Hello I am new to this forum. I hope I am asking the question to the correct group.
But I have a question relating to my college days at Cornell.
I used to hitchhike to Elmira around 1964 and catch a passenger train that came from Binghamton and beyond and went on to Corning and then eventually to Akron, Ohio. I do not remember that it went thru Buffalo, but I think Erie, PA---- although I was usually asleep. I think it also stopped in Cleveland before arriving in Akron in late morning.
I want to model that line with an F3A&B loco. I think it was B&O or maybe Pennsy, but it could also be Erie. I think not NYC as that went along the Mohawk Valley to Buffalo.
Can anyone either know the answer or point me in the proper direction for an answer? I tried some Google but.........
Erie Lackawanna.
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Henry6 - WOW, that was quick!
I have gone to the EL website and find the route map, as well as the loco rosters.
As my HO layout is supposed to be 1950 at this time, would you have any idea what passenger power equipment would be used on that route at that time?
I see that EMD F3s were used in that time period and either carried DL&W or Erie colors. Sounds like Erie west of Binghamton and DL&W east of there? Can you suggest where I might research? I did read that they had competing parallel lines in that area at that time.
pathvet9 Henry6 - WOW, that was quick! I have gone to the EL website and find the route map, as well as the loco rosters. As my HO layout is supposed to be 1950 at this time, would you have any idea what passenger power equipment would be used on that route at that time? I see that EMD F3s were used in that time period and either carried DL&W or Erie colors. Sounds like Erie west of Binghamton and DL&W east of there? Can you suggest where I might research? I did read that they had competing parallel lines in that area at that time.
I am sorry, I can give a listing of the passenger trains both roads operated in February of 1950, but I am not familiar with the motive power of the two roads, nor of the E-L.
For the E-L, you can try www.erielackhs.org
The Lackawanna Historical Society's site is www.dlwrrhs.org
You can search for Erie Railroad; I did not find any listing for an Erie historical society.
Johnny
Yes, there is the EL RR Histoircal Society that would be of great help. And your library can help find the probably 100's of books on the EL. Google or Bing the EL, Erie Lackawanna, Erie, or Lackawanna for thousands of bits of information, too. E8's in pairs or in threes were the mainstay of passenger power although there were a few PA's inherited from the Erie often found. The fewer passenger trains run the more likley it was all E's and by the 70's you began to find what was left of the fleet often in freight service. The Phoebe Snow was the day train with the Tavern Lounges going as far west as Salamanca or Meadville before being turned; then there was a period without the cars followed by William WHite restoring the cars until she was pulled from the schedule. You were apparently at Cornell during the same time I was at Ithaca (61-65). I was riding the EL east instead of west at that time.
Henry6 - yes, I was there from 1962 to 1969, and rode that train a few times. As I remember, it was about midnight when I boarded, but I don't remember the passenger cars either.
I am going to start a new string and see if I can scare up a few pictures of the paint schemes for Erie passenger motive power. I am looking for the green with the front yellow herald, I think.
You should have no problem with pictures as the Lackawanna/EL gray with moroon stripe and yellow pinstripes were the passenger colors. At that time, there were a few of the Erie/EL two tone green with pinstripes around too. Again, any library has books with plenty of pictures of the EL trains and equipment of that era. Google or BIng the ELRYHS, too.
Yes, I know about the EL maroon but want to try for an older passenger loco in 2-tone green. I see from the ELRYHS website that EL inherited a few EMD F3s from Erie, so that is what I am shooting for. Will try the library next week, thanks!
Also have to find the decals, but I have some leads there.
The train you rode was train 5, The World's Fair, which may have been the name change for the Erie Lackawanna Limited during the New York World's Fair in 1964.According to a summer 1964 EL schedule, train 5 departed Elmira New York at 1:47 AM EDT and would have arrived in Akron Ohio at 9:43 AM EDT. The train would have continued on to Chicago, arriving at 3:55PM CDT at Dearborn Station.Train would have stopped in Hornell NY and Meadville PA but would not have stopped in Buffalo or Erie PA or Cleveland.
Although F units may have been assigned to this train, at the time, most in passenger service were handling suburban runs out of Hoboken, and most probably this train was pulled by E-units. As proven by my other postings, I's a bit shaky in memory as to E-7's or E-8's (and possibly later E-7's had the stainless air grilles that I have always associated with E-8's only) but I am pretty shure the longer distance trains out of Hoboken had mostly E power and not F. This is the early 1960's up to the final discontinuance of the Lake Cities. Of course there were probably exceptions.
Yes, Dave, E8's were the rule although there were some former Erie PA's which chipped in from time to time, too. It was possible for an all PA lash up but I don't remember seeing one, usually one or two E8's and one PA. PA's came in Erie and DL&W colors under EL. Under EL I believe all F units were assigned freight duties and rarely if ever did passenger work.
Yes, most all the pictures I have found through railnet or railpictures show E units but there are a few of F3s, all with freight as far as I can tell, so......... I will have to make it up!
Aricat - thanks so much for digging out that info. The timing sounds right but I had sure forgotten that there was a World's Fair in NY at that time. Guess I was too busy at Cornell?
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