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RE: (erielack) Re: Bars & Railroaders

As a kid, we would visit my grandparents' apartment on Main St. in Boonton for dinner. While waiting for the meal to cook, my Dad and grandfather would walk me the block to the Boonton station to watch the evening rush. The one thing that sticks fresh in my mind was that there was always a GP7 and red Dunmore caboose sitting on the second main, parked right next to the Main St. bridge (and associated staircase coming down to track level). I never saw a crew any of those times, so I told my Dad, "Hey, maybe they went to get dinner at the bar!"  ("the bar" was Milik's Tavern, right at the top of that staircase, on the corner of Morris Ave & Main St - and since torn down)  My Dad just chuckled, laughing at my youthful innocence.

Talking with EL veterans many years later, I was told that I very well could have been right - the Boonton Drill crews were known to sneak up to the bar and wait out the evening rush so they could return to Dover....

I actually remember Milik's Tavern, since the owner was a friend of the family. A really friendly Polish guy, he seemed to have a regular clientele in there every time we stopped by. I also remember he had a big table "bowling ball" game on the side of the building facing the tracks. He'd always give me a bag of potato chips ("package goods") every time we visited. Sad that the old building was torn down in the reconstruction of Morris Avenue, but I suppose times do change.

	- Paul






> -----Original Message-----
> From: dennis.j.mcdermott_@_verizon.com 
> [mailto:dennis.j.mcdermott_@_verizon.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 12:57 PM
> To: Sam Weibel; WSmith5957; dougellison; PapaG1954; 
> heidels2423; railroaddoug
> Cc: erielack; guard314; johnkluge; OverCrailway; alfred_runte
> Subject: Re: (erielack) Re: Bars & Railroaders
> 
> 
> Don't forget Minnies in Hornell right accross from the 
> station. Had 10 cent beers at least untl 1973. I believe the 
> building has since been torn down.
> 
> --------------------------
> From Dennis
> 
> 
>     From: erielack-owner
>     Sent: 03/18/2004 12:22 PM
>     To: WSmith5957_@_aol.com; dougellison@stoneconsulting.com; 
> PapaG1954_@_aol.com; heidels2423@earthlink.com; railroaddoug@erols.com
>     Cc: erielack_@_lists.railfan.net; guard314@yahoo.com; 
> johnkluge_@_citcom.net; OverCrailway@aol.com; alfred_runte@email.msn.com
>     Subject: RE: (erielack) Re: Bars & Railroaders
> 
> 
> WS, if you made it to Scranton, Pete's Bar ( Pete Bordi's) 
> was on Lackawanna Ave right next to the Scranton Transit Bus 
> Stop, the had ten cent drafts well into the early 70's, When 
> I came back from over seas on leave in 1969 my Dad and 
> Grandfather made that a must stop, My Grandfather was a DL& W 
> then E-L man. Maybe you might have stopped there.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: erielack-owner_@_lists.railfan.net 
> [mailto:erielack-owner_@_lists.railfan.net]On Behalf Of 
> WSmith5957_@_aol.com
> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 5:38 AM
> To: dougellison_@_stoneconsulting.com; PapaG1954@aol.com; 
> heidels2423_@_earthlink.com; railroaddoug@erols.com
> Cc: erielack_@_lists.railfan.net; guard314@yahoo.com; 
> johnkluge_@_citcom.net; OverCrailway@aol.com; alfred_runte@email.msn.com
> Subject: (erielack) Re: Bars & Railroaders
> 
> 
> Mr. Ellisons' joke about the bar serving drinks for 10 cents 
> stirred some memories.
>      There was a bar in Syracuse & a GOOD one too that served 
> drinks for 25 cents (doubles were 35 cents). It was 1964 or 
> so & I had just placed on the firemans' extra list in 
> Syracuse, NY on the former DL&W side in order to get some 
> road work & learn the road from Binghamton to Syracuse & 
> Oswego. When I got to the Syracuse enginehouse, I asked the 
> roundhouse foreman, Mr. Courtney, where was a good place to 
> get a meal. He directed me to SULLIVANS BAR & GRILL on South 
> Salina Street just South of where the DL&W trestle crosses 
> over the road. There is a fork in the road there & Sullivans 
> is at that spot. Courtney made some comment to the effect 
> that 'This is where all the railroad pensioners and college kids eat'.
>        Sounded good to me, so off I went. The bar wasn't too 
> far from the University and  had a huge horseshoe bar and 
> tables along the wall in the main part as well as a small 
> dining room off to one side. The horseshoe bar featured a 
> large chalkboard with daily specials marked up. 
> Examples....Large Roast Beef sandwich-35c, Large Ham 
> Sandwich-35c, Roast Turkey Platter-95c. I usually got the 
> Turkey platter which came with big chunks of turkey meat (NOT 
> one of these pressed meat things but real turkey), mashed 
> potatoes & gravy, dressing, veggie, & cranberry sauce &rolls. 
> THAT was a meal to fill you up- especially after struggling 
> over the road all night & most of the morning down to 
> Binghamton & back with one of the 2 daily roundtrips the 
> railroad ran then.
>       There was usually quite a crowd in this place & with 
> the prices, I could see why. I mean even for the early 60s, 
> the food & booze was really cheap. I never tried the bar 
> whiskey, at that price I wasn't sure of the quality or 
> whether you'd go blind after drinking it.
>      Last time I was in this place was in 1969 or 70. I'd 
> been dating a co-ed from the University & we went there for 
> lunch - I thought it'd add a little color to her life. She 
> really got a kick out of it, saying, "I had no Idea 
> old-fashioned places like this still existed" If any of the 
> guys reading this live up that way, I'd be interested to know 
> if it still is in business. Regards. Walter E. Smith
> 
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