NEW YORK CENTRAL AND PENNSYLVANIA OFFICERS MEET TO DISCUSS STATUS OF PROPOSED MERGER. NYC-Pennsy Officers Meet; Start Joint Planning Officers of New York Central and the "Effective immediately, in the interest of Pennsylvania Railroad met Jan. 1 and 11 in improved service to the public, we will coor• Seaview, N. J. Following a discussion of the dinate the design of locomotives and freight pending merger application of the two roads, cars and track material. We are directing all they embarked on a program of close coop• departments to make joint use of such avail• eration in joint planning. able facilities as fuel oil tanks. Joint use of After expressing confidence that the mer• locomotives will also start immediately, and MEDAL OF VALOR AWARD highlights 49-year career of ger would receive early approval from the we will make joint use of our testing and William J. Bowen (above, right) as John J. Danhof, Hudson Interstate Commerce Commission, Alfred E. research facilities." Division Superintendent, presents award in Grand Central Station. In photo at top right, Mr. Bowen is shown at age 14 Perlman, President of the Central, and Stuart The boards of directors of the two railroads when he was "West Side Cowboy" leading NYC trains down met for dinner in Seaview the evening before 10th Ave. in New York City. At right, the medal winner is T. Saunders, Chairman of the Pennsylvania, shown as he works with switching crew in New York City. said: the officers' meeting. Progress in Coal Trans• still remaining above our costs, by tons and operating on fast, shuttle Valor Medal Awarded tying rates to both volume and time." schedules." he said. "There will be no port Cited by NYC Official Mr. Hoffman said this new concept delays for assemblying, switching, or New York Central Hero Railroads are going to enlarge the in rate-making helped eastern roads classifying of these trains." market for coal by increasing the to overcome the threat of a proposed At the age of 14, Mr. Bowen became one of Central's Mr. Hoffman also cited the closing efficiency of its transportation, Wayne coal slurry pipeline from eastern Ohio A 63-year old grandfather who works for the New famous "West Side Cowboys." Five feet tall, he weighed down of the only existing coal pipe• M. Hoffman, Executive Vice Presi• to the plants of the Detroit Edison York Central System joined a distinguished group of in at just over 100 lbs. Mounted on an ex-Army saddle line, which transported coal from dent of the New York Central System, Company. In this case, he explained, his fellow employes on December 9 when he was awarded horse, he rode ahead of all engines and trains on Tenth southern Ohio to the Cleveland Elec• declared in an address before the "comprehensive engineering studies" the railroad's Medal of Valor for risking his own life to Avenue, Canal and Hudson Streets, signaling oncomers tric Illuminating Company. This was Energy Transportation Conference in enabled the railroads to reduce the save another. to clear the way. He has been with the railroad for the accomplished, he said, by "more effi• St. Louis. coal rate 37.5 cents a ten on the first Brakeman William J. Bowen was working with a past 49 years. cient utilization of the inherent effi• Mr. Hoffman described how the six million tons a year and 50 cents switching engine crew on the banks of the Harlem River, The Valor Medal presentation took place in front of ciencies of rail transportation." railroad industry has met successfully a ton on any additional amounts. just above Marble Hill Station in the Bronx, N. Y., on a bronze plaque, bearing the names of previous recip• competition from gas, oil, and coal "We soon came to the realization, "The four railroads involved were Saturday afternoon, September 28. At approximately ients, at the west end of Grand Central Terminal's main pipelines in recent years. however, that rate revisions, alone, able to do this by offering the Cleve• 3:42 p.m., he heard cries for help. waiting room. Mr. Bowen's name will be inscribed here. "We knew that the competitive weren't enough," he said. "We real• land Electric Illuminating Company Some forty feet away, four year old Peter Mazzurco Conducting the ceremony, John J. Danhof, Jr., Hudson struggle for the available markets ized that we had to revise our oper• an average rate of $1.88 per ton, com• had toppled into the swift current of the Harlem River Division Superintendent, said that "the devotion to would be decided on the basis of actual ations, too, in order to take full ad• pared to the pipeline rate of $2.47 to near the treacherous Spuyten Duyvil whirlpool. His humanity displayed by this veteran railroader is part of costs