New York Division-Bergen Line - Part Deux!

[minerman146]

Here is the famous Wednesday Route Update thread. No update on Friday, but were still, as ever, plugging away.

I put off posting this until Walden was done. Well, its been a month, and time for me post what I promised myself that I would do. You read me writing about being 'highly motivated' and 'dedicated' to building this. With all the typing I do, I wonder you all think not just how do I do it but why. There are so many memories wrapped up in this. It so strange to study the landscape so much and try to make it look right and do it for so long and not quit. I try so hard to bring the Erie Lackawanna back, part of it is just wrong. Its wrong to bring back something that has been gone so long. You cant bring back the past, you have to live today and remember it all for it to last, But something back there, in past, is part of me. I don't want to lose it I just don't. I do the best I can too make it right - it just can never be what I saw and experienced. So much is wrapped up in the time period I keep talking about. What it was like back then. It was such a loss to see the railroad go. It was different time then and I miss it. I am glad that I was aware that it was something special, the railroad, the 1970s, my family and my friends and my youth.

I want to dedicate this work to my friend Jerry.

Our fathers worked together on the Erie Lackawanna and since our mutual interest was trains and the "Erie" we spent a lot of time together in grade school. He was always asking me where my dad was working (Scanton - Mahwah) and telling me what his Dad was up to (conductor Middletown). I used to visit his house in Sparrowbush. His parents loved him very much and indulged his train interest. He had the most extensive collection of HO scale Erie, Lackawanna and Erie Lackawanna equipment I have ever seen. I would say, conservatively it was in the 100s. We would lay track out on the wood floor and set up the trains and run them around for hours and hours. It took hours just to put them all away. I knew at that time, he had his own special relationship with the railroad. He loved the Erie. No doubt. Comparatively, I liked the Railroad. By 1976, we knew it was all over, Conrail was coming in and it wasn't going to be the same. I changed after that, but my friend didn't. He still saw the Erie. As far as he was concerned, as long as the track was there it was still Erie.

I moved away from the town we grew up in, the year before high-school and we lost touch. Some how he found me years later while I was going to college. When I saw my grown up friend, it was quite the sight. He had long dungarees on, Doc Martin boots, one of those wallets with the chain on it so you don't lose it and a radio scanner on his hip tuned to Conrail. He had some pictures for me of some Susquehanna jobs he saw running through the West End. We talked a bit, and he was doing College and he was looking to work on the railroad. What I remember most is that he loved the railroad more than anything. And to work for it was his supreme goal. I shook my head in wonder that he was so dedicated to his dream. But I beloved him and knew the someway it make it happen.

Below, I am going to use real names, because I don't want him to be forgotten either. If by chance his parents read this, and they know who I am. I spoke to his mother on that last day. I want to say Jerry's mom and dad, what they know: they did a wonderful job with him, he was kind, he was gentle and a very decent human being. People always liked him and the kids at school were good to him.

Move forward a few years - and Jerry got that job on Conrail

I have no idea who told me what happened, it might have been my father. My friend Jerry was on duty in Campbell Hall and was on break or doing paper work in a caboose on a siding. What happened next is a bit unclear. A Westbound freight was switched into or picked the switch that Jerry's caboose was in. He killed at the moment of Collison.
He was 27 years old.

When I saw him for the last time, I never had seen anything like it. There were railroaders from all over the Eastern Seaboard. I saw my uncle and many, many other trainmen, and some were elderly. I was told later there were over 300 people there to pay their respects. At some point, I got to the casket alone. I didn't want to say goodbye. We were the same age, I looked down at him, I was so sorry for him so young, not married yet. It was a small consolation that he died doing what he loved the most. Which is more that I can say about a lot of people, myself included. All the people I talked to at the wake said the same thing. If you were fortunate enough to know him - you would understand.

So, my work is in honor of the best fan of the Erie I have ever and will ever know:

Below is posted from the UNITED TRANSPORTATION UNION ON-LINE EDITION (May 1995)
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/misc.activism.progressive/yMCKNovw2is/uVNS17-3IIIJ

Gerald R. Dilger, Trainman for the Consolidated Rail Corporation, who was killed in the of Duty on December 6th 1994.
--Brake operator killed in crash..................##C

Conrail brake operator, UTU member and lifelong rail
enthusiast Gerald Dilger was killed recently in a freak
switching accident at Campbell Hall, N.Y.

Dilger, 27, a member of Local 0060 at Newark, N.J.,
and son of Conrail conductor and Local 0060 member
Richard J. Dilger, was riding the rear platform of a
caboose when an improperly lined switch sent the backing
train onto a wrong track and into an unoccupied
locomotive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

So for a long time, it was strange working on the route there. To tell you the truth, I wanted it to stop there. I think I told the story, and brought some of you back there with me to relive it. Because the whole time I have been working on this, and thinking about it, I am reliving. It's an amazing gift to relive, in thought, the time, the place and the people. I don't know what else to do. Its just a game. Pixels.

So, anyway, I put my little icon into the scene and Cambpell Hall and ... I just watch over the place and remember what was good.
This is for you Jerry.

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[minerman146]

Here is tonight's progress report. At this stage, all the buildings I needed to place in Harlem are now there. The pictures below shows a view of the Harlem Transfer Station and Harlem from the Bronx side of the river.

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So I am working counter clockwise from North to West and now I am working the South. This will be tricky as there are numerous small buildings, its on a slope and there is some flyover highway work to do yet. Picture below shows the situation.

