oh I blame GM, Firestone & Standard Oil on that!
GRRRRR

>>132771
The counter argument to that is most of the electrical tram systems in US were struggling already before those guys came along. Another big factor was a Supreme Court ruling in 1935, which said companies that generated power could not also run transport companies (most trolley lines were run by power companies up to that point).

I'd post pics of a scrap line if you wanted sad. But people who race trains at grade crossings is a combination of cringe and facepalm.

In the past couple of days the CBC has been hyping up "most dangerous grade crossings" in Canada. Hinting slightly that railways are the bad guys and selectively leaving out the fact that the communities the crossings are located in are responsible for the costs of installation and maintenance. Level-headed accurate reporting isn't the CBC's strong suit.

Pic was taken from a CNR CFA16-4 C-Liner (#7143).

>>132777
While it's true that the conspiracy is mostly founded on nonsense the car makers did play a role in bringing down tramways. Ford was an outspoken advocate of public investment in roads (notably freeways) and the Big Three did put their weight behind documents like the Athens Charter which paved the way for suburban growth in the US.

>>132779
The quality of reporting from Canadian news agency has taken a pretty sharp dive in recent years. I'm expecting the NatPo and Sun to merge into one horrible mess within the next few years.

Anyway, sorry for the politics. The watermark got me wondering, doesn't the Science Museum in Ottawa have some Fairbank Morse motive power stashed in one of its warehouses?

>>132781
I agree with your sentiments about Canadian press. And yes they have former CPR Train Master #8905 complete without traction motors stored indoors in cosmetically good shape. It's one of their main show pieces & they are quite proud of it.

And CPR C-liner #4065 which was one of two of the former demonstrator units. It's in need of TLC and looks in rough shape. However as far back as 2010 I was reassured that the unit is important to them and has been moved inside out of the elements, but I haven't confirmed that. I know in 2009 there was a private initiative to get the unit at least cosmetically restored and they were looking at a price tag of about $100,000 to do that. Funding, the usual nemesis of railway museums everywhere, has been a significant challenge.

Requesting large hi-rez pic of attached pic if anyone sees or has one.

Just about every picture of the 611 excursions from last weekend has at least ONE comment from somebody whining about the diesel assist.

>>132782
Small correction, 8905 is at Exporail in Delson. I think the only CLC diesel Ottawa has is 4065.

Attached is a photo of the bridge from last year when we biked the abandoned Coquihalla. If you have Nick Morant's Canadian Pacific, there are some good shots of 11/12 toward the end.

>>132795 -- Maybe they should borrow from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SL_Ginga and reuse some DMUs as carriages.

>>132803
That makes me wonder if they could use Budd RDCs in the North America to comply with the diesel requirement.

>>132805
RDCs aren't even meant to be used with trailer coaches, full trains are right out.

>>132819
I once heard someone describe the effect of having a non powered trailing car behind an RDC as causing the transmission to "basically shit itself".

I haven't a clue about the logistical part of it, but could an RDC be modified to have a more traditional diesel-electric setup? Maybe rip out the seats and install a prime mover. Like I said, I have no idea about the logistics. I imagine that either the frame would buckle or the clearance would be so tight that you couldn't service it.

>>132820

RDCs were fitted with a pair of 6-cylinder 170hp diesel engines. The average power output of an 18-wheeler these days is at least double that, closer to quadruple if you really soup them up, so if you re-engine your RDC with something from the 21st century... myth plausible?

>>132822

No not really, the hydraulic transmission system can't handle the load (see Tex's comment)

People need to be happy that 611 is out running the rails and not stuck in the VMT. So what if there is a backup diesel to ensure that some failure doesn't clog the NS mains... So what if 4449 runs with a P42 behind it to provide HEP to the train. It doesn't matter.

>>132823
But muh prototypical pictures are RUINED.

Those are the same kind of people who bitched when Chase Gunnoe rented a helicopter to chase 765 in 2012. They don't really have a right to compassion, but they do anyways.

>>132824
Jeebus chrust, my autocorrect is killing me. "Compassion" was supposed to be "complain". Sorry guys.

>>132823
They could do it with a bit more class, just sayin'...

>>132823 -- Reminds me of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_97#97250.E2.80.9397252 (the ETHELs).

>>132822
Didn't a company rebuild an old RDC in hopes of getting a contract to modernize VIA's fleet? What engine did they use on that unit?

>>132823

I would assume the theoretical re-engine-ing would include a tougher transmission, but I also have no idea what I'm talking about.

>>132826

They gave 611 a heritage unit rather than whichever geep happened to be free in the yard that day, so consolation prize for the purist nerds. Amtrak has given 261 a heritage P42 when they can.

>>132824

There was much bitching about the helicopter following 611 home to Roanoke last year as well.