January 1997 ( TheS Volume 39 elllaphore NumberS • Newsletter of the Rochester NY Chapter, National Railway Historical Society

•

Mystery Photo - Can you identify it? h -, program for Janyary 16t ; This is a 'true' mystery. Lynn Heintz found - 50,000 (100%) ""t}€)qu ~f) the negative among the effects of a former NYC employee. The location and dale are .& ~[l~1J)}3 NOT kno\m - but we would like to know! ~"" The nearest car appears to have these mark- _ 40,000 (80%) ! Presenter: Chris Hauf ings: NYC & Harlem, # 54190. The time appears to be around the turn of the century: ~ A pictorial re-.;ew of the Rochester & Genesee mode of transportation was bicycles and the Valley's Silver Anniversat). Celebration of the ~ ladies wore long dresses. An embankment, acquisition of the Industry Depot last July. and possibly water, is suggested on the left +$28,377 Also some other highlights of the operations of (57%) side. The tracks in the foreground are i the R&GV RR Museum. apparently sidings. (The 'break' in the .~ For fun, wear )'our Silver Anniversary T-shirt foreground tracks is from the scanner ntis- - 20,000 (40%) ~ to this meeting. matching the two scans; there are no 'breaks' ~ in the photo.) g:j Program Committee If you can identifY this wreck, please call - 10,000 (10%) JackMatsik(Chairman) 442.Q269 Bill Limburg 586-9470 Lynn at 768.Q984 (p.O. Box #190, Bergen, DanCosgrove 352.Q931 NY 14416). Also let your editor know for • DaveLuca(Boardliaison) 288-<>318 future publication (544.Q22l). 1 January 1997 Page 2 The Semaphore , Year En ParB: Jan 11 A 50-year Milestone: Edward Membership Committee M. Van Leer R~orl •• Hope you are planning on attending Thomas A. Way, C~ another fabulous Year End Pany. at the Edward M. Van Leer has been a depot on Saturday, January 11. The continuous member of the National Welcome to these new Members: party wiU start at 3 pm for those who Railway Historical Society since 1946: David L Berner may not wish to drive in the dark. 50 years! 14 Kimberly Rd However, festivities will go weUinto the Mr. Leroy S. Dietrich, Chairman of the Pittsford, NY 14534 evening with opportunities for some Board of NRHS has sent Edward a 385-0715 night photo shots as weU as visiting and leiter. Soon, Bob Miner, our Chapter's riding our (weather permitting, National Director, wiU present Mr. Van J. Keith DrysdtJle & Teresa Baerman and it takes reaUy bad weather to keep Leer his gold NRHS 50-Year Member- 58 Cambridge Rd our crews from operating). ship Pin. Bob made the announcement Hilton, NY 14468 392.5558 Reservations are requested. Call Rand or at the December meeting, but Edward Marge Warner at 425-8586. The cost is was not able to attend. S4 per person. Please: adults only, no A. J. Tony Leib 205 Keyes Rd children. E. Rochester 100th Honeoye FaUs, NY 14472 Member looking for early Anniversary Committee 533-1204 depot pics looking for photos During the summer of 1997, East Roch- Arthur P. Mummery Chapter member, Mary Hamilton-Dann. 15 Campus Dr is seeking visuals of four early Roches- ester will be celebrating its looth year of incorporation. Since the viUage grew Rochester, NY 14623 ter depots: mainly because of the presence of the 334-4053 The Tonawanda Railroad Co., cU. 1836. NYC's Despatcb Car Shops, the theme of the celebration will center on rail- Mark & Elaine Philippy Auburn & Rochester Railroad, cU. 7 Caraway Lane 1832. roads. Spencerport, NY 14559 Lehigh Valley RR: its first depot on Among the photographs we would like Griffith SI. extension cira. 1892.93. 352-3613 for displays are any sho"ing the Des- RR terminal on West patch Sbops and also the icing platform! Membership TaU,.: Avenue (near Buffalo Road?) Regular thru Rochester: 216 • facilities. Mary was the author of the recent article Local; National elsewhere: 9 on the "Manchester Wreck" that ap- Our contact person is Chris Hauf, 28 Family: 34 peared in The Bullelin of NRHS. Candlewood Dr, Pittsford, NY 14534. Total: 259 Phone 716-381-8583. Chris provided Her phone number is 546-H 37 and ber the effective display in the baggage car. address is 10 Manhallan Square Drive, Sympathies are Extended 12-C, Rochester, NY 14607. Stillwell Exterior Panel Our thoughts