What does your Forum User Name mean?

[wayman]

Which brings up an old railroad song, "The Wreck of Old 97". Have you heard of that? It was a true story. Old number 97 was a mail train and it did wreck betwen Lynchburg and Danville, early 1900's. I am sure you can call it up on the internet. My mother used to sing that song to me.
In the song there is a mention of "it was not 38 but was old 97". Number 38 happened to be the old number of the Crescent (nos 37-38). So, in a round about way, even the old pre-Amtrak Crescent is referred to in that song.

I did grow up with that song... other railroad songs, too, but for obvious reasons "Old 97" was my favorite. I vaguely recall that I had it on one of those "book-and-record" deals where there was a ten-inch-square paperback with illustrations and lyrics, and stapled in just before the back cover was one of those floppy square one-song records you unbound and played on a record player. Probably produced by the Roanoke railway museum or some such, but I don't remember--I must have been 5 at the time!

No idea what part of my parents' attic that book-and-record inhabit, but I think I know where to look for my old audio cassette of railroad songs (which probably includes "Old 97"--it was a mix tape). If I find it when I'm down there for Thanksgiving, I'll bring it back with me and convert all the tracks (er, no pun intended!) to MP3s. I'm sure there are lots of good things there I haven't heard in twenty years.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Which brings up an old railroad song, "The Wreck of Old 97". Have you heard of that? It was a true story. Old number 97 was a mail train and it did wreck betwen Lynchburg and Danville, early 1900's. I am sure you can call it up on the internet. My mother used to sing that song to me.
In the song there is a mention of "it was not 38 but was old 97". Number 38 happened to be the old number of the Crescent (nos 37-38). So, in a round about way, even the old pre-Amtrak Crescent is referred to in that song.

I did grow up with that song... other railroad songs, too, but for obvious reasons "Old 97" was my favorite. I vaguely recall that I had it on one of those "book-and-record" deals where there was a ten-inch-square paperback with illustrations and lyrics, and stapled in just before the back cover was one of those floppy square one-song records you unbound and played on a record player. Probably produced by the Roanoke railway museum or some such, but I don't remember--I must have been 5 at the time!

No idea what part of my parents' attic that book-and-record inhabit, but I think I know where to look for my old audio cassette of railroad songs (which probably includes "Old 97"--it was a mix tape). If I find it when I'm down there for Thanksgiving, I'll bring it back with me and convert all the tracks (er, no pun intended!) to MP3s. I'm sure there are lots of good things there I haven't heard in twenty years.

Just to be historically accurate. I looked this wreck up and it happened on 9/27/07. That train number 38, then, referred to in an earlier post, would not have been The Crescent, as the Crescent (origiinally called the Crescent Limited) did not begin service untill about 1929. SO....that would have been some other train with those pre-Amtrak numbers. Possibly a nameless train since a lot of trains did not have names back then.

 

[George Harris]

Just to be historically accurate. I looked this wreck up and it happened on 9/27/07. That train number 38, then, referred to in an earlier post, would not have been The Crescent, as the Crescent (origiinally called the Crescent Limited) did not begin service untill about 1929. SO....that would have been some other train with those pre-Amtrak numbers. Possibly a nameless train since a lot of trains did not have names back then.

It must have been one of the premier fast trains on the route to get the mention it did in the song. Most likely had a name that was later changed to Crescent. Wasn't something like the Washington and New Orleans Vestibuled Limited? My grandmother had the song on a 78 rpm and an old wind up Victrola to play it on.

 

[JimInVa]

Mine's pretty dull too, and I don't have an excuse: I write for a living!

My name's Jim. I live in Va. Hence, JimInVa.

I wasn't born here or raised here, but moved to the DC area because my employer moved me. It's just a temporary move...I've only been here 19 years! :lol:

Trying to relocate back home to the Finger Lakes area of New York State, but nobody wants to buy my house. :-( Mild summers, great fishing, hiking, boating, cheap housing and terrific food. So what if it snows five months out of the year? You can always take in an icy gorge or (if you're that type) head out on a snowmobile.

I grew up on the snowy side of Lake Ontario...average snowfall 400 inches + every season. Now THAT'S snow!

 

[MrFSS]

Mine's pretty dull too, and I don't have an excuse: I write for a living!
My name's Jim. I live in Va. Hence, JimInVa.

I wasn't born here or raised here, but moved to the DC area because my employer moved me. It's just a temporary move...I've only been here 19 years! :lol:

Trying to relocate back home to the Finger Lakes area of New York State, but nobody wants to buy my house. :-( Mild summers, great fishing, hiking, boating, cheap housing and terrific food. So what if it snows five months out of the year? You can always take in an icy gorge or (if you're that type) head out on a snowmobile.

I grew up on the snowy side of Lake Ontario...average snowfall 400 inches + every season. Now THAT'S snow!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Guest]

"hate caravans"

..reread this, saw you were from England and realized I don't know what "caravan" means to you. What would the US call it?

