ABOVE: Washington, D.C.’s Ivy City engine terminal was another one of those “must” stops for any railfan back in the 1970s because they were sure to find something worthwhile there. Whether it was several Big G’s laying over between runs, or as in this case, a set of classy E-units sunning and awaiting their late afternoon call to duty on October 15, 1978. They are kept company by Amtrak F40 276. The E8s will soon power the Southern Railway’s pride and joy, the Southern Crescent, on its overnight run to Atlanta, and ultimately to its namesake city, New Orleans. The Southern Crescent was a late holdout of private passenger train service in America, and it was a source of great pride for all the railroad’s employees, as evidenced by the train’s name proudly displayed on the engine flanks of lead unit 6910. Normally the train only required three units for its usual 12-14 car consist. But most times the train was late due to tardy Amtrak connections from New York, so the fourth unit was included to make up time along the curving and tortuous profile of the train’s Piedmont route. No other train was monitored more closely than the Crescent by the company’s president, W. Graham Claytor, who received periodic updates on the train’s progress each night. His private observation car would often be bringing up the markers. Sadly, the train was involved in a tragic early morning wreck along one of those sharp curves in central Virginia and the 6910 was destroyed. This forced Southern to end its venerable passenger operations and join Amtrak in February 1979. The train’s equipment was kept in top condition and several E8’s went on to power commuter trains for NJT along the flatter, less hostile, North Jersey Coast line. —All photos by Stephen A. Williams
ABOVE: One of the New York City Transit’s busiest hubs was its Stillwell Avenue terminal in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn. As many as a half dozen mainline train routes entered the terminal from several directions, plus a handful of rush hour-only local trains, providing an abundance of action and a variety of equipment. This view taken on October 26, 1978, shows inbound B and departing F trains dominating the scene at the busy Stillwell Avenue terminal. The B train features the newer R42 cars which ran on the IND/BMT B Division and replaced many of the older standard-era workhorse cars. The St. Louis Car Company-built R42 fleet was one of the first to be fully air conditioned and these cars, along with the earlier R32’s, were the first to provide the city with nearly 50 years of service. The F train consists of R46 Pullman Company cars. The 1970s was the era of large train route displays as exemplified by these two trains; few passengers had any difficulty identifying their train back then. While the newer car designs began to appear with full width crew cabs, some cars still featured the favorite “railfan” center window up front, which pleased many youths back then.
ABOVE: The signal bridge just south of the South Amboy, N.J., train station frames this North Jersey Coast train perfectly as it accelerates with a load of weary commuters on their homeward journey. The lead engine, Conrail 4256 (PC 4256/PRR 4256) was fortunate to receive this lovely Conrail blue paint, but minus the better looking “wheel-on-rail” Conrail corporate symbol. This locomotive, and its brethren, have racked up an easy 3 to 4 million miles pulling long passenger and heavy mail trains over the Alleghenies over two decades of service for their owners. Now it has the easier task of powering commuter trains for NJDOT over the gentler North Jersey shore route. So, turn back the calendar and stand trackside to witness a proud engine doing what was built to do more than twenty-five years before the shutter was closed on this sunny September 20, 1979, afternoon.
ABOVE: It must be lunch time, as the crew of Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal 22 has parked their steed and enjoys a quick bite to eat and relax before completing their daily switching moves. Outside, the engine gives off that familiar Alco rumble as it idles on this warm April 18, 1980, deep within the canyons of Brooklyn’s Industry City. BEDT 22 was one of several Alco S1 locomotives purchased secondhand from the Union Railroad in 1962. It was just a mere seventeen years from this photo date that the last fires were extinguished inside those cute BEDT Porter saddle tank steam engines. Their short wheelbase enabled the engines to navigate the narrow Brooklyn waterfront street trackage before the arrival of the diesel switchers. BEDT managed to remain profitable despite the shrinking New York Harbor railroad presence under Conrail and advanced adoption of containerization. BEDT operations would eventually be combined with New York Dock and rolled into the new New York Cross Harbor Railroad in 1983 (today NYNJ Rail).
ABOVE: A casual pass by the ex-Baltimore & Ohio Arlington Yard was one of those side stops on any trip to or from New Jersey. Situated off the Staten Island Expressway, Arlington Yard was a remnant of the once busy freight activity the B&O enjoyed as an island railroad that was virtually free of competition – except for trucks. The Arlington engine house always contained a surprise or two, and this February 7, 1980, day was no exception. Chessie System NW2 number 5079 was quietly idling away out-side of the engine house, alongside sister unit 5069, which still retains its original Enchantment blue paint. The 5079 is a 1949 former C&O unit that was transferred to the B&O to bolster their aging engine fleet. This locomotive possesses a wealth of details and most noticeable is that homemade safety railing, which comes in handy while switching the tight confines of industrial customers such as nearby Proctor and Gamble. This engine also kept its original big steam-era headlight, with added spark arrestors to top things off. A nice surprise for an otherwise quiet February afternoon.