are with Cal and Rose J:....a.stCalls ... For ticketing Installation Done Bulman, in the recent loss of Cal's or VIA trips through VIP Travel (4~- The last of the new e.':terior panels was father. Many of us had the opponu- 7100) to benefit the Restoration Build- placed in position on Saturday, Decem- nity to meet and talk "ith Howard ing Fund. The deadline is Feb. I. ber 14. Bulman over the years. . . . To receive a discount on your Work continues in making window We are saddened to repon the death Chapter's dues. Again the deadline is replacements, installing insulation, and of Louise SChulmerich. Sbe. along February I. forming cur•.ed panels for the interior of "ith her husband, Leonard, have the car. been members of the Rochester Another call for volunteers Chapter for just a year. for shows Thanks to the dedicated tearn of Cbuck Whalen, Bernie Cubill, Rick Israelson, As a pan of the Development Commit- Dave Behnke and others. tee objectives, the Chapter would like to Coffee cans needed staff a membership table at the uain \JV :EIO.A"X" :EIOA "p- Empty metal coffee cans of 1# and 3# hobbist shows. If you can assist. please "PE:LVED X:LVFEB- sizes are needed for various projects call Jeremy Toke at 359-8944 or write R."U.AFl.Y".~D37? the depot. Drop them off anytime near to him: 14 Robinwood Tr., Rochester, That was the month that the Rochester the rear doors when you are in the NY 14623. Chapter of the National Railay Historical vicinity. Include lids if available. Need belp for Febnao. & April shOWS Society was chartered! The Semaphore' January 1997 Page 3 ( The Year 1996 In Review

Provided air supplies for all shop areas. this 1997 winter. Motive Power Put air brakes on MaderMobii track motor car and trailer car #3, and put Obtained new main reservoir for RG&E into operational service. #1941. Acquired and put into service Ford Rand Warner, Chainnan, 425-8587 Pumped out and strained ruel on NKP Hi-Rail boom/dump truck. #79 and EKC 11(,. Visitor Operations Major Accomplishments for Worked on sander equipment for LV 1996 #211. Developed expanded operations manual and conducted training classes prior to Track Right-of-way Touched up paint and trim on EKC 11(,. season opening. Replaced mitch stand timbers and re- Rewired block heaters on Army #1843 Gandy Dancers Day for visitors, featur- built mitch throws for all four mitches for 22Ov. atNYMT. ing track work demos, special displays, Converted all locos to common plugs for and special videos presentations. Reclaimed excess ballast on ties for block heaters. remainder of from Switch II(, Developed 1997 theme year display to Reid's Crossing. Passenger Equipment featuring Rochester area railroad indus- try suppliers. Reinforced all curves and mitches at Completed installation of all new steel NYMT end with gage rods and regaged panels on entire east side of Erie Expanded pool of tour hosts to handle frog areas as necessary. Stillwell coach. increased tour activities. Completed work on Switch #7 and Rehab of Pine Falls kitchen and lounge Train Operations areas and polishing of windows. began Siding #7. Developed expanded track car training Signals, Communications & Power Set up DL&W baggage car with attrac- manual and conducted training classes • tive displays to be an integral part of our prior to season opening. Installed forms and concrete for relay visitor experience. cases at top of hill for signal blocks. Conducted crew training classes, rule- Leased out MU car for LA&L Chamber book, instruction, hands-on e>.l"'rience, Completed permanent block signal wir- of Commerce special. and testing for locomotive hauled train ing in relay cases for hill block. Freight Equipment operations. Extended track bonding north of Switch Restored one side and two ends of B&O Review, edited. published and distrib- II(, and excavated and set forms for uted new rulebook. semaphore. bay window caboose in final paint scheme and lenering. Expanded pool of track car operators to Extended power distribution system to handle three sections of track motor cars new stanchion at base of hill. Rebuilt interior and repaired wTcck damage on exterior of Penn-centraI and trailers. Extended permanent wiring