Steam-era Lackawanna engineers book

[daveklepper]

As a youngster, already been given the classic TRAINS TRACKS AND TRAVEL, a relative knowing of my interest in trains, gave me a marvelous book by a DL&W engineer, autobiographical from the days before Janny couplers and air brakes, to his being a regular engineer on the Lackawanna Limited.   Possibly the name of the book was "Hear the Train Blow" and possibly the author was Joseph Bromley.  I haven't had the book or seen it years.   Its style is very much like Doug Riddell's fine "From the Cab".  He combines human interest with a behind-the scenes look at the industry.   He was a roundhouse helper, fireman, then engineer.  Names that reccur in my memory are Schuyler Street in Untica, where he lived for a while, Richfield Springs, possibly where he also lived and/or grew up.

One operating procedure that should be of interest is the dispatching of a second section with orders only to follow the markers of the first section, over unsignalled "dark" track.   And this was a regular procedure, and he describes one such trip with light power in a snow storm.   Until quite recently trains could be dispatched at intervales without singal protection in the same direction.  If a train had to halt the rear brakeman ran back 1/2-mile with a red flag by day or lantern by night to stop any following train.   With second-section tail-gating, following markers, a rear brakeman was always on the alert to throw a lighted red fusee off the back platform upon the noise of any full-service or emergency brake application.

Anyone else read or know of the book?  Probably published sometime 1928-1934.  Would make fine excepts for CLASSIC TRAINS.

[henry6]

The book is CLEAR THE TRACKS by Joseph Bromley published in 1943.  He started on the Black River and Western in Utica in the 1880's quickly moving over to the DL&W Utica Branch running to Richfield Springs and Binghamton.before retiring to ICC service around WWI.  Book appears to be common enough to cost between five and ten bucks when on Ebay or at shows.  About 10 years ago the family had talked about republishing the book but nothing ever came of it.  I, of course, have a copy, and have read it once and reread it about a dozen times...absolutely fascinating!

[wanswheel]

Google preview of Workin' on the Railroad has excerpts by Joseph Bromley on pages 108-113 and 170-172. 

http://books.google.com/books?id=_kV5C1ghXOQC&pg=PA108&dq=ghostwritten+memoirs+joseph+bromley

http://books.google.com/books?id=_kV5C1ghXOQC&pg=PA170&dq=Joseph+Bromley%27s+Grove+Hotel

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=bromley&tn=Clear+Tracks%21

[route_rock]

  I have an old Railroad folklore book with some stories from him.I will have to look it up on Borders ( I saw it there I think?) and pick it up.

  There was a few others on Borders website. USe locomotive engineer as a keyword.

 

 

[daveklepper]

Do you agree that Classic Trains should contact the family and see if excepts can be printed in the magazine?

 I now recall his retiring to the ICC, but he then lived, I believe, within hearing distance of the DL&W main line in a New York City suburb in New Jersey and could hear the trains, as well as occasionally visit the train crews.   Is my memory correct on this?

[henry6]

He actually retired to Binghamton, NY where he became a City Councilman and the last street on the city's Northside, Bromley Ave. off Chenango St., was named for him.  I have spoken with both his grandsons over the years, both probably now in thier late 70's or early 80's, but have lost track; one, I believe, passed away within the last two or three years.  I seem to recall that one of them told me that the family had the copyrights to the book...but that was quite a few years ago.  Let me poke around a few places and find out what I can and get back.