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September 1996

 

Chessie-Scheme Engines Getting All-Yellow Noses

CSXT has begun painting CSX yellow noses to locomotives with the old Chessie System scheme. Chessie units already have a yellow nose, of sorts, but the new application eliminates the cat with a fresh coat of yellow paint.

 

Iron Highway Trains Begin on CSXT

Iron Highway trains began running August 5 on CSXT between East Chicago and Detroit. The service includes two trains in each direction, five days a week.

 

Notes from the Ohio Central

[By Oscar Manheim] . . . The following locomotives have been sent to the "Northern" lines in the Youngstown area: SW1500's 2494 (ex-SP) and 2590 (ex-Cotton Belt), GP10's (ex-CR) 7574 and 7591, and MT4 slugs (ex-CR) 1000 and 1001. All are painted in the Ohio Central livery. Ex-CSXT GP38 2175 is in daily service still wearing full CSX paint. The unit is primarily assigned to the CBT, the Coshocton to Columbus road freight, though it occasionally heads north to Warwick on unit coal trains. Ohio Central trains AY-1 and WX-2, while operating on CSXT at Warwick, are symboled Z610. AY-1 and WX-2 are the Steel Trains between Zanesville and Warwick.

 

CSXT to Lease SD40's

CSXT plans to lease 70 additional SD40 locomotives to accommodate the seasonal increase in business this fall and winter. They include 30 leased through December 31, 15 leased through February 28, and 25 leased through March 31.

 

Two Killed, Two Hurt in CSXT Collision in West Virginia

Two crewmen were killed and two were injured August 20 in a collision of two CSXT freight trains near Smithfield, West Virginia, on the Short Line Subdivision.

 

Norfolk Southern, Wisconsin Central Introduce "Pacer" Service

Norfolk Southern and Wisconsin Central have introduced daily service between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to expedite shipments of paper and clay. The service is called "Pacer," an acronym for Paper and Clay Expedited Runthrough.

 

Ma & Pa Buys Three GP16 Locomotives from CSXT

[By Stewart Rhine] . . . The Maryland & Pennsylvania has purchased three GP16 units from CSXT. They are 1733, 1734 and 1735, painted CSX, Seaboard and Family Lines respectively. The company has also repainted CF7 unit 1500 with Operation Lifesaver for Yorkrail.

 

CSXT Retires Damaged CW44AC Unit 23

CSXT has retired unit 23 due to damage sustained in the August 20 accident at Smithfield, West Virginia. Also retired from the accident were GP40-2 unit 6146 and SD40-2 unit 8304.

 

Norfolk Southern to Buy Digital Microwave Radios

Glenayre Technologies has received a $2.7-million order from Norfolk Southern for WM-4T-6 licensed digital microwave radios to replace existing analog spur radios operating at 6 GHz in areas east of the Mississippi River.

 

Amtrak Plans Long Distance Train Changes in November

Amtrak has proposed a number of changes affecting long distance trains to become effective November 10. Included is the elimination of the Pioneer, Desert Wind, Texas Eagle (as through service), and the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited; cutting back the Sunset Limited to originate and terminate at Sanford, Florida; extension of the Three Rivers (Broadway Limited) through to Chicago; restructured Florida service with the addition of the Silver Palm; and restoration of through daily service to the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, and Crescent (through to New Orleans). Eastern standard-level long distance trains, all of which will be cycled through New York, will reportedly have identical passenger car consists to facilitate the cycling process.

 

Four Industries to Locate Facilities on CSXT

[From CSXT Employee News Service] . . . Four industries have announced plans to locate facilities on CSXT, which will produce nearly 9000 carloads and revenues of almost $8-million annually. They include: ConAgra, Mount Vernon, Indiana, about 7300 carloads of soybean and soybean products; All Metals Service & Warehouse Inc., Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1000-plus carloads of inbound steel coil; U.S. Aluminate, Schenck, Ohio, 160 carloads of hydrate and sulfuric acid; and KCG Inc., Columbus, Ohio, 175 carloads of drywall, regained after that traffic went to a Norfolk Southern reload facility.

 

Railway Heritage Grant Awarded for Pullman Dover Harbor

The Washington DC Chapter NRHS has been awarded a Railway Heritage Grant of $2500 toward the restoration of the interior of the chapter's heavyweight Pullman Dover Harbor to the splendor of its 1930's decor. NRHS president Greg Molloy described the Dover Harbor as "a valuable historic restoration project and an important advertisement for the NRHS," when he made the formal announcement of the grant award at the society's national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 21. The grant requires the chapter to raise matching funds.

 

Notes From Cycle Systems in Roanoke

[By Mark Sublette] . . . On July 8 I noticed that Cycle Systems had recently cut up N&W/NS GP35 216 and SOU/NS GP38-2 5159, their cabs upon the scrap heap. Units with hood and prime mover off were ATSF C30-7 8075 in merger yellow & red, and blue & white NJT U34CH's 4161 and 4170. With only long hood off were ATSF C30-7 8035 in the freight warbonnet, and NJT U34CH 4155 in blue & white. Intact on the property were CSXT GP30M 4218, N&W/NS C30-7 8074, SEPTA-schemed U34CH 4154, and NJT blue & white U34CH 4169. Also present were yardswitching GP30's SOU/NS 2607 and N&W/NS 2907, though 2607 appeared to be out of service.

 

B&O Towers in 1958

This feature is a sequel to the one appearing in the issue of December 1994 listing B&O Towers in 1928. The information was condensed from an agreement book covering the rules and wage schedule of B&O employees represented by the Order of Railroad Telegraphers as of November 1, 1958. The book is from the collection of John Sim, a retired B&O operator.

The offices listed are those identified as serving the duties normally associated with towers. Some offices served joint roles with agencies and other functions, consequently only those representing significant tower-like functions are generally included. Some discretion was required in choosing those to be listed. A description of respective duties is shown in italics. Offices shown were open full time except as noted. Single-shift offices were disregarded. The order of offices is as shown in the book, generally as they appeared in sequence along the line of road. Note that there were some division consolidations between 1928 and 1958.

BALTIMORE DIVISION

CUMBERLAND DIVISION

MONONGAH DIVISION

WHEELING DIVISION

PITTSBURGH DIVISION

BUFFALO DIVISION

AKRON DIVISION

CHICAGO DIVISION

NEWARK DIVISION

OHIO DIVISION

ST. LOUIS DIVISION

TOLEDO DIVISION

INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION

LIST OF B&O TOWERS CLOSED BETWEEN 7/1/28 AND 11/1/58