(erielack) re:Turning passenger consists

["Janet & Randy Brown" <jananran_@_mymailstation.com>]

Most times, they didn't.  Most passenger cars didn't require turning: they were [and are] bi-directional.  A car with a baggage room at one end [combine] or an observation room [obs] might be turned, but they didn't need to be.  Many suburban combines ran "backwards" half the time.  Moreover, there was no guarantee that the consist needed for the next outbound was exactly what had come in on the last inbound.

Current Amtrak to the contrary not withstanding, most railroads simlpy pulled the train out to the coach yard and cleaned, serviced and restocked, turning all the seats necessary, and plugged it back into the terminal.  If there was an obs [most Erie and Lackawanna and EL trains didn't have them] it went to a wye or turntable -- but it was an expensive pain.  If they needed to adjust the consist to the load, they added or subtracted cars at the coach yard [see: Amtrak comment above]; Pullman cars went to the Pullman yard and were recalled as needed. 

Reversing loops were rare: real estate is expensive, especially in cities.  Nw York had two: the PRR's was [is] in Sunnyside, Queens; the NYC [MTA] has one at Grand Central, used basically for suburban runs.  Long distance NYC trains went out to Mott Haven, where te single-ended Obs and combines were turned on the wye while the rest of the cars were getting their seats turned.  Pullmans were bi-directional.

So . . . switch them cars!

Randy Brown

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