[ARC5] Locomotives

[Geoff]

Yep, it was western!

My grandparents had a summer place in Hampton Bays and I lived in Brooklyn 
and later Valley Stream. We had to go to Jamaica from both to catch the 
steamer and on Saturday there was an early Fishemans Special that left at 
some dark hour, maybe 4AM, dont remember. Anyway it was non stop to Hampton 
Bays right at the Shinnecock Canal and just a short walk up a hill to Granny 
and Gramps. This was roughly 1946-55 and then it became easier to drive.

After diesels took over they still ran the steam Special for a few more 
years but since we spent the weekend it was always the diesel back to 
Jamaica on Sunday evening.

Other Saturdays I about lived at Radio Row. And other times road the 
complete NYC Transit System untill I rode every one. Ten cents for all day! 
Thru an uncle who was a Transit cop I even got to ride in and out of the 
various yards for subway and elevated and toured the control center.

One time I met an old black guy from Jamaica who rode the El  for something 
to do after his wife died. Played the harmonica and we set up a schedule to 
meet and just talk and he offered to teach me to play.  After several months 
I was really good at the blues! Still play at times and have a couple of 
different ones.
To top it off his brother taught me the sax as I was fascinated with its use 
at the beginning of Rock and Roll. Later played it and the harmonica in a HS 
group, local shows, block parties, and in the Navy.
No longer have the lips and air for the sax (-;



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <mstangelo at comcast.net>
To: "Geoff" <geoffrey at jeremy.mv.com>
Cc: "ARC-5 Mail List" <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Locomotives


> More off-off-topic: Shouldn't that be the electrics ran on the western end 
> of the LIRR?
>
> I commuted into New York from Patchogue, on the south shore of Long 
> Island, from 1976 until 1980.
>
> The Montauk Line (south shore) is electrified as far east as to Babylon. 
> The Main Line at that time was electrified as far as Hicksville. 
> Electrification has since been extended to Ronkonkoma.
>
> I took a diesel and changed at Jamaica to catch an electric to either Penn 
> Station of Flatbush Avenue station in Brooklyn.
>
> The trains were chronically late. The LIRR ran a PR campaign to show how 
> complicated the operations were and allowed passengers to ride in the 
> diesel with the engineer. The LIRR was the busiest passenger railroad and 
> used the two busiest train stations in the nation (NY Penn and Jamaica).
>
> I eagerly volunteered to the ride and was the first passenger selected for 
> the trip. I was contacted by a PR person and was instructed to meet him at 
> the Patchogue station the following Monday. I met the PR person and he and 
> I climbed up to the cab of the diesel to meet and ride with the engineer.
>
> The engineer had years of experience and because of seniority chose his 
> route. He began his run in Speonk, went west to Hunterspoint Avenue 
> station (western terminus for the diesels), back east to Montauk (eastern 
> terminus of the Montauk Line) the back to Speonk.
>
> He was anxious to answer my questions but asked not to be disturbed when 
> entering or departing a station. He mentioned to was tricky to stop the 
> train because the load changed as more passengers came on board.
>
> I enquired about the twos diesel on the front and back of the train. He 
> mentioned the one we were in was the "Hotel" diesel, used to provide power 
> for lighting, heating and air-conditioning. The rear diesel was used for 
> traction.
>
> He had a timetable showing when he should reach certain mileposts. It 
> turned out the railroad ran like clockwork that day and me met each 
> milepost on time.
> Our last stop was in Bay Shore. We went from the south shore line up to 
> the Main line at Hicksville. He mentioned the line is automated at this 
> point going west and claimed that the train could run itself. I never 
> followed up on this caoms and to this day I don't believe the trains are 
> automated.
>
> I got off at Jamaica to catch my train to Brooklyn and spent the day 
> recounting to trip to co-workers.
>
> They gave me a souvenir package with pictures of the rolling stock. I 
> still have that package buring in my files somewhere.
>
> Mike N2MS
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Geoff <geoffrey at jeremy.mv.com>
> To: Michael A. Bittner <mmab at cox.net>, ARC-5 Mail List 
> <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:54:59 -0000 (UTC)
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Locomotives
>
> <snip>
>
> I grew up when the steam era was ending and fondly remember the rides I 
> took
> with my parents and then the dissapointment as they faded away. In the
> Northeast it was the electrics that took over in several runs such as
> NYC-Philly-DC and the eastern end of the LIRR.
>
>
>
>
> -----
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