The Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report

[ReadingBob]

Hats off to another great story Bill!   

[PRR Modeler]

Another great story Bill.

[Judge]

Saturday Report - February 29, 2020.  Clear, sunny day in Central Florida.  High's in the 70's.

    This is the Saturday that The Babe goes to Mt. Dora for beauty treatment so there will be no formal Saturday Report.
    HOWEVER!  Please let this reporter congratulate Tom on his decision to start working on brass locomotives, even if it is part-time.  No one does it better and no one has more patience to do that tedious bit of true art work. 
    Additionally, this reporter would like to compliment those forum members who have been posting progress on their layouts and builds.  Outsiders do not realize the artistic talent it takes to be, as my Jaw-Ja cousins used to say, "at the top of the heap," in our hobby. 
   
    This week's story comes from the monthly Railroad Magazine, August, 1940 ($.15).  Imagine a railroad magazine without a single picture of a diesel locomotive, not even an advertisement.  Each month there is a section called "True Tales of the Rails," which are short stories that, with further compression, can be adapted to tales about the Atlantic & Southern Railroad.  This week's story is about a close call or two and is a reminder that railroading is a dangerous occupation. 

                                                                                                      BRUSHING THE PEARLY GATES

    it was cold and rainy that February morning back in the '30's when Charlie Miner climbed up into the cab of ACL 835 (a freight hog).  He was a new fireman, just in from a stint down south in Tampa, where he worked as a brakeman.  The engine was running light, backing from the roundhouse onto the mainline, awaiting the yard goat to couple the morning freight to the tender.
    The coal space in the tender of 835 needed about 8 tons from the coal tower in order to make the run to Jacksonville so Bobby Baker, the engineer, backed to the coal tower and gave 8 short blasts on the whistle to signal Ben, the coal tower tender, for 8 tons.  Bobby spotted 835's tender under the coal chute and Ben pulled the chain to release the coal. 
    At the same time, Charlie slipped on the tank's slick deck and fell head over heels into the coal space.  He did a 180 flip and landed on his feet about the time the coal was released.  He tried to pull himself free, but the coal was up to his knees before he knew it and he was held fast.  He hollered at Ben to close the coal chute and by the time Ben responded, he was up to his neck in coal.  The air was mostly coal dust and Charlie could barely breathe, much less move to free himself.
    Ben called to Bobby and said, "Hey! The Fireman's buried nigh up to his neck in the tank and we better dig him out before he smothers!"  Bobby and Ben commenced to digging to free Charlie when they heard a whistle in the distance.  The morning Florida Special was crossing the Grreat Divide and was heading for the rear of 835's tender. 
    "Damn," said Bobby, "I completely forgot about Number 4!" 
    The brakeman grabbed a red flag and hi-tailed it to the rear in an effort to warn the engineer of the oncoming varnish.  "You flag 'em and I'll beat it back to the shops in Tahope, said Bobby.  "You better twist her tail," hollered the brakeman, " or we're goin' to have one hell of a wreck!"
    In two leaps, Bobby made it back to the right-hand seat.  With the quick and sure touch of a born hogger, his hands released the brakes, slammed back the Johnson bar, opened the sanders, and yanked the throttle.  835's Stack and cylinder cocks hissed protest as she leaped forward into motion, but she didn't slip, and within five engine lengths was responding to the wide-open throttle.  She was making nearly 40-miles per by the time she reached the Ovalix and crossed into the Tahope Yard Lead.  Close behind, the Special missed 835's tender by only a few car lengths.
    Ben continued to dig Charlie out of the pile of coal and, by the time 835 regained track speed past the Big Tahope River Bridge, he was almost dug out.  The roundhouse crew carried Charlie into the roundhouse lounge to assess the damage.  Aside from numerous bruises, scratches, sore muscles and a thick coat of grime and coal dust, he was in pretty good shape.  After an examination by the railroad's physician, Dr. Staysic, he took a much-needed shower and spent the evening recounting his adventures with his buddies.
    Charlie continued as a fireman for some ten years and was promoted to the right side, but by then there was no more coal and Charlie came to work wearing a jacket and a white collared shirt to run his F3's.  But he never tired of telling about the day he nearly brushed the Pearly Gates - twice! 

                                                                     

                                                                                            By the time Ben responded, he was up to his neck in coal!



                                                                         

                                                                                                        The Sanlando Yard Water Tank
   

[ReadingBob]

Great story Bill!     It also takes some artistic talent to weave terrific tales like this that really help bring a layout alive.    

[GPdemayo]

Enjoyed it Bill.....

[jimmillho]

Outstanding story Bill.

Jim

[PRR Modeler]

Love your stories Bill.

[ACL1504]

Bill,

Thanks for the vote of confidence. By the way, how many brass loco are up for painting?

Oh, great story also.

Tom

[BandOGuy]

Bet old 835 would have accelerated in a more timely manner with Greg Speed at the throttle. 

[Judge]

835 is in fact "old."  She has lasted many years longer than her 1"1 sister, a Light USRA MIke.  We don't allow Greg to run antiques like 835.  We're too afraid she would throw a main rod or jerk a lung.  And she's a hand bomber so speed is hard to attain.  But she can pull anything out of the goat can put together. 

Thank you for the comment.  I appreciate comments because they let me know people think I'm doing with these stories and the goings-on at the Atlantic & Southern.

Bill

[GPdemayo]

Not to worry Bill.....a little TLC and a gentle touch will get ole' 835 to run like a 2 year old thoroughbred. 

[postalkarl]

Hey Bill:

As all have said above. Great story.

