The Flying Yankee

[b&m 1566]

WOW........... I never new that the Flying Yankee was given a different name depending on the route it was going to travel. Does anyone now why that happened? I guess you could say its the same reason as for the B&M's train the Gull *if I just spelled it right.... I'm not sure where the train went to but I have been told it went into Nova Scotia somewhere. The Flying Yankee's official name is the Flying Yankee correct?... I have a picture of it in a book I got when I went on the Conway Scenic RR Notch train back in 1998. The picture was taken of the Yankee just sitting at the Intervale Depot (Mountain Junction of the B&M Conway branch and the MC Mountain Division line). It had on the side of it the... Manie Central Mountaineer and on the Front of it the Boston and Maine logo of the Minute Man.........................? *I know the Yankee was owned by both railroads at the sametime.



On another note someone told me that the Yankee itself could be finished by the fall of 2005 if all goes well.... but I have also been told that it will not be ready until the spring of 2006 at the earliest. Me (though I'm not working on it) would say that its still to early to even be thinking of a final finish date. Instead of getting my hopes up for an early finish I will just sit and wait. I will say one thing, I hope to be there for when they reveal her but for being able to ride it (not just for the first run) but anytime... I think I have a better chance of winning a Million bucks than riding the Yankee.

[Highball]

B & M 1566 wrote : I guess you could say its the same reason as for the B&M's train The Gull * if I just spelled it right... I'm not sure where the train went...Nova Scotia

Yes, the Gull went to Nova Scotia, it travelled Boston to Halifax, over four railroads. The four roads involved were B&M.... Boston to Portland; Maine Central.... Portland to Mattawamkeag, Maine; Canadian Pacific .... Mattawamkeag to St. John, New Brunswick; Canadian National..... St. John to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The last Gull was run September, 1960.

[crij]

Since I couldn't remember it before, I finally stumbled across the current owner / reseller of the Mark Twain Zephyr. She is part of RMI's Collection, Rail Merchants International, which is a division of Anderson Steel Flange RR Equipment Co. http://www.railmerchants.net/mt-zephyr.htm

As an odd coincidence, as I was thumbing through the predecessor to RYPN, Locomotive & Railway Preservation Magazine, which I had recently picked up some old issues at the Ct Eastern RR Museum. In the March-April 1996 issue , pages 14-16, there is an article in the Preservation News Section about the Mark Twain, concerning her history to present (1996) and some info about the other Zephyrs. If you can get your hands on a copy, it is an interesting article.

There was another article, in a different issue, but I cannot find it right now. This article was about one of the other units, possibly the Yankee.

Take care,

Rich C.

[b&m 1566]

FLYING YANKEE TO RECEIVE INTERNATIONAL AWARD

American Welding Society Selects Flying Yankee To Receive Historic Welded Structure Award

Glen, NH – Officials from the Flying Yankee Restoration Group, located in Glen, NH, announced today that the American Welding Society (AWS),
which is based in Miami, FL, has selected the historic Flying Yankee passenger train to be the sole recipient of the American Welding Society’s
prestigious Historic Welded Structure Award for 2004.

The AWS Historical Welded Structure award honors structures which are at least 35 years of age and have had a significant impact on history.
The award celebrates advances made in welding and the importance the welding played in the development of key products. Other well-known
recipients of this international award include the St. Louis Arch, the Hoover Dam, the Tokyo Tower, the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier, and
the USS Nautilus submarine. The Flying Yankee will become the very first train of any type to receive the American Welding Society’s prestigious
Historic Welded Structure award.

“The AWS Historical Welded Structure award supports and promotes the realization of greater dreams, while reminding the public of the important
role welding has in our lives,” says Jim Greer, AWS president. “Past recipients of the AWS Historical Welded Structure awards depict and
showcase marvels of technology and ingenuity achieved through welding.”

Built in 1935 by the E.G. Budd Company in Philadelphia, PA, engineers and builders of the Flying Yankee introduced Shot Welding to the
manufacturing industry when they fabricated the stainless steel used in constructing the 3-car, diesel-electric passenger train. This
unique Shot Welding technology not only revolutionized the manufacturing industry in 1935, but it is still in use today.

The presentation and celebration of the AWS Historic Welded Structure award will take place over a two-day period. The formal presentation of
the Historic Welded Structure award will take place at the John O. Morton building on Hazen Drive in Concord, NH on Friday, October 8, 2004 at
1pm and will be open to invited guests and the media. Accepting the award on behalf of the owners of the train, the State of New Hampshire,
will be NH Department of Transportation Commissioner Carol Murray. Joining Commissioner Murray in accepting the award will be the President of the
Flying Yankee Restoration Group, Mr. R. Stoning Morrell. Also on hand for the presentation ceremonies in Concord will be AWS officials from
Florida, New Hampshire and Vermont, members of the Flying Yankee Restoration Group, employees of the Claremont Concord Railroad, NHDOT officials,
significant contributors, and invited guests.

