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(erielack) Foreign/Pool Power on EL



Hi All,
I was looking thru my log books and slide database this weekend with regard 
to foreign power on the EL and I thought I would share what I found. These, of 
course, are just my personal sightings of foreign power east of Port Jervis on 
the New York Division from someone who used to spend a lot of time down at 
the tracks after school and on weekends. I'm sure I missed more than I ever saw.

CB&Q run-thru power: I have attached 3 pictures of CB&Q power passing Passaic 
Junction, NJ on what I always believed was NE-74 ( I was just a 14-year old 
kid then with an Instamatic camera and the train symbols I probably got from 
reading Railroad Magazine or talking with towermen and train crews. BTW, I do 
apologize for the quality of the pictures. They were the best I could do at the 
time).  

The first picture is of CB&Q 631-627-633 EB at BT 2:54PM June 21, 1969. I 
believe this is the first time CB&Q power ever got east of Port Jervis. If anyone 
out there can verify or refute I'd love to hear it. I do remember the railfan 
community at the time being quite surprised to hear that this had occurred 
(remember, Gordie?).  

The second shot is of CB&Q 517-552 EB at BT 5:17PM August 14, 1969. It is of 
two green and white SD45's.

The third shot is of CB&Q 991-103-513 at BT 4:56PM October 9, 1969. I think 
this consist was a GP35, U25B and an SD24.

There is a fourth sighting in my log for which I have no picture: CB&Q 520-EL 
3644 EB at Ridgewood, NJ, 4:50PM November 7, 1969. The 520 was a green and 
white SD45. Interestingly, BN and EL power was rarely mixed together, it seems.

These were the only 4 times I ever saw CB&Q on the EL. I did not see any CB&Q 
or BN run-thru power again until April 3, 1971. But the summer of 1971 was a 
VERY busy time for BN Power on the New York Division. Between 6/18/71 and 
9/29/71, I saw BN come down from Port Jervis 10 times including June 18, July 12 & 
27, August 9, 14, 25, 30 and September 20, 24 & 29.

While I saw no CB&Q/BN power during 1970, I did see N&W power on at least 3 
occasions that year in off the NY Cannonball.

Rock Island power, on the other hand I saw only once: April 4,1969, and never 
again.

So what does this mean? This is in no way a definitive list. I'm sure there 
were more times than these that run-thru power came down from Port. From my 
perspective I would have to say that Rock Island power on the NY Div was rare, 
but BN power was not. During that summer of '71 you could have seen the BN every 
few days.

For what it's worth, the last time I ever saw BN on the EL was April 25, 
1973. A set of power was being cut off at Port Jervis to return west on an NE-97. 
The engines were quickly serviced and departed west that same afternoon.

Enjoy the pictures. If anyone is interested in engine numbers or dates/times, 
just let me know and I'll look it up for you.

Mike Galesi    


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