Re: (erielack) What Locals Called the Railroads (was Re: Re: Lackawanna original steam bell)

["Tom Beckett" <tabeckett_@_stny.rr.com>]

Here in Binghamton, I've heard people refer to the "DL", meaning the DL&W. I
don't hear much reference to the EL or Erie. Interestingly, there was still
a distinction between Erie men and DL men in the employee ranks. About 14
years ago, I had a conversation with a conductor who was manning a temporary
block station at Waverly during a period of trackwork one summer. He said he
was the last DL man hired in the area(I don't recall his name now, sorry),
this in 1958. It's likely he's retired by now. I think he said he was at the
time the last DL man on the Tier. As I understand it, the Erie men got prior
rights over the DL men, so he was a second class citizen in terms of
seniority. But he was referring to Erie and DL men as late as 1988, maybe
1989.

Somewhat off topic, the defect detectors on the D&H still say "D&H
detector...", this over 10 years after the CP took over.

TAB
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Dye" <luxpan_@_hotmail.com>
To: <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) What Locals Called the Railroads (was Re: Re:
Lackawanna original steam bell)


Here in Indiana (Sounds a bit redundant, doesn't it?), when it's remembered
at all, it's generally remembered as the "Erie". Those in Huntington, who
had relatives working the road in the late 70's tend to refer to it as the
"EL" (By the letters, not the word). The town's newspaper isn't much help
either, as they tend to refer to the other trackage in town (former Wabash)
as belonging to the "Norfolk & Southern".

Michael Dye ELHS #1516

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