The number of mixed train photos in the 2000 calendar and my own interest in
these trains brings up a question. How were passengers handled if there was
any switching to be done in a town? I assume that the coach or rider car
would be left at the depot if at all possible. If the coach could not be
left, would passengers detrain during switching operations? I assume that
any of the various "drop" maneuvers recently discussed on the list would be
out of the question, at least with the coach in the train.
I recently attended an open house at the Fox Valley O Scalers. A mixed train
(Milwaukee Road prototype) was in operation at one point. The passenger
accommodations (a coach) was coupled immediately behind the engine, and the
train concluded with a normal caboose. Ted Schnepf pointed out to me that
the Milwaukee liked to do that so that paying passengers were not subjected
to all the slack action of a lengthy freight train.
Al Kamm
kammfive@a...
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