The Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report

Started by Judge, January 05, 2019, 03:59:09 PM

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Judge

#255
Thanks for the photo of the modern bug sweeper.  Just proves there's a prototype for everything! 

And Maddie looks sweet.  Another five months and she'll be too big to fit in your hand.

Judge

#256
Surprise! Surprise!  There is a Saturday Report after all!  My wife, Cindy, and I canceled our long weekend due to the illness of one of the other couples who were going to travel with us. 

The Atlantic & Southern Board of Directors convened promptly at 0830 hours and opened the meeting with a Coke and a Diet Pepsi.  Then we got down to business.  Your reporter was given a tour of the progress made at the Summit Yard.  All switch machines are installed and wired for the mainline.  Due to one of the ACL E7A units receiving a new decoder in the repair shop, the E6's were called into service to power the Champion.  As has been recently reported, we have been tweaking our passenger equipment to avoid unwanted uncouplings and derailments.  That project continued today.  It is almost necessary to individually tweak each Walthers passenger car in order to get optimum performance.  Today we discovered some of our ACL cars had the wrong couplers on them and almost all of the end diaphragms drooped low enough to foul the Kay Dee couplers.  Adjustments were made and tweaking will probably continue in the future.

The Champion made its run from Summit to the Midlands and back without difficulty.  Those slant nosed E6's really look great pulling a passenger consist. 

Lunch was (guess where) at Smokey Bones.

After lunch, we decided to run one of our strange locomotives - a Seaboard Centipede.  It is not much to look at unless you really,, really like to watch wheels.  The loco still has the original unacceptable sound system in it and we decided to convert it to WOW Sound during the next round of updates.

The track gang plans on completing the wiring on the Yard at Summit this week, hopefully making it fully operational next Saturday.

This week's story is the product of some of my nostalgic recollections of dining on the train in the 1950s and comparing that experience to my recent trip on AMTRAK from Orlando to Savannah.  Let me be plain - There is no comparison.  No wonder AMTRAK is only one step above greyhound travel.

                                                                                               DINING ON THE ATLANTIC & SOUTHERN

    The Atlantic & Southern Railroad does not own any dining cars.  It relies upon the diners from other railroads to provide food services to its passengers.  That does not mean the A&S management is unprepared to purchase a dinner with Atlantic & Southern emblazed upon its road boards when passenger traffic justifies it. 
    There were still a few heavyweight diners on the rails in 1950 and they tended to be part of the consist powered by the few steam engines still working passenger trains at that late date.  Seaboard had several of these diners.  The Coast Line diners had recently been replaced by lightweight Bud built diners, but whichever type of diner was found in the consist, mealtime could be a pleasant and quite nostalgic experience.
    Some of the post war Coast Line diners had interesting table configurations with seating for four on one side of the diner and seating for two on the other side.  The tables for two provided a more private setting and avoided the annoying Pullman practice of seating strangers at your table simply because seats were available.
    The variety of dishes offered during an overnight trip included local specialties such as crab cakes, chicken and dumplings, fresh catfish, and citrus delicacies.  But breakfast in the diner was the meal anticipated by everyone. 
    The Coast Line served the standard breakfast fare served on many railroads that included two poached eggs on toast with ham hash and fried tomatoes. 
    A numbered "instruction book" gave detailed directions to the dining staff.  Each steward, chef, and waiterss-in-charge were required to carry a copy of the book with them at all times while on duty.  Lost instruction books could be replaced with a "replica' at the cost of $.00.
    Instructions for serving breakfast on "All Trains" included the following:

    "Complementary demitasse coffee at breakfast.  This service must be extended to every guest in the dining car at breakfast on all trains.  The guest is not to be asked if coffee is to be brought out by the waiter at the time a glass of ice water is placed on the table for the guest.  Failure of the Steward of waiter to follow these instructions will result in disciplinary action." 

    Some of the instructions were to the point.  For instance, the Superintendent of Dining Cars had this to say about serving bacon:

    "While it is realized that in heavy trains it will be hard to broil bacon to order, the system of duping one or two pounds of bacon in the frying pan,all owing it to fry with the result that 10%to 15% will break, curl up, and look messy when served has got to be stopped.  Hereafter, on heavy trains chefs will place ready sliced bacon on the baking pan, cook partially in the oven to break the grain on the meat and finish in the broiler.  Bacon thus cooked will look more appetizing, will not crumble or curl, will show better on the plate, and will repay you in a better percentage for your effort."