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The work has been fun - I haven't worked on anything so urban before. Everything is dense, the streets and highways are complex and we got a river running the middle of the place. Hopefully our resident denizen of Da' Bronx will chime and let me know how I'm doin!
That's all for now.

Carry On!

[jalsina]

Some day, not too far, I will open this thread and will see a shot of the Sears tower in Chicago with some tracks close to it.

[minerman146]

Some day, not too far, I will open this thread and will see a shot of the Sears tower in Chicago with some tracks close to it.

I wonder how long it would take for the route to load at that point? hmmmmmmm.

ELSystemMap.jpg

Well, only one way to find out!

[LuisaA]

Now that would be a massive undertaking!

[NYWhiskey]

I mean seriously, who would tour the Bronx on vacation - even if you were a total train-nut! (other than me.)

It's a nice place to live but I wouldn't want to visit there, or is that the other way around. You are right, the yuppies and millennials have totally gentrified it. Try and get a place in the South Bronx for less than $2500 a month, LOL. It's not like it was back in the '80s, I won't step foot in there now.

My Bronx domain and the bridge before New Rochelle on the NEC. Not too shabby for your living room window. hehehe

[NYWhiskey]

Oh yea minerman, your cut just went from a quart to a fifth, keep it up and it will be a pint. LOL

[jalsina]

Some day, not too far, I will open this thread and will see a shot of the Sears tower in Chicago with some tracks close to it.

I wonder how long it would take for the route to load at that point? hmmmmmmm.

ELSystemMap.jpg

Well, only one way to find out!

Je je je...

[minerman146]

Now that would be a massive undertaking!

LuisaA - indeed it would be. I have no idea where to go next. I can get to Patterson, or go to Port Jervis. We shall see.

*I was typing as Whisky was posting.

Back to the Harlem Station

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This is the view looking to the North. Getting the skyline to show up in this direction required some special work. You cant see it from this angle, but I got the high buildings of Washington Heights and Columbia University to show up at about 2 miles away. What has been interesting is seeing how the New York Central fits in at the Bronx Terminal. Let me tell you, this is definitely NYC county. Penn Central. As I am working this area, looking for photos from 1950 to 1980, I am becoming more familiar with the NYC track. In recognition of what was there, and what remains today. I have placed scenery track to represent where it was in my 1968 timeline, this is one of those things that only shows from the air, with the exception of the pair of tracks that you see near the long terminals that parallel Exterior Street.

A New York Central Version of the New York - New Have route would be great for some one to back date to the 1950s' I am not really familiar with the Central. But, within a mile both north and south of my work area there were 3 yards, float bridges and more transfer terminals toward Hell's Gate Bridge. A route like that would be both visually and operationally appealing. So, "Calling all NY Central fans"! Do the Bronx!

We are going to have a little issue with missing frogs at this location. I had to modify the track rule for 15meter radius, to get these extremely tight switches in. I was wondering if would be possible to add track from the NJ Coastline. This would mean there would be a track rule for 2 different routes. I was wondering if I could do this with no ill affect.

[minerman146]

I'm worried that at the rate I am going … I'll only be a half-pint with NY Whiskey
Here goes - Large Barges.
In a 1960 shot, I saw this … gravel facility? And a 1964 aerial showed 4 barges in this configuration, tied up next to this place. One barge was partially loaded.
So, I hacked some barges. With part of the background done, the close up work starts to look like something.

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[NYWhiskey]

No, you're down to a half pint for dissing the Bronx. We're still on the next week or two.

Hey, if you call me Whisky like i'm some Scotch (I'm only 1/8 Scotch) I'll kill ya!! You know I'm Whiskey with an "E". What kind of "Whiskey" do you want. LOL!!!

Scotch Whisky..... Booo

Kentucky Bourbon... Yay!!

[minerman146]

Well, my apologies to da Bronx, for suggesting its not a vacation spot. I will say, that digging down to street level, its a heck of a lot more interesting than flying down the Major Deegan. You gotta cut me a little slack, I think I can nail this place. Its pretty cool!

Well, we shall get some Bourbon a flowin over at Loughran's that should ease all pain. Speaking of Bourbon, do try Old Ezra, I am about half-way through it and it does not disappoint. Review here; http://www.gobourbon.com/old-ezra-barre ... on-bargain

[NYWhiskey]

Well, my apologies to da Bronx, for suggesting its not a vacation spot.

No, you missed the joke. The South Bronx is the safest millennial place you can go to in the Bronx. So now it's flooded with hims or hers or it's.No worry for your safety. {It's safer than any where]

Yea, I know, our world is totally turned around.

[minerman146]

Well in that case. The Bronx WAS a vacation spot. That is until they closed The Bronx House of Detention for Men in 2006. So for you folks who require Medium Security accommodations, rest assured, we but the Big House BACK in the Bronx. Right here on the Bergen!

framedphoto010.jpg

This is not a random picture.

[minerman146]

Time for the legendary (in my own mind) Wednesday Route Update Post!
First Order of Business - Friday Update:
[ X ] mmmmmm no.
[ ] Oooooh Yeah (visualize the Kool-Aid Man here)

Sorry guys - were still not done working the magic. Close up scenery is currently being worked on to the East of Exterior Street. Everything is on in incline, which is always interesting. I will call this the last half of the build. It will be a couple more weeks then done.

I still haven't heard from anyone regarding putting track in from two different routes and what might happen in Workshop or, worse, to the track.bin file. No matter, I can just test and see. Its bugging me that your switches will not have frogs.

Carry on.