Best Of Railwire Travelling Baggage Car - Photo Thread

[eric220]

@Lemosteam Wonderful story! Even if it’s a little behind schedule.

[rickb773]

PRSL vs. the Oysters

Part 1 - Outbound

It was late when B60 #9368 had the misfortune to be spotted in the 30th street station. It had just arrived through the time portal from Detroit. It was quickly welcomed to early 1951 and the Philadelphia/South Jersey region. Due to a shortage of PRR R50s, the PRSL (Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines) management folks have been scrounging for capacity to serve the peak of the Oyster season here in late January. Word was that a B60 had headed in on a passenger train from Detroit and due to some finagling and swapping of favors, a switcher had been surreptitiously dispatched to snatch it from the 30th street yard in Philly.

It was quickly attached to an evening commuter train returning Philly workers to their homes in the rapidly expanding suburbs of southern New Jersey. (The P70s have recently returned from refurbishing at the Broughton car shops (@cbroughton67) in Louisville, Kentucky.)




In the 1950s the end of steam was rapidly approaching and most PRSL parent's (Pennsylvania RR and the Reading Company) small to middle sized steam was ending their days on PRSL rails.

Meanwhile the diligent peons in the PRSL’s main Pavonia Yard in Camden have purloined 2 brand new REX reefers to add to the train. Although the oyster industry has shrunk to 40% of its peak they were still moving 1 million bushels in 1950. (In another 7 years the MSX blight would wipe out the industry leaving several south Jersey villages as ghost towns.)



WY842 is returning with empties from the Atlantic City Electric power plant in Deepwater on the Penns Grove branch but we will beat it out of town continually increasing our lead with the famous Eddie Fells at the throttle. Our PRSL Baldwin AS16s are all out on the road (i.e. waiting for some manufacturer to produce them) but we have borrowed a PRR RS3 and should easily stay ahead of the Reading RS3s on the point of their coal drag.

[rickb773]

PRSL vs. the Oysters
Part 2 - the Spirits

Passing over Timber Creek we slow for the stop at the new small brick station serving Westville. The much more impressive 2 story station was torn down to make room for the concrete overpass needed to feed the growing interstate road system (I295) going through town. (Westville was known as the “Gateway to South Jersey” since the roads webbed in all directions after passing over Timber Creek.)



We notice the passengers tumbling out, some shrieking, as they depart more quickly than usual from the rear passenger cars.


The process is repeated at the shelter stop in North Woodbury and Eddie is complaining about being bothered by spirits (of the non-alcoholic variety)



It is too much for everyone when we reach Woodbury. The station master, a devote man of Romanish faith dispatched his assistant to run across the street to St. Pat’s and return with Father O’Malley. Being a priest adequately schooled in exorcism, he quickly is attracted to the B60 mumbling about “legions” of foul spirits.







Following an extended period of prayer (with the needed assistance of reinforcements from the Gloucester and Camden county dioceses), the train has at long last been returned to normal and Eddie has been coaxed back into the cabs ready to depart for Maurice River and Port Norris off the Manumuskin Junction




Passing over Evergreen Avenue leaving South Woodbury and the city fathers breathe a sigh of relief.

There the reefers, RPO, and Baggage car will be filled to the brim with oysters. Buckets of iced oysters will be loaded into the overflow capacity of the purloined B60.

*********************************************************************************************

It is now evening and the cars loaded with oysters have found a ride back on local WY27 returning from Millville. Various restaurants along the way are meeting the train to snatch some LCL Oyster loads distributed from out of the B60, whose smell is now much worse than the way we found it!

What have we here? Looks like some LCL product is being passed out the door on the other side of the baggage car. Where did that sheep come from? Quick get it and put it back! With the gates raised multiple felons have to be involved in this mini-heist.





Our trip trough North Woodbury is uneventful. How quickly this morning’s harrowing events are forgotten.



30th street at night: The brass are not happy at the odors permeating their baggage car but on the plus side there are no spirits rocking the floor boards this time.