in conduit transfer caboose. Primed e>.1erior. Heavy Equipment to semaphore for hill block. Restored one side of MDT reefer. Fea- Received and put into service Austin- Submitted and renewed license for FCC tured icing operations demo for visitors Western 6-ton yard crane. and upgraded radios. using I ton of real ice. Rebuilt steering on Ford fork lift and Tool Car & Shops Maintenance of Way Equipment put back into operational use. Created new area with workbench for Rehabbed Fairmont track crane and Received Mack DM IO-wheel diesel Signal Dept boom car and put into operational cement truck and began rehab/conver- Installed new 4-drawer cabinets for service. sion for multi-purpose use. materials storage. Completed RoeMobiIe track motor car Received and put into service Mack Reorganized all materials stored in De- and Barb Richards trailer car #3 and put 6-wheel diesel dump truck. into operational service. pot baggage room. Construction Put new roof on Kershaw snow broom • Rehabbed NYC FIexivan trailer to sup- Cleared land and graded north along and prepared for operational service for port heavy equipment west side of LA&L Mortimer line 1

The Semaphore January 1997 Page 4 I another 200 feeL Formed Development Comminee and George Knab, Art Mununery and Joe began to establish goals and philosophy. ScanJan got the unit operational. With Relocated hundreds of ties and timbers the help of Mendon Enterprises tilt~ Raised over $26,000 towards $50,000 and over 100 tons of steel rail and lowboy, the unit was moved out to the Capital Fund Drive for new Restoration hardware, for new building site. depoL At first the diesel engine dido't Building. Developed grading approach for new want to run. but George Knab and Art restoration building and began excava- Built data base of financial and gifts- Mununery put their diesel mechanic tion and fill efforts. in-kind resources. skills to work and in a maner of a couple hours time, the Galion Chief was Engineering Raised over $3,000 to date via Wall of Fame promotion, dedicated to honoring ready 10 ralll Art Mununery is currently Prepared, submined and got approval on former railroad employees, suppliers and searching for a pair of pinion gears to site plan for new building from Town of contractors, mth engraved name plates replace the badly worn ones on the uniL Rush. on large wood plaque. The acquisition of the Galion Chief Prepared grading plan for new building. Buildings & Grounds roller is significant because the chapter to minimize excavation and fill efforts. now possesses enough equipment on its Acquired and moved in a former Roch. Staned compuler aided drafting (CAD) own to perform the heavy excavation up ester, Lockpon & Buffalo interurban files for our latal facilities; showing on the hill for the proposed maintenance waiting room, formerly in service at land. contours, utilities, property lines, building. Get ready to watch a big Sweden.Walker Road. originally called track" drainage, and buildings. earthmoving operation up on the hill East Lake Road. this spring! Completely reorganized engineering af- Repainted much of the Depot exterior in lice area and installed 4 new files and 2 Equipment maintenance is continuing conjunction mth 25th Anniversary Cel. new bookcases - to bener suppon all through the winter. Bob Mader and ebratian. our functional areas. George Knab are removing heavy equip- Planted and maintained gardens and ment baneries for winter storage. Art Safety shrubbery at three track bumpers, south Mununery has the charging system and Conducted safery training session on side of Rle 251, at our billboard sign, the brakes working again on the Austin- cranes. and along ROW near S"itch #6. Western crane. A couple of hYdrauli. system upgrades remain to be done, the Supponed 1996 safery audit miew by 25th Anniversary Celebration for inswance camero Museum this crane should be operational soon. Continued follow up on safery audit Conducted celebration for membership Work mil continue on the grading west action items from 1993 review. Thursday, 18 July, at regular summer of the LA&L line during the winter and evening meeting. planning "ill proceed through the mn- Improved