RE: (erielack) The March 9, 1973 head-on wreck at NJ tower

[ELRRco_@_aol.com]

Its kind of like the fact that the 3647 was the only EL SDP45 who's number ended in 7 did not suffer any catastrophic damage...

3637-Wrecked Delaware Water Gap
3657,3667-Wrecked Windham, OH

Phil Bell
ELRRco_@_AOL.com
> Regarding the Comet I Cab Cars. It's very odd when you look at the cabs that
> have been scrapped :
> 
> 1502 (Newburgh Jct)
> 1512 (Fair Lawn)
> 1522 (Newburg Jct)
> 
> Just something interesting...
> 
> Michael Steinberg
> Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society
> http://www.eldcps.org
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: erielack-owner_@_lists.railfan.net
> [mailto:erielack-owner_@_lists.railfan.net]On Behalf Of AL TILLOTSON
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 8:30 AM
> To: erielack_@_railfan.net
> Subject: Re: (erielack) The March 9, 1973 head-on wreck at NJ tower
> Sensitivity: Confidential
> 
> 
> There was a substantial explanation of the wreck posted here on May 3, 1999.
> 
> To summarize that post: the psgr train involved was the outfit which
> deadheaded
> west in the early morning from Suffern X51, changed ends at Greycourt, and
> ran
> revenue Monroe-Hoboken as #50.
> 
> Frequently X51 ran wrong main to NJ (this was 251 territory) to avoid
> interfering with CX99 coming west.
> 
> On this morning it was foggy as X51 approached NJ on track 2.  Fast closing
> in
> also on NJ was 99 on track 1.  Apparently the deadhead assumed he'd have the
> dwarf.
> 
> Instead the route was lined for CX99 up the Graham Line.  X51 wasn't
> expecting
> this, and compounded by poor visibility, didn't see the dwarf signal, and
> ran
> through the switch into the interlocking, stopping when he realized he was
> headed up the Graham.  Into his rear came 99, which had been running at
> authorized speed approaching NJ, as they had a favorable aspect at NJ's
> distant
> signal, passing it before X51 fouled the interlocking.
> 
> Thankfully, no fatalities.
> 
> >
> >My records show that EL/NJT Comet I cars 1502, 1522, 1607, 1755, and 1758
> were
> 
> >involved in a head-on wreck with a freight at Newburgh Jct on 3-9-73.  Lead
> unit
> >on the freight was U-33C 3305, which lost its cab in the wreck.  All of the
> >commuter cars were reportedly scrapped a few years later, never to be
> rebuilt.
> >
> >
> >Questions:
> >
> >
> >Where in relation to the tower did the wreck happen?
> >
> >What were the symbols of the freight and commuter job involved in this
> wreck?
> 
> >
> >Given the orientation of the commuter power (train was in push mode), I
> assume
> the
> >commuter was eastbound(?) and the freight must have been westbound(?).
> Given
> that
> >the commuter was deadheading, the wreck probably occurred in the evening?
> >
> >What other freight locomotives (if any) were with the 3305?
> >
> >What U-34CH was shoving the commuter?
> >
> >When did 3305 come out of Hornell repaired?  On Pg. 91 of Preston Cook's
> book,
> there
> >is a pic of 3305 detouring on the LV in July 1974, and the 3305 has a gray
> roof then
> >(a sign of repainting). So the unit was back on the road by 1974.
> >
> >Did 3305 retain dual control stands after repairs?
> >
> >Was a specific cause determined?  Someone run a signal?
> >
> >Were there any crew fatalities?
> >

------------------------------