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Just to be historically accurate. I looked this wreck up and it happened on 9/27/07. That train number 38, then, referred to in an earlier post, would not have been The Crescent, as the Crescent (origiinally called the Crescent Limited) did not begin service untill about 1929. SO....that would have been some other train with those pre-Amtrak numbers. Possibly a nameless train since a lot of trains did not have names back then.

It must have been one of the premier fast trains on the route to get the mention it did in the song. Most likely had a name that was later changed to Crescent. Wasn't something like the Washington and New Orleans Vestibuled Limited? My grandmother had the song on a 78 rpm and an old wind up Victrola to play it on.

I agree on all counts. Yes, it probably was a predecessor of the Crescent and yes, I think it did have a very long name.

I also think the former Pelican, not involved directly with this, had the ungodly long name of "New York, Chattanooga and New Orleans Vestibule Lilimited". That is what my memory tellls me, for the Pelican and something like what you suggest for the Crescent.

Who knows how few people ever actually pronoucned it all out---surely they went by nicknames. But the whole business of naming trains seemed kind of cumbersome in the really old-old days-much older than you and I.

Back to the song---38 being a northbound number, 97 being a southbound number seems to be someting of note. Or maybe, it was just that each one was due at that spot at about the same time. Guess in real time 38 was held back for several hours at some point south of the wreck.

 

[Midland Valley]

It seems like it has been a while since I've posted anything. Midland Valley was a railroad which ran from Ft. Smith AR. through the Osage Nation (OK) to Wichita, KS. It went through my hometown of Belle Plaine, KS. My Grandfather Utt worked as a section foreman for the MV from 1917 untill he retired around 1950.

 

[had8ley]

I chose "Southern Belle" because the Southern Belle which was operated by by the Kansas City Southern Railway was the first train I ever rode on. It must have been about 1952 because I was seven years old. My parents and I traveled from Alexandria, LA, to New Orleans.

Just as a matter of info;one of the round end observation cars that carried the Southern Belle drumhead is sitting in the middle of the town in Jackson, LA Don't know what it is being used for but it is showing its age. The KCS had their three F units in Meridian MS about a month ago. They were painted in the original Southern Belle colors and I understand that the KCS/L&A are starting to paint everything in the original Southern Belle colors. Perhaps George or Bill have more details.

 

[had8ley]

I chose "Southern Belle" because the Southern Belle which was operated by by the Kansas City Southern Railway was the first train I ever rode on. It must have been about 1952 because I was seven years old. My parents and I traveled from Alexandria, LA, to New Orleans.

Anf it must be noted that those Kansas City Southern trains, the Southern Belle and some others, were neat and beautiful trains. I never had the pleasure of riding them or even seeing them. But I have spotted a car or two from them over the years.

It must further be noted that KCS was one fo those lines that struggled more valiantly than most to keep the passenger train alive. Some roads threw their hands up and gave up soon, but KCS, along with Union Pacific, Seaboard Coast Line, Illinois Central, Santa Fe, were among those that tried to hold on tight. I'm probably leaving out somebody.

The Southern did an excellent job of continuing without Amtrak as did the Rio Grande. The Rock Island tried its best but it was doomed to be a fallen flag. Read an interesting article quite some time ago about the person who was a recent college graduate and was made Director of Passenger Operations. Turned out he had to drive the bus to wherever The Rockets engines died and get the people off the train. The Rock tried but really crumbled at the end.

 

[mp-44]

well mine is fairly easy mp44 is the milepost near my house on the southern main in virginia having been part of the southern and then norfolk southern steam crew for 25 years I thought it would be suitable

 

[frj1983]

I chose "Southern Belle" because the Southern Belle which was operated by by the Kansas City Southern Railway was the first train I ever rode on. It must have been about 1952 because I was seven years old. My parents and I traveled from Alexandria, LA, to New Orleans.

Anf it must be noted that those Kansas City Southern trains, the Southern Belle and some others, were neat and beautiful trains. I never had the pleasure of riding them or even seeing them. But I have spotted a car or two from them over the years.

It must further be noted that KCS was one fo those lines that struggled more valiantly than most to keep the passenger train alive. Some roads threw their hands up and gave up soon, but KCS, along with Union Pacific, Seaboard Coast Line, Illinois Central, Santa Fe, were among those that tried to hold on tight. I'm probably leaving out somebody.

The Southern did an excellent job of continuing without Amtrak as did the Rio Grande. The Rock Island tried its best but it was doomed to be a fallen flag. Read an interesting article quite some time ago about the person who was a recent college graduate and was made Director of Passenger Operations. Turned out he had to drive the bus to wherever The Rockets engines died and get the people off the train. The Rock tried but really crumbled at the end.

I rode the very first Amtrak "California Zephyr" through the Moffat Tunnel after the DRGW tossed in the towel(1983). It was my very first LD ride on Amtrak and had I known the significance of what was happening on that trip, I would have taken a lot more pictures and maybe gotten a few of those "suits" from the DRGW who rode along to share their comments. Sigh, an opportunity missed! I did, however, fall in love with train travel on that trip and the majority of my travel mileage over the last 20 years has been on Amtrak!

