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Re: (erielack) Vestal Industrial Track

Great little story, Walt.

Paul B

From: walter smith <wsmith5957_@_yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: (erielack) Vestal Industrial Track

Tim,

    I worked out of Conklin  as a fireman & engineer in theearly 60s until 
1971. There was a 5-day a week job called the 'Over the River' job. It was 
on duty early in the day & usually had a S-2 Alco - occasionally, we'd get a 
GP7. We'd get our train at the west end in Conklin & leave for the city. 
Prior to coming to West BD, we'd let ourselves onto the old DL&W mainline. 
We'd roll thru Johnson City & usually do our first work at the 'candy man' 
(Caramel Co.) near the old passenger station. sometimes there'd be a car or 
2 for EJ. Then on to the power plant where we'd deliver coal & gather some 
MT hoppers. after this we'd run to Vestal where we'd have cars for the 
lumber co. & maybe a car of feed. This was the end of track & we'd run 
around the train & hang the caboose on the other end for the trip to 
Conklin. If the engineer was feeling generous, he'd say "Here, kid, you take 
her in". This almost spelled disaster for me one day when we had a Geep.
 Here I was on the former DL&W mainline with a 'big' engine instead of an 
Alco S-2 & noticing that the engineer was studying the horse races in the 
paper, I decided to re-enact the 'Glory Days' of the Phoebe Snow & went to 
#8 throttle. The short train flew up the straight track until we got to 
Willow Point where for some reason the track forces simply lined the #2 
track onto #1 track. The geep gave me a thrill when it went through the 'S' 
turn at several times the safe speed & the caboose must really have 'cracked 
the whip. The radio came on as the coonductor inquired 'What the HELL was 
going on???".
I'd already slowed down, but the old engineer decided I'd had my fun for the 
day & ran the rest of the way.
    On reflection I now know it was reckless & dumb, but I bet there was a 
lot of stuff like this even in the steam days. If you survived, you learned. 
Good thing they didn't have text messaging then.

Regards,

Walter E. Smith - Employee # 102156


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