February 14, 2008 (Thursday) Proto Photo topic

[3rdrail]

Some more photos taken at Branford Electric Railway museum, East Haven, CT, on July 7, 1956:

Connecticut Co. open car 1414 making a revenue run to Riverside. At the time, BERA only used about 1/2 of the right-of-way, as a timber trestle over a stream had to be rebuilt. So they called the end of line "Riverside".


Connecticut Co. Birney Safety Car 2350 - a fully intact Birney.


Brooklyn Rapid Transit convertible 4573. Originally, the window panels could be removed in the Summer months and screening substituted. Several of these survived as work cars.


Next week, some more gems from BERA.

[asciibaron]

this is one of my favorites - everything came together for me to get this one.



-Steve

[wes_sutton]

I have only visited the US on one occasion and that was almost 27 years ago. Unfortunately in those days most of my photographic efforts were directed at steam and I was quite snobbish about modern traction.

In fact I took less than a dozen slides of trains on my travels in the US.

While staying with a friend in New York in late July 1981, I did have the good sense to head out to Newark one afternoon and despite the gloomy weather snap a trio of half decent images.

So in honour of Kato's announcement this week, I present:





Cheers, Wes

[wm3798]

I pen this from Wild and Wonderful Morgantown, West Virginia.  I grabbed these on the Mon River Line before dinner...






I also shot some video from behind the wheel, I'll try to get that posted later tonight.  I'll warn you, take some dramamine before watching!  I could sure use a wheel man for these adventures!

Tomorrow I chase the ghost of the Connellsville Sub, and see if I can get some CSX shots at Meyersdale, Keystone Viaduct, and Sand Patch.  Stay tuned, same bat time, same bat channel...

Lee

[John]

dont forget this

[Bob Bufkin]

Also in honor of the GG-1 and shot near Bowie, MD

<a href="http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa149/rkbufkin/?action=view&current=2007-06-02-1612-37_edited.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa149/rkbufkin/2007-06-02-1612-37_edited.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">[/url]

[GonzoCRFan]

NS OCS back in July:

[Ian MacMillan]

I'm ready to get the motorcars out and on the rails!

A car is 48" from the railhead to the bottom of the windows. (Note: non drift area of my yard!)

[rswinnerton]

So, Ian, Get much snow up there?
Russ

[Wlal13again]

East Penn RR 3153, formerly Conrail 1933 rests in Quakertown PA.

[wm3798]

Well I've had some fun over the last couple days... time to share...
On Friday, I planned a ghost chase along the old Western Maryland from Connellsville, PA down to Deal, near the Maryland line.  There are a lot of old bridges, stations and tunnels on this long abandoned stretch, and it was my objective to bag as many with my camera as I could.  Unfortunately, fate intervened, and this is how my day started...


Fortunately, American Express doesn't put a limit on what you can charge.  Unfortunately, my statement cuts on Monday, so I'll have about 10 days to pay the bill...  Well, 2 hours and a couple hundred bucks later, I took my fresh tires and newly aligned suspension back on the road.  The mission was truncated, though, due to the unforeseen delay.

I got to Connellsville around 11:30 a.m.  (I was hoping to be there by 9:30).  First stop was the old WM/Pittsburgh and West Virginia station there.


There's an interesting story behind that tower.  The WM tracks came into town on an elevated right of way,  joining the PWV at the station.  There was a large steel bridge that passed through right here.  You can see the concrete footers on the walkway in front of the tower.  You'll  also  note the presence of a door on the second floor of the tower.  This was how crews got to track level from the station.  There was a catwalk between the tower and the track.

Here's a better look at it:


Across the street from the station is this interesting building...


The front wall of this bar is actually a bridge pier.  It's solid concrete, and you'll note the steel bridge feet on top of the facade...

Just east of here is another artifact of the elevated line...

These concrete piers carried more steel to the large abutment to the left, which backed up to a large fill, which extended all the way to the south end of town.  After the abandonment in 1975, all of the earthworks and steel structures were removed, leaving behind this post -industrial Stone Henge.

I've got a bunch more... I'll put them up as time permits...  Here's a sneak peak, though...



See ya next time...
Lee

[Ian MacMillan]

So, Ian, Get much snow up there?
Russ

Nope...

[asciibaron]

I got to Connellsville around 11:30 a.m.  (I was hoping to be there by 9:30).  First stop was the old WM/Pittsburgh and West Virginia station there.

the station in Connellsville was for the P&LE (nee PMcK&Y) and WM and built in 1911.



my mom is from the area and i spent some time on that elevated section before it was torn down.



-Steve

[wm3798]

I stand corrected... The station was P&LE.  The P&WV tracks began a few hundred yards upstream, crossing this impressive steel bridge...

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Connellsville-Ohiopyle_015.jpg

The bridge is easily accessed, and the walkway is in excellent shape.  I walked about halfway out on it.

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Connellsville-Ohiopyle_012.jpg


http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Connellsville-Ohiopyle_024.jpg
West is to the right.  Shot from the waterfront park just off of US 119.

Thanks for that postcard view.  I noticed there was a stack of cut up steel steps laying outside the station building.  I imagine these are remains of the old bridge.

Lee

[3rdrail]

Whoever abandoned the line (NS??) did a half-assed job of removing the rails, didn't they? Pull the running rails and leave the guard rails, then pull one running rail and not the other? Or are they only taking up the rail when they need some?

Wierd, never seen that before.