Listers: The great all powerful creator of RR web pages (i.e. G. Elwood) wrote: <snip> I just added some Erie Steam and a couple of photos of the EL/B&O wreck at Sterling. George Elwood <end snip> These two pics in the Dec. 1 new material section: http://gelwood.railfan.net/loco/erie-s117l.jpg http://gelwood.railfan.net/loco/erie-s90l.jpg are of Erie Steam (both 0-6-0) in Wellsville, NY taken in 1944/45. The caption for #90 indicates its in Wellsville PA, which I believe in a typo, as I believe there is no Wellsville PA, and certainly if there is, it wasn't on the Erie (no sweat George, with all you do, I'll never find criticism with your work or the occasional error in your superhuman efforts). Does anyone have an info on track diagrams for the Wellsville, NY area (Allegheny Div.) or a good memory on how the tracks were laid out there?? I'm curious where these were taken and am trying to guess (even though its 14-15 years before I was born, I'm hoping I can make a fairly educated guess) as to where they are. I'd appreciate any info that anyone could provide. As of now my guess is that #90 is at the northern end (rr direction w) of the small 4 - 5 track yard that existed between Railroad Ave. and Loder St. (how appropriately named!) just north of the passenger depot and ran from Pearl St. to roughly Oak St.. It looks like it is on the main and the track closer to the photographer is the lead to the yard. The other possibility is that the loco is on the siding that went along Dyke St. to lead to the Air Preheater plant on Main St. In this case the main would be the closer track. The Erie's main was always very well ballasted and at this particular point it would have been leading into (approx. 150' or so away) a substantial curve here to just before the Dyke's Creek bridge which, if I remember right, was superelevated up until the late 50's / early 60's. That doesn't appear to be the case here. Also, the RR ROW in this particular location is substantially elevated (7 - 10') from the surrounding landscape on both sides of the track. That also doesn't seem to be the case here. The level surroundings (relatively, look at the surrounding ground behind the front portion of the loco) here are more indicative of my first guess at a location. The picture of the 117 really intrigues me. The only place in town to have that much trackage (three sets of track in the foreground and what appears to be 3 -4 tracks in the background behind the roof structure) would be the again the yard area just north of the passenger depot. One guess is that the roof structure is connected to the freight station that was (and still is) about 2 blocks north of the passenger depot. I once saw a picture at a Buffalo area show of the a train entering Wellsville during the 40's lead by an FA with three sets of track on the main by the Worthington plant at the northern end of town. I wonder if the 3 tracks in the foreground could have been them. I never saw the three track configuration there, as it was down to two tracks by the time I was a child (its now one). If the three tracks were there it could be this picture is near the freight station. If one scrolls the picture to the right, the car in the background (I presume a passenger car by the looks of the trucks and the chelestory (sp.) roof) would also indicate a location in the yard area, as I understand it, passenger / express cars were serviced and loaded in this location. Its hard to identify the structure over the left end of the tender to obtain a landmark. The concrete (?) slab in the foreground does throw one for a loop, as it doesn't make any sense given the way the tracks were arranged when I was younger. However this doesn't eliminate the possibility it was removed before 1960. Anyway enough ruminations of my journeys into my past and my speculation on these locations. Again any insight would be most appreciated. Regards, Christopher Thurner ------------------------------------------------------------ Visit the erielack photopage at http://el-list.railfan.net ------------------------------ End of Erielack Digest V2 #528 ****************************** --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to "majordomo_@_internexus.net" with the command unsubscribe erielack-digest in the BODY of the message. To switch to the regular version of the list, include the command subscribe erielack as the second line in the e-mail described above.
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