circa 1948 The GM Train of Tomorrow visits Anderson. It was parked on the Big Four Michigan Division on John Street not far from the Container Corporation. MCHS Collection.
More great NYCS history, Roger. I never saw this train, did you? I'm thinking those were the first dome cars ever, and they couldn't operate in the east where we were due to tunnel clearances. They worked well out on the Big Four. :tb-confused:
The first Real dome car was on the CB&Q (Burlington), I think it was named "Silver Dome". However, I guess some could argue that CP had the first "dome" cars back in the early 1900's even though they looked more like a caboose cupola than a dome.
No, I didn't see the train. It came in and was parked on a siding for a couple of days and left. It may be telling, but I was 8 years old at the time.
Louis Grogan's book, The Coming Of The New York And Harlem Railroad contains two photos of the GM Train Of Tomorrow on the Harlem Division in September, 1947, one at Chatham, NY and the other at Millerton. There is no mention if the train continued on into GCT, but I assume not due to the height of the dome cars and clearance restrictions within the Park Avenue Tunnel. I assume the Train was swung onto the Hudson Division at Mott Haven Yard and continued up the Hudson for its western tour. I find it interesting that the Train would tour in the eastern US first, then move westward even though GM's headquarters were in Detroit and EMD's plant was in La Grange...assuming Roger's assumption of 1948 for his photos is correct. EDIT - The following newspaper articles provide information about GM's Train of Tomorrow, also about Union Pacific's M-10000, which I did not realize was also a GM product. http://www.carofthecentury.com/train_of_tomorrow_i_&_ii_news_stories.htm
By the way, the first run of the ToT was down the Monon to Bloomington andf I believe French Lick. It was publicity, and let them dry-run close to home, where problems could be fixed.
