[Date Prev][Date Next] [Chronological] [Thread] [Top]

Re: (erielack) RE: I-80 crossovers east of Denville

Ah yes, Golden memories - I still picture him with his pocket watch.
- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Pennisi" <eldispatcher72_@_yahoo.com>
To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 10:27 AM
Subject: Re: (erielack) RE: I-80 crossovers east of Denville


> Len,
>
>  I also posted with Swenson in 1967.
>
>  Rich
>
> Len VanderJagt <lvj911_@_worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>  Was the first trick towerman Jack Swenson? I think he had retired by 
> then,
> as he originally hired out in 1913 if I recall correctly, and posted me up
> 1966.
>
> Len VanderJagt
> 1st trick Summit
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From:
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 7:21 AM
> Subject: (erielack) RE: I-80 crossovers east of Denville
>
>
>>
>>
>> I was an extra towerman during the summer of 1970. I first qualified at
>> Dover with Rich Pennisi. During the middle of the summer I posted at West
>> End. West End terrified me so much that I bid in third trick Denville
>> just to get away from it.
>>
>> My favorite regular move at Denville was to cross #604 from track 1 over
>> to track 2 on the M&E. It was basically the only time I had to use the
>> crossover from track 2 to track 2 M&E. 604 was about 11 cars long, and
>> occupied all three tracks at the same time. It also didn't stop at
>> Denville, so it made the move at a good clip.
>>
>> At that time, track 2 (Boonton Branch) continued on through Denville down
>> to Rainbow Lakes (just west of where the present Boonton Line crosses
>> Route 46). There it ended and converged into track 1. Track 1 went
>> through Denville and on to Boonton. Track 3 started at Denville and then
>> went on to Boonton as well. Here's a diagram:
>> http://72.148.42.113/EL/OldDenville.bmp
>>
>> One particular day train 1002 (or 1000, I forget which) was on the bell.
>> The Boonton Drill hit the bell on track 3 at Rainbow Lakes. Normally, I'd
>> just bring him up track 3 all the way to the tower, and then send him on
>> his way to tie up at Dover. On this day, however, track 3 had cars stored
>> on it just east of the tower. There was some time pressure, since the
>> parade was about to start and trains would be coming down both tracks 
>> from
>> Dover. In that case, the drill would have to tie up at Denville, which
>> was just NEVER done. So I lined the drill up to track 1 at Rainbow Lakes.
>> 1002 pulled into the station and made his station stop. The distant
>> signal for Rainbow Lakes on track 2 was just a little way east of the
>> tower. So the conductor, seeing the approach signal, started yelling at
>> me from the platform.
>>
>> At that time, things had just cleared up at Rainbow Lakes, so I lined up
>> 1002. When I poked my head out of the window, the conductor commenced
>> yelling some more and waved his hand towards the distant signal, which 
>> was
>> now at approach medium. So I said "WHAT?". He waved some more, looked at
>> the signal, realized that he was all lined up, waved to the flagman, and
>> away they went - a minute late because he had been standing around on the
>> platform yelling at me. Just as 1002 started to pull, here comes the
>> drill (lite), going by the tower up track 1, like a rocket, with the
>> throttle wide open. What a sound those geeps could make.
>>
>> Anyway, I enjoyed that morning immensely. Even the first trick towerman
>> couldn't ruin it.
>>
>> John Bobinyec
>>
>>
>> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
>> Sponsored by the ELH&TS
>> http://www.elhts.org
>> To Unsubscribe: http://lists.elhts.org/erielackunsub.html
>
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> Sponsored by the ELH&TS
> http://www.elhts.org
> To Unsubscribe: http://lists.elhts.org/erielackunsub.html
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> Sponsored by the ELH&TS
> http://www.elhts.org
> To Unsubscribe: http://lists.elhts.org/erielackunsub.html 


	The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
	Sponsored by the ELH&TS
	http://www.elhts.org
	To Unsubscribe: http://lists.elhts.org/erielackunsub.html

------------------------------