The Erie's alignment in the Delaware Valley goes back way before the 1850's. Those of you who know your Erie history will recall he first earth was turned in Deposit,N.Y. to appease investors who never thought the venture would get that far. And the first contract for right of way grading was between Deposit and I believe Calicoon. It has been a while since I have consulted my copy on Mott's tome Between the Ocean and the Lakes but it was along the Delaware east of Deposit that the road was first graded, that was in the 1830's. In those days they did not move any more earth than was absolutely imperative, you know what I mean, curves and lots of them many sharp. I rode the head end of Erie's #1 between Port Jervis and Binghamton a couple of times in the late 50's while still in high school and it was nothing but curves with a maximum of just under 60 mph until after Red Rock curve east of Great Bend then the last 15 or so miles into Bing was a real race track. The over speed alarm on the E-8's which was set for 83 mph sounded continuously until the hogger eased off the throttle approaching BD interlocking. I will never forget how exciting it was to see the valley open wide and the track ahead straighten out as it had not been for over 100 miles and that speedometer start climbing, the chills when up my spine so intently that I can still fell it 48 years later. The best the Erie could do from Bing east to JC was 4'59" with #6 making no stops along the Delaware and only Middletown, Ridgewood and Paterson east of Port on the New York Div. According to the DL&W's passenger sales rep whom I came to know later on they made it from Bing to Hoboken on baseball specials stopping only for a crew change in Scranton in 3'40". This would be competitive running time even today. I regret to say but I don't expect to see a psgr train west of Port along the Delaware in my lifetime. With the death of Walter Rich, we may not even have a railway through the Delaware in the near future or at least not operating on! e. Bill McDonald Woodstock, Vt > The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List Sponsored by the ELH&TS http://www.elhts.org To Unsubscribe: http://lists.elhts.org/erielackunsub.html ------------------------------
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