(erielack) The Diamond

["MONTGOMERY| ED" <emontgom_@_LAN.TJHSST.EDU>]

<color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>I will add my compliments to those who have appreciated the look 
of <bold>The Diamond</bold>.  The recollections of "The Lake Cities" was 
great.  I had always heard that EL ran that train as a first-class 
operation right up until the end.  I had heard the President Maxwell 
said that if EL was going to run a long distance train, that it ought 
to have first-class accomodations.  Not just a couple of coaches 
and a Geep.  When I first moved down to Northern Virginia I met a 
guy who worked for Amtrak.  He had crossed the country on trains 
before Amtrak.  He was one of the few who made the "across the 
platform" transfer at Dearborn from the AT&SF to EL.  He was 
impressed with EL's passenger train operation.  He noted the high 
quality of their dining car operation.  I don't think he had one 
positive thing to say for Penn-Central's trains.  Apparently they 
were filthy, and not maintained.


The story on the 'lopsided' baggage cars were interesting.  I had 
seen the RPO-Baggage-Coach in the Kraus-Krist <bold>SUSQUEHENNA</bold> 
book and always wondered why the window arrangement on that 
car was different from the "Stillwells".  Basically because they 
weren't "Stillwells".  Am I correct to assume that some of these 
cars that were converted to all "express" made it into the EL 
G/M/Y colors?


The story about "Grover" was great as well.


One last question thought.  On page 25 there is a night shot of 
RS3 918 with 5 Boonton cars in the Spring of 1971.  The caption 
says this is train 1013.  But it is e/bound so it would have to have 
an odd number; right?  And by the Spring of 1971 the push-pulls 
would be in operation.  So I'm wondering just what train this might 
be?  There were no evening e/bounds by this time.  Could this be 
an extra or deadhead movement? Bob Bahrs is credited for the 
photo. 


Anybody have any thoughts?




Ed Montgomery


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