Re: (erielack) Caption?

[Charles_Walsh_@_Berlex.com]

Gary,

There really were few wicker seats remaining by August 1984, when the Green
Hornets were retired. In fact, some of the replacement seats, which started
appearing back in the 70s, were extremely comfortable.  A variety of seat
cushions were tried and some were better than others.  I have very fond
memories of the cars--I watched them for over 20 years from my back yard
and rode them every day for two years 1975-77 from South Orange--but
realistically the Arrows (and the Comets/ALPs) have been a TREMENDOUS
improvement over the old MUs, especially in the summer when the famous
ceiling fans provided little or no relief, or in the winter when the heat
didn't always work.  True, the DL&W cars had much more character--the
trailer cars, for example, had briefly been pulled by steam--and the 80
person/car seating was less cramped, but overall the ridership increases
speak for the overall improvement in service, particularly the "ride"
itself, although some of that is attributable to cwr.  Even so, the older
cars were perpetually dirty, and good luck it if you needed to use the
restroom.  Anyway, I do miss them, but not that much.

Chuck



                                                                                                                                  
                      "Gary R. Kazin"                                                                                             
                      <gkazin_@_yahoo.com>                                                                                          
                      Sent by:            To:     EL List <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>                                            
                      erielack-owner_@_list cc:                                                                                     
                      s.elhts.org         Subject:                                                                                
                                                  Re: (erielack) Caption?                                                         
                                                                                                                                  
                      10/12/2005 10:51 AM                                                                                         
                      Please respond to                                                                                           
                      "Gary R. Kazin"                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  



- --- Njricky2_@_aol.com wrote:
> A friend of mine from Far Hills, NJ, rode the MUs into Manhattan

Well, to Hoboken anyway.  These cars were replaced more than 10 years
before trains from the Morristown line and its branches went to Penn
Station...

> and said that she always carried an extra pair of stockings inher bag
> because she knew she'd be a daily victim of "Rattan Rippings".

I've heard that also; the problem increased as the cars aged and the seats
weren't maintained as well - especially in the early 1980's when their
days were numbered.  Even the use of plastic instead of real rattan didn't
help.

> We talked about that the other day and she verified her recollections.
> She and her family still have their home in Far Hills and she, aside
> from the wicker seats, has good memories of Erie Lackawanna. These days,
> riding NJT, things are better but she misses the feeling of "the
> railroad".

Most of the changes of the new equipment versus the old are negative.  The
seats are closer together and narrower and the aisles are narrower as
well.  There was enough space to read a NY Times or Wall Street Journal
without accidentally touching the person next to or ahead of you.

Gary R. Kazin
DL&W Milepost R35.7
Rockaway, New Jersey



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