What are your interests in the L&HR?

I worked second trick G tower from '60 to '64 and again in '72 just before G closed. I worked with L&H dispatchers Clyde LaRue until he died, and then Tom Carr. The L&H guys were friendly. "Famous" Moe Dunn, who came to the L&H from another short line, was a fast engineer. Jack Chamberlain was another nice engineer, as was Tom McGovern whom I talked to on the phone a few years ago. Kenny Spranger, whom I also talked to some years ago, and Joe Spranger, Jr., conductors were god guys. One day I let the LV drill back up over the bridge into Hudson Yard on top of them while thy were making up a train. The drill shoved them onto the main. Later when they went by, Joe Spranger, Jr. on the caboose gave me a look that could kill. All they did was tell me that I wasn't supposed to let the drill in when they were in the yard; not to do that again. They didn't turn me in.
Philip Martin

Great stuff Phil. When The CNYK took over the Southern Tier from NS, I was sent up to be part of the signal dept, and , as NS was still dispatching the line, I had the pleasure of working with Frank Orricio. He had spent time as an opertor at G tower also, so as someone who grew up along the L&H, we talked about the good old days once or twice.
In the early 80s I also had the pleasure of taking a cab ride with Tom McGovern and Charlie Kittner from Huntsville to Franklin and return. Never met Kenny Spanger but my mom did work with his wife at the Green Twep. school cafiteria for awhile.

They told me that my job was to keep the drill out while they were in there. I still remember what they said.
P. W. Early was the superintendent in those days. L&H orders were signed PWE.
Philip Martin

L&HR C&S wrote:Great stuff Phil. When The CNYK took over the Southern Tier from NS, I was sent up to be part of the signal dept, and , as NS was still dispatching the line, I had the pleasure of working with Frank Orricio. He had spent time as an opertor at G tower also, so as someone who grew up along the L&H, we talked about the good old days once or twice.
In the early 80s I also had the pleasure of taking a cab ride with Tom McGovern and Charlie Kittner from Huntsville to Franklin and return. Never met Kenny Spanger but my mom did work with his wife at the Green Twep. school cafiteria for awhile.

Frank Orrechio is a nice guy. I didn't know that he had worked G. Of course he went on to work for the government, FRA or something. I'd taken a lot of train photos when I was a teen ager and he suggested that I submit them to Trains magazine.
When I talked to Kenny Spranger I got his phone number off the internet. As I recall, he lived in Greendell, by the Lackawanna Cutoff. When I tried again to reach him on the phone more recently, I couldn't find him.
Thanks for the response.
Philip Martin,

L&HR C&S wrote:Great stuff Phil. When The CNYK took over the Southern Tier from NS, I was sent up to be part of the signal dept, and , as NS was still dispatching the line, I had the pleasure of working with Frank Orricio. He had spent time as an opertor at G tower also, so as someone who grew up along the L&H, we talked about the good old days once or twice.
In the early 80s I also had the pleasure of taking a cab ride with Tom McGovern and Charlie Kittner from Huntsville to Franklin and return. Never met Kenny Spanger but my mom did work with his wife at the Green Twep. school cafiteria for awhile.

The last time I talked to Frank, I was at Morgan Draw, and he was dispatching the Chemical Coast Line, the CNJs old line between Port Newark and Perth Amboy. I didn't know that he had gone to the NS. I couldn't take his suggestion about submitting my old photos to Trains, because I no longer had them.
Philip

My great grandfather worked all his life for the L&HR, working his way up to chief clerk, plus his brother was a railroad bridge carpenter. Cannot say for sure what years I'm looking at, but G-GF was Joseph Osborne (1882-1961), brother was James (1876- ?). I never met either of them, but would love to find anything that placed them in that employment (beyond U.S. Census records).

Not Census, or employment records, but I have a copy of Breed's 1899 Directory here.

In Warwick, there are three Osborns listed (no ages given, and no 'e'):

James Osborn, employee, feed mill (there were several in town at the time), home Smith Street

Joseph P. Osborn, laborer (L&HR), home Smith Street

Edward Osborn, clerk (L&HR), home Main Street

I was in school with a Sandy Osborn (now Kurtz); she was class of '64, I was '65. Her father worked for the L&HR, but I don't remember his job. I'll have to give her a call and ask her- I'd bet it's the same family.

Well, that's the my family all right.
Joseph P, my g-gf, was 17 in 1899, and the story as told by my grandmother was he worked for the L&HR since 'he was a boy'. Laborer by '99 fits- earlier he 'emptied waste baskets'.
I have no descendant info for James- he listed the L&HR as employeer on his '17 WWI draft registration card, still worked for them in '20. He did marry.
Edward was another brother, in '20 he worked as a clerk for an 'express company'- perhaps a business that shipped on the L&HR? His only child was a son.

Your friend Sandy would have to be a grandchild to these brothers if related, beyond her father's career there. Only place she would fit, if from the same tree, would be from James. I would very much like to contact her for genealogical info exchange if that is so- please PM me if you find anything out.

WQ,
Was your great uncle a bridge carpenter for LHR specifically? We found some old pics from 1906-1908 of the reconstruction of Phillipsburg Bridge during the archive discoveries last year, it does show a few men working on the bridge (Unfortunately , the names of the men working are not included on the pictures).

I cannot say for sure. My branch and his never crossed in my or my mother's time. He lived with my G-GF in Newark at 1 point, then he was in Warwick w/ G-GF and both were working for the RR... G-GF Joseph being chief clerk for the L&HR... so that scant info points --but does nothing to confirm-- that G-uncle James Cole Osborn(e) also worked for the L&HR.

Any chance I could see one of those bridge reconstruction pics?

Did any of the recently discovered L&HR archives detail employees records; any chance my G-GF's name appears anywhere?

WQ,
I can PM the pictures to you when I get home tonight. 2 of them are featured in my book.You really can't distinguish faces too well of the men. Next time i'm up at the archives I will search for your family name. If i recall there were records from 1912 onwards. Apparently some of the earlier records and files were lost in a fire before that or may have been destroyed by the LHR.What town do you live in?
Paul

My parents are originally from Middletown, but I've lived in central Jersey all my life - Hopewell & North Brunswick (tho I do get up to the Middletown/ Otisville/ Port Jervis area a few times every year). '12 would not be too late; G-GF J P Osborn(e) would only have been 30. Thanks very much for sending the pic!

Grew up in Franklin, NJ, 4 th house from the mine hill spur that connected the NJZ yard w/the tailings dump[aka old open pit]
Hung around the yards most summers, snuck rides on the footboard of #60's tender as it pushed cars up the hill. Am modeling the mine/mill, company houses and downtown. Heard about this forum today.
Anyone have a close up pic of the 1900 series 70 Ton covered hoppers -Blt RDG shops; or 2000 series 70 ton, Blt CNJ shops?
I need the detail of the car's bottom in order to model the hoppers.

I have an affinity for Warwick, having lived there for about a year, right around time of the Persian Gulf War.

Jim Boyd did great presentation at EastRail in Washington, NJ, yesterday.

Jeanne
http://www.jpalazzo.org
Subpage: Rails

Jeanne GG