THE TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official Newsletter
Internet Edition

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AUGUST MEETING NOTES
    The August 2000 meeting was suspended due to the logistical problems of conducting a meeting during the Chapter Outing to Lindenwald, NJ on August 17.  (See schedule and photos on page 2).  Sixteen members and one guest enjoyed an invigorating outing (read "dash from slightly late SEPTA train at East Market St. to the PATCO ticket machines).  Luckily, those that didn't make the first train out, still arrived in Lindenwold in time to rejoin the others for the NJ Transit return to 30th Street.  Unfortunately, the conductors on the last SEPTA train had everyone sit in the SECOND car so we missed out on the great view forward.  Still in all, everything went very well, everyone seemed to have a good time and great conversation.  Thanks again to Fred Eichelberger for pre-buying some SEPTA tickets in Delaware in order to raise the statistics for First State revenue and ridership (even if we had to board in Marcus Hook because there are no trains back to Wilmington at that hour of night)

= = > > WANTED < < = =
Chapter Member Dick Hall is looking for any & all PRINTS AND SLIDES OF THE WILMINGTON & WESTERN both BEFORE & AFTER THE FLOOD DAMAGE by hurricane Floyd.  Please contact him directly: Richard E. Hall, 500 W. Summit Ave.,    Wilmington, DE 19804-1814

FROM THE EDITOR
...I haven't been able to make the last couple of meetings in Claymont.  You probably wouldn't care about that except for one thing: that means I HAVE A LARGE ACCUMULATION OF NEWS ITEMS, BOOKLETS, ARTICLES, ETC. THAT WILL BE FREE FOR THE TAKING AT THE SEPTEMBER 21st MEETING! I hope to publish an updated Chapter Directory in the near future.  I plan to include NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER (if I have it, unless you say otherwise), and E-MAIL ADDRESS (if I have it) for each current member.  If you want me to include your phone number, please send it to me.  IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER SHOWN, YOU MUST LET ME KNOW.  If you want your E-mail address included, please send me a short E-mail note ASAP to: sd40gma@aol.com.

CORRECTION
     Correction to last issue, Vol. 22, No. 5, page 4: in the article "Dinner In The Diner And Some Railroad History" By  Richard E. Hall, second line in fourth paragraph should read, "That required a major line relocation to the west and produced grades of 45 feet per mile for 3/4 mile, then 40 feet per mile for 1/4 mile, both east and west of Gap. " The missing characters were due to differences in computer system . 

 Chapter Outing Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000
Do-it-yourself pay-as-you-go circle trip
5:58 PM Marcus Hook Septa R2 #4664
6:45 PM Market East Station
7:00 PM Market East Station on PATCO
7:22 PM Lindenwold, NJ
7:34 PM Lindenwold, NJ on NJT #4624
8:21 PM Philadelphia 30th Street Station
8:37 PM 30th St. Sta. Septa R2 #4273
9:10 PM Marcus Hook, PA
Participants:
Greg Ajamian        Tom Posatko
Ernie Barry     Jack Rathburn
Bruce Barry     Joseph Reed
Ron Cleaves     Dave Ruth
Peter Edwards       Ross Sakers
Fred Eichelberger   Phil Snyder
Dave Frazer         Ralph Stevens, Jr.
Dan Frederick       Sarah Straughn
Stu Minnich

A RAILFAN DISCOVERS HOBOKEN IN THE 1960's by Tom Smith

One of my greatest discoveries in my in high school days was the Thrift Ticket, for which $1.50 bought a Wilmington to Philadelphia round trip on non-rush hour trains, providing cheap entertainment and a rollicking ride on the old Pennsylvania MP54 MU cars. Once in Philadelphia, I gradually expanded my horizons, riding different PRR and Reading commuter lines, and PTC and Red Arrow rail lines.

Eventually I ran out of new things to do in Philadelphia, and set sight on other territories, including New York. The PRR, NYC and New Haven did not offer much new adventure, since most of their commuter services were operated on the same lines as their long distance trains. One exception was NYC's Harlem Div., and I was able to eventually ride its entire distance to Chatham, NY where it connected with the the B&A line. The north end of that line has since been ripped up. The sheer size of the multi-branched Long Island was intimidating, and it would take me over 15 years to ride all of its trackage in bits and pieces, branch by branch.

Across the Hudson in New Jersey lay a sizable network of passenger railroads about which I knew very little. We didn't have the benefit of Railpace then to keep us informed of railfanning opportunities. The Jersey roads were out of the way for a Delaware traveler who would not normally transit those terminals on the way to New York, unless he were a B&O traveler passing through the CNJ Jersey City terminal. But those passengers passed from train to bus to ferry, without time for a lingering look, and after B&O service died, the railroads on the west side of the Hudson were out of sight and mind. There were hidden treasures there waiting to be discovered.