Following the formal award presentation ceremony in Concord on Friday, October 8th, will be a public presentation and celebration of the award
on Saturday afternoon, October 9, 2004 at the Claremont Concord Railroad (CCRR). Located on Industrial Boulevard in Claremont, NH, the CCRR
is an active short-line railroad in business for over 120 years, and has been involved with the mechanical restoration of the Flying Yankee
since November 1997. Those interested in attending the public event in Claremont will have the unique opportunity to not only witness the
re-presentation of the AWS Historic Welded Structure award, but enjoy free guided tours the Flying Yankee, a slide presentation on the
history of the Flying Yankee narrated by noted train historian Dick Gassett of Newport, NH, as well as historic train displays and more.
Saturday’s activities will take place at the CCRR from 1pm to 4pm on October 9th and are free to the public.

The restoration of the Flying Yankee is a unique partnership between the State of New Hampshire and the Flying Yankee Restoration Group, Inc.
– a non-profit organization. The mechanical restoration of the Flying Yankee is managed by the NH Department of Transportation – Bureau of
Rail and Transit, while fundraising activities, marketing, public relations, sales of Flying Yankee collectibles and site selection for
eventual operation of the train is managed by the Flying Yankee Restoration Group. Nearly $2.5 million dollars in private and grant
funding have been carefully spent on the restoration over the past seven years, while an estimated $1.5 million dollars will be required
in order to complete the train’s restoration and testing.

Operated jointly by the B&M Railroad and the Maine Central Railroad from 1935 to 1957, the Flying Yankee is one of only three articulated,
3-car passenger trains of this type ever to be manufactured. When restoration of the train is complete, the Flying Yankee will be the only
train of its type to ever operate again, anywhere in the world.

For more information regarding the Flying Yankee restoration or the American Welding Society’s Historic Welded Structure award, visit the
Flying Yankee’s website at www.flyingyankee.com the AWS’s official web site at www.aws.org, or contact the Flying Yankee main office in
Glen, NH by calling (603) 383-4186, ext. 117.


Pictures of the Flying Yankee (past and present) *note the different logos on the front of the train* http://www.flyingyankee.com/photos.html

[NRGeep]

Any photos of the Yankee running on the Cheshire out there?

[Ken W2KB]

It will be great to actually see this train run again. I saw it once at about age 14 when it was languishing at Edaville RR in South Carver, MA. Fortunately it was moved to Edaville or likely would have been scrapped.

[eriemike]

You can find photos of the Flying Yankee running on the Cheshire Branch as the Cheshire at the Walker Transportation Collection. You can contact them through their web-site at http://www.walkertrans.org. They are at the Beverly Historical Society & Museum in Beverly, Mass. and if you can visit them, it is well worth the visit. They have over 500,000 photos of all forms of transportation running in New England. I do know that they have a very healthy collection of Flying Yankee photos, which you can get reproduced if you want.

[b&m 1566]

The Flying Yankee (B&M #6000) was a legend in New England ever since it arrived on the Boston & Maine in 1934. The Flying Yankee is a three car articulated train that was said to be the first streamlined train east of the Mississippi. It ran jointly on the Boston & Maine and Maine Central between Boston's North Station and Bangor, Maine. It was on the Boston-Bangor route where #6000 got its name, the Flying Yankee. Because the Boston & Maine never added more cars to expand the capacity of the Flying Yankee, it was placed on other routes after an increase of passenger traffic on the Boston-Bangor route. Even though #6000 took on many names, only the name on the nose changed. However, two nameplates on the end of the parlor car always read Flying Yankee.
When the Flying Yankee was delivered to the Boston & Maine February 10, 1935, it was sent around the B&M system on tour. It wasn't until April 1, 1935 that #6000 was christened as the Flying Yankee. When #6000 was the Cheshire, the President of the Boston & Maine lived in Bellows Falls, Vermont, which was along the Cheshire's route. Whenever he went into Boston, where the B&M Headquaters were located, he took the Cheshire. During its final years, #6000 served as the Businessman, but was used for this service for only a short time because of the arrivals of the new Budd Rail Diesel Cars. The following table lists the names #6000 carried during its service on the B&M.

Number 6000 was retired by the Boston & Maine May 7, 1957 and became a display at the Edaville Railroad in South Carver, Massachusetts. After the closure of Edaville in the late 1990s, the Flying Yankee was moved to Glen, New Hampshire after the closure of Edaville. After a few years in Glen, the Flying Yankee was given to the State of New Hampshire and thus moving again in 1997, this time to Claremont, New Hampshire for a full restoration. Once restoration is complete, the Flying Yankee will be the only operational articulated train of its type.

Decades after passenger service on the Boston & Maine ended, things were starting to change. Passenger service was revived on the Boston-Portland line with the introduction of the Downeaster in December 2001. With the new passenger service, new stations were built and track was improved. At some places the new stations were built next to their older counterparts that once served the Flying Yankee.

Train Name Route
Flying Yankee - Boston to Bangor
Mountaineer - Boston to Littleton, NH via Crawford Notch
Cheshire - Boston to White River Jct. via Keene
Minuteman - Boston to Troy, NY
Businessman - Boston to Portland

© Matt Cosgro - Nashua City Station


What are the chances of the Flying Yankee operating on the Downeaster? Is there an area in Portland the Flying Yankee can turn around and face the correct way? A loop or something! I know Boston would not be a problem because of the Y that is located just North of North Station. I have heard that It will operate via Crawford Notch with Conway Scenic but there's no place for it to turn around on. Maybe it will just have to back into or out of N. Conway if and when it does happen. It wouldn't need to back through the notch if the Y at Bartlett was refurbished and from what I have been told, the Y in Bartlett was once the beginning of a logging RR, so they can go a head and make it big enough for the Yankee to fit. Does anyone have any in put on any of this? Hey maybe that's a small reason for why the state of NH wants to refurbish the Conway Branch, so they won't run into this problem, if this is the case is the Flying Yankee going to have a regular service schedule or run on special occasions only?

[MEC407]

There is a wye in Portland that could be used to turn the train.

[NRGeep]

Thanks erie mike! Sounds like the Walker collection has a "gold mine" of info and photos. Wish it was open more often though.

[Tom coughlin]

Highball Wrote:
"Yes, the Gull went to Nova Scotia, it travelled Boston to Halifax, over four railroads. The four roads involved were B&M.... Boston to Portland; Maine Central.... Portland to Mattawamkeag, Maine; Canadian Pacific .... Mattawamkeag to St. John, New Brunswick; Canadian National..... St. John to Halifax, Nova Scotia."


A little historic note. The Gull was handled by the MEC from Portland all the way to Vanceboro. The stretch of CP mainline between Mattawamkeag and Vanceboro was actually owned by the MEC and was sold to the CP in the early 70's. The MEC handled all local service on the line between "Keag" and Vanceboro up to and into the Guilford era.

[NellsChoo]

I notice the Flying Yankee site has been redesigned. Sure wish they could get a big grant from someone to finish the job...

[Tom coughlin]

I was wondering. How was the Yankee turned at the endpoints it served?

Bangor
Portland
Boston
Troy (endpoint for the "Minuteman")
Littleton (endpoint for the "Montaineer"?)
WRJ (endpoint for the "Cheshire?)

[b&m 1566]

Flying Yankee Press Releases
December 9, 2004
FLYING YANKEE RESTORATION MOVES FORWARD TO PHASE II

Glen, NH - Officials from the Flying Yankee Restoration Group located in Glen, NH announced today that Phase I of the Flying Yankee's restoration, which concentrated primarily on heavy, structural restoration of the train, has been successfully completed by the Claremont Concord Railroad (CCRR) in Claremont, NH.

During this phase, numerous CCRR technicians and area craftsmen employed highly specialized skills such as welding, fabrication and metal casting in order to restore, and in many cases recreate, broken or missing pieces of hardware critical to the restoration of the Flying Yankee.

After completing a detailed evaluation of the entire train including the work completed to date, the NH-DOT and the FYRG have agreed to move forward to Phase II of restoration. This will involve the work of specialized subcontractors and vendors located outside the immediate area. The use of outside subcontractors and vendors at this point in the project will save valuable time and financial resources in completing the restoration of the Flying Yankee.

Phase II of restoration calls for key and long lead components (such as trucks, traction motors, various engine assemblies, braking systems, electronic components and restrooms) to be restored and / or developed off-site at various locations. Meanwhile, minimal work will be done on the three Flying Yankee cars pending receipt and installation of the finished components. The completion of Phase II is contingent on the success of reaching our financial goal of $4.3 million.

As a key component of Phase II, preparations are now underway to move the Flying Yankee train set and its components from Claremont, NH to a more accessible facility in Lincoln, NH, the Plymouth and Lincoln Railroad - also known as the Hobo Railroad. The movement of the Flying Yankee to Lincoln, NH will be completed in the next few weeks, weather permitting.

The completed evaluation also provides the State of NH Department of Transportation and Flying Yankee Restoration Group, Inc. with the opportunity to develop a more finite estimate of the financial requirements and timelines necessary to complete the restoration and final testing.
As the partnership prepares to enter this phase of the restoration and eventual final testing of the Flying Yankee, a more definitive cost-to-complete figure will be established as well as a working timeline for restoration, reassembly and testing activities. These projections will greatly enhance the opportunities for success in achieving the important project goals of reassembly, restoration, testing, operation and future fundraising activities for educational and tourism-based activities.

For more information, please contact the Flying Yankee Restoration Group by calling (603) 383-4186 ext. 117 or send an E-mail to: [email protected]

[NellsChoo]

MOVED????

SOMEONE GET PHOTOS!!!!!!!