Train NC-1 includes Pacemaker box cars

NG505043

Train NC-1 includes Pacemaker box cars

Diesel Freight train

Again we are looking out of the west window of Bayview tower, as we did fifteen pages back. This time we see NC-1, the Central's crack New York-Chicago merchandiser, swinging onto track 1, the westbound high iron of the Erie Division. Such hotshots as this are run on the inside tracks as often as possible, to take advantage of the 60-MPH maximum freight speed there (the standard of maintenance on the outside tracks is lower, and the speed restriction on them is 40 MPH for freights). NC-1 on this occasion consisted of 90 loads, and was drawn by Alcos 1072-3346-1071. At one time the railroad ran solid trains of Pacemaker cars, equipped with steam and air-signal lines and intended for operation at passenger-train speeds. This practice has, however, been discontinued, and now the fast merchandise trains include standard freight equipment in their consists, and must therefore adhere to freight train speed limits.

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

2-1/4x3-1/4 neg

8/1953

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227

DFA-7b, DFB-7b, DFA-7b

#1072, #3346, #1071

Bayview, Buffalo, NY

See NG505043a