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Re: (erielack) Okay, A new set of EL questions

Trey,
 
I was an operator on the New York Division and later a train dispatcher in Hoboken.  I worked from 1966 through 1978.  The toughest job to dispatch in Hoboken was the M&E, the old Morris & Essex Railroad.  It comprised Hoboken to Slateford Jct via Newark and Summit. Also you had the Montclair Branch (Electrified) the Gladstone Branch (Electified) Hoboken to Dover was Electified.  You also had the Phillipburg Branch from Phillipsburg to Port Morris, the Sussex Branch Netcong to Andover (for a short time until totally abandoned), and the Chester Branch.
 
I worked 2nd trick dispatcher on the M&E and had 89 passenger trains in 8 hours with 22 trains on the Gladstone Branch with 22 meets during that time frame.  There were only 6 trains on afternoons on the Montclair Branch.  Boonton Line trains came on my territory at Denville and there were 8 trains on that line to Dover and Netcong. 
 
In between, there were 4 locals (Roustabouts or Drills) at any given time, the Pusher (Yard Switch engine) out of Hoboken doing local switching up to Orange, New Jersey.  There were also all of the thru freights operating over the cut off at that time, and the P'Burger running Phillipsburg to Port Morris and back.
 
Not as much freight tonnage as Steve Timko had but still plenty of action.
 
Most guys didn't like working the M&E because when there was a break down of the MU's it was a nightmare especially if the wire came down.  
 
You really had to be on your toes at all times.  In addition you had to work with the Power Dispatcher (for the Catenary), line crews etc.
 
When a section of track needed to be de-energized there was a rather lenghty process that took place through train orders to all trains involved and Tower Operators that were involved.
 
I remember one time having track 4 de-engergized from opposite Grove Street Tower to just east of West End Tower and all through the tunnel.  I had put out the orders to all trains and to the operators at West End and Grove Street.  They in turn needed to block off switches and signals to protect any trains from entering into the de-energized section.  The conductor on train 615 from Hoboken to Dover came up to my office to get his orders and said what do I care if the track is de-energized or not.  I spouted out so that his engineer wouldn't go into the dead track.  If the train did so it would then energize the dead section.
 
Well, the operator at Grove Street took the blocks off the switches and lined train 615 right into the dead track.  The engineer took the signal and and then realized where his train was headed into.  He dropped the pans (pantograph's) immediately, alas to late and energized the dead track.  The line gang was on platform cars in the tunnel working on the wires when this occurred.  One of the guys was blown right off the platform car and fell 20 feet to the ground.  Luckily he was not hurt, but really shaken up.
 
There is more to the story here as to why this happend.  It seems the operator at Grove Street went to lunch to the restuarant across the street from the tower.  That left the leverman in charge of the tower.  Well, he needed to make a freight move, which he did, but forgot to ine one switch back.  He then lined the passenger train up track 2, or so he thought.  He actually lined the train into track 4 and the rest is history.
 
The Superintendent (Frank Flynn) came flying into the dispatchers office when he found out about the accident.  He took me right out of the chair and marched me into his office to tell my side of the story.  I showed him the train order book and he saw I had done exactly what I was supposedb to have done.  He then let me go back to work.  He then sent the trainmaster, Clarence Wallace, out to Grove Street to ascertain what took place out there. It seems the operator never wrote the train order on a train order form.  He only wrote it on a scrap piece of paper.  He then placed the scrap piece of paer on the interlocking machine (where the levers are) and told the leverman not to line MU's into track 4 and then went to lunch.
 
Things like this happening scared off a lot of guys from working the job.  Like I said, you really had to pay attention to the job and know the people you were working with out on the railroad.
 
 
Rich Pennisi 

Trey Biscoe <sbd8900_@_yahoo.com> wrote:
1) What was the biggest (Steepest and longest) Grade on the system?

2) What was the busiest area of the EL System?

3) Which area(s) was known for being the biggest dispatcher nightmare due to inability to keep trains moving and where the dispatcher just got stressed out and fustrated?

Thanks Guys/Gals, on my last question (EL power) was very informative! I appriciate all the help everybody has been!


Trey Biscoe
Colonial Heights, Virgnia
CSXT North End Subdivision
CSXT Florence Division
A17.4 Defect Detector
Cell: 804-721-6261

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