Our Favorite Fallen Flag Railroad And How We'd Control Them

[Alex99al]

Hi everybody,
I thought I'd start a rather unusual thread. We have many railroads that are now fallen flags and many of us wish they were still around in the present. So, lets name our favorite carrier that became a fallen flag and say what we would do if it was around today under our control.
I'll start the thread.
My favorite common carriers were the Boston & Maine, Pennsylvania Railroad and Norfolk and Western and the Southern Pacific.
If I was in control of these 4 carriers I would employ steam locomotives to handle all movements. There would be more Cab Forwards in and around Donner Pass. There would be no F7 diesel electric locomotives. Electrification in the Bay Area would be extended to Sacremento, California with an interchange with the Sacremento Northern Railroad. Only commuter service would be handled by electric power. Freight and passenger trains would be steam hauled and only steam hauled. Diesels would only handle work trains and helper duties, when the Cab Forwards are busy pushing other trains or leading those trains up and down Donner Pass.
If I was in control of the N&W, I would employ steam power as far north as Detroit, Michigan via a jointly owned line with the Pennsylvania Railroad. The class Y 2-8-8-2s would handle only freight and helper duties and the A 2-6-6-4s would handle both passenger and coal trains. The J 4-8-4s of course, only in passenger service. The M 4-8-2s in both passenger and freight service and occasionaly in helper service. The S 0-8-0s also in helper service and switching duties, along with branch line service. The 4-8-0s would do any job.
On to the Boston & Maine...
4-6-2 "Pacific"s in both intercity and commuter. Branch line service on the big branch lines. 2-8-0s replaced by 2-8-2s for main line freight, while 2-8-0s handle branch line freights. 0-6-0s on small passenger and freight trains. As on the SP and N&W, no diesels.
Finally, the Pennsylvania Railroad...
Electrification would go to Pittsburgh and GG1s could hit western Pennsylvania. There would be a freight tunnel under the Hudson River and a freight yard in Queens where the Long Island Railroad would get freight cars daily from parent the PRR. Steam excursions would be every day and as on the B&M, N&W, and SP, no diesels. There would be as long as up to 3 mile freight trains and in some locations there would be trains as long as 4 miles long with double or triple headed J1 2-10-4s in freight service. The Pennsylvania Railroad would also have trackage to California via two new main lines. A Chicago to San Francisco main and a Chicago to Los Angeles main via an interlocking tower just outside of Chicago.
Plus lines in England and France and Africa, meaning international lines and more money or as I put it, more bang for your buffer. Longer passenger trains and permanently coupled passenger trains.
Back to the N&W, SP and B&M for a minute.
Just like PRR, they would have internationaly owned and operated lines as well, meaning more bang for your coupler.
Well, that's what I'd do to the PRR, N&W, SP, and B&M to make them succeed in the modern era or the present.

 

[hert]

And you would be bankrupt before anything started. Their is a reason why Steam Locomotives were phased out by diesel/electric engines. They are cheaper to run and maintain then steam. Besides if these roads didnt get taken over they would still have most of the engine classes you see on Railroads Today.

hert:wave:

 

[Sampug394]

And you would be bankrupt before anything started. Their is a reason why Steam Locomotives were phased out by diesel/electric engines. They are cheaper to run and maintain then steam. Besides if these roads didnt get taken over they would still have most of the engine classes you see on Railroads Today.

That was what was pictured true by the Leaders of our Railroads. But they overlooked the absurd initial investment for diesels just to update their image and 'reduce' costs.

Steam is actually much cheaper to use than you may think. It's just all the high costs and stringent ruling by the FRA/ICC/etc.

There's a reason why there's Revenue earning Steam running in Poland, Czechoslovakia, South America, China, and several island nations, including Cuba and many others.

We don't get that Steam locomotives are cleaner, more reliable, and cost much less Fuel-wise, with Coal and low grade lubrication oil, than Diesel locomotives and their Diesel fuel.

But that's just mine, and many other's, opinions...

