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From: Richard Pennisi eldispatcher72 AT yahoo DOT com
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2013 07:53:28 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Hoboken Ferry Slips
"DLW_Hoboken_Ferry_slips.jpg" - image/jpeg, 2754x2278 (24bit)

Listers,

These two recently posted DL&W photos of the Hoboken Ferry slips that were scanned by Patrick McKnight brought back a memory for me.
During the Spring and Summer of 1975 I was working as a train dispatcher in Hoboken. I owned the 3rd trick combined jobs of desk 44 (Boonton Line-Mainline) and M&E sides. Others working that same trick were Fred Spratt, Assistant Chief Train Dispatcher and Al Pivoratto (AKA the PIV) who worked the Erie Mainline Port Jervis to Croxton-Hoboken. Our hours were 11:30 pm to 7:30 am.

During that summer we were very short of train dispatchers. There was a relief job that covered all of our regular days off. That job was temporarily eliminated so that one dispatcher would work extra and could cover everyone else's vacations. This forced the rest of us on midnights to work 7 days a week for 90 days straight.

About 2 weeks into our 7 days a week, I noticed the "Piv" would disappear around 2 am to 230 am almost every night. One night I followed the "Piv" to see what he was up to. And yes we both left our desks as there was very little going on at that time. What I found really shocked me. If you look at both of those photos you will notice a plate that fit on top of the deck of the ferry boat apron. This was on the upper deck of the boat. That plate was movable and could be raised or lowered according to the tides as the boat floated higher or lower. What isn't in the photo is an item that must have been added sometime after the photo was taken. There was a large lever at the point where the hinge on the plate was located. This allowed the ferry boat attendant at the slip to drop the plate on the deck thereby allowing passengers to just walk off the boat to the concourse.

Well the "PIV" was standing at the very edge of that plate looking out over to New York. Now you need to know this plate was out over the Hudson River and was at least 20 to 30 feet above the water. About that time the "PIV" sees me standing there watching him. He says, "hey watch this RAP, (my initials) I have been practicing this for awhile." He then grabs for the lever I mentioned earlier and pulls it! The plate starts to drop and the "PIV" jumps back to the solid footing of the ferry slip just as the plate completely drops. I darn near had a heart attack!!! He said it's easy to do why don't you try it! I said, "are out of your mind?" (not quite in those words as I used a word or two a bit more descriptive)

Well about that time Fred Spratt came out of the office to see where we went. When he found out what the "PIV" was up to he put an end to it.

There were many other things the "PIV" did to amuse himself during those 90 days.

Rich Pennisi

DLW_Hoboken_Ferry_slips.jpg

Image EXIF Data:
Image Creation Date   2012:12:13 15:19:32
Image Digitized Date   2012:12:13 15:19:32
Make   Epson
Model   PerfectionV700
Software Version   SilverFast 6.6.1r2b
X Resolution   300 Pixels/Inch
Y Resolution   300 Pixels/Inch
Exif Image Width   2754 pixels
Exif Image Height   2278 pixels


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