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From: Jim G Graytrainpix graytrainpix AT hotmail DOT com
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 23:28:17 -0500
Subject: KW Croxton Register Sheets, Waterfront Report
"EL_WaterfrontTransfersJuly.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1983x4350 (256c)

(re-sending this, previously sent under wrong e-mail account)

I'm sorry to read that Michael Riley ran out of pages on his KW Croxton
Train Register. But thanks again Michael for taking the time and
trouble to scan and forward those pages. As promised, here is the
waterfront transfer report for the second half, i.e. July 1 to July 15,
1973. Thanks to Bob Bahrs, Paul T and Paul B for their comments on the
previous report for June 16-June 30.

As to motive power, no big surprises. About the only change from the
June report is that the night job doesn't use any geeps, all switchers
for these two weeks. We see one 300 switcher appear, making a turn from
Hoboken to Croxton and returning light to Hoboken on the evening of July
10. The 362 was probably the assigned 18F yard switcher, and her crew
got called to drag the fast freight float cars to CQ / A Yard because
the usual evening turn from KW to Hoboken and Jersey City (with the 418)
got involved with a special assignment in Weehawken. The 418 finally
got back to KW at 2150, later than the usual 2030 fast freight delivery
to CQ. Looks like it brought "12 containers" from Weehawken. This is
the only reference I saw on these sheets to a possible/probable shipment
to or from the SeaTrain port in Weehawken. Unfortunately, we don't know
if these containers were loaded with goods from abroad for shipment
inland, or if they were empty containers going west to Jamestown and
Dayton for loading with milk products, and then shipment east to
Weehawken for forwarding to Puerto Rico via ST ship. (We never see any
special evening e/b runs to Weehawken, implying that the EL and ST were
content to let the e/b loaded container cars sit in Croxton overnight
after arriving in mid to late afternoon on NY-98, then making their way
to Weehawken on the usual weekday morning transfer there between 7 and 8
am.)

We see one other special Weehawken movement on the evening of Friday,
July 6 and early morning of Saturday, July 7. At 1620, the 415 departs
KW light for Weehawken, but returns empty-handed at 1900. Then just
after midnight, the 415 goes east again by itself, and this time returns
from Weehawken at 0230 with 3 cars. The YM did not make any notes about
this, other than the engine took these cars up to CQ (west end of
Croxton at the A Yard office aka "The Boxcar"). I suspect this might be
another coffee shipment from the Hoboken Shore interchange, similar to
what happened on Saturday AM, June 23. Perhaps the EL expected the Shore
to have the cars ready for pickup on the evening of the 6th, but
something got delayed and so the EL crew went back after midnight and
finally got them around 2 am. The note about taking the cars to CQ
indicates that they were important; it would make sense that a coffee
shipment would be readied for placement on the NY97.

The 415 makes another special movement on July 13, this time bring two
cars with Gallo wine down to Hoboken at mid-day, then returning light.

We also see a sign of a track maintenance project in Hoboken; on July 9
we see the 418 taking 1 warehouse car and 27 empty dump cars to Hoboken
at 1855. On the next morning at 0355, the 418 brings a work crane, the
2913, down to Hoboken along with 23 LIRR float cars. On the 12th, we
see the 415 taking empty hoppers to Hoboken at 1855. Also, the 420
took the "Speno outfit" to Hoboken at 1805.

We also see that the EL pretty much shut down its waterfront operations
on Wednesday, July 4. The only move that day was the overnight shuttle
to Hoboken. This run usually transfers a block of cars east to Hoboken
then returns light, but on the morning of July 4, it brought from
Hoboken a block of 28 cars for "Bflo". Arguably the EL was moving out
cars that would normally go out on the HB-1, but due to holiday traffic
factors had to go west via Croxton because the HB-1 did not run from
July 4 thru July 9.

On July 2, the 433 ran a 33 car block to Hoboken via the Hi Line. This
involved a back-up move from KW and BR up the Hi Line to Bergen
Junction, then a forward move down the passenger mains to West End tower
and the DLW tunnels to Grove St. Tower, thence into the float yard.
This was not the preferred way to get freight from Croxton to Hoboken
18F, given that almost blind back-up move to Bergen Jct (probably being
done only with fusees, no radio or caboose air pipe). Perhaps there was
a derailment at OS or Jersey Avenue.

July 5 was a heavy day, making up for the holiday shutdown. We see the
420 being assigned 56 cars for Hoboken at 0825, and then the 414 tried
to tackle 59 cars at 1325. The YM note for this move is "stalled". Not
surprisingly.

We see a 1 car hi-wide movement to Monmouth St. in Jersey City at 1030
on July 11, behind the 404. The YM notes that this car was for the
Hoboken Shore. Arguably the Shore is not ready for the load, and so
the car is left in Jersey City for delivery another day, and the 404
returns light at 1110.

Unfortunately, a lot of questions about these operations remain
unanswered; but still, these sheets provided an interesting view of
waterfront operations, such that I myself have never seen the likes of.
Hope some of you have found it useful or interesting.

Jim Gerofsky




EL_WaterfrontTransfersJuly.jpg

Image EXIF Data:
Image Creation Date   2014:01:19 14:31:32
Software Version   Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0
X Resolution   150 Pixels/Inch
Y Resolution   150 Pixels/Inch
Exif Image Width   1983 pixels
Exif Image Height   4350 pixels
ColorSpace   Uncalibrated


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