Re: (erielack) E-8 low wings, rply 2 A, B, C, D

[Hhaines_@_aol.com]

Dear folks:

In my recent review of 1950s Erie passenger consists, I found the only Erie 
E-8s 820, 821, 822, and 823 with the low long wings (see below for details).  

The long-wing scheme was the scheme used on the Rivarossi E-8s, of which I 
have a pair.  These do (or did) have a number of incorrect details, the most 
distracting is that nose door mounted headlight.  (If a blind guy can see it, 
then it is distracting, to say the least, but it was all that was out there 
when purchased).

Caption and photographic reference of the long, lower Erie wings, are found 
on consists pulled by E-8s numbered: 

Erie #823 on Train #1 in February 1951 at Ridgewood, New Jersey (ERIE 
RAILROAD TRACKSIDE WITH ROBERT F. COLLINS, DeYoung, 1998, page 100--caption 
states that the first four were delivered the previous month, January 1951, 
and explains how Erie kept the odd number E8 in the lead on the odd-numbered 
trains), 

Erie #822 on Train #6 in April 1951 at Waldwick, New Jersey (DeYoung 1998, 
page 98) 

Erie # 823 on Train #1 in May 1951, at Binghamton, New York  (Carleton, THE 
ERIE STORY, pages 206-207);

Erie #823 on Train #1, June 1951 at Binghamton, New York (Crist, ERIE 
MEMORIES, page 93).

By July 1951, Bob Collins had caught Erie #823 pulling Train #1 at Arden, New 
York, repainted with the higher, shorter wings.  The caption states that 
Larry or Bob (whoever "I" is) had never seen a photograph of an E-8 higher 
than Erie #823 with the low wings (DeYoung, 1988, page 102).  
Others reported that by April 1952, Erie #823 was caught repainted with the 
higher, shorter Erie Diamond and wings on the point of Train #5 near 
Greenville, PA (printed in both Crist's 1993 ERIE MEMORIES page 35, and 
Carleton's 1998 ERIE Railroad STORY page 216), and listed that as their 
comparison.

June 1951, William Farber caught both Trains #1 with Erie #825 & #824, at 
Port Jervis, New York, and Train #2 with Erie #826 & #827 at Binghamton, New 
York, all with the high-winged nose (Carleton, 1988, pages 210 and 211).  The 
caption also notes the differences in pilots of #825 from passenger to 
freight on these pages.

I have most of the 1940s and 1950s Erie consists that were published listed 
out, and am still working on the 1960s EL versions.  I am missing references 
from the Route of the Eire Limited.  Any one have a copy I could get?  
Carstens Publishing has not been able to find one, and I have tried some of 
the email resources without luck. 

Howard Haines
ELHS #1447

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