Off to the time portal, Mississippi bound. As always we will let the destination date set itself randomly.

(And if that derailed tank car under the station explodes, Philadelphia will be no more.)

[rickb773]

PRSL vs. the Oysters
Part 3 - theBackground:

The southern New Jersey Oyster Industry: The Native Americans in the area used oysters for food, decorations and even money for trade. The European settlers did likewise. Commercial oystering began around 1700 with repopulating the beds in high growth areas to maintain the supply.

When the railroad arrived in 1876 business boomed. Within 10 years the town of Bivalve was shipping 10 cars of oysters per day. Whole new towns grew up to support the industry. Oysters became the #1 fishery product in the United States. In 1880 harvest production peaked at over 2.4 million bushels. Over 500 boats and 4,000 people were involved in the process.

Both the CNJ and PRSL provided the rail transportation. The PRSL used R50 express reefers for fresh oysters and the B60 baggage cars, due to their large capacity interiors and wide doors, were used for canned oysters and ice packed shipments. During peak periods every kind of appropriate car available would be pressed into oyster service.

In 1957 the industry collapsed with a 90-95% mortality rate from MSX & Dermo diseases decimating the crops. Many of the supporting villages became ghost towns.

The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRSL): The Pennsy and the Reading had competed fiercely for dominance in southern NJ rail service but the depression had severely weakened both lines. The intrusion of the new-fangled automobile further decimated their passenger revenues. Southern New Jersey was in danger of losing all rail service so the state stepped in to force a shotgun merger in 1933. (The line maintained its identity until the formation of Conrail in 1976.)

The PRSL had its own engines but borrowed heavily from both parents for motive power during rush seasons. Most of the parent’s small to medium steam power went to finish their days on PRSL rails.

[nscalbitz]

>>Meanwhile the diligent peons in the PRSL’s main Pavonia Yard in Camden have purloined 2 brand new REX reefers

Likely to end up in hung and quartered peons for destroying integrity of 'new' REX cars with contaminating goods. I believe the rules of operation were, once contaminated, downgraded permanently...
dave

[rickb773]

>>Meanwhile the diligent peons in the PRSL’s main Pavonia Yard in Camden have purloined 2 brand new REX reefers

Likely to end up in hung and quartered peons for destroying integrity of 'new' REX cars with contaminating goods. I believe the rules of operation were, once contaminated, downgraded permanently...
dave

The PRSL runs on a shoestring budget.
We do what needs to be done to get the job done today.
Tomorrow we will worry about the “hung & quartering” bit.
Besides we have a few bushels of oysters in the backroom to bribe our way out of trouble.
The more pressing issue is how to get that Union Pacific express car back before they know it is missing.

[Philip H]

"Hey Boudreaux!"
"What Freddy?"
"You got any idea why der's an old baggage car on the Arrival Track hooked to a UP Business car?"
"Mais I don't know!  DO I look like one of dem railroad historians?"



"Hey Pierre!"
"Yea Boudreaux?"
"You wanna got on dat radio der and call dem yardmaster about where he wants dees cars here?"
"Pierre to Yardmaster"
"Yardmaster"
"Ay 'chere' Boudreaux and me was wandering where you want dem varnish whats settin on de arrival track."
"Sacre' there is varnish der."
"Push it down the RIP track where that Lee Weldon guy has all those cabeese in storage"



{Pierre fires up the trusty SW1500 yard goat and goes out to tie on to the recently arrived cars.}



{as Boudreaux makes the air up, the end door of the baggage car opens.  A bedraggled Jim peers out.}

"Excuse me sir - where am I?  When am I? and why is it so humid?"
"Mais 'chere' you in Baton Rouge Louisiana da capitol of dat Bayou State. its da 26 of January 2005.  and dis, dis ain't no humidity.  You got ta be here in July fa dat!"
"Louisiana?"
"Das right 'chere. Say is dat a sheep in dat car with you?"
"Baaaa."

