Erie Lackawanna
Railfan.net 'erielack' E-Mail List Photo Archive

Rear_of_AY-91.jpg   Original: 1300 by 1345 pixels - Current: 1300 by 1345 - 100%
                          Try your mouse wheel too!

Previous Image - C4740.jpg (No Next Image)

From: "PennDivision1 DOT " penndivision AT gmail DOT com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 10:58:47 -0400
Subject: Re: (erielack) Re: Three images...
"Rear_of_AY-91.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1300x1345 (24bit)

On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 12:38 PM, Chuck Yungkurth wrote:

Saw 2-10-2s coming through every morning with a manifest freight going
> north. This was while I was in Jr High School 1942-44 of WWII and thee D&H
> tracks were about 500' from the school. Was constantly in trouble for
> looking out the window.


Chuck,

That was the daily, morning manifest you'd see, which was Erie's AY-91. It
would depart Ashley PA (and the connection with the CNJ) @ 7 AM, and would
run north (westbound via timetable) arriving Avoca at 10:00 AM, and onto
Susquehanna. Arriving there @ 2:45 PM.

Typical power in the steam-era was a 2-10-2 R-2 or R-3, and/or a 2-8-2 N-2.

Upon arriving at the D&H Yard in Carbondale, the train would be filled out
with additional cars, and then the pusher(s) would be added for the run up
Ararat.

The pushers could be as many as three, with one or two S-3 Berks drawing
the assignment, and an additional R-Class 2-10-2. It was not unusual to see
a total of four locos on the run.

Erie also had two hopper storage tracks at the defunct Hillside Coal and
Iron breaker (later Volpe Coal, and eventually Greenway Coal) @ Forest
City. The train would stop there, and any additional hoppers were added.
Coal was still being mined at Forest City into the 1960's, but most of it
went to the Hudson Coal's Powderly breaker for processing. Erie also owned
three tracks in the D&H Yard, #9, 9a, and C. Those tracks were switched by
an Erie crew using a D&H locomotive.

Upon reaching the summit @ Ararat, the pushers would be cut off (on the
fly) and run into the wye for turning and return to Carbondale. The train
was now on the downgrade, so the caboose would roll downhill via gravity to
re-couple to the train. A process known locally as "The Dutchman's Drop".
The train would then proceed to Susquehanna.

Here's a shot of the rear of AY-91, having just passed the northern throat
of the D&H yard enroute to the summit at Ararat. Note the two S-3 Berks and
the R-3 Santa Fe pushers.

AY-91's opposite, AY-78 was rarely seen or photographed, since it ran @
night, departing Susquehanna at 9:30 PM, arriving Ashley 3:00 AM.

MF


Rear_of_AY-91.jpg

Image EXIF Data:
Image Creation Date   2014:07:09 10:50:47
Software Version   Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.0 Windows
X Resolution   266 Pixels/Inch
Y Resolution   266 Pixels/Inch
Exif Image Width   1896 pixels
Exif Image Height   1962 pixels
ColorSpace   Uncalibrated


Click Here or on the corner X to close this window.


    All photos are the property of the original photographer unless otherwise noted and are to be used for personal viewing purposes only.

    The use of these photos on any website or other distribution media is strictly forbidden without the express consent of the image copyright holder.

    Linking directly to this page is permitted as long as "Railfan.net Erie Lackawanna Email List Photo Archive" is creditted on the linking page.