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RE: (erielack) Port Morris November 1963
Looking at these posts re: Port Morris yard reminds me of how lucky I was
to see it in the final days........a small window of time when I worked in
Scrtanton (1961-63) and occasionally caught the job that ran the old line
terminatiing at Port Morris. I had a post about working that job a few years
ago, but maybe u guys didn't see it. I didn't describe the whole thing (
having to go onto the old line at Slateford and switching the yard at
Portland with 4 covered wagons) it was really a fun trip except that by the
time we got to PM, you were really beat having been on duty since 7 PM the
previous night.
For those of u who didn't see the post, I'll mention that there was a
diner (of sorts) at the roundhouse run by several older women with whom
the crew (also being of advanced age) were well acquainted. This was shown
when we were dragging up the hill off the old line & the engineer began
blowing a series of short blasts on the air horn and pointing at the little
concrete building. One of the heavy-set women came out waving at the engines
and turning around, bent over and flipped her dress over her head. The
engineer said "See that, kid,.....the headman will have her in the sandhouse
before we put the engines away!!" WHOOAAA!!!
I guess the crew had made a home for themselves on the layover but I was
only working the one side of the job and had to deadhead back to Scranton so
I missed the fun. It was nice to go across the mainlinie and talk to the
operator at Port Morris tower who kindly called #1 on the radio and asked
them to slow so I could board the headend. The E-8s were at a walk and I
heaved my grip up and grabbed the handrails as the engineer smoothly brought
the train back up to speed.
Who among us would not PAY to have that experience now?? The best part
was - They paid ME.
Regards to all,
Walter E. Smith
>From: "William E. Botkin" <webotkin_@_ecentral.com>
>Reply-To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>To: "Erie Lackawanna List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>Subject: (erielack) Port Morris November 1963
>Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2007 14:51:41 -0600
>
>NOTE: This message had contained at least one image attachment.
>To view or download the image(s), click on or cut and paste the
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>
>
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>
>Port_Morris_Nov_1963_copyright_W.E.Botkin.jpg (image/jpeg, 1024x691 88625
>bytes, BF: 7.98 ppb)
>
>Folks,
>
>Here is a photo I took from the Port Morris tower of the east end of the
>Port Morris yard in November 1963. The switcher No.453 in the foreground
>was assigned to the yard. There were still quite a few tracks in place in
>the yard at that date, but not sure how many may have been out of service.
>
>Bill Botkin
>Centennial, CO
>
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