Five pieces of rolling stock are displayed at the former Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger station in Ithaca, NY.
they have been there 40 years! placed there in 1970.
The station housed a Resturant for most of the past 40 years..however it is now a Chemung Canal Bank branch.
(since 2007 or 2008.)
some history - http://www.ithacastation.com/history.html
(even thought the restuarnt no longer exists, their webpage is still live! last updated in 2007)
First photo is a view of the Station..
built in 1885, and still looking great!
LEHIGH VALLEY still shows proudly over the entrance!
The locomotive is Solvay Process #63, an 0-4-0T built by Alco Cooke in 1928.
There are two red wood coaches, and a green steel coach..
the two red coaches are believed to be Boston & Maine..(probably because it says B&M on their trucks)
their exact numbers are unknown.
The green steel coach is the reason I stopped by, because I read on-line that it might be a Lehigh Valley coach!
but no one knew for sure..
Looking over the coach, lettering is visable under the green paint!
you can clearly see "Lehigh Valley" across the top, and the number 94141 is visable on both sides, under the paint.
(you can see the raised relief of the letters and numbers under the latest coat of paint)
LV 94141 is a "Tool Car"..a piece of MOW equipment..
its a coach converted to work train service at Sayre..
94140 began life as an 800 or 900 series coach, built by Pullman in 1914.
I dont yet know its original number..
Trucks on the LV car say "LVRR 1914"
So this car has undergone at least three major changes..
began life as a standard heavyweight steel coach.
then converted by the LV into a "tool car"..exterior window pattern was changed at this time.
the resturant converted the car's interior into a sleeping/hotel/B&B type room..although the exterior retains
its "tool car" pattern..
The second red coach (the third car in the "train") is another presumed B&M coach.
Trucks of the B&M cars all say "B&M 10495"..all FOUR trucks are identical! (two trucks under two cars)
and all say "B&M 10495"..so clearly 10495 is not a coach road number..
And finally, the caboose:
I could see no clues to its heritage, except for markings on the trucks..the caboose has two different styles of Bettendorf trucks..one says "NYC" and the other says "NYCL"..which implies New York Central heritage..assuming one of the trucks is original..which might not be true..
(update! (see below) the Caboose is New York Central 18385.)
If anyone has more details about the heritage of any of this equipment, please let me know!
I will update this page with better info, if any comes to light..
thanks,
Scot
