When were DL&W electric MUs retired?

TS Tom mentioned the send-off the last MU received from the other trains in the station when they all leaned on the horns. They still do that from time to time when particuarly popular and/or legendary conductors and engineers retire and leave the station for their final journey.

It's really something all railfans and railroaders should hear: First one, then two, then five, ten and finally two to three dozen engines and cabs cars blasting their horns as loud as possible. It's absolutely deafening. Not a dry eye in Hoboken when that happens. It's sort of the Railroaders' 21-Gun Salute.

NJT has tried to curtail it (they apparently get complaints from a few grouchy commuters), but they seem to look the other way when a 45-year employee is heading out on his last trip.

Idiot,

They did it in January of 2002 when ex Lackawanna engineer Bill Davidson retired after 56 years of service! They gave him a nice horn blowing send off!!!

Steve
Tears in my eyes just remembering it.
http://www.ble.org/pr/journal/summer02/story9.html [/url]

There actually is a special instruction that refers to the "send off" out of Hoboken....

ME 19-1 B - It has been a long standing tradition in Hoboken Terminal to sound the horns of trains in the station to honor T and E employees upon their retirement. While it is important to pay tribute to our employees, it is also important to remember that passengers in the terminal may be inconvienced by this practice. As a result, when an employee is being honored in this manner only the horns on the west end of the equipment may be sounded (it is bolded in the SI book)

Although I have never heard or been a witness to this event, I think it would be a tremendous privledge to be a part of it sometime in the too many years before I retire.

What do you all think about doing that out of NYP???? Do you think there might be some complaints?

IR -

Off topic....but related.

About 12-13 years ago was aboard a United flight from Newark to LA. Just before take-off I purchased the earphones as I liked to listen to the music as well as the cockpit to controller dialogue ( back when they had this feature ).

Turns out the Captain on my flight was retiring after 35 years or so of service.

Somehow, every air traffic controller between Newark and LA ( about 6 AIR ) knew it was this gentleman's last flight and each broke nomal voice transmission protocol with straight-forward best wishes to him as they signed off and passed him on to the next ATC center westbound.

In addition, several other flights of other carriers who were in earshot of our flight broke in on the radio transmissions with additional verbal salutes all the way west.

It was really quite interesting and quite emotional. Our Captain was obviously quite moved by the send-offs and well-wishes....pretty classy stuff too.

Upon disembarking at LAX, I made a point to briefly stop and shake the man's hand myself as he stood just outside the cockpit.

Jtgshu wrote:NYP???? Do you think there might be some complaints?

Oh man, imagine how that would sound! :D

TST--

When my father retired about 10 years ago, it was much the same thing. He fit both the "popular" and "legendary" descriptions. At his last train, there were so many people it looked like the President or Elvis was making an appearance. Every commuter stopped to say good bye, including many who left work early or who no longer commuted but made a special trip to be there. Some knew him for 40 years. All his kids, grandchildren, nephews and nieces were there. All the brass from Hoboken AND Newark came to see him off, including Shirley D. We had a party that started in Hoboken and lasted all the way to the last stop. There were even a few reporters along for the ride (The veteran reporter for The Record was astonished about how one railroad conductor was such a big part of so many people's lives). Many commuters made sure their spouses and kids were waiting on the platforms so my father could meet them.

A few days later we had his "official" retirement party, and it was really gratifying to see how many of his passengers came.

I made a pretty good videotape that recorded the horns pretty well. You could hear as each joined in. But you really have to be there. Like I said, not a dry eye to be found (including me!)

JT--

If you ever hear of this happening, you MUST do whatever it takes to be there. It's really something!

There should be st least a couple engineers retiring later this year. I will try to remember to post the date of their last trip, as it is really something to hear.

I remember when I was commuting from Hoboken in the early 90's, that they gave this one time long conducter this great send off on his last trip to Port Jervis. They actually leased from Morristown and Erie a M&E Bussiness car to the end of the set of comets to head off to Port Jervis. I was on a Boonton line train next to the Jervis train. As the Port Jervis train left with M&E Bussiness Car in tow, the horns at Hoboken were blasting.

Train Bill

I have never heard the "Send Off" at Hoboken, but would love to be there to hear one. Its not just any railroad's tradition, it is one (if not the only) of the DL&W practices still observed today.

Tri State Tom -- United still has the tower chatter channel, although it is noted "At the Pilots discression" in the in-filght magizine. Listed to it last February on my way to San Diego. Cool feautre.

IR, sorry I didn't drop a line closer to when you actually made your post, but that is a terrific story about your father....you should be very proud, and I can tell you are.

I can only hope and dream for 1/1000 of a "sendoff" when I retire in almost another 4 decades (who knows what the RRB requirements will be then!!! - I might be working until im 80 - oh God!!!)

But it is true, even in such a relatively short time that I have been working for the railroad, the amount of "friends" I have made, and the assoicated bonds with some passengers. Some passengers know better than us which trainman went to what job, who got bumped, who's working where and when and what they are up to!!! For the most part, the same guys work the same line day in and day out, and there are only so many of us to go around, and after awhile, well, some passegners become part of the routine too, adn when they aren't there, you notice, just as they do us.

I was on one train so long (almost 2 years) that I know where everyone in my car was going when they got on....I would ask to see their monthlies once a month, and from then on, often times, I would give them a seatcheck on the platform, without even asking where they are going because I knew already!!

IR -

I second Jt's comments regarding Dad's send-off !!!

bald -

" United still has the tower chatter channel, although it is noted "At the Pilots discression" in the in-filght magizine. Listed to it last February on my way to San Diego. Cool feautre. "

Didn't know that....haven't had occasion to use United in some time now.

BTW, I think United also used to let you 'watch' the cockpit on the old video screens/closed circuit camera in the cabin in tandem with the earphones.

On another occasion via United I watched/listened as we taxied out to the runway. At one point the Newark tower rather abruptly said " United 19 - WHERE ARE YOU GOING ?!! MAKE AN IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN SIR !!! "

At this point the video screen went blank and the audio also went 'off the air'....

I quickly surmised that our Captain this day had taken the wrong taxiway on his way out to the take-off runway !

THAT I could have done without !

Oh and Jt, if you ever get a sendoff (out of NYP? hahaha) I'll be sure to be there! But by then, you'll probably just want to work on the Hoboken to Bay Head expresses for the nap time so you may get your Hoboken send off after all!