Category Archives: Talky Tuesday

Talky Tuesday #83

Last week’s “WW #125” is a shot of derelict Masten station. Thanks to the sharp eyes of reader Chris C., who was able to decipher the grainy station sign letters.

The last log passed through the sawmill at Masten on 18 September 1930. However, it took three more years before all the stockpiled cut lumber was sold and shipped out. A CCC camp was located here, but was closed in 1940. Per Taber’s book, the last family, Otto Robbins and his wife, moved away in 1941. I am unsure when the agent/operator was no longer needed by the S&NY and the station abandoned, but I imagine it would have been shortly after the CCC camp closed.

Talky Tuesday #82

Last week’s “WW #124” is a shot of bridge somewhere along the SNY right-of-way. No idea of the location, and the construction looks a little “sketchy” from this angle, to say the least. Timeframe appears to be high summer. Hopefully the photographer avoided any snakes lurking in those rocks…

Talky Tuesday #81

A water tank stands as a lonely sentinel above the remains of the S&NY Towanda yard during abandonment, late Spring 1942 in last week’s “WW #123”. I believe a scrapyard now covers the site, though maybe the concrete footers for the tank might still be found if one knows where to look?

Talky Tuesday #80

Apologies for last week’s “WW #122”. Turns out it was a duplicate of “WW #36” from 11 March 2015.

There are inevitably some duplicates in my S&NY photo collection, and this was one that slipped through the cracks.

For a description of this photo, see “TT #8” from 17 March 2015.

Talky Tuesday #79

Last week’s “WW #121” was also published in Kaseman’s “Story of the Susquehanna & New York“, p.86. In this photo, Steve VanGorder lowers the waterspout at Cold Spring for one of the last times as abandonment reached that location. Charles Kilmer looks on from the tender side.

We are indebted to Mr. VanGorder for taking so many photographs of the S&NY in the late ’30’s and early ’40’s. Most of the photos from Cal’s Classics on this site were taken by him. I have credited Mr. VanGorder where the notes on the back of the photos clearly state he is the original author. Without his photos, this site would not exist; and the past record of the S&NY for the future historian would be that much more incomplete.

Talky Tuesday #78

Last week’s “WW #120” is a lonely view of a water tank standing guard over the S&NY mainline. I am unsure of the location, possibly Cold Spring. And it does look cold in this probable early spring view. No snow on the ground, but the bare trees would offer little relief from any wind coming down the valley. You can be sure the water in the tank is barely above freezing…

Wordless Wednesday #120

Bill Caloroso – Cal’s Classics

Talky Tuesday #77

Apologies for a summer hiatus for travel and the 4th of July. “WW #119” from June 28th is another view of #118 at Towanda. For a similar view from a slightly different angle, see “WW #5”. Time is probably shortly before the 1942 abandonment, as the station/yard office in the background is already boarded up.

Talky Tuesday #76

Last week’s “WW #118” is a poor-quality shot of #115 leading an excursion of some kind. Behind the #115 is an idler boxcar, followed by another locomotive, and a string of steel passengers cars. #115 flies the white flags of an extra.

I have no other information regarding the date or occasion of the special train.

Talky Tuesday #75

#114 pauses at the Towanda ashpit in this early morning (?) view in last week’s “WW #117”. In the background is the Towanda enginehouse/car shop.