Karl

[Judge]

Saturday Report -March 7, 2020 - Weather was 59 degrees earlier.  Now (3:00 p.m.) it's nearly 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.  A little breeze makes it goof for sailing or kites.

The Board of Directors met at 0830, as usual.  The recently leased Pennsy E units were sent to the shops at Ucita Yard for upgrades from whatever they have now to WOW sound.  Hopefully, they will have the conversion completed before next Saturday.

The POL train (petroleum, oil, and lubricants) that was spotted at the Midlands was returned to the Bottoms.  The ACL Champion, powered by three E7's (A-B-A) was backed out of the yard at the Bottoms for service on its regular schedule.  Unfortunately, backing full-length Walthers passenger cars, even on a 36" radius curve is less than satisfactory due to the physics of the forces involved and derails occur.  This movement was tried because the Champ was spotted behind another train on the storage tracks at the Bottoms.  We decided to try this movement because we thought it would be easier than moving the blocking train.  We will not make that choice again.  The plan for the Jacksonville Union Station at Summit provides for backing into the station, but the curve there is 54" and we have tried it several times with passenger equipment, always with success.

We ran the Camp all the way to Summit before lunch.  There was some minor troubleshooting along the way but the trip was generally a success.  Greg DeMayo arrived about 10:30 and we adjourned for lunch at a new (for us) Italian restaurant located in the same shopping center as Smokey Bones.  The Babe joined us and the food was excellent.  We will probably make this place a regular haunt.  We have eaten at Smokey Bones nearly every Saturday for over 10 years and it is time to branch out and spread the money over a wider variety of cuisine.

Thie week's story begins, I hope, several tales about passenger service in Florida and the Southeast during the 40's and 50's.  Since it has already been mentioned, we will begin with the ACL's Champion.  Things operated differently in the 40's and 50's and this description states it the way it was. 

                                                                                                                                 The CHAMPION

    The Atlantic Coast Line and the Florida East Coast purchased three complete sets of passenger equipment for a new streamlined passenger train in 1939.  The new trains were in response to the dieselized passenger service offered by the Seaboard Air Line's highly successful Silver Meteor that went into service from Florida to New York in 1938.  The ACL owned two of the sets and the FEC owned the other one. 
     The train's name came from names submitted by the public in a naming contest.  (It is claimed the fact that ACL's president at the time was named Champion McDowell Davis had nothing to do with the name's selection.)
    The 1939 version of the Champ was an all coach train with seven streamlined cars, manufactured by Budd, and composed of a baggage/dormitory/coach, a dinner, four coaches, and a tavern/observation car.  The train originated in two sections in Miami and St. Petersburg.  The FEC provided power from Miami to Jacksonville and the ACL provided power from St. Pete all the way to Richmond.  The train was powered from Florida to Richmond with a single ACL E3A unit.  The RF&P took over at Richmond and the Pennsy piloted the train from Washington, DC, to New York. The three sets of equipment allowed daily service.
    During the days of racial segregation, the baggage/dormitory/coach (22 revenue seats) were "reserved exclusively for colored passengers."  The two tables located close to the kitchen in the dining car were also reserved for colored passengers, separated from the rest of the diner by a curtain.  Colored passengers were not allowed in the observation/lounge car.  Segregation in train travel continued well into the 6o's, if not by law, by custom.  The "good old days" weren't so good for everyone. 
    Three of the coaches were designed to seat 60 passengers and the other coach sat 52 passengers and contained a room for the stewardess.  The tavern/observation car had no revenue seats. 
    The dining car was nationally known for it excellent cuisine and service.  The ACL's official cookbook had 144 different main dishes listed, not all of which were offered on all trains at all times.  Some of the dishes reflected the food available along the route.  Some favorite breakfast selections included poached eggs on corn beef hash with grits and homemade biscuits and omelet with creamed mushrooms and asparagus.  Both of these breakfasts, including coffee or tea, were $1.35 in 1950.  Orange juice was an extra $.15.
    One reason the Champ was an all-coach train was because Pullman refused to provide porters for sleepers not manufactured in the Pullman shops.  Later, after anti-trust litigation, the Pullman Company was broken up into a manufacturing company and an operating company.  By 1948, Budfd delivered sleepers for use on the champion, with Pullman porters, along with blunt-end tavern/observation cars that could operate in mid-train.  At that time the E3's were traded for E6A-B-A units and the train stretched from 7 to 18 and sometimes 21 cars.  The Pennsy and the RF&P chipped in for the purchase of the new equipment.
    Most railroads selected distinctive color schemes for their new diesels, and the Coast Line's president, Champ Davis, selected royal purple and silver for the ACL diesels.  These locomotives were perhaps the most recognized locomotives on the East Coast.  The basic scheme was copied in different colors by the RF&P and the NC&St.L. 
    The Coast Line's Champion had a long and successful career.  Its last run was when AMTRAK took over passenger "service."  Nowadays, there are no diners, no food service to speak of, and precious little of the old courtesy that was the trade-mark of passenger service in the 40's and 50's.   

                                                                                     
                                                                                   

                                                                                                     The original E3A used to power the Champion


                                                                                       

                                                                                         E6 504 A-B-A- Lash-up awaiting Champion Service in Richmond


                                                                                         

                                                                                                     The Champion Departing Winter Park with two E7's.

                                                                                             

                                                                                                 ACL 504 E6A at the Atlantic & Southern's Sanlando Station

[ACL1504]

Bill,

Great history of the line. I think we should name one of the A&S RR trains, "The Tom"!

Tom

[S&S RR]

Another fine report and interesting story Judge. I enjoy getting caught up each week.