New Jersey railroads at that time were basically still steam era railroading powered by diesels, including a diverse mix of EMD's Alcos, Fairbanks Morse, and Baldwins. The recently merged Erie Lackawanna still rostered over 40 former DL&W open platform coaches like those acquired for the Wilmington & Western, and over 200 former Erie Stillwell coaches.  After studying maps, timetables, and getting some helpful information from a railfan school friend from North Jersey, I worked out a plan that would give me a representative sampler of northern Garden State railroading. 

The day chosen was a beautiful  Kodachrome day during our school spring vacation. I rode a PRR MP54 MU to Suburban Station from which I walked down Market St. to Reading Terminal and bought a ticket to New York on Reading's Crusader. The train looked classy with a pair of FP7's pulling two modernized Reading coaches spliced by a diner-lounge. After claiming a seat in the nearly empty coach, I checked out the dining car with visions of ham, bacon and eggs passing before me as I had never before eaten in a Reading dining car. The tables were nicely set with place mats depicting advances in Reading motive power from earliest steam through the F7's, and a water carafe decorated each table. Unfortunately, my hopes for a grand breakfast were dashed by a look at the menu, on which the only hot items were toast and coffee. But as I sipped orange juice and ate my Corn Flakes, I really was eating in a Reading dining car, and collecting a few envious glances from morning commuters waiting for their mundane inbound MU trains at Jenkintown.

A crowd of commuters boarded at Jenkintown, and after West Trenton the train was filled. The Wall Street and Crusader were then the only trains on Reading's New York schedule, and were used almost exclusively by commuters destined for lower Manhattan's Financial District. After joining the CNJ mainline at Bound Brook, the train sped into the Jersey City Terminal where everybody but me rushed for the ferry to complete their trips. I stayed behind because I wanted to explore the Terminal a bit, now like a mausoleum with the rush hour over and all the people gone. But there were inbound trains to be switched out, and Baldwin and FM switchers running around. I also found the last remaining CNJ double-ended Baldwin passenger diesel, then being used as a stationary heating plant.

I next boarded a mid-morning train to Elizabethport to shoot some more trains. The high level platforms afforded views into the adjacent locomotive shops, and a freight came by with a pair of CNJ F3's in the lead. I had hoped to catch a couple of the baby-face Baldwin freight cabs, but as it turned out the the F3's, were a more fortuitous catch since they were early trade-in material for CNJ's SD35's and the Baldwins outlasted the F3's. I then boarded a CNJ New York & Long Branch train for a ride down what later became known as the " Chemical Coast" to Perth Amboy. I was hoping to see one of the PRR Baldwin BP20 Passenger Cabs on a PRR train, but it turned out to be powered by an E7. Perhaps as if to compensate, a CNJ mail train came through behind an FM Trainmaster.

Another CNJ train took me back to Jersey City, where passengers rushed aboard the CNJ ferry Wilkes-Barre. Our cross-Hudson passage was interrupted briefly when we had to give way to the Cunard Liner Caronia sailing down the Hudson. A photo run by for a ship! The beautiful and majestic Cunarder towered over our little ferry. Unlike other Cunard liners, her hull was painted a light green in deference to her more tropical traffic lanes. This brief encounter was enough to generate a feeling of personal loss when I read this fine ship grounded and broke up in a storm off Guam in 1974. 

Jersey Central ferries discharged their passengers at Liberty Street in Manhattan, from which it was just a short walk north to the Barclay St., Erie Lackawanna ferry terminal. EL's Hoboken ferries operated only on weekdays, since Hoboken passengers had other transportation options (the H&M Tubes and Public Service buses) that CNJ passengers in Jersey City did not have. Unlike the free CNJ ferries, EL charged foot passengers 25¢ for their passage. It turned out to be a quarter well spent however, as it was a longer trip and offered some nice views of the Manhattan skyline and New Jersey waterfront, aboard the big old Lackawanna boats with their polished woodwork.

Upon setting foot in Hoboken Terminal the first time, in contrast to the ramshackle CNJ facility, this had at one time been a magnifcent terminal with marble, woodwork and colored glass panels adding touches of elegance. I wandered around a bit, shooting some heavyweight Pullman cars, and DL&W and Erie Milk cars. I then bought a round trip to Denville and boarded an early afternoon departure on the Boonton line. A Geep had two DL&W open-platform coaches in tow, and it was kind of exciting to be riding in them since the ones on the Wilmington & Western had yet to go into operation. An EL freight behind a mixture of Alco and EMD power, got underway as soon as the passenger train cleared Denville, and I fell to chatting with another fan who had come down to watch the action. He was telling me about the new NRHS chapter that he and others had just started to be called Tri-State.

