Penn Central / LIRR interchanging at Fresh Pond

Did Penn Central use any of it's somewhat exotic four- and six-axle Alco's, such as RS-27's, RS-32's, RSD-12's, RSD-15's, Century 628's, 630's and 636's, on the runs to and from Fresh Pond across Hell Gate Bridge, or was that the realm of PC's EMD and GE locomotives?

Legio X wrote:Did Penn Central use any of it's somewhat exotic four- and six-axle Alco's, such as RS-27's, RS-32's, RSD-12's, RSD-15's, Century 628's, 630's and 636's, on the runs to and from Fresh Pond across Hell Gate Bridge, or was that the realm of PC's EMD and GE locomotives?

RS-11's sometimes ended up on one of the locals and also RS-3's too.
As for the through jobs, generally four axle GE's or EMD's but mostly
GE's.
Six axle power went over the bridge a few times in PC days but after the
through LI job started running via the Beacon Branch and through
Danbury, four axle power was just about the rule.
During Penn Central days, six axle power was un-officially restricted from
running on the Beacon Branch between Beacon and Hopewell Junction. It
did run a few times but it was very rare.
After Conrail upgraded the track on the Beacon Branch, it was a different
story and six axle power was common.
Hope this helps.
Noel Weaver

So RS-3's and RS-11's would be used to service Penn Central's local customers on the Bay Ridge Branch? Did they ever have T-6 switchers working the yards in the Bronx or send them over Hell Gate to work the Bay Ridge Branch also?

How about the Evergreen Branch in Brooklyn? Was'nt that a Penn Central line also? What kind of motive power was used there?

I'm not that up on the PC power but when I worked the FP job in'73, the main power was a triple header of larger engines and they brought along a road switcher, probably 1000 or 1500hp to go do "Evergreens"
I found out after awhile that there was no more Evergreen branch as we knew it, but the whole Bay Ridge branch was referred to as "Evergreens" to the PC crews.

The unofficial policy on the Alco junk was to send them back west ASAP.
Nothing but trouble for us shop guys. Never much in the way of parts to be had-plus it was like pulling teeth to get the craftspeople to work on 'em.

Eventually, they were concentrated at points like Mingo Jct, Morrisville and so on.

RIP

Easy on that ALCO junk! I'll have no of that here.
Sad, but I have to agree what with ALCO out of business in 1969 and not a great record with their diesel engines. Just like all the other minor builders; FM, Baldwin nobody wanted them and they went on the wayside.

Mike

I remember that line when it was all electric, (GG1s etc.) four tracks and very busy. Maybe if they ever build that tunnel from Brooklyn ro N.J. it will be busy again

Did PC or NH power layover in the Fresh Pond yards, or was it a quick in and out at Fremont?

i recall one very dark winter's night in the mid-1970's being up on the tracks around Calamus Avenue which is just south of where the line crosses over the L.I.R.R. mainline watching the night turn from Oak Point to Fremont returning to Oak Point . in those days there was two trains to Fremont . i seem to recall somebody telling me that the a.m. train was the " L.I. 1 " and the p.m. train was the " L.I. 2 " . on this particular night the second unit was a cabless unit . it was too dark to see a number and i often wondered what type of locomotive it was , i have never seen a cabless unit on the line since .

>>>i have never seen a cabless unit on the line since <<<

Havent spied one of the P&W cabless units yet? It was real neat when they were coming down still in BN paint.

I'm going to show my age now. I used to live in Brooklyn in the 1960's not too far from the tracks and I used to bike down and watch the long NH freights going back and forth. Sometimes I got lucky and I got to see a local LIRR freight. The NH trains seemed be moving very fast either way. I used to walk along the tracks to the Brooklyn Terminal Market. The line was so busy back then and stupid me, never had a camera! Oh well, I still have the memories.

Mike

I remember playing on those tracks in the 50's (early 50's) by the A&P warehouse in Ridgewood. There must have been five tracks, all overhead electric, and very busy. Every year someone would climb up on a box car and get zapped, really zapped. I remember there being a concrete passenger platform at Myrtle Ave. with stairs leading to the street with the entrance blocked up. I never knew that there was passenger service until now.
It's hard to believe that its the same place today, no wires, one track and the Fresh Pond Tower is even gone. At that time who would have thought

My Dad would get called out for any accident on the Bay Ridge line. When you wrote about kids getting "zapped", it reminded me of a Saturday, around 1965 or so, when kids climbed a slow NH freight. Standing on the boxcar, he tried to grab the wires and pull himself up so a few cars would pass under him. All they found at the scene was a charred torso, burnt beyond recognition and no limbs. 11,000 volts will do that.

Wow, where was that exactly. I also remember that happening, because I saw it! It was around the same time. Please find out where.

Mike

Ya ghouls!!