signage and barriers for aff- ter so that the 25th Anniversary Mainle- limits areas al NRHS and NYMf to Conducted celebration for media. Fri- nance Building site grading mil resume protect visitors. day, 19 July, featuring leading political on a large scale ne>.1spring. and industrial personalities. Electrification Tom Phillips recently had the Barber- Dc\'elaped standards and geometry for Conducted celebration for general pub- Greene conveyor running under its own overhead "ire. lic, Saturday & Sunday, July 20 & 21 power. Tom hopes to have this machine for almost 1200 visitors. on the ready line by springl Staked locations for poles for first 1000 feel of line. First use of shuttle buses; to double Come spring we plan on having a big throughput. rate capaciry between push on the maintenance building site Procured 20 new poles 10 carry wires NYMf and NRHS Museums. excavation, and we'll need a sizeable first 1000 feeL crew of equipment operators, truck driv- Developed process and equipment and Construction & Equipment ers, surveyors, grade checkers, etc., and put up lirst two poles. bi' Joe Scanlon we could use your help! If you're Supponed acquisition of lWOoperational interested in getting in on the action, Thanks 10 the generosiry of Mr. Henry call Joe ScanJan at 392-8841 or George trolleys for NYMf. Vinceguerra, owner of the former Ace Knab at 352~276. Developed data base and network of Paving Company, the Rochester Chapter trolley bodies, power supplies, line ma- had a big Christmas present under the Our special thanks to Mr. Henry Vince- terials and other resources. tree this year - a Galion 'Chief three guerra for the Galion 'Chief roller wheel diesel powered road rollerI donation, and to Mendon Enterpri. Development Through the efforts of member George Inc. for moving itt Thanks to members Put up Rochester Chapter and our Knab, Mr. Vinceguerra offered 10 do- Bob Mader, Tom Phillips, Art Mum- Museum on InternetIWarid Wide Web. nale the roller to the chapter, and mery, George Knab and Joe ScanJan for their varied effans and expenisel The Semaphore January 1997 Page 5

LACKAWANNA is reflected in the fact that very little of Dansville changed very little over the either of these extensions has survived span of over half century except for MEMORIES (although Conrail has a history having faster schedules later on and the of do"ngrading and/or abandoning lines trains receiving names. The 1956 Offi- by 1. Edward (Ted) Jackson • which could have the potential of be- cial Gnide was as follows: The slide talk that Sheldon King gave coming competitors in the future and Westbound: about at the NYMf this these two like the western end of the 9:44 AM # 15 The Owl summer took me hack a good many Erie are cases in point). years to my childhood when I used to. 4.28 PM #3 Phoebe Snow The Lackawanna's primary connection watch Lackawanna freights work their 11:42 PM #5 Twilight Limited in Buffalo was the Nickel Plate although way over Dansville Hill. Dansville was it did also interchange there \\ith the Eastbound: my father's home town and my grand- Michigan Central, Wabash, Pere Mar- 4:43 AM #2 Pocono Express mother still lived there until her death quene and Grand Trunk. On the way to 10:32 AM #6 Phoebe Snow in 1931. Buffalo, the DL&W connected \\ith the 6:28 PM #10 The Mail The Coming of the Lackawanna Pennsylvania (originally WNY&P) in 11:20 PM #8 The New Yorker Ml Morris, \\ith what is now the G&W Until the Penn Central merger, Roches- In addition, there was another west. at Wadsworth and \\ith the BR&P at ter was represented by five major rail- bound train, #7, The Westerner, that roads, the New York Central, Erie Oater BR&P JeL oater B&O JeL). It did not interchange \\ith the Erie at Ml Morris. came through Dansville about 2AM but Erie-Lackawanna), Lehigh Valley, did not stop. #8 was a flag stop. Even as Dansville was also served by the Dans-' Pennsylvania and Baltimore & . late as 1956, there was sleeper service ville and Ml Morris which had origi- Only one of these, the NYC was between Hoboken and using a nally been part of the Erie and this represented by a main line, the rest were Nickel Plate connection in Buffalo on handled most