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Re: Re: (erielack) 1963 Notes - CRP

All,
CRP - Central Railroad of Penna - was formed by the CRofNJ to try to avoid some of the high taxes of New Jersey. In the end it did not work.
Brad
> 
> From: "Paul Brezicki" <doctorpb_@_bellsouth.net>
> Date: 2007/04/02 Mon AM 06:41:28 EDT
> To: "EL Mailing List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>, 
>         "Jim Gerofsky" <graytrainpix_@_hotmail.com>
> Subject: 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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