 

[Railbender]

Railbender=a local microbrew beer in Erie, PA. It lives up to its name because of its higher alcohol content... It actually used to be brewed right in our Erie Union Station. Now we have "BrewErie" in the station, another microbrewery/pub.

 

[Railbender]

Railbender=a local microbrew beer in Erie, PA. It lives up to its name because of its higher alcohol content... It actually used to be brewed right in our Erie Union Station. Now we have "BrewErie" in the station, another microbrewery/pub.

 

[GrayPlayer]

GrayPlayer came about from bluegrass festivals. Play guitar so................

Hands are losing their touch and feel so may have to change my "handle". :angry:

 

[greatcats]

greatcats is my username for an Email account. I picked it out on the spur of the moment when I set it up in reference to the three pet cats I have owned. Two are deceased and the surviving one, Gustav, is no longer with me. I live at Grand Canyon and he is in Nortyh Carolina. I had left him with my mother and he was very good to her in her last painful year. He now lives with good friends and I will be visitng him next week, in addition to visting my invalid father - however, this will not be an Amtrak trip - only five days total, so I will fly and rent a car.

 

[PerRock]

PerRock: Peter Rocks. I actually kind of stole it from a friend who nick was PRoc. you can also find me out in the web under: PFreeman008 which 'translates' to Peter Freeman (1st and middle names) 008; I'm a big Bond fan (although I love the Princess Bride as well) but I didn't want to be 007. Also I consider 8 my lucky number (mainly because it appears 3 times in by D.O.B.)

peter

 

[SouthernServesTheSouth]

"Southern Serves The South" the Southern Railroad is my favorite fallen flag railroad. My first train trip was on the Southerner, the morning streamliner thru Lynchburg to Washington. It was 1947 and I was 5 years old and will never forget the trip. I returned on a local and we stopped at every town and pig path between Washington and Lynchburg. It was hot and very crouded with military people. I had to sit on my suitcase in the back of the coach.

If any of you are interested in the Wreck of Old 97, an acquaintance of mine, Howard Gregory wrote a short book on the subject.

 

[Whitesox2004]

Whitesox2004 should have been 2006 since that was the season in which I attended the most games in a season (16 games). Guess I am not the best at typing. If I do start working for amtrak it won't be likely I'll be able to repate my going to 16 games. Will amtrak and being a baseball fan be able to co-exist,

only time will tell!

 

[ThayerATM]

I mentioned in another thread we should have a thread with this title. I have already been PM'd asking me to start it. So, I'll go first.
MrFSS is short for Mr Financial Settlement Services. That is a subsidiary company of the big company I retired from a few years ago. We only had a few employees in our little group, and to many of my customers I was know as = MrFSS. It stuck and I keep using it today. Haven't worked there in a few years, but I still hear from folks now and then.

So, if you have a story as to why you have the user name you use and want to share it, this is the place!

Tom

While serving as the president of the Thayer Families Association a few years ago, I had to come up with a user name on AOL that nobody else was using; everybody in the Association had the word "Thayer" in their user name. <_<

It's tough enough remembering different passwords, so I decided to stick with that user name while on this forum.

Al

 

[CapitolLTD]

Mine stands for my favorite train, the Illinois Zephyr. Lots of memories made on that train! Edit: I just realized that I show up as CapitolLTD. I have traveled that train, and only round trip. It was a fantastic trip! Would love to do it again.

 

[DesertRat]

Because I've been in the desert since my teens. I don't mind people knowing I live in Barstow, CA.

 

[Crescent ATN & TCL]

Crescent--I live in Lincoln Alabama on the Crescent route, when the Southern operated it the train stopped there now its one of the MPH sections so I regularly see Amtrak blasting by between Birmingham and Anniston

ATN--Station code for Anniston, Alabama (The closest station)

TCL--Station code for Tuscaloosa, Alabama I go to college at the University of Alabama

If you come to any of these stations you might see me. I help passengers with their luggage as they board and exit the train, especially at ATN as our Station Attendant is MIA. But during school I'm at TCL. If your in the area TCL is a good place to see the Crescent, the North and Southbound trains meet just south of TCL. They usually pass through less than 5 mins apart. However they never arrive by the schedule, The southbound almost always beats the northbound to the station contrary to what the schedule says. If both trains are on time the Northbound will be 15 mins late after TCL because it has to wait for the Southbound to finish and pass about a mile outside of town before it can enter the station. I think we need the extra platforms and not Meridian which has 6 (i think) for 2 trains a day.

 

[roxane1640]

It's a name i use everywhere.

An alterego character from Cyrano DeBegerac year 1640.

And a long story.

 

[jis]

jis is the first three letters of my first name - Jishnu. It used to be my general handle before many sites tarted requiring more that 3 characters in handles. I still use the short original when I am allowed to.