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Caldwell_Branch_semaphore.jpg   Original: 1998 by 1853 pixels - Current: 1998 by 1853 - 100%
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From: Todd Hollritt thollritt AT yahoo DOT com
Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:07:50 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Early morning westbounds at Great Notch, and lots of schedule questions
"Caldwell_Branch_semaphore.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1998x1853 (24bit)

Ken,
Send her this image, here's the former Erie semaphore on the Caldwell Branch at Fransisco Avenue in Little Falls! It stood for many years after the line was abandoned, she will remember it I am sure. This was the eastbound approach signal for the Great Notch interlocking.
Todd ~



________________________________
From: Ken Bush
To: Todd Hollritt
Cc: "Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)" ; EL Mail List
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 10:30 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) Re: Early morning westbounds at Great Notch, and lots of schedule questions

Todd,

The Great Notch stuff is fantastic! I just wrote to my aunt who has
lived on Francisco Ave in Little Falls for probably 40+ years about the
photos and stories. I love this information and anything more that you
have is most welcome.


Ken B.

On 12/22/2011 10:30 AM, Todd Hollritt wrote:
> I have photos of both the early morning and late evening commuter trains meeting at Great Notch I will post to the list soon. I recall the westbound 1031 would indeed pull west of the interlocking, but to save time the engineer would remain on the locomotive and the conductor would monitor the reverse move from the cab-car. He would radio the engineer when it was clear to back east into the station. Then during the stop train 1030 would be setup for the push into Hoboken. Actually a very smooth operation. As Paul stated it continued into Conrail and later NJ Transit.
> I am enjoying the comments and information (Some via direct emails) about the railroads operations and recollections some list members are posting, at the time I took these images I was not aware of the "Behind the scenes" details that are now being shared all these years later. To anyone out there who's like "Enough already" with the Great Notch stuff, we are getting toward the end of the EL era photos. I have not heard a complaint yet though! So... anyone want to see what happened to Great Notch during the 1st year or so of Conrail before the through freights dried up? I can post those in early 2012. There's plenty of former EL power and LOTS of heavy freights working their way over the mountain, many were under powered as Conrail was hard pressed to find motive power in those early years. You never knew what you were going to see rounding the curve. :)
>
> Todd ~
>
> From: "Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)"
> To: EL Mail List; Todd Hollritt
> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 9:34 AM
> Subject: RE: (erielack) Re: Early morning westbounds at Great Notch, and lots of schedule questions
>
>> Thinking about the evening eastbound which originated at
>> Great Notch, I'm curious as to how the actual operation ran.
>> Train #1033 arrived at
>> 6:16 p.m, and turned as #1032 to head back to Hoboken. Train
>> #1005 arrived 4 minutes later. Would that be sufficient time
>> to empty the train, run over the crossover to the Caldwell
>> Branch, and then back to the station for a 6:23 p.m.
>> departure? The air test could have been done as soon as the
>> train were off the westbound track, or after it were spotted
>> at the station platform. Is this a reasonable assumption, or
>> was something else done?
> Having witnessed this same move done during NJT years (yes, they had this same maneuver right up until the redid the GN yard), it is indeed very doable. The passengers hop off, the train goes forward past the interlocking, then the engineer runs to the cab car, comes back up Track 2 and waits for eastbound passengers. Track 1 is clear for the next westbound train. I think the air test was done when the engineer switched ends just west of the interlocking.
>
> - Paul
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> http://EL-List.railfan.net/
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Caldwell_Branch_semaphore.jpg

Image EXIF Data:
Image Creation Date   2011:12:22 23:12:52
Image Unique ID   3D7C8A7FFB3E46DBA35AFBA52E6E0CF6


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