{Pierre and Boudreaux begin shoving the car down the RIP track where the yardmaster flags them to a stop by the diesel platform.  Needing to stretch, Jim and the sheep climb down.}

"Da boys told me this baggage car had a rider.  You must be him."
"Yessir.  I think my name's Jim, but its been a long enough ride I'm not really sure."



"Got any paper work Jim?"
"Right here."
"Hum, bill of ladding . . . Surly Salt . . . 55 gallons of personal lube . . .oysters ...and a sheep. Heh. Well it is Mardi Gras season around here."
"Is that why I see a large woman's head poking over the cars?"



"Yeah that came in on a transfer from NS up north.  Started out in New Jersey in a metal shop owned by some guy named Gonzo.  It's bound for the Bacchus parade in the Big Easy."
"Delightful."
"Baaaaaaa."
"Say Jim, I have an idea - I'm about to pull the fat lady and send her south to CSX Gentilly Yard, and then the NOPB will pull her down to the parade.  I can send you south on that run and after Mardi Gras CSX can haul you east to the Plywood Pacific."

{Pierre uncouples the SW1500 and on orders from the yardmaster, begins pulling the special load.  Boudreaux fires up the trackmobile and pulls the baggage car from the business car so the flat can be blocked between them.}



"Well yardmaster, I guess we better be getting back on board.  Thanks for lift."
"No problem Jim.  If you do take in the parades in the Quarter, keep an eye on your sheep."
"Um, its not THAT kind of debauchery is it?"
"No, but she'll be getting more beads then you will."
"Huh?"
"Baaaa."

{The special train is coupled up to a shiny fresh GEVO, and begins the run south)



"Say Pierre, you tink dat Jim fella is ready for de Mardi Gras?"
"Mais I don't know Boudreaux. But I do know Piggly Wiggly has a fresh oyster po boy wit my name on it.  Let's go make groceries 'chere."



Happy Mardi Gras Y'all!

[chicken45]

Yes!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I love it!!

[DeltaBravo]

 

[wm3798]

Heh.  I was just rummaging around to try to find that Ryourstone RDG bobber.  There it's been the whole time!

Lee

[Philip H]

Heh.  I was just rummaging around to try to find that Ryourstone RDG bobber.  There it's been the whole time!

Lee

We can always renegotiate the terms of the lend-lease.

[eric220]

Jim spent a long journey recuperating from his adventures.  After many blessedly peaceful days, he noticed the train moving a little faster than usual.  Suddenly, there was a strange noise, and if 10,000 people all said, "WHUMP" at the same time.  What 10,000 people would be doing in the Railwire baggage car, or what cause they would have to say something as silly as, "WHUMP" escaped Jim.  Jim became aware that the box that had given him so much trouble when he passed through Colorado was glowing strangely.  He was also aware that the car's motion had changed, and seemed to be swaying side to side and up and down far more than should be allowable for rail car.  Jim struggled against the swaying and staggered toward a porthole.  The ringing in his head seemed to be giving way to a whirring/grinding sound.  Jim made it to the porthole, and couldn't believe his eyes.



Jim's car was being loaded into a sawmill!  Jim screamed at the top of his lungs, but there was no response.  He tried again, even louder than before, and the swaying stopped.

Clive Hoffstetter looked down at the log that he was carrying.  He had the funniest feeling that he heard a squeak from it.  Much to his horror, he realized that he no longer carried a log, but a steel baggage car of diminutive proportions!  Clive was so shocked that he immediately dropped the car.  It slammed to the ground, and rolled to the bottom of the loading ramp.



Clive tried for a moment to reason what had just happened, but there was no way that anything he had just seen made any sense.  Convinced that he was going mad, Clive threw up his hands and ran away, screaming to the heavens.

After a while, Jim regained enough of his senses to venture outside.  Everything seemed about seven times too large.  "Where am I, Brobdingnag?" he mused to himself.  Jim noticed a man approaching.  Frank Gulliver, the owner of the mill, having been drawn by Clive's screams, approached the scene.  Somewhat confused, Frank walked up to Jim and looked him and his baggage car over.



