the LSL?

4. What are the bodies of water? Lake Erie and the Hudson River?

5. Weren't the firemen in the caboose? And werent they there in case sparks flew off and started fires?

RR: I can easily dream up questions for kids but I've not traveled the LSL (yet), so I don't know the answers. I thought I read somewhere that firemen were still on the train but not in their original capacity. The Mr. Harris', Alans', etal, will have to answer that question.

On the sleeper question, rephrase it so that they know to change the first two numbers. For example,

"If this were the sleeper on the return trip, what would be its number?" The number is somewhere in/on the car. The only reason I can think of for their sequentialness is to make it clear in radio communications and ticketing which one you (the train service) are on, that is, which way you are going. Is it possible that all east bound trains are even numbered and west bound, odd, or vice versa?

Another question:

What railroad ran this passenger route before Amtrak took it over?

When freights use this stretch of track, what are they predominantly hauling and where is it going?

 

[AmtrakWPK]

You might want to revise question 1, or turn it into 1a and 1b, as I believe the Hog was the locomotive and the Hogger was the engineer:

HogSlang term for a locomotive; yard switchers are often referred to as "yard hogs."

Hogger

Slang term for locomotive engineer.

 

[dan72]

Hey Al

Well....here's some to try on them:

What waterway does the LSL parallel for part of journey that became obsolete when the railroads came? Answer: The Erie Canal

Which 'hall of fame' do you see from the platform in Cleveland? The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

What national headquarters building can you see when passing through Rochester, NY? Kodak

Why do we switch locomotives at Albany? So a dual-mode (p-32) can be used in the tunnels to NYP and can switch from diesel to electrical.

Have fun with it!

Dan

 

[PRR 60]

Here's a couple for you, Al. Enjoy. If your still offering 50 bucks, I'll come along!

What was the name of the movie that featured scenes from a train ride on the same route as the Lake Shore Limited? North by Northwest, with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.

What famous station did the Lake Shore Limited use in New York City prior to moving to Penn Station in 1991? Grand Central Terminal.

What famous sports arena is located right on top of Penn Station in New York City? Madison Square Garden.

Why is the Amtrak station in New York called Penn Station? Because it was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad (at least part of what's left was).

 

[RailFanLNK]

Great stuff guys and gals! Thanks so much!!!!!

Al

 

[Green Maned Lion]

What famous train does the Lake Shore Limited share most of its route with? (20th Century Limited)

Who ran that train? (New York Central)

What should you never ever ever call a sleeping car attendant? (George)

Why? (Because.)

 

[JayPea]

I thought the other longest tunnel is in Washington. I forget what's the name, the same name as pass.

It is. It's the Cascade Tunnel in the Cascades (how about that coincidence! :lol: ) in Washington. It's 7 1/2 miles long or thereabouts. There's a third tunnel, almost as long, in the mountains of Western Montana, called the Flathead tunnel, between Whitefish and Libby, MT. It's 7 miles long and for some reason, largely forgotten beside the Moffatt Tunnel and Cascade Tunnel.