    Chefs were expected to know how to prepare basic menu items, such as an omelet, and were only provided with variation instructions.  Among many variations included an omlet "with fried tomato slices, bacon."  Chefs were instructed to "place omelette (that's how they spelled it) in the center of the hot service plate.  Garnish one side of omelette with three slices of fried tomato, each slice overlapping the other, cross two strips bacon on to of omelette and a sprig of parsley."
    Many railroads were famous for their breakfast French toast. The Coast Line was no exception.  However, the instruction book fails to explain how Coast Line French Toast was out of the ordinary.  Having consulted with the A&S Food Service Superintendent, the following recipe will be used on A&S diners if one is ever acquired:

                                                                                            ATLANTIC & SOUTHERN FRENCH TOAST
                                                                                                              (SERVES TWO)

French toast:

A loaf of French bread cut into four 1" to 1 1'2 " slices.
1 large egg, thoroughly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract
Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped pecan halves (optional)
6 slices bacon, fried
1 banana sliced into 1/4 inch rounds -just before serving

Berry topping:

Package (12 oz.) frozen (or fresh) raspberries or blueberries
1/2 cup water (or less)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in just enough water to dissolve
Confectioner's sugar

Pour beaten egg into a bowl.  Add sugar and vanilla extract and mix well.  Soak bread slices in the egg mixture and grill them until both sides are toasted.
Saute pecans in butter under low heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from pan when toasted.  Do Not Burn.
Place berries in a pot and add enough water to come up a one-half inch above the berries on the sides.  Heat berries on medium-low heat and add sugar and gently stir.    When berries are hot, add dissolved corn starch and stir.  Remove from heat when the mixture thickens.
Place French Toast on serving plate and sprinkle with sifted Confectioner's sugar.  Add toasted pecans on top.  Serve berry topping in a separate bowl.
Serve with bacon and banana

The complete 1953 Atlantic Coast Line Recipe book can be found at:  http://railroadarchives.org/content/atlantic-coast-line-railroad-recipes-cookbook-1953.

ACL1504

The Judge AKA: The Ticket Agent, and I had a very productive day on the A&S. As mentioned most of the ACL Champion cars were tweeked and diaphrams were adjusted as well. After those issues were fixed we enjoyed smooth running for the last half of the day.

Tom ;D
"If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
Thomas Jefferson

Tom Langford
telsr1@aol.com

BandOGuy

In place of the vanilla extract, my railroad dining service substitutes a little Grand Marnier when appropriate.
Working on my second million. I gave up on the first.

PRR Modeler

Another interesting story Bill. It was nice seeing you on Friday at Jon's.
Curt Webb
The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad
Freelanced PRR Bellevue Subdivision

Judge

#260
Deemery -   Do you know why the RR needs a track sweeper??

GPdemayo

Always loved having meals in the dining car.....they were the best.  8)


Especially liked the lounge car going to school in the fall and returning home in the spring.....never could tell who you were liable to meet.  :)
Gregory P. DeMayo
General Construction Superintendent Emeritus
St. Louis & Denver Railroad
Longwood, FL

Judge

Once again I am having trouble attaching photos.  Saturday Report delayed until sometime Sunday.  Sorry

deemery

Quote from: Judge on June 17, 2019, 04:31:25 PM
Deemery -   Do you know why the RR needs a track sweeper??


To remove the slippery bugs from the rails???


dave
Modeling the Northeast in the 1890s - because the little voices told me to

BandOGuy

Quote from: GPdemayo on June 17, 2019, 05:40:05 PM
Always loved having meals in the dining car.....they were the best.  8) 
Especially liked the lounge car going to school in the fall and returning home in the spring.....never could tell who you were liable to meet.  :)



Agreed.
On the Louisville section of the eastbound C&O George Washington, the people to meet were the GI's being discharged from Fort Knox who usually had wads of cash with them.  ;)
Working on my second million. I gave up on the first.

postalkarl

Hey Tom:

Great picture of Maggie. I always enjoy seeing other's Pets.

karl

Judge

#266
I am having problems.  I may not be able to submit a Saturday Report this week.  I get knocked off line during my preparation of the report and then I lose my data.
I really wish I could find a dependable cable company.  But there is not such thing.

Sorry.

S&S RR

#267
Quote from: Judge on June 23, 2019, 03:35:20 PM
I am having problems.  I may not be able to submit a Saturday Report this week.  I get knocked off line during my preparation of the report and then I lose my data.
I really wish I could find a dependable cable company.  But there is not such thing.

Sorry.


Judge


Try this:  write at the top of your post draft.  We will all know it's a work in progress.  Then hit the post button every paragraph or so. Then go in an modify your post to continue your wonderful stories.  If you do get kicked off you will only loose the last paragraph or what you have done since the last save.




I just typed this post using the method and it works.  I learned to do this when I was editing the index for my build threads - had the same problem. This is not a problem with the new server but with interment internet service.


The last step is to delete the draft off the top.  Do this  with a modify after you have saved it in the final form.


Full discloser your honor - I also have to go in and modify my posts to correct my spelling errors.  I don't always find all of them.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

Judge

John - Are you able to post photos?  I am following Tom Langford's instructions to the "T" and it has always (or at least most of the time) worked before.  Now I am unable to attach photos.

I will try your suggestion on saving text.  Sounds like a winner. 