"What have we here?" Asked Frank.  "A very confused traveller who could very much like to get on his way."  Replied Jim.  After some negotiating, Jim convinced Frank that having a tiny baggage car in his sawmill probably wasn't going to help productivity very much.  Frank agreed to have the baggage car loaded on the next train leaving the area.  Jim wasn't sure what good that would do him, but at least it got him away from the whirring saw blades.

A short time later, the local pulled through.  Frank flagged it down, and the conductor hopped down.  "What special shipment do you have for us today, Frank?"  He asked with a smile.  Usually Frank's "special" shipments came with stern instructions not to open them and odors that begged questions that were best unanswered.  "Just this here miniature baggage car."  Frank replied.  "And its rider."  The conductor paused as he realized that Frank was carrying a small man on his arm.  Jim was concerned, but tried to keep his composure as the image of his baggage car going through the sawmill kept coming to mind.

By this time, Frank had convinced Clive to come back, since he could see the baggage car too.  Frank figured that the fewer people who know about this thing the better.  Clive recited his hail marys as he lifted the baggage car into... the local's baggage car.  The conductor looked on in disbelief, managing to mutter something about shipping rates to Frank.



Soon, Jim's baggage car was aboard.  Jim stood by the open door and collected his thoughts.

"How the hell am I going to get us out of this one?"

[eric220]

As the local got underway, it passed a train tied up on a siding.  Jim couldn't believe his eyes!  Colorado and Southern #1, the last of the former Denver, South Park, and Pacific Mason Bogies sat there steaming away quietly, waiting for the signal to depart.



Jim knew that all of the locomotives from that era had been retired long before the Pennsylvania took control of the Colorado and Southern.  For that matter, the C&S lettering was only used for the narrow gauge in the Clear Creek area and Summit County in Colorado.  Jim glanced at the pulsating light coming from the flux capacitor and began to suspect that he was no longer in the year 1950.  Jim's train of thought was broken by a change in the sound of the wheels on the rails.  Jim dove for cover as he realized that they were crossing a trestle, which was modest for the giants, but was gut-wrenchingly deep for Jim.



When the sound returned to normal, Jim ventured out again.  He heard whooping and mooing coming from up ahead.  The train passed a cattle pen, where evidently a calf had escaped.



Jim noticed a banging that he realized had been growing louder for the last several minutes.  It kept getting louder, and louder, until Jim was lying on the floor of the car covering his ears to keep the noise out.  Then it stopped.  Jim stood up and saw a large structure pass by the car.



"I know that building."  Jim said to himself.  "That's the Argo Mill in Idaho Springs, Colorado.  They're about to open it for tourists.  But it's been offline for years..."  Jim suddenly remembered the flux capacitor.  The lettering on the equipment... #1 under steam... The Argo Mill operating...  "This must be the summer of 1900, or thereabouts."

As Jim was doing his mental calculations, he noticed another landmark.  The train passed the Tommyknockers brewery.



Jim's mouth started watering.  He had always had a soft spot for Tommyknockers, which was named after the mythical dwarves that lived in the mountains and tapped on the walls near lucky miners, showing them where the rich veins of ore were.  Jim suddenly snapped back to reality and realized that he was pulling into a familiar stop.



Idaho Springs of 1900 looked very different than it did in 1950.  In just 50 years, this sleepy little hamlet would have a double track, electrified transcontinental mainline running through it.

Jim retired into the Railwire baggage car.  He had enough adventure for one day.  He felt the train start up again with a lurch.  After a few minutes, Jim noticed that the train was picking up speed.  He heard air rushing, and then heard the sound of squealing steel on steel, yet the train seemed to be accelerating.  Jim realized with horror that it was running away.  Then Jim remembered, 88 miles per hour!  He hunkered down as the train picked up speed.  Fortunately for him, with the 7:1 size difference, 88 miles per hour in his scale was quickly achieved.

"WHUMP"

[chicken45]

You dawg I called it!