Denville, for those who might not know, is where the Boonton line joins the electrifed Morris & Essex line to Dover. The train on which I came out made a quick turnaround and deadheaded back to Hoboken on the M&E, but since it did not carry passengers, I was left to wait for the next MU train. As they neared the end of their existence in the 1980's, the DL&W MU's gained a lot of attention, but at this time they were the newest equipment on the property, and there were so many of them, that we should have paid more attention than we did. I didn't have to wait long for an MU, and was impressed that the EL MU's seemed roomier and rode better than the old familiar PRR MP54's. 

Back in Hoboken, the evening rush was getting underway, and this glorious sight is what I had come to see. Alco PA's, some still in Erie colors, pulling long strings of Stillwell coaches to Pt. Jervis and Suffern, Alco RS3's on local trains, MU's and even a few long distance trains all joined together for a photographic feast I would love to repeat!  As the sun got lower, I boarded a Northern Branch train and got off at the first stop, Susquehanna Transfer, for an encounter with the New York Susquehanna & Western.

Before Walter Rich, the Susquehanna was a run-down railroad always short of cash. Its once frequent commuter trains had been reduced to a couple of rush hour trips that handled a grimly determined band of riders who steadfastly refused all offers by the road's bankruptcy trustee to end the service. It was obvious it was only a matter of time until the service stopped, so I wanted to get in at least one ride. NYS&W passengers had once enjoyed RDC's and brand new Budd-built coaches, but those had since been sold off, and passenger service now consisted of a single grimy and battered Alco RS1 pulling an equally grimy and battered former Boston & Albany commuter coach that had been acquired from the Delaware & Hudson. After the transfer bus arrived from Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel, the 30 or so die-hard passengers climbed aboard and we were off in the dimly lit coach. I rode as far as Patterson, where my friend from school met me and we returned to his house to talk some more about trains.

My friend's dad was an EL commuter, so the next morning I rode back to Hoboken with him on an Erie mainline train. I was then able to shoot a good part of the inbound rush hour, which was mostly the reverse of what I had seen the night before but from different angles and lighting. When that was over, I made a round trip to Suffern, the outer end of regular service on the former Erie mainline. (Rush hour only trains continued on to Pt. Jervis) That train consisted of an RS3 pulling an exDL&W open platform combine and two Erie Stillwell coaches. Those Stillwell coaches had to be some of the most austere passenger rolling stock ever built; there were no amenities for passenger comfort beyond the basic seats!

Hoboken was pretty dead in the early afternoon when I returned. I paid my PATH fare and caught a train of the old original 1909 Hudson & Manhattan cars for a ride through the " Tubes" to 33rd St. in Manhattan, from which it was a short underground walk to Pennsylvania Station and a PRR train back to Wilmington. I felt I had struck gold in my own back yard, and was planning to go back! Why didn't I do this before?!

I did return, quite a few times, in fact. The next attempt to ride the Susquehanna its entire length to Butler was thwarted when the engine crew on the Wall Street saw me surreptitiously sneaking a photo of the train at Reading Terminal, and invited me to ride the FP7's cab with them, both up and back. That was an offer I couldn't refuse, and as a bonus, they smuggled me into Communipaw for some photos of those Baldwin baby face cab units. I did eventually ride the Susquehanna to Butler before it was finally taken off, and covered all of the EL commuter lines. It took a special effort to ride the Sussex Branch to its Branchville terminus, which was served only once a week. Fortunately, that one day was Saturday, which made it easier. That rural branch, long since ripped up, needed only a camelback to complete the time warp with its open platform coaches.

Of course, change was a constant threat. New EMD GP40P's replaced the old Baldwins and FM's on the CNJ. A huge cutback on the EL in 1966 wiped out the Barclay St. Ferry, some lightly used commuter routes (like the Sussex Branch) and enough long distance passenger trains to generate a surplus of E8's to displace the Alco PA's on Hoboken commuter runs. The RS3's held on a little longer until the new GE U34CH's were delivered. In 1967, the Aldene Plan saw CNJ trains routed into PRR's Newark station, the Jersey City Terminal and its ferries shut down, and North Jersey Coast trains no longer rolled between Elizabethport and Perth Amboy. The Reading trains became RDC runs, and survived into the Conrail era. NJ Transit and Metro North replaced the CNJ and EL, and eventually replaced the steam-era equipment. On the other hand, the NYS&W assumed an importance far beyond anything imaginable 40 years ago, but best of all, Hoboken Terminal has been recognized as the architectural gem it is, and some of its grandeur restored.

