RE: (erielack) Erie-NYSW decapod photos for modeling

["Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)" <paultup_@_lucent.com>]

Howard,

	EXCELLENT synopsis on the Decapods!


> The last two Class J-2 Decapods #2435 and #2492 on the NYSW 
> were sold for 
> scrap in September 1948 (Krause and Crist, page 12), but it 
> appears the last 
> (#2492) was scrapped in November 1948 (photo page 129, and 
> text page 157, 
> paragraph 2, Lucas, W. A. THE NEW YORK SUSQUEHANNA AND 
> WESTERN RAILROAD, 
> Railroadians of America, April 1939, second edition 1980).  
>
> Some of the above information is contradicted in the railroad 
> press, (page 
> 110, Westing and Staufer, 1970, ERIE POWER), but both the 
> Carleton 1970 (The 
> Erie-Lackawanna Story) and Krause and Crist 1980 
> (Susquehanna) books agree on 
> these two locomotives being the last NYSW locomotives.
As part of the research for the book, Rich Wisneski very kindly did some
searching in his collection of original Susquehanna records, rescued from
the Little Ferry facility when they tore it down (thank you, Rich, Frank
Reilly, and Bob Kurdock!). Here are the facts according to RR records:

The last three Decapods to remain (after the 1945 retirement of the majority
of the steam power) were 2435, 2461 and 2492. These were used in yard
switching service until October of 1947, when the last of the big batches of
RS1s arrived from Alco. The latest that the records show a J-2 operating was
the 2492, which was last used on October 2, 1947. Some of the "facts" in the
Krause/Crist book are slightly flawed (the "steam being retired by 1945, but
stored until 1948 for emergencies" isn't completely true)

By the way, some Decapods were short-term leased to the L&NE in 1944 to
handle wartime traffic, too. Wish someone had photos of this!



> The last steam locomotive operating on the Susquehanna was 
> #2435, and it 
> covered the last mixed train from Sussex, NY, as described in 
> more detail in 
> the photo references below. 

In ROAD SERVICE, that is... :)

 
> Below are listed photos for modeling reference with either Erie or 
> Susquehanna labels.  I can't wait to see Paul's book in color 
> when it comes 
> out so I can discover how many of these really are color 
> printed as black and 
> white.


Not many! The two Decapod shots in my book are ones previously never seen
(my favorite is the 2443 rolling past the Newfoundland station circa 1942).
Remember - the steam on road freights was dead by 1945, and color film
really didn't get into widespread use until the early 1950s.


	- Paul

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