NKP #8 The New Yorker Dec 14, 1962 (rode Chi-Cleveland)
DL-701 895 Chi-Bellevue
GP-9 461
471Bellevue-Cle
465
Bagg 344
HW Diner 129
HW Coach 85
83
LW Coach 100 (DH, crew lounge, no passengers allowed)
105
EL 10-6 Benjamin Loder Cle-Hob
Likely the locomotives were exchanged at Bellevue so that “specialty” locomotives, namely those with passenger steam generators could be maintained at one facility.
Also I observed that morning the arrival of NKP #5 City of Chicago:
NKP #5 City of Chicago Dec 14, 1962 (observed La Salle St)
GP-9 475
NYC Bagg 8850
EL Milk 6608
NKP Bagg 341
346
EL LW Coach 1304
NKP 10-6 City of Peoria
City of St Louis
6BR-Lng City of Chicago
10-6 City of Lorain
Business Car #1
Oh, and the
Alco PA’s, the Blue Birds migrated during 1962, so I missed riding behind them. However, I did observe the PA’s on various occasions at La Salle St. Now the ironic part; I was scheduled to ride behind them during Dec 1961, but I guess you could say, they flew away on me. As I have noted here at the Forum at other topics, that Dec 1961 trip home to New York for Xmas recess (“back in my day”, colleges on semester academic years had an Xmas recess reconvening early January; finals started along about Jan 20 now I understand that the semester is over with finals completed by Xmas) was to be “bumper to bumper to bumper” Chgo-NKP#8-Buff-EL#8-Hoboken. I had a Bedroom reserved, since in the NKP “City of--’ Pullmans, they were center car and with the change of direction at Buffalo (hence bumper to bumper to bumper), I would have forward riding throughout the entire trip as those cars had two movable chairs rather than a fixed sofa.
However, before leaving for home and the inevitable “Xmas stress”, I paid a visit to a young lady friend (grandmother today; happily married to her “one and only“) who attended a small college in Cedar Rapids (Coe). Transportation to Chi and the 99.44% safe connection was to be MILW #20, the Arrow, But on this rare occasion, the Arrow was “Broken Arrow’ and arrived CUS two hours late, or fifteen minutes before #8 was to depart - at LaSalle. There was a “step on it taxicab ride’ a mad dash carrying bags down the platform….but the Blue Birds had spread their wings…..
I exchanged the Sleeper space for same on EL#2 (could not consider Century or Broadway, as I would have had to lay out cash for the rail ticket) and got home some ten hours late, and the inevitable from my Father of “why can’t you just FLY like everyone else does?”
