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Discussion relating to the PRR, up to 1968. Visit the PRR Technical & Historical Society for more information.
 #82308  by Schuylkill Valley
 
This story is from Railroad Magazine of 1947 .

Pennsy`s Steel Thunderbolts
THE MIGHTY PRR`S four - and six track mainline between Washington and New York is famed as the scene of precision railroading unsurpassed any where in the world . Over the completely electrifed racetrack speed such famous name trains as The Congressional Limited, The Speaker and The President .

And streamliners of Southern roads like the Southern`s Southerner and the rejuvenated Seaboard Air Lines`s bids for traveler patronage. When you count passenger loads on such additional trains as The Sun Queen, The Vacationer and the luxurious Potomac, this line can safely bost that it carries the largest passenger traffic in the country.

First in traffic, the line is also first in weight of rails. Engineer glide their trains over 152-pound steel with the ease of the proverbial greased lightning, more then one Pennsy engineer has stated that he doesn`t begin counting the passenger cars until they outnumber fifteen. Inside track is 152 pounds in most places, with the slimmer outside rails weighing in at 131 pounds to the yard.

For added safety, Pennsy has installed position-light signals geared to the incredible traffic density and hundred-mile-per-hour speeds. Cab signals which give the engineman constant information on the condition of the block ahead, from an additional safety device.

Carrying mose passengers, hauling more freight then any other road in the world and operating more track miles then any signle railroad in the country, Pennsy naturally ington-New York mainline is the pride spot of the system.

The end.


Leonard
Last edited by Schuylkill Valley on Fri Oct 07, 2005 3:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #94880  by 1st Barnegat
 
Schuylkill Valley wrote:... THE MIGHTY PRR`S four - and six track mainline between Washington and New York is famed as the scene of precision railroading unsurpassed any where in the world...

...Pennsy naturally [sic] [Wash]ington-New York mainline is the pride spot of the system....
Having traveled the Trenton-Washington portion of the line more times than I can count (and earning over 5000 points on Amtrak Guest Rewards in just six months), I couldn't help thinking the following in reference to this quote:

"Continued federal subsidies should be predicated on transferring Amtrak's tunnels, and preferably the entire Boston-Washington line, to an agency that will make safety a top priority for commuters and intercity travelers," from http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/v ... 030749.asp

Maybe they should call that new "agency," ah, umm, the Pennsylvania Railroad.

And its motive power might look like this:
http://idisk.mac.com/jakepatrick/public/prrred.jpg
Just add pantographs.
 #102509  by PRRTechFan
 
First Barnegat; wow, did your comment about turning the NEC back to the PRR strike a nerve!

30+ years ago, I was commuting to college in Newark from Manasquan on the North Jersey Coast Line. I always had an interest in trains and probably got off and watched more engine changes from E-8's to GG-1's in South Amboy than most of the crew...

By the 70's, the PRR had merged with the NYC to form PC, and the PC had gone bankrupt. I believe that Conrail and Amtrak were in their infancy, and there was no such thing as New Jersey Transit. There was a veteran conductor on my train; his name was Jack Phillipson. He was from Point Pleasant, and I think he retired mid-70's. But he was an old PRR man, I believe; and when things were quiet, we would discuss trains and the NEC and the Pennsy.

One of the things that irked him was the huge fuss over the "new high speed Metroliner" service. He said that this was nothing new, and that all during the 40's, the PRR ran their "Clocker" trains between New York and Philadelphia at straightaway speeds of 100 to 125 mph with M-1 steam locomotives.

...but the one thing I remember him saying 30 years ago that I never forgot had to do with Amtrak and the Northeast Corridor; his comment was to the effect of "...mark my words, some day the Pennsylvania Railroad will get the NEC back."

I don't see how it could happen, but I never forgot that comment. But when I read your post and saw the beautiful engine rendering in PRR colors, chills went down my spine from that conversation 30 years ago...

 #225364  by pennsy
 
Hi All,

One of my favorite stories is how the GG-1 enginemen really took seriously the point of being on time and sticking to the schedule.

At the time when the average speed for a GG-1 hauled train between NYC and Wash. DC was touted as being 70+ mph, there were some instances where it was known, later proven, that these enginemen exceeded 100+ mph in order to arrive on time. This happened several times but the ones where the enginemen were caught in this violation, and subequently disciplined are the ones remembered and documented. The one that comes to mind is a Congressional running late, coming towards Penn Station NYC. In an area in Maryland, this train was timed at over 100 mph, and the engineman was caught at it. P.S. he arrived on time.