Re: North/South vs East/West

tomc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think he meant Southbound as that was the TT
> direction in the early years till the government
> made them change it to East/West.

The government? I've always heard/seen that it was the D&RGW sometime after the 1921 reorganization. Somebody decided the RGS just had to match the rest of the system. I've always thought it a bid ironic that, after owning the RGS for 25+ years(1896-1921), this became vital less than 8 years before the D&RGW gave up all control (1921-29).
I'm fairly sure it wasn't the Government as RGS Emp. TT #65 of 7/20/1919, issued under USRA authority, is still North/South with trains numbered 5-12 and 25/26(Telluride Br.) The switch to E/W took place, I think, at the same time as the RGS trains were given 3rd Div. numbers (3xx.) which took place sometime between 1921 and 1925 (can't remember exact date)
Nor does the ICC requiring it make any sense as many RR's, including several Class 1 lines, used North/South. In fact, didn't Illinois Central use to use N/S for most of it's system and E/W for the line across Iowa? I'm pretty sure M&StL used N/S too, not to mention KCS, MKT, etc.
hank



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2016 10:10AM by hank.