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From: jis1@mtgzz.UUCP (j.mukerji)
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: Re: More on turning trains and electification
Message-ID: <1607@mtgzz.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 26-Jan-86 12:31:25 EST
Article-I.D.: mtgzz.1607
Posted: Sun Jan 26 12:31:25 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jan-86 20:37:30 EST
References: <695@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Middletown NJ
Lines: 37

> 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!

There is delightful article on Steam on LIRR in a recent Trains Magazine
(January or February '86), which has a lot to say about the Cannon Ball. It
is highly recommended reading for those interested in Steam on LIRR.

Before reading this article I was not aware of the fact that there used to
be a connecting line between Manorville on the Main Line and Speonk on the
Montouk Line. I guess that explains why the Main Line is called the Main
Line. These days, operation on the Main Line, beyond  Ronkonkoma, is limited
to a couple of trains a day on weekdays. I believe there is no train service
beyond Ronkonkoma on weekends, and bus service is provided in lieu of train
service to Greenpoint the terminus of the Main Line. This was the state of
affairs four years back, I don't know if they have changed now, what with
new developments along the Main Line, electrification to Ronkonkoma and
such. It would seem to me that train service should be viable at least upto
Riverhead.

> 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.

Actually most of the electric commuter trains don't even have reversible
seats anymore. They simply have about half the seats facing one way and the
other half facing the other way, and they are fixed seats.

Rumor has it that Amtrak is looking for an entry into Penn Station from the
Hudson line over a freight spur that runs down the Hudson. If that scheme
comes to fruition, I guess Amtrak will have to figure out a way of changing
motive power just outside Penn Station, on the Lake Shore Limited. I wonder
what they will do with the Turboliners.

Jishnu Mukerji