New and Old

Thu Apr 28 15:10:36 EDT 2016

Mike,

Thanks for the lightened photo of the train known as The Broker.  The PRR red cars show up better.

My photo of The Broker was made in spring 1957.  I liked to go to New York City as often as my modest Army pay (and weekend KP) would allow, and I could walk out the East entrance of Ft. Monmouth and walk to the station at Little Silver where I had a limited selection of trains to the big city (the NY&LB RR was a joint operation of the PRR and CNJ and handled passenger trains of both roads).  Or, I could take a local bus to Red Bank where all of the passenger trains on the NY&LB RR stopped, giving me a greater selection of trains to the big city, particularly on weekends.

Incidentally, in the Army I was classified as Physical Science Assistant, assigned to a Research and Development Company and worked in radio interference suppression in the Signal Research and Development Laboratory called "The Hexagon" a la The Pentagon.  But this hexagon only had four sides--they had not completed the remaining three sides of the building.  One assignment that I had was to help run the interference tests on a "universal" diesel locomotive that GE had just completed for the Army.  The loco had multiple coupler, air brake and gauge capabilities, and we conducted our tests on the GE test track at Erie, PA.  Another locomotive that I saw at the GE plant on that trip was a brand-new gas-turbine-electric locomotive for the UP RR.

Finally, this trip from Ft. Monmouth to and from Erie, PA, gave me the opportunity to request train tickets of the Army travel bureau such that I rode DL&W RR's Phoebe Snow to Buffalo and a NKP passenger train to Erie.  I returned on the NYC RR Empire State Express to the big city, riding in the round-end observation car most of the way.

Some other train trips that I managed to arrange at government expense were an overnight sleeper on the B&O RR, Jersey City to DC (on the way to a interference test on an Army vehicle at Ft. Belvoir, VA), and several other trips on the Northeast Corridor behind GG-1 electric locomotives, such as one trip to Ft. Holabird, MD, to run interference tests on a railway ambulance car that St. Louis Car Co. had built earlier for the Army.

Oh well, these train trips helped me to make the most of my conscripted Army experience.

Gordon Hamilton

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: NW Mailing List 
  Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2016 7:03 AM
  Subject: Re: New and Old

  Gordon,

  We are drifting from NW items but your Argus C3 pix stirs a follow-up. I have lightened that shot and attach it plus a Street View from Oceanport Ave. bridge that seems to be where you stood those many years ago. That would be Little Silver, NJ and Parker's Creek which I remember as a grade school kid being where my dad and Bob Carroll took us crabbing on a very warm and humid afternoon. (Later, back home in Jersey City, those crabs came out of the pot and where quite good.)

  Mike Pierry, Jr.

  Moderator:
   http://nwhs.org/mailinglist/2016/20160428.IMG_3208.JPG

   http://nwhs.org/mailinglist/2016/20160428.IMG_3209.JPG

  On Wednesday, April 27, 2016, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

  Mike,

  I'm attaching a picture of a PRR K4 powered commuter train outbound on the NY&LB RR near the east entrance of Fort Monmouth, NJ.  The train is The Broker out of Jersey City.  This was the 18th photo that I took with my brand new Argus C3 camera ("The Brick" with no exposure meter) that I bought at the PX there after saving what I could from my private's pay for several months.

  Gordon Hamilton

  Moderator:
   http://nwhs.org/mailinglist/2016/20160427.NY&LB The Broker.jpg

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: NW Mailing List 
    To: NW Mailing List 
    Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2016 12:01 PM
    Subject: Re: New and Old

    While I have no photos of the Long Branch train action ( although my godfather, Bob Carroll was a fireman on the line) I wanted you guys to know I was employed at Mommouth Park race track the summer it opened as a counterman for the Harry M. Stevens Co. In fact, was there to witness the enormous crowd that came out to celebrate VJ Day. 

    Mike Pierry, Jr.

    On Monday, April 25, 2016, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

    Jerome,
    Greetings from Red Bank.
    While I grew up in Norfolk, my military career kept circling Ft Monmouth,
    so I've retired here.Jersey Central was gone by the time I got here and
    Conrail "circus trains" ruled the NY&LB (North Jersey Coast Line).
    Then came the southern E8's until the end of steam heat.
    Now all electric to Long Branch! They have no soul, but the commuters love them by comparison.

    Tom Cosgrove

    On 4/22/2016 1:12 PM, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List wrote:

    Brings back memories.  I grew up in Monmouth County NJ.  My first diesel was 1947, when the 
    CNJ double cab unit (six were built) was introduced in commuter service.  Paint scheme was
    similar - dark blue and tangerine, with red accent stripe.  No photos available; I was 12 at the time
    and we did not have a camera.  Later repainted olive drab with yellow stripes - not attractive at all.
    Jerome Crosson; NWHS in St. Peters MO.

    -----Original Message-----

    From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

    To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

    Sent: Fri, Apr 22, 2016 7:30 am

    Subject: New and Old

    Heritage Unit Jersey Central was a DPU on 23G today. Here is passing over the almost 100 year old Columbia Ave structure (1918 shows on the fascia) that supports eight tracks of the Bristol yards. 

    Mike Pierry, Jr.

    Moderator:

     http://nwhs.org/mailinglist/2016/20160422.IMG_3151.JPG

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