Andy,
I think I can answer some of your questions. Yes, steam regularly
pulled some of the gallery cars during the 1950 - 1952 period. S-1a
and S-2a Pacifics were the normal suburban power on the Q for
approximately the last 20 years of steam operation. Before that,
atlantics, ten wheelers, 0-6-2T tank engines and 4-4-0s were used. In
the last couple of years of steam, several hudsons were regularly
seen in commuter service. Four of them were even equipped with larger
generators to provide train power.
The Downers Grove yard was taken out of service on the same day that
steam operation was terminated. After that, all commuter trains went
on to Aurora. Before that, some commuter trains went all the way to
Aurora as that was part of the regular operation. Trains numbered in
the 100 series were Downers termination trains while those in the 200
series went on to Aurora.
Eola Yard was and is a freight yard. The commuter trains were
serviced and stored between runs at the Aurora coach yard just east
of the old depot adjacent to the car shops and old stone roundhouse.
(The roundhouse is still there serving as a restaurant. The new or
current depot is located in the same area.
The gallery bi-level cars were originally steam heated. See the photo
at the top of page #40 of Michael Spoor's "CB&Q Color Guide to
Freight and Passenger Equipment". The steam line is clearly visible.
The gallery cars were not converted to electric heat until the E8 and
E9 power was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen in the Burlington Northern
era. The single level cars were gone by that time, including the
power cars which were no longer needed.
Q regularly rotated E power in and out of commuter service. In most
case, they would make a couple of trips and be back in long haul
service. A few units tended to show up more frequently in commuter
service and a few almost never were in commuter service. Q like to
assign the newest E units to premier trains such as the Denver
Zephyr. E5s and E7s were seen in commuter service in the early '50s,
but later (about 1955) it was all E8s and E9s. Occasionally, in the
early '50s, one of the shovel nose Zephyrs would even be used on a
commuter train. However, because of the frequent stops and starts and
the fairly heavy trains, the Q preferred the high horsepower units in
commuter service.
To the extent that my information is correct, you are welcome to use
it. However, if you have questions about any of it, there are others
on this list that are far more knowledgeable.
Bill Barber
On Dec 4, 2006, at 9:09 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> CB&Q Commuter Questions
>
> Posted by: "Andy Roth" darlaroth@insightbb.com aroth61008
>
> Mon Dec 4, 2006 5:19 am (PST)
>
> Hello Gentlemen,
> I have been reading some of the postings about the commuter trains.
> I am co-authoring a book on Chicago Commuter railroads and I was
> hoping a few of you could answer a some questions which I can
> include in the book.
>
> If I am correct, the steam locomotives were retired in September
> 1952 and that some of the 1950 bi-levels were pulled by steam
> locomotives in the short two years they overlapped in active
> service? I have seem a few pictures and it looks like Pacific
> locomotives were in commuter service in the last few years of steam.
>
> I have not been able to find out when the Downers Grove commuter
> yard was taken out of service and also when trains began being
> parked at Eola Yard? Did the commuter trains immediately transfer
> from being parked at Downers Grove to being parked at Eola or was
> their a time difference between location?
>
> I read one posting that the first CB&Q bi-levels had steam heat, is
> this true? I know they had electricity for lights, power and air
> conditioning. When did the switch to electric heat occur? I would
> think it was after the sigle level heavyweights were retired. We
> will be using a picture of an E-unit pulling a mix of heavyweight
> clearstory cars and bi-levels in the book.
>
> I have heard that the CB&Q rotated some of their engines from long
> distance to commuter service and that in additin to he more usual
> E8s and E9s, that E7s and E5s were in cummuter service once in a
> while.
>
> If you answer these questions, please let me know it is OK to use
> your information to print in the book.
>
> Sincerely,
> Andy Roth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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