 

[jadebullet]

The Reading had one large flaw, lack of expansion after the panic after 1893. Essencially, what I would do is to purchase the Lehigh Valley off of the PRR in the 1950s as the Anthracite business was declining, and absorb the CNJ, which was already owned by the RDG. I would eliminate redundant trackage, and slowly shift focus on crossline traffic. This would allow a New Jersey to Buffalo Mainline, with Philly, Reading, Williamsport, Sayre and Pottsville along the route. It would also give the Reading access to all three of the Anthracite fields. When Culm became a viable fuel source, I would start handling that as soon as I could. Trackage would, of course, have to be constructed between Williamsport and Sayre. LNE trackage would be absorbed with their bankruptcy. A partnership with the B&O would be further strengthened. Additional trackage could be purchased off of the failure that was the PRR and the PC, until that supersystem crashed under its own mismanagement, and poor decisions. Any unnecessary trackage(focus on the core line around PA and NY so as to not stretch too thinly.) obtained from the PC/PRR would be sold/leased to other railroads at a premium. This would be done strategically so as to promote interchange traffic, by offering very low prices to the railroads that would be favorable, and higher to others. This would allow any losses from either loss of interchange, or from loss of sales revenue from the track to be recooped. D&H would probably get the NY trackage, where as the EL would probably be sold the more out west stuff. Chessie System railroads would probably be unfavorable for the western due to the ability to bypass Reading trackage.

I would also attempt to experiment with the steam turbine that was proposed, learning from the mistakes of the PRR turbine, and using a proper boiler that could actually hold the pressure needed for lower end. (I mean, 6000+ HP for a single engine. Who wouldn't want that. And with a Wooten, it could burn culm.)

Oh, and as for the B&M, don't allow McGuinnis to take power. Nuff said.


As for the steamer debate. If steam turbines would have been perfected, we would probably be using them as well as diesels in certain areas of the country. They cut down on maintenance costs of the steamers, as well as produced a crap ton of evenly applied horsepower. (A steamer's HP fluctuates during each rotation.)

 

[SuperFudd]

Western Pacific Railroad.
What would I do with it? Make a profit and become a filthy rich capitalist, putting tons of folks back to work, inspite of the current administration.
Oh yes, and have plenty of railfan events, including steam, like Union Pacific only better.

 

[farecoal]

\
I would also attempt to experiment with the steam turbine that was proposed, learning from the mistakes of the PRR turbine, and using a proper boiler that could actually hold the pressure needed for lower end. (I mean, 6000+ HP for a single engine. Who wouldn't want that. And with a Wooten, it could burn culm.)

Oh, and as for the B&M, don't allow McGuinnis to take power. Nuff said.


As for the steamer debate. If steam turbines would have been perfected, we would probably be using them as well as diesels in certain areas of the country. They cut down on maintenance costs of the steamers, as well as produced a crap ton of evenly applied horsepower. (A steamer's HP fluctuates during each rotation.)

I'm just asking, how you would you get around the high fuel consumption that steam turbines have at low speeds? It was easily the biggest flaw.

Also, if I was controlling a railroad, I would still use diesel for switching. It just not steam's strongpoint I'm afraid.

 

[cascaderailroad]

WoW...Just...WoW...What If the US Railroad system didn't fall into decay, and wasn't sabotaged and torn apart by Eisenhower, GM, Ford, and Oil Companies.
If Only that didn't happen...But it did happen...get a grip...and they ain't comming back ! You can't re-do the past. Steam is almost dead, and RR's are dying.
Sure modern RR's will survive...somewhat...but all of the past RR's are all gone...just a memory...and dreaming what they would be like in Trainz.

 

[jadebullet]

The high fuel consumption is solved by two things. First of all, you don't use a conventional boiler, as the PRR one did. (Huge consumption flaw there, along with pressure.)

Also, you vent the steam through two to three turbines rather than just 1. This provides more power, for the same amount of steam, all with only minimal energy loss. Also, you use Anthracite in the firebox, which burns hotter, and longer. (All of the turbines were burning Bituminous.) Water wise, you are going to have an issue, so you add on a water tender behind the main tender, which should also have a big water tank.

 

[simulatortrain]

The high fuel consumption is solved by two things. First of all, you don't use a conventional boiler, as the PRR one did. (Huge consumption flaw there, along with pressure.)

Also, you vent the steam through two to three turbines rather than just 1. This provides more power, for the same amount of steam, all with only minimal energy loss. Also, you use Anthracite in the firebox, which burns hotter, and longer. (All of the turbines were burning Bituminous.) Water wise, you are going to have an issue, so you add on a water tender behind the main tender, which should also have a big water tank.

You think we could come up with some drawings of a Reading one?

 

[jadebullet]

I have them, along with the drawing of an electric locomotive that was proposed for an all electrified Reading.

 

[springtransit]

Hi everybody,
I thought I'd start a rather unusual thread. We have many railroads that are now fallen flags and many of us wish they were still around in the present.

As far as I'm concerned, they are still around in the present. Alot of them never even left!

How I'd control them? Well, I'm not really dissatisfied with many of them. Although, I'd have preferred Conrail to remain an independent road, loved their blue color scheme! Wish Rock Island was still around, I liked their Rock livery!

