I rode a steam trip that he worked in the late 1970's (behind the 610, I believe.) Cowboy did, indeed, wear a black Stetson-style hat with a gold hat braid (rope?) around the crown and the standard "S

I have seen similar clear cubes (I believe that they are made of clear plastic rather than glass) containing a disc as you describe. They are paperweights and were freight traffic promotional give-awa

I've seen only one or two other photos and both showed the TM used as in the photo - one TM sandwiched between to EMDF units. Bob Hanson Loganville, GA

That would be suspicious, Jack. The book was written by an English professor as a study of ballads and the wrecks that inspired them, it was not written by a railroader or a rail enthusiast. I agree t

I accidentally hit "send" before I was finished. Sorry. The previously mentioned book is a study of train wrecks and the ballads written about them. I don't think it is still in print, but one could p

This wreck received about 10 pages of coverage, including photos, in Katie Letcher Lyle's 1983 book, Scalded to Death by the Steam,

In the pre-Southern Crescent days, when the Crescent (Nos. 37-38) ran via Montgomery and Mobile, the Southern's dining car crews were based in Atlanta, the West Point Route crews were based in Montgom

The last one I have in my collection is dated October 29, 1978. I'm fairly certain that his was the last one issued. The did not issue timetables on a monthly basis and as they were trying to take the

"Objectionable class" of traveler? Only on the Crescent. Bob Hanson

Ike, et al - The Pullman Company's Schedule of Lines dated July 15, 1915, shows a Washington-San Francisco tourist sleeper, line No. 2640 1/2(!) but it was not handled in No. 38, but rather was handle

Warren, that pretty well agrees with what I've heard and read. Siskin bought the TAG basically to give the Southern the single-finger salute. And apparently did so successfully. Bob Hanson Loganville,

From what I've read and heard, the TAG's relationship with the Southern was not all beer and skittles, either. The TAG made a living by short-hauling the Southern. It paralleled the AGS for its (TAG's

Macon Tolleson was one of Brosnan victims. I don't recall if he quit or was fired, but he is one of the many capable men lost to the Southern due to Brosnan's whims. The gory details are in the two-vo

That consist you describe, Bill, sounds almost like a "make-up" train assembled in a hurry after it was learned that the connecting train would be very, very late. Bob Hanson

In the 1960's and 1970's the coaches generally ran ahead of the diner and the sleepers were placed behind it on almost all passenger trains. There were exceptions, but that was the general practice. F

Bill, and all - I suspect that, like Charles A. Wickersham of the West Point Route, Harrison was ideologically at odds with the idea of Federal control. Wickersham signed on as Federal Manager but qui

While I never rode the train, I was told by those who did that the X-Plorer did not cover itself with glory on any of the few trips on which it was used. Most unreliable. Bob Hanson Loganville, GA

Good point, Bill. The SAL Pullmans of the period were two-tone gray. Bob Hanson

Not necessarily. The Pullman Company's Descriptive List of Cars for March of 1961 shows 28 of these cars in Pullman ownership and in the Pullman pool. Also, any cars that are not needed can be release

I've seen color slides that showed black lettering on the medallion. I may have one or two but I'd have to dig them up. Bob Hanson