ON A FALL DAY

On a fall day in Hillsdale...

Yet another fall excursion passes through town, this one powered by an old steam engine!

Another way to get away on a fall day! An RV is parked outside the travel agency. Wherever they go, they won't need plane tickets!

A new hardware store has opened up on Main Street! Bill checks out Glover Park Hardware, while another man inside checks out the selection of riding mowers. It's the end of the mowing season, so great deals are available!

Speaking of mowing, several other homewners are busy doing just that!

A Smitty Lumber truck heads to a construction project with a load of lumber. Fall also means a big push to complete construction projects, before it gets too cold to stay outside!

THE DINNER BELLE PT2

The Dinner Belle is one of the new fall excursion trains on the AP&W. A continued look at the train...

The recently expanded train sits in Hillsdale Yard, where it sits after stopping for an electrical issue in the diner. The dome which originally was at the rear is now on the head-end; a new dome is on the rear-end. Mark Davis is walking the train on his inspection before releasing it back into service.

Also an ex-UP dome, the second dome has been extensively rebuilt. Not only has it been reconfigured internally to have the vestibule leading instead of trailing, but it also has had a huge picture window installed on the dome end. This is a feature normally found on inspection cars, and this car was indeed used in this service. It has since been replaced by another car on inspection trains, and now is in use on the Dinner Belle.

The other big change to this car is the dome section; it has been rebuilt into a lounge, with six recliners available for relaxed views from the dome -for a premium price! Look closely, a possible future railfan can be seen in his mother's arms (click on picture for a closer look)!

The expanded Dinner Belle -train DB-C103- passes through to Cumberland. With the new dome on the tail-end, there will be no more concerns about passengers hanging off the back of the train from the vestibule; instead the view is much improved -and much safer- through the huge picture window. Not surprisingly, seats aboard this car are in high demand, despite the premium prices.

The return trip to Pittsburgh -train DB-P103- is at night. While not much can be seen in the darkness, the diner still serves up some great food; here the passengers chow down on the way back home!                

THE DINNER BELLE

Fall is here! And with it arrives the fall excursion trains! One new train is the Dinner Belle.

The train sits in Hillsdale Yard with its F-unit locomotive, dinner, and rear dome. The train has just been pulled from storage, and is being inspected and readied for service.

 The yard crew watches as the train pulls out for its shake-down run to Dale City. A company photographer is on hand to record the event.

The F-7 was purchased from an equipment dealer in the 90's; it is believed to be from an obscure short line, but no one knows for sure. Surprisingly, while she's been rebuilt, she still has her steam generator and sill skirts!

As the train leaves, the conductor waives from the end vestibule of the dome car. When the train is in regular service, the vestible will be off-limits to everone -conductor included- for safety reasons.

Now in regular service, the dome car is seen here. The ex-UP car was purchased from Auto-Train during their 1981 bankruptcy auction, along with the ex-UP dinning car and another ex-UP dome.
The Dinner Belle, as its name indicates, is a dinner train which runs during the fall and winter months, with one section running from Pittsburgh and another from Washington, D.C.; both meet in Cumberland, Md., where they connect to another train that goes to Davis and Beckley, WVa., serving three ski resorts in those two areas. While running ski trains is an unusual deal for a large railroad such as the AP&W, the three resorts were founded by predecessor Appalachian RR, who ran winter ski trains annually since the 1930's, even after the creation of Amtrak in 1971. They are still popular today, which is why they are still run!

TOWN LIFE 19

As the the first days of fall roll past, a woman enjoys some of the last warm days with the top off on her Honda Civic de Sol.

Other cars roll up and down Main Street, while a woman walks home. On the other side, another woman chats with her husband on her cell phone -confirming dinner plans- while the supply truck driver prepares to off-load some supplies.

More traffic on Main Street, waiting for the light to change. A woman in one of the upstairs apartments looks down from the bay window.

After the light change, traffic begins to move. Mixed in among the Fords; a Hummer H2!

Trucks travel up and down Main Street as well; the ice truck usually stops at The Pub as well as the supermarket. The UPS Freight semi is leaving the business district downtown -and this time he only has one trailer!