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St. Johns Park Freight Terminal.. New York City

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St. Johns Park Freight Terminal.. New York City
Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 11:11 PM

Found this very interesting picture. The St. John's Freight Terminal at Hudson and Laight St. Caption says New York Central and Hudson River RR. Perhaps it was just the New York Central by this time? 

How long did this very interesting Freight Terminal last? Quite the place.

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Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, April 18, 2019 6:26 AM

The NYC&HR became NYC in 1914.  St. Johns was replaced by the St. Johns Park terminal at some point during the High Line construction, completed in 1935.  Some street level trackage in lower Manhattan remained into the 1940s, not all of it NYC as B&O and Erie had float bridges nearby.  The name moved with the terminal, which was no longer actually at St. Johns Park (sort of like Madison Square Garden,,,)

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, April 18, 2019 9:22 AM

Thank you very much rcdrye. 

Looks kind of dangerous and confusing. Those two tracks side by each going into the building particularly. Suppose they knew exactly what they were doing back then. You sure had to have your wits about you. 

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Posted by Jones1945 on Thursday, April 18, 2019 10:48 AM

Miningman

Found this very interesting picture. The St. John's Freight Terminal at Hudson and Laight St. Caption says New York Central and Hudson River RR. Perhaps it was just the New York Central by this time? 

How long did this very interesting Freight Terminal last? Quite the place.

That switcher looks like Toby from Thomas & Friends, or tram engine used in the EU's tramways. I didn't know NYCRR had some geared steam engines like this (not the same engine type shows in the pic above):

"They were built in 1923 by Lima Locomotive Works for use on the West Side freight line in New York City, chiefly on street trackage on 10th and 11th Avenues"  

https://www.railarchive.net/nyccollection/nyc7189.htm

Time travel:

http://cs.trains.com/ctr/f/3/p/133041/1860946.aspx

 

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Posted by SD70Dude on Thursday, April 18, 2019 1:30 PM

Don't try to walk or ride between cars on those tracks!  Also remember that this is from the era when it was considered normal to walk (run?) on top of a moving train without any form of fall protection, not even handrails!

Life (human and animal) was a lot cheaper back then.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by rcdrye on Thursday, April 18, 2019 2:30 PM

NYC had a number of 0-6-0T steam dummies converted from tender locomotives between 1908 and 1918.  The Shays arrive in the 1920s.

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, April 18, 2019 5:25 PM

Mike sends us this: St.John's Chapel, park and freight 

 

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Posted by Miningman on Friday, April 19, 2019 12:00 AM

More from Mike .. fascinating!

Vanderbilt's Statue

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Posted by Miningman on Friday, April 19, 2019 1:28 AM
Not sure, I think it's the removal of Vanderbilt's statue and frieze from the freight station
 
Varick Street side, showing St. John's Chapel halfway down the block on the left
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Posted by Miningman on Friday, April 19, 2019 2:04 PM

More historical items from Mike:

Men and Iron by Edward Hungerford (1938)
 
 
 
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Posted by Miningman on Friday, April 19, 2019 2:08 PM

A Huge Joke in Brass

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, April 20, 2019 4:04 PM

American Railroad Journal evidently believed Vanderbilt would have his statue at Grand Central Depot. Perhaps critical reviews changed his mind.

 
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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, April 20, 2019 10:53 PM

From Mike: More on St. John's Park of 

 

Canada Southern website

 
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Posted by Miningman on Sunday, April 21, 2019 12:46 AM

Hoppy Easter to all! You may now eat chocolate in abundance.

Runkel's chocolate factory was visible from the 30th Street Yard
 
.
Runkel's was across 30th St. from the Hudson River RR station where Lincoln's inauguration train arrived and his funeral train departed.

 
This is the station Lincoln arrived at alive and departed from dead. He said, Never mind the graffiti, sweep the street.

 

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Posted by Miningman on Sunday, April 21, 2019 4:03 PM

From Mike : some great scenes at the 30th St. Station

  

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