SCHEDULE NOTES
Notices, announcements, schedules, etc. are provided here as a service to the members. The Chapter has no affiliation with any commercial operation, museum, or tourist line.

Saturday & Sunday, September 9-10    DUNELLEN RAILROAD DAYS
excursions to High Bridge, NJ by NYS&W #142 (steam), depart 10, 12, 2:30, & 4:30, three classes call for tickets/info 877-872-4674   or  www.877trainride.com

Sunday, September 10    ANNUAL RAILROADERS DAY CELEBRATION at PINE CREEK RR 11 AM - 4:30 PM train trips, parade of trains, more, Allaire State Park, NJ  call 732-938-5524

Saturday, September 30, 2000  6th Annual DuPont RiverFest, 0 AM - 5 PM    featuring the 12th Annual Delaware Transportation Festival [ from:   http://www.dupontriverfest.com./index.htm] Roll on over to the Wilmington Train Station for the Delaware Transportation Festival and get an up-close look at the past, present and future of transportation in the First State. See vintage locomotives side-by-side with the latest comforts the rail industry has to offer.  Board the children's mini-train or take an exhibition train ride. Get an up-close look at transit vehicles. Go behind the scenes and see what it takes to keep things moving-from construction and maintenance equipment to the latest planning, design and operational technologies. Exhibits will showcase the evolution of transportation and include a wide range of topics from aviation, archeology and bridge building to traffic control devices and various modes of travel. Bicyclists, boaters, train buffs and travelers, take a trip over to the Delaware Transportation Festival, where there will be something for everyone who likes to keep moving.

STAGE OF HARMONY        Sponsored by: First USA
Prepare to unwind to the sounds of live performances by a variety of bands on
the First USA stage of harmony will feature a special guest band and a
variety of live music such as country, reggae, Dixie, rhythm and blues, jazz,
and modern rock music throughout the day.   Bring your appetite. A variety of
scrumptious refreshments will be available throughout the park.   Music
Schedule
11:00am - 12:00pm   Banjo Dusters - park entrance ( Dixie)
11:15am - 12:15pm   Boys & Girls Club Steppers, Fife&Drum
12:30pm - 1:15pm    TBD
1:45pm - 2:30pm TBD
2:45pm - 3:30pm Corduroy
4:00pm - 5:00pm Sin City Band
5:15pm - 6:00pm TBD
    Water Events        Sponsored by CIBA Specialty Chemicals Experience the wildlife of Wilmington on a boat ride through the Christina River's marsh on the Delaware River and Bay Authority's Wildlife River Tours. Watch closely to see who will race across the finish line first when teams from the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association (WYRA) participate and compete in the Rowing Regatta.   Be sure to bring your umbrella even if the forecast calls for sun.  The Wilmington Fireboat will spout their famous water display from the river.    Showtime: 12:00 & 3:30   Tours: 1:00 -4:00 Catch a glimpse of Wilmington's wildlife on a boat ride through the Christina River's marsh on  the Wildlife River Tours.    Tours: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30 Watch teams from the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association (WYRA) pull together to cross the finish line as they compete in the Rowing Regatta. Showtime:10:30 -11:30 Be sure to hover around the  Hover Craft presentation. This boat will surely get your attention as it mystically skims across the Christina River: Showtime: 1:15 - 1:45

Saturday & Sunday, October 7-8    18th Annual Fall Reunion at East Broad Top RR
details not available yet, to be posted at http://www.spikesys.com/ebt

Saturday & Sunday, October 7-8    Great Scale Model Train Show 9-4  Saturday, 10-4  Sunday, MD State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.   http://www.gsmts.com/index2.html

Friday, October 13 - Mixed Freight Join Black River & Western Railroad as they perform their regular freight operations. Advance Sales only. Mail $25 per ticket to Black River & Western Railroad, PO Box 200 , Ringoes, NJ 08551, mark envelope Mixed Freight/Oct 13. Train departs Ringoes station promptly at 10:00 am. Return time depends upon volume of freight. Time and weather permitting there will be photo run-bys. Lunch may be purchased or bring your own.   [For more information: http://www.brwrr.com/ or call (908) 782-6622 ]

