Membership Meeting - October 2021 - Conrail Business & Research Trains

Описание: For our October 2021 meeting, we were joined by Wes Reminder and Brock Kerchner - the foremost authority on Conrail Business & Research Trains. For all 23 years of Conrail's tenure (1976-1999), the railroad maintained a fleet of specialized railcars and locomotives equipped to "test the condition of [its] track, allow Conrail’s management to inspect the right of way and facilities at the ground level, and show customers and potential customers exactly how their freight [would] move.” The specialized railcars in this fleet were split between Conrail's business train (often called the Office Car Special, or OCS) and the railroad’s research and track department.

Researchers Brock Kerchner and Wes Reminder teamed up to virtually present "Conrail Business & Research Trains" for the Tri-State Railway Historical Society. This presentation was based on their comprehensive and definitive book of the same name, slated for release by The Garbely Publishing Company. The presentation and the forthcoming hardcover book, anticipated to reach 400 pages, will include the authors’ three decades of combined research.

Each railcar and locomotive in Conrail's special equipment fleet is covered, with original diagrams and drawings as well as photographs depicting the interiors and exteriors of the railroad's opulent business cars and its specialized research equipment. With every specialized operation came specialized employees, and Conrail's business and research trains were no exceptions. From the mechanical staff that rebuilt and maintained the cars to the on-board management that ensured their smooth operation, this presentation will feature information and stories gleaned from interviews with the major players in Conrail's special equipment staff. These accounts are accompanied by rare photographs showing these unique and memorable trains under construction, in operation, and even in a foreign country! The presentation will also cover the Conrail Technical Services Laboratory and the special railcars equipped for the Conrail Police Department.