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(rshsdepot) Sayre, PA
Former Lehigh Valley railroaders to play host at Train Station dedication
By GREG DIUTE -- Evening Times Reporter
SAYRE -- On Dec. 17 when the Sayre Historical Society hosts its cheese and
wine event at the Sayre Train Station, there will be two special guests on
hand to welcome visitors. On hand will be 91-year-old Lloyd Rifenberg, a
former Lehigh Valley Railroad conductor, and Jim Lathrop, a former engineer
for the company.
Both men will be wearing their original uniforms to lend an air of Victorian
authenticity to the event.
"I credit my wife for keeping me in good shape," said Rifenberg -- whose
wife, Eileen Rifenberg, is a former nurse -- on how he was able to fit into
the conductor's uniform.
When Rifenberg retired back in 1961 he sold one of his uniforms and another
he gave away to the Bradford County Historical Society. Unfortunately, the
uniform that was stored at the county museum in Towanda was never properly
preserved to last the years. Rifenberg was dismayed to see how shabbily the
uniform was treated when he picked it up for the Train Station open house
event.
"When we went to get uniform we saw after we took it out of its plastic wrap
that it was white with mildew," added Rifenberg, noting that most of the
stitching had also rotted away. "I took it to a tailor and she told me it
would cost $200 to repair."
Not wanting to spend the money, Rifenberg was at a crossroads until he was
alerted to a railroad buff who wanted to lend him a uniform that he had
bought for his own collection. By sheer luck the uniform was the one
Rifenberg had sold back in 1961.
Now Rifenberg said he is looking forward to the Sayre Historical Society
taking over the old train station and having them bring back many treasured
railroad momentos to Sayre.
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #543
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org