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Re: (erielack) 1963 Notes

Very interesting, Jim. I wonder if that material can somehow be conveyed to the ELHS Archives, particularly the merger stuff? It would be valuable reference material. 

I think your speculation as to the routing and futility of the Philly-Chicago TOFC service is accurate, although I hadn't heard about it either. Several factors doomed it from the outset. First, it was in competition with already established single-line single-train service of the PRR and possibly B&O (I'm not sure what year B&O started the TrailerJets). In comparison the RDG-CNJ-EL service was on a roundabout route on 3 RR's using at least 3 trains with potential for missed connections. Secondly, neither the CNJ or RDG could possibly break even on a TOFC linehaul under 100 miles, even back in 1963. RDG could maximize its linehaul using the Alphabet Route via Hagerstown; if TOFC service hadn't started on this route by then it would within a year or two. My guess is that after a few weeks or months, the RDG people realized they were losing their shirts on the service and they killed it.

What does "CRP" stand for ("...ran the CRP up to Taylor...")? The line was the L&S (Lehigh & Susquehanna) before the CNJ acquired it.

Paul B

With regard to freight operations: there was a short article saying that on 
May 3, 1963, the EL, Reading and CNJ inaugurated a 31 hour TOFC service from 
Philadelphia to Chicago. The article didn't give any details about routings. 
  Now, that's one I never heard of.  I can't imagine this service was a 
roaring success.  If the CNJ was involved, that would eliminate a routing 
via Newberry Jct.  My guess would be that the RDG ran a TOFC train up the 
Bethlehem Branch and handed the train over to the CNJ at the Bethlehem Union 
Station.  It then ran the CRP up to Taylor, and got on to the EL.  The June 
1, 1963 EL Freight Schedule indicates that HB3 left Scranton at 1:15 AM, and 
connected to NE-99 at Binghamton.  If the Reading train left Philly around 7 
PM, it might have made Scranton by 1 AM, assuming it was operated as a 
priority train with 2 to 3 HP per ton.  NE-99 was carded into Chicago at 
1:30 AM Central Time on the following day, so that would be around 31 hours. 
  I would imagine that the Reading and CNJ ran the train for maybe a month 
or so, and that it never exceeded 10 cars.  However, if anyone knows more 
about this service, and what they called it, and how long it lasted, I'd be 
very interested to hear about it.


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