Judge

#269
I took John's suggestion and published this week's story piece meal to avoid losing data through loss of internet connection.  Now if I could only attach the photographs that go with the story.

Saturday Report
The Board of Directors convened the Saturday meeting at 0830 hours.  The freight yard at Summit was inspected.  It is completely wired and all switch motors and manual stops are activated.  The trackwork is excellent.  A&S must have skilled gandy dancers.

Jim Miller visited us and stayed until noon. 

   We ran the Champion around Summit and sent it down the ovalix to The Bottoms.  It was replaced by the eleven car C&O George Washington, which was powered by an A-B-A lash-up of Fe3's.  No problem for those diesels to pull that heavy train up the constant 1% grade for all 10 revolutions to Summit.

We adjourned for lunch at Smokey Bones.  The Babe joined us for tea.

After lunch we broke in the new yard at Summit, performing various switching moves and getting used to the numerous tracks and turnouts.

All-all a very happy Saturday. 

No report next Saturday.  The Babe has to make her trip to Mount Dora.

This week's story has as its main character our old friend Newt Fisher, who has decided to seek gainful employment.


                                                                                                        The Engine Watchman

Newt Fisher, you remember him, he''s the son of Luke and Talulla Fisher, who live in one of the cracker shacks on Eaton's Curve (See page eight), decided one day that the life of a hobo living in The Bottoms held no future for him so he decided to "nail a drag" and ride a Pullman boxcar to Jacksonville to seek employment with the Coast Line.  He managed to board an empty reefer, but the hind shack caught him at the yard throat and demanded $2.00 for safe passage to Jax. 

Now Newt ain't about to give in to a shake down by a brakie so he jumped clear of the reefer and walked towards the engine.  He watched the shack walk down the line of cars looking for other itenerant passengers, and when the shack's back was turned, he hopped on the cow catcher and sat perched under the locomotive's head light.  Long about 8:00 p.m. the conductor signaled a high ball and the Pacific eased out of the yard.  As the engine began to pick up speed, Newt started to doubt the wisdom of his decision to ride the cow catcher.  The engine nosed first to the right and then to the left as it gained speed, nearly dislodging him from his seat.  And the headlight attracted every form of flying insect known to Florida, and all of them flew into Newt's face.  Then it rained.  Sheets of water peppered Newt as the engine reached track speed of 55 mph.

Finally,, the train entered the freight yard at Jacksonville and Newt jumped off the cow catcher right into the arms of a police officer, who arrested him for trespass on Coast Line property and booked him into the Duval County Jail.  Newt, who would never turn down free room and board, patiently awaited his court appearance a few weeks later.  He entered a guilty plea, was sentenced to time served, and became a free man again.  The jail was not far from the Coast Line freight yard so Newt high tailed it over to the trainmaster's office for an interview with the yard clerk. 

The yard clerk gave him and employment application to fill out and Newt proudly related his extensive prior employment experience assisting his father to tend to crab traps and handling day jobs with the A&S.  With this impressive resume, he was offered a job as an engine watchman and his name was marked up on the extra board. 

An engine watchman is a member of a freight train crew who comes aboard when a steam engine has to be tied down for the night at a location other than a service facility, such as a roundhouse.  The engine watchman assumes some of the duties of a hostler.  He is responsible to maintain the banked fire overnight, work the injector to keep the water level up in the boiler, and load coal into the tender's coal bunker.  This last duty is usually accomplished by transferring coal from a hopper car spotted next to the tender on an adjacent track.

Newt got called for a local freight that originated at the freight yard at Jacksonville and terminated at the freight yard at Summit.  The train is usually powered by one of the Coast Line's many dual service Pacifics and the trip requires the engine to be tied down overnight at the yard at Sanlando.  The train arrived at Sanlando about 11:00 p.m.

Newt had no difficulty banking the fire and he didn't mind staying up all night to work the injector.  But he did have a problem loading coal in the tender bunker.  He climbed down from the cab and pulled himself up the ladder of the coal hopper and made his way over the coal pile.  He decided the only way he could add coal to the bunker was to do it by hand, so he grabbed a couple of big pieces and heaved them into the bunker.  Progress was slow, but Newt stuck to it and tossed coal until the light of dawn began to show and the bunker was full.  Newt, exhausted, dripping with sweat, and covered with coal dust, collapsed on the fireman's seat in the locomotive cab, waiting for the arrival of the train crew. He began to feel like he was overcoming his fear of accomplishment.

About that time, the conductor arrived at the engine.  He took a look at the coal bunker and asked Newt how he filled it up.  Newt explained that he loaded it by hand and it had taken him seven hours to do it.  With that explanation, the conductor put his hand on Newt's shoulder and said, "Son, why didn't you use the coal loader?"

Lesson learned.

                                                     hou

                                                                                            Newt's engine spotted in Sanlando Yard   

                                                           


                                                                               Coal hopper spotted adjacent to the Pacific's tender


                                                           
                                                                   
                                                                                          The coal loader was located next to the tracks

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