Saturday & Sunday, October 14-15      Western Maryland Fall Excursion

Saturday & Sunday, October 14-15      Steam on the Susquehanna

Saturday & Sunday, October 28-29      Steam on the Susquehanna Ride Behind steam locomotive #142 on the New York Susquehanna & Western Railway. The train will be departing from "Susquehanna Transfer" (North Bergen) or from Hawthorne. The ride is about  2.5 hours in each direction. We will be traveling to Historic Bairds Farm in Beautiful Warwick New York.  At the farm you can de-train and walk freely around the farm, buy some farm goods take a hay ride. There will be entertainment at the farm by the Frontier Riders of Wild West City.  Our train will consist of classic railroad cars. The Coach Cars are from the Long Island Railroad and have windows that open so you can watch and hear the steam locomotive. The Deluxe cars are plush "dayliner " cars from the Southern Railroad and the First Class cars are Dome Observation cars from the Rio Grande.  This is a unique opportunity to ride behind steam once again. On the train feel free to grab a bite to eat in the diner or visit the gift car! All proceeds from this event go to further railroad restoration and the New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society is a Non- Profit Corporation.  [prices from $40-$150 per ticket,  for more info check:  http://www.nyswths.org/steam.htm or call 1-877-872-4674 ]

NEWS BITS
Who bought the 614?  The reports from http://www.steamcentral.com/index2.htm were as follows:14 July 2000 (ex-C&O 4-8-4 614) Well, the big day is almost here. Last Saturday Iron Horse Enterprises held an open house at NJ Transit's Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny, New Jersey. New Hope and Ivyland steam crews fired up the 614 and ran it around the yards for the one qualified bidder who actually came to see it. Mike Delvecchio takes the story from there:  " The spectators outnumbered the bidders, which might suggest that a very good deal on a roller bearing, diesel compliant 4-8-4 is possible. The list of bidders is long, and some of the major players include representatives of the Alaska Railroad, BC Rail, Rocky Mountain Railtours and American Orient Express. A host of individuals are also planning to be there, some of whom are current investors in the locomotive while others are representing themselves or anonymous clients. Ohio Central's Jerry Jacobson is among those registered to bid. Ross Rowland told a New York Times reporter that some of the movie companies, including Spielberg's Dreamworks, has expressed an interest in 614."  15 July 2000   (614 Auction) And the new owner of 614 is . . . No one.   That's right - no one won. The auction took place as scheduled, but telephone network problems (attributed to high winds and heavy rains in the area today) resulted in some bidders not being able to reach the auctioneers.  Andy Muller of the Reading & Northern / Blue Mountain & Reading in Pennsylvania (who also owns ex-Reading 4-8-4 2102 and ex-Gulf, Mobile & Northern 4-6-2 425) submitted the highest bid of $200,000, but the Iron Horse Enterprises Board of Directors voted to reject all bids and hold another auction in 4-5 weeks. (your Editor has been unable to substantiate a story that a private sale will send 614 to Elk River Railroad)

CHAPTER EVENTS  
Thursday    Sept. 21, 2000  7 PM    Chapter Meeting program by Roy Soukup, Jr.

Thursday    Oct. 19, 2000   7 PM    Chapter Meeting program not known at this time possibly a special guest speaker

Thursday    Nov. 16, 2000   7 PM    Chapter Meeting program by Phil Snyder B&O Line - Philadelphia Division

Saturday    Dec. 16, 2000   ? ? ?   Chapter Trip ? ?    possible Chapter Trolley Trip ? ?
probably somewhere in Philadelphia if it happens

Sunday  Dec. 17, 2000   5 PM    Holiday Dinner  in lieu of normal monthly meeting program not known at this time

The Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month [except August & December] in the Darley Room at the Claymont Community Center on Green Street in Claymont, Delaware.      Visitors are always welcome. Admission to regular meetings is free. Check out our  >>NEW Website <<<, thanks to Russ Fox at:   http://www.WilmingtonNRHS.com

The Transfer Table
   The Transfer Table is published six to ten times per year as the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.  Items in this publication do not represent the official position of either Officers or Members of the Wilmington Chapter or the Editor of this publication.
    Permission to reprint articles and news items appearing herein is granted to NRHS Chapters and other newsletters provided appropriate credit is given.   Contributions are always welcome and should be sent to the editor at SD40GMA@aol.com or send to: P.O. Box 1136, Hockessin, DE 19707-5136. Deadline for entries is the 25th of the month.

    Chapter Officers
    President   Phil Snyder
    Vice President & Historian  Ron Cleaves
    Treasurer   Ralph Stevens, Jr.
    Secretary   Walt Robbins
    National Director   Tom Posatko
    Editor  Greg Ajamian
    Public Relations    Frank Ferguson, Jr.
    Event Photographer  Bruce Barry

>>> check out our NEW website >>>   http://www.WilmingtonNRHS.com

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