 

[simulatortrain]

I have them, along with the drawing of an electric locomotive that was proposed for an all electrified Reading.

Wait, so this was actually proposed? Could you scan the electric and turbine and send them to me? I think you have my email from that GP30, if you don't still have it let me know. (I haven't forgotten about that, either.)

 

[jadebullet]

Unfortunately the book is quite valuable and I don't want it to fall apart. (I have to get it rebound as someone scanned a page from it and caused the binding to start to pull apart. I will get a photograph of it for you though. Just give me a minute.

Edit, I have lost your email unfortunately, could you please PM me it again, thanks.

 

[JCitron]

If I could, I would run the B&M, New Haven, EL, and MEC. First of all I would ensure that McGuiness never would have had control of the B&M and NH. He and his buddies stripped and destroyed these two railroads, and forced both into bankruptcy. I'd also rebuild the Poukipsee Bridge after the PC let it burn suspiciously.

In eastern NY after the line croses the Hudson River, I'd ensure the roads on that side would have proper trackage rights and interchange services with my route. In fact I'd join up with Jadebullet's RDG and CNJ lines just like they did in the earlier times.

I'd also keep Guilford out of the way too. After they took over the B&M and MEC, they closed much of the MEC mainline and wrecked good portions of the B&M. I'd still be running trains across the MEC Mountain Division, and still be operating the B&M White Mountain branch as well as the Northern through New Hampshire from Concord. If I could I'd also go back and promote long distance passenger service along these lines. The Mountain Division is now a very popular tourist line run by the Conway Scenic. I'd allow them to run the tourist line in addition to having my long distance passenger service and through freights just like it was in the 1960s.

The EL would be upgraded and the western portion through OH to Chicago would be promoted for its wide highspeed line it once was. When Conrail came along, with their former PC management, they abandoned this portion of the EL in favor of their own parallel lines farther north. This wide flat route would have been the preferable route to the Water Level route of the old NYC or the other PA routes in server in the same area because of this flat wide highspeed grading it used to have. Sadly when Conrail took over, they ripped up the track from OH to Chicago.

For locomotives I'd use the current modern ones we have today. They are extremely efficient and much safer than those available in the earlier years.

John

 

[mikeman]

I would pick The Virginian Railway. The first thing I would have done was built the intended extension to Toledo and Chicago. That would have opened up coal movement to the Toledo port and opened up merchandise to and from Chicago. The other thing I would have done was get NYC when it was dying before the PC failure. Once I got NYC the Virginian would be in a great position for control of eastern routes. Passenger service would have been removed and many branches abandoned and manpower would have been reduced. Of course none of this would have happened because the ICC wouldn't allow for removing money losing passenger service or branches and the Unions would have nothing to do with reducing manpower.

 

[jadebullet]

Okay, I am not normally a proponent of whining about sig sizes, in fact, I am in support of allowing sigs to be larger on the forum, but please get rid of the woman in your sig, it is way too big.


Jeeze, first you think that it is "hilarious" to drive a train through the World Train Center asset, and now you have that stupid sig.

 

[aardvark1]

Okay, I am not normally a proponent of whining about sig sizes, in fact, I am in support of allowing sigs to be larger on the forum, but please get rid of the woman in your sig, it is way too big.


Jeeze, first you think that it is "hilarious" to drive a train through the World Train Center asset, and now you have that stupid sig.

Perhaps the girl pix excites him.

I have reported it to the Mods.

Have fun,

 

[Alex99al]

Okay, I am not normally a proponent of whining about sig sizes, in fact, I am in support of allowing sigs to be larger on the forum, but please get rid of the woman in your sig, it is way too big.


Jeeze, first you think that it is "hilarious" to drive a train through the World Train Center asset, and now you have that stupid sig.

Ouch! That hurts! And besides...I drove it around the WTC you big dummy. Not through it. I love the WTC too much to do something evil like that.

 

[Alex99al]

Perhaps the girl pix excites him.

I have reported it to the Mods.

Have fun,

She does excite me, and if you make her mad, you'll turn into a rusty 2-8-0.

 

[joneau]

Your photo is still too big. In fact, this one is even worse in size. Bear in mind there are still people with dial up.

I suggest downloading IrfanView to resize your photo sig to the proper size.

So long as I've posted here, I may as well comment on two that come to mind.

Milwaukee Road: skip the electric division and concentrate on the business division of the midwest. Also would cut down extraneous lines and utilize more investments.
Rock Island: cut down on extraneous lines as well. Also would try to stick to one paint scheme color.

I will be frank and also state that for both: save a 4-8-4 for mainline excursions