and rates, not on charts and vantage of the basic efficiencies of $2.65 per ton." brother, Dominick, age seven, was shouting to the New a long standing tradition on the Central." arguments proving a theoretical effi• rail transportation." He asserted that railroads intend to York Central crew. Brakeman Bowen is the 114th New York Central em• ciency,' he said. Mr. Hoffman said that operating make continued improvements in ex• Mr. Bowen ran from the locomotive to the rocks where ploye to receive a Valor Medal since the award was "The first and most obvious com• improvements will permit a reduction press-shuttle operations. "We will use the boys had been playing. Without hesitation, he dove created in 1926. In that year Central president Patrick petitive action open to us was a thor• in the coal transportation rate from high-capacity cars in solid trains re• into the water. E. Crowley designated the Medal as an honor for em• ough examination and a realistic re• southern Indiana to the Chicago Com• quiring no switching or classification, Carried downstream by the forceful current, the boy ployes who risk their lives to save another person from vision of our rates," he continued. monwealth Edison Company's plant moving at reasonably high speeds was by then in the middle of the river. As Mr. Bowen serious injury or death. "Rate patterns . had become di• near Hammond, Ind., from $3.07 a ton over the most direct routes between swam after him, Peter disappeared from sight. In re• Four of Mr. Bowen's fellow recipients have also been vorced from the underlying costs of to $1.45 a ton on a minimum annual producer and consumer, being loaded peated attempts, the 63-year old brakeman failed to honored by the U.S. Government: two were awarded providing the service. We made exten• movement of 1.3 million tons. and unloaded on the move, and making locate the boy. Notified by the railroad, New York City Congressional Medals of Honor at the recommendation sive studies and discovered that we "This new rate applies to coal mov• more than three times the number of Police recovered Peter's body an hour later. of the Interstate Commerce Commission. could set more competitive coal rates, ing in solid trains carrying 10,000 trips made today." 2 New York Central Headlight Jan.-Feb. 1964 3 Grand Central Makes History As Gala Ballroom CROWDED DANCE FLOOR showed that everyone at party was having a splendid time. In left back• ground is new escalator in Grand Central Terminal from Pan-Am Building. At far right is Maestro Guy Lombardo smiling at girl vocal• ists who helped entertain guests. The main concourse of Grand Cen• tral Terminal was transformed into a gaily decorated ballroom on New Year's Eve when 3,000 formally at• BUSY TERMINAL by day and lavish ballroom by night tired guests attended a mammoth PART OF GALA CROWD attending Bell Ringer Ball for Mental Health held is shown in two photos above. Elaborate garlands of col• charity function. New Year's Eve in Grand Central Terminal. More than 3,000 formally clad guests ored balloons hang from Geiling. Sponsor of the gala event, called the came to the charity event. Net proceeds are used to support research and general Bell Ringer Ball for Mental Health, programs of National Association for Mental Health. was the National Association for ARTIST'S DRAWING Mental Health. The net proceeds of shows how 50-year-old ter• the ball will support the Association's minal appears as gaily research and general programs. hour program of dance music and choice table locations. the famous Four Seasons restaurant, decorated ballroom. This unprecedented charity affair surprise guest stars over the CBS All entrances to the main concourse donated gift packages and valuable in Grand Central also served as a coast-to-coast network. Mr. Lombardo and its balconies were closed to the door prizes. celebration of the terminal's fiftieth and his orchestra performed for the public at 9 p.m. The new Pan Am Assisting in the ticket sales, decora• anniversary. The station was com• party guests before and after his Building served as a grand entrance tions and souvenir program publica• pleted in 1913 from plans of Warren telecast. to the ball. Guests arrived at the tion for the affair was the New York & Wetmore and Reed & Stem on the Round tables, each seating ten per• building's Vanderbilt Avenue lobby, City Junior Chamber of Commerce. CONDUCTOR'S CAP is site of an earlier depot built by Com• sons, occupied all of Grand Central's checked their coats at facilities set up Peter Dennant, president of the group, explained that at the recent tried on for size by Guy modore Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1871.