of Dansville's freight all branches. The Lehigh branch con- Trains 3,7,8 and 10. There was also a business. However, the Foster Wheeler nected "ith its main line only 13 miles sleeper service between Hoboken and plant in Dansville campaigned for a south of the city; the Eric connection Detroit, via the Michigan Central, using D&M - DL&W connection in Groveland was 95 miles south. The Pennsy and the Trains 2 and 5. Hoboken-Buffalo sleep- which was opened June 8, 1933. After B&O, on the other hand were hundreds ers were carried on Trains 2,7,8 and 15. of miles from their main line connec- that, the D&M's traffic to the Erie dwindled to the point where the Erie The Phoebe Snow carried a lounge car. tions. There was, however, another All trains except #7 and #8 carried abandoned its Ml Morris branch in • railroad whose mainline came \\ithin diners. With the discontinuance of the about 30 miles of Rochester. This was 1940 and the D&M cut its line hack to Groveland. (Originally, the line from locals, Trains 8 and IS added a number the Delaware, Lackawanna and West. of stops during the western parts of their em. The Lackawanna. like the Lehigh Ml Morris to Dansville was to have been extended to Bums on the Erie journeys and carried a lot of head end Valley, had its beginnings in the anthra- cars. cite region of eastern Pennsylvania and main line but this was never done. It like the Lehigh, initially transferred its would be interesting to conjecture what I was only privileged to ride the Lack- westbound traffic to the Erie. For the the completion of that line would have awanna a couple of times. In 1947 I Lehigh, the transfer point was Waverly; had on railroad operations in this area.) took #6 from Dansville to Hoboken and for the Lackawanna. it was Binghamton. Train Operations a few weekS later returned on #5. In the 1880's. both railroads decided to (Trains #3 and 6 were still called The The DL&W e"..tension to Buffalo was extend their lines to Buffalo. Lackawanna Limited and were already completed in 1882 \\ith the first passen- diesel-powered. They were renamed the The extension of the Lackawanna ger uain arriving there on September Phoebe Snow in 1949.) The scenery, roughly paralleled the Erie main line 25th of that year. Regular through particularly through the Poconos was from Binghamton to Coming and was service was established the following spectacular. (On #5 we travelled through built right next to the Erie's Rochester year. By the turn of the century, there them late in the day - appropriately, #5 branch from Coming to Wayland. From were five through passenger trains each Wayland the Lackawanna struck out on way plus a local each way between its own. passing through Dansville and Scranton and Buffalo. In addition there Mount Morris and heading west to was a local between Groveland and Buffalo. In choosing their routes, it is Buffalo which left Groveland at 6:45AM apparent that the main motivation for and returned at 6:45PM. The Groveland both the Lehigh and DL&W in con- local came off in the mid 19200s. structing these extensions was to divert World War U finished off the other local their through traffic from the Erie. and one of the through trains. The other • Generation of local traffic was appar- four remained until the E.L merger. The NO.3, The Lackowanna Limited in Dans- ently of secondary interest for both and general pattern of these eight trains for ville,NY. The Semaphore January 1997 Page 6 I was called The Twilight) I recall on our tions. These smoke and/or vapor trails trip on #6, one passenger who was mighl remain in the sky for a Ion•. destined for Hoboken become very in- period nf time, sometimes an hour

