Monday, June 16, 2014

2014 Trolley Pageant

Here is the official announcement for this year's Trolley Pageant from Joe Stupar:

Following on the heels of last year's 60 cars for 60 years event, the Illinois Railway Museum is proud to announce the first all-day trolley parade event ever! On Saturday, July 5th, starting with the 10:30 AM departure,  all parade equipment will operate in revenue service with passengers on board.  That's right: each consist will enter the main depot and board passengers. You might say, "That's going to take all day..." And you may be right.  If there is something unique that you always wanted ride but couldn't, this is the day. In addition to the main line, several streetcars will also be operating on the streetcar loop.

This timetable is for informational purposes only. The usual disclaimers apply: This event is subject to weather, mechanical condition of equipment, and anything else that may happen between now and then.

10:30 AM CA&E 36-308-309
10:45 AM CRT 1797-1268
11:00 AM Coach Train #1
11:30 AM CA&E 409-431-460
11:45 AM CNS&M 714-160
12:00 PM CNS&M 229
12:15 PM IT 101
12:30 PM CTA 4290-4412
12:45 PM TM D13
1:00 PM Coach Train #2
1:30 PM CNS&M 251-749
1:45 PM CTA 41-30
2:00 PM CTA 2153-2154
2:15 PM CTA 2200s
2:25 PM Demonstration Freight Train
2:45 PM CA&E 409-431-460
3:00 PM Coach Train #3
3:15 PM CSS&SB 1100
3:45 PM CSS&SB 34-40
4:15 PM IC 1380-1198
5:00 PM Coach Train #4

(RH: I might add that the coach trains should be pulled by the 1630, subject to the usual disclaimers.)

13 comments:

  1. I think I missed the C&WT 141 in the lineup.
    Is it a no-go?

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  2. Art, the streetcars are not listed. I believe they should be making several round trips each, but there is no definite schedule, at least not yet. I'm sure the 141 will operate if at all possible.

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  3. A round trip takes how long?? Since the trains are leaving every 15 minutes, I wonder if transferring to another train will be allowed at Seeman Road in case you wanted to ride the following train !!

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  4. The streetcar schedule is slightly up in the air at the moment, but here is the proposed list:

    All Day
    CTA 4391

    Morning
    CWT 141
    CTA 144
    CTA 3142

    Afternoon
    CTA 1374
    IT 415
    VC 19

    Thanks,

    Joe

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  5. A round trip usually takes 35-40 minutes. As for transferring at Seeman, we generally don't do that. The trains actually meet at Johnson Siding, where there's no facility for safely loading or unloading passengers. And as soon as the signals clear, the westbound train needs to start moving. So you could not transfer to an earlier train.

    On the other hand, I suppose it is conceivable that a westbound train could discharge passengers at Seeman Rd. platform for the following eastbound train. You would need to get permission from the Operating Dept. to do this, and it could impact our marvelous on-time performance. But they say money talks, you know....

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  6. I wasn't aware we tracked on-time performance...

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  7. I actually thought about having some of the trains stop at Seeman Rd, and we might. However, my preference would be to have them stop on the eastbound trip since the motorman is on the same side as the station platform then.

    This might actually work out well since by schedule each westbound train will have to wait at Johnson for about 2 minutes for an eastbound train.

    Of course, only cars with stepwells would be able to stop there. Passengers would not be able to get off the L cars, or the pan cars which can only go to signal 251.

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  8. But if you drop passengers off on the eastbound trip, they would be stuck at Seeman Road for 15-20 minutes with nothing to do. Unless we could set up a vintage ice cream stand there.

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  9. Does this mean that even the non-passenger equipment such as North Shore 229 and South Shore 1100 will carry passengers?

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  10. Randall,

    That vintage ice cream stand on a warm day and people stuck with nothing to do might be the trick to funding another two barns! Good thinking!

    Nick Gawriluk

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  11. True, although if you drop passengers on the westbound trip they will be stuck there for some amount of time unless the eastbound train also stops. I suppose it would be even worse if the following train were an L train or something. Unless we were to put a set of stairs out there as well.

    Its no wonder we don't use that stop very often when you think about it. No vintage ice cream stand, but maybe we could get Nick to sell treats out the trunk of his car.

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  12. Chris: I believe that these cars will indeed carry passengers, although they may limited in number, and the ride will probably lack the comfort and luxury you have come to expect from IRM. But somewhere we have a picture of passengers being carried in the D-13 dump car, so there's no limit to how low we can go.

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  13. This schedule reminds me more of what electric day on Members Weekend was like, than a pageant. No complaints, just observing.

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