Last ACMU *revenue* trips 10/29

Went to Bronxville this morning to observe and attempt to photograph the last ACMU soutbound runs of the morning rush.

You read about famous last runs in the area. The last GG-1 on NJT. The last Blueliners on SEPTA. The last Lackawanna MU's on NJT. The dismantling of the Third Avenue El. Hundreds of shutters snapping all along the route.

This morning, the only people lined up to see the ACMU's were the New York-bound commuters at Bronxville. There was a chill in the air and the day was dawning cool and overcast. Bleary-eyed, I pointed my car towards Bronxville to meet up with my friend.

The sun began to rise (but not break through the clouds) around 7:30. Train 516 came down the middle track and tooted a little salute when he saw us with cameras. I'm not sure exactly what I got a picture of (it was DARK according to my camera's meter), but I squeezed off a shot. Next train 528 came down... it was a little brighter at this point, but not by much.
It was strange watching the last southbound runs through a viewfinder. All too soon, the trains were already around the bend...

Train 528 turned to 2523, so we headed to Scarsdale, and took a perch on the pedestrian overpass from the parking garage. I had a nice tele-wedgie set up for the northbounds that were coming around the bend. All too soon, 2523 was departing Crestwood... a flurry of shutters snapping and it was all over. No fan fare, no banners proclaiming farewell...

My friend is on the last northbound ACMU as we speak... after December 5, our classic NYC cars will be gone for long time, it appears. Who thought you could wax poetic over a P-S product from the 1960s!!

-otto-

Very interesting, Otto.
As much as there were things that I did not like about those cars, I am
still kind of sorry to see them go.
I don't think they build things like that any more.
They owe the railroad NOTHING.
Noel Weaver

Had a chance to inspect some real up close recently... I can understand why operating crews may not have liked them. Drafty cab, stubborn doors, PA's in some cars and not others... "Missing them" is pure railfan sentiment... no matter how impractical the cars may have been in everyday operation!

-otto-

One nice thing though - MN has kept them in decent condition until the very end. Those of us who lived along the LIRR remember how crappy the old diesel fleet was in the late 90's, and how the M-1s are now

Hey - who's going on the ACMU trip? I called and got my tix today - there's still a few available.

The real sad part about the end of these cars is that no one, no one is saving even just one of them. This is a piece of history being lost here and not one museum is even taking one of them. Everyone laments that not one Hudson was saved. Well back then there really weren't railroad museums to speak of. Now we do but no one is saving just one of these cars. If I had the space and the town where I live in would give me a C of O, I'd take one and store it on my property.

it would overshadow the G Gauge tracks bill

Unaware that these cars, which I recall being placed in service during the "sixties" when I still lived in the area, were about to be retired, I observed a "string' of them on a siding near Ossning when passing aboard #49 (25).

The string you saw were either at the Croton East yard (8 cars)
1114-1126-1136-1140-1160-1163-1169-1178

Or 23 cars at Chevy yard in Tarrytown :
1138-1144-1154-1159-1172-1183-1125-1149-1164-1166-1168-1182-
1185-1105-1109-1115-1118-1121-1130-1131-1133-1145-1156
both these groups are ready to be shipoped to scrapper and are disabled.

Cars held for winter emergencies are at North white Plains and are :
1100-1102-1107-1110-1113-1117-1119-1120-1122-1123-1124-1127-
1128-1132-1135-1141-1143-1146-1148-1150-1153-1155-1157-1158-
1165-1167-1171-1175-1179-1180

Hey - who's going on the ACMU trip? I called and got my tix today - there's still a few available.

I'm taking my 4 year old son Cheers

John

What time was the last N/B one ?I just happened to be visiting Tuckahoe&
Eastchester Friday.I was staying at The Radisson in New Rochelle&went
to Tuckahoe via Fordham Rd.in the morning&back late in the afternoon
to P/U 5:15 S/B Amtrak to NewarkJust curious as to how much I missed it by.

It probably passed through Tuckahoe on or around 7:15 pm on 10/29.

-otto-