Bill Caloroso – Cal’s Classics
Talky Tuesday #60
A rare pre-war color image of SNY #116 at the Towanda ashpit is the subject of last week’s “WW #101”. Hopper #1414 is one of 17 pre-USRA cars acquired used from the NYC.
Wordless Wednesday #101
S. Van Gorder photo; Author’s Collection
Talky Tuesday #59
In the days before teletypes and computers, all organizations ran on paper. Lots and lots of paper. The S&NY was no exception. Last week’s “WW #100” is an example.
This specimen is “Daily Check of Cars” at Towanda, specifically what look like Sept. 1st, 1937 at 4 pm. At Towanda we have:
SNY drop-bottom gondolas #1219 and #1201 at the coal dock. They loaded with coal, probably for the S&NY’s locomotives. These cars are 2 of a group of 9 34-foot cars numbered between 1201-1220 left on the roster in 1938, out of 20 in 1905, and were probably pretty decrepit by 1937 . I have yet to see a good photo of these cars.
SNY hopper #1407 on the ash track, and is loading (“ldg”). #1407 is one of a set of 17 cars obtained from the NYC second-hand. Here is a shot of a similar car at Marsh Hill; note the dissimilar trucks! Color view of the Towanda ash pit with car #1414 here.
Next on yard track 2 is SNY tool car #303, a re-purposed ex-RDG XMk boxcar #2784. A view of this car here.
On yard track 3 is SNY caboose #17; color view here.
Back to yard track 2, SNY #1231 is partially loaded (PX) with a lading of railroad ties. #1231 is numbered in a series of 38-foot flat cars; perhaps the “R” means “tie rack”. Here is similar car #1234 loaded with ties and coupled to tool car #303.
On yard track 3 is tank car SDRX #5881. SDRX is the reporting marks for Sinclair Oil., and the car is indeed loaded with oil. I could not find specifically what type of tank car #5881 is.
Last, at the Towanda gas company (“G Hse”), is PRR “gondola” #204582 with a load of coal. This car is either a PRR class GLa or GLc twin hopper. Both classes had numbers in the series that includes #204582.
Amazing what information for both the historian and modeler can be gleaned from an old yellowed piece of paper…
Wordless Wednesday #100
Author’s Collection
Talky Tuesday #54
S&NY #119 smokes things up while departing North Towanda in last week’s “WW #92”. Timeframe is likely late spring, given the sunshine and the plow affixed to the pilot of the #119.
In the background is the LV bridge over the Susquehanna.
Wordless Wednesday #92
Author’s Collection
Talky Tuesday #63
The engineer of S&NY #119 (possibly Eli Chilton?) oils around, prior to departure from Towanda with a very short mixed train consisting of a single Erie single-sheathed boxcar in last week’s “WW #91”. The LV Towanda depot is in the left background, and the LV main is visible to the right of the #119’s pilot.
Wordless Wednesday #91
Author’s Collection
Talky Tuesday #59
Last week’s “WW #87” is a nice portrait of the #119, likely at Towanda. The engine looks freshly shopped, possibly from the Lehigh Valley facilities at Sayre. The boiler jacket looks to be painted in an odd color, though this may be a trick of the light and spectral properties of the B&W film used to shoot the photo.
In front of the engine is the head-end crew. I do not know the identity of the fireman on the left. In the center is engineer Eli Chilson, and on the right I believe is brakeman Steve VanGorder.
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