City, both of which affected the Lack- There is anothJ book which has a very Lawrence and Hudson, operates between awanna and finally in 1958 the St good coverage' of the DL&W in the Binghamton and Scranton although that Lawrence Seaway opened which allowed Dans>ille area. This is D&:M and may also now be in limbo as the CPR is some ships to skip New York City DL&:W;Putting Dansville on the Rail- c"ncentrating on its western operations. • entirely • ships whose cargoes the road Map by Wilfred J. Rauber. This From SCTantonto Anolomink (4 ntiJes Lackawanna could have handled. was a labor of love published privately west of Stroudsburg) there have been in 1980. I don't know how many copies several name changes but currently it is The Erie was suffering from some of the there were or where you might find one the Delaware-Lackawanna and it is same problems and so the two of them - I guess I would start with the along this stretch that most of the began to discuss , if not outright merger, Dansville Library. About half of this Stearntown runs are made. The portion at least some combining of operations. book relates to the Lackawanna (The between there and Port Morris, NJ is To this end, most of the DL&W between Pinsburgh, Shawmut and Northern also preny much all abandoned. There is Binghamton and Coming was aban. gets a little space, the rest is the D&M.) move afoot by Transit to doned and all DL&W traffic mitched and is very well done. There is quite a reactivate at least the eastern part of this over to the Erie between those two bit of material related to the wTeck of stretch to expand commuter senice and points. Then on September 12, 1960, the the Lackawanna Lintited in Wayland in eventually possibly extend it to SCTan- two railroads were merged to form the 1943 in which 29 people died including ton. NIT owns the remaining trackage Erie-Lackawanna. The former Erie from the rescue efforts by the people of from Port Morris to Hoboken. Not much Hornell to Buffalo became the 1st Sub- Wayland and the inquiry that followed. left of a railroad that once ran like a Division of the Buffalo Division and the There are als6 a number of photos Swiss watch. former DL&W from Coming to Buffalo including three of Groveland by Dave became the 2nd Sub-Di,ision. Those References MonteVerde. located on the former DL&W felt that King, Sheldon S. (1986) The Route of there was something onimous about the I shot a few o1o'ie sequences in 1960, the Phoebe Snow, Railroad Avenue choice of numbers, particu1arly since the just before the E-L merger, at Perkins- Enterprises, Flanders, NJ. 2nd Sub contained Dans>ille Hill. And ville and vicinity which consume a they had reason to be. minute or two in Revelation Audio- Rauber, Wilfred 1. (1980) D.&:M. and Visual's "Before the Hyphen". They D.L. &: W.; Putting Dansville on the In March 1961, Trains # 2 and #5, were include the eaStbound Phoebe Snow, a Map, Published privately. cut back to run between Binghamton 17

.- j The Semaphore January 1997 Page 10 / The Semapboreis publisbed montbly by !be Rochester, NY Chapter, Nati9naI Railway Historical Society. It is mailed free to all • Chapter members. Non-member's subscriptions are $5.00 and run from January I to December 31. Chapter meetiogs are beld !be third Thursday and !be Board of Directors meets !be first Thursday of eacb month. Contributions to The Semapbore are welcomed and encouraged from all readers. Rocbester Cbapter NRHS Officers: They sbould be mailed to: GaleE. Smith, 299 Seneca Park Avenue,' Rocbester, NY President: Dave Luca 14617-2433. Phone: (716) 544-6221. Contributors using a computer are asked to Vice President: John Weber send their submissions on any MS-DOS diskette in ASCII formal, as well as a Treasurer: Ira Coben printed copy. Deadline: Tbe first of each month. Recording Secrerory: Jeremy Tuke Correspondence Sec.: Don Shilling NaTional Director: Bob Miner Stillwell Coach Panel Installation Status: DONE III Trustees: Neil Bellenger, Charlie Harsh- The installation of all new panels on !be exterior of !be Erie Stillwell Coach was barger, Steve Oagley, John Redden, completed on December 14, 1996. The graphic below will now be "retired". Joe Scanlon, Rand Warner, The Semapbore Staff: Editor: Gale Smith Printing: Da,'e Luca interNet (World Wide Web) address: http://w\\w.rochester.ny.uslrailmuse- um.hunJ • Panels Installed Panels to be Installed

The Semaphore • Non Profit Org. Rochester Chapter U.S. Postage National Rajfway Historical Society PAID P.O. Box 664 Rochester, NY Rochester, NY 14603 Permit #826

Chapter Meeting & Program: .2J11' Anniversa')' and a Linu Bit More~'

by Chris Haul 8:00 PM, Jan 16, 1997 40 & 8 Club 933 University Ave.