BRHSLIST
[Top] [All Lists]

Questions On Terms

To: BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Questions On Terms
From: Paul/Celine Kossart <kozys@t...>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 23:34:39 -0500
Hi all.

Recently I have been poring over the excellent Burlington "Operating Data Sheets" book, which the Society made available a couple years back, in an attempt to get a handle on what some typical trains and their consists were in order to more faithfully at least "suggest" prototypical train makeup on my planned HO layout. The area to be modeled on my layout is part of the double track main, and a fictional branch, "somewhere" between Chicago and Galesburg. The era I am modeling is roughly the late 1960's, more specifically would be late summer/early fall of 1969, but I am claiming some modeler's license in that there will be a four unit FT set as well as a VO-1000 occasionally in appearance.

Anyway, I have run into various terms and abbreviations in the Data Sheets book and would respectfully ask the members of this list to help define some of them.

The definitions needed are:

PHP
Dead Freight
Propers and Shorts
S.O.T.
A & C Mixed (on page 14)

I am using the info in the book to make a list of freight trains which would be running through my modeled section of the line (passenger, mail etc. comes next), as well as at the time of day my operations would be taking place, which would be something like 6 am - 6 pm for a 12 hour shift, I suppose. In other words, what would a typical "day in the life" be in terms of trains running through my modeled part of the 'Q world.

I then went through my Burlington Route In Color books (thanks Mike S. & Al H. for making them available, and yes, In Color, Volume 4 has been ordered) trying to match as many of the pictures up with train numbers as I could. This would possibly help me see what power was used on some of these trains, as well as give a hint of what some of the consist actually might look like. I was surprised I didn't find near as many as I thought I would but I did learn one thing - in one of the books I read that the freight train numbering system on the 'Q was changed in, I believe it said, October of 1968. I am now wondering if someone on the list has, or could point me to something which shows the old train numbers, as well as what the new numbers for them became changed to. This would possibly help me match some of the older dated pics where train numbers are mentioned to their post October 1968 equivalents. Does any such thing exist?


Finally a couple more things I would like some clarification on:

Does "Connections", as used in the book, mean the same as "Interchange" [with other RR]?

The term "Grouping", as used on the data sheets, I am ASSuming means "Blocking" - am I correct?

I have noticed the data sheets specifying that TOFC cars be placed before the waycar many times under Grouping, but in most of the photos in the Color books where TOFC is in evidence, the cars are behind the motors. Can anyone shed some light on what appears to be a discrepancy?

Where would one find a list of actual, or at least typical freight cars used on these trains? Am I correct that this is what as meant as the "consist" of a train? This is not a necessity but would be interesting to see exactly what cars were used and who their owners were on some of these trains. Is such a list available?

Well I am sure I will have some more questions for you all as my research progresses but that's probably enough for now. This has proven very entertaining and rewarding for me and I look forward to seeing how far I can go with it, as far as obtaining info. Many thanks in advance to all who respond, on list or privately.


Paul Kossart - Peru, Illinois, USA
Modeling the CB&Q & fictional Illiniwek River Valley area in the 1960's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Serving Agriculture and Industry in the Illiniwek River Valley since 1904."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>