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From: alcock@csse32.DEC (Bruce G. Alcock)
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: More on turning trains and electification
Message-ID: <695@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Fri, 24-Jan-86 11:47:43 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.695
Posted: Fri Jan 24 11:47:43 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jan-86 04:26:21 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.DEC.COM
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 43

In GCT (Grand Central Terminal) there is a loop around the lower level
that is used to turn trains.  Back in the hay-day of passenger service,
long haul trains were towed out backwards to High Bridge, run through
the washer, and then pushed back to Mott Haven, around the wye, and
into the yard.  Commuter trains almost never are turned - they run
into the stub end track, have their "push over" seats reversed, and
run back out.  The lower level loop is now used by Amtrak for the
Lake Shore - Turboliners are double ended and don't need to be turned.

I can remember entering Chicago about 10 years ago on the Capitol Limited.
At that time, they were using Union Station, and backed into the station!
Very time-consuming.

The old Lackawanna terminal in Hoboken is single ended, and there is
no wye or loop on the east side of the tunnel.  I don't think that
they turn trains on that line now.  Long distance trains had to be
turned (the Phoebe Snow did have an observation car) and I believe that
the trains had to be taken through the tunnel to Croxton to do that.

The Long Island, at one time, ran an observation car on each end of
the Cannon Ball because they didn't turn their trains, and this was
a simple solution.  That train ran once or twice a week during the
summer and was an ALL PARLOR car train!

Electification:  Required to enter New York City at one time.  The law
may still be on the books, but for the last 10 years or so the FL-9s
have been run into Grand Central with diesel engines running!  So the
Hudson division was only electified to Harmon (no need to go further).
Second reason for electification:  high density.  That's why the Pennsy
had so much catenary in the east.  During the '74 oil crisis, the U.P.
started to investigate what it would cost to electrify their main from
Omaha on West.  With current oil prices, juice fans will have a long
wait.
	It might be interesting to note that NYC el trains were powered
by steam locomotives at one time.  It should also be obvious why they
didn't use them in subways.  The same philosophy applies to the Class 1
rounds that entered NYC, all of which ended up underground in Manhattan.
Cleveland Union Terminal was also electrified, until diesels came along.
Detroit River tunnel - ditto (Cleveland had catenary, Detroit third rail).
And of course, being in B&M country, how could I leave out the Hoosac
Tunnel?!  Did I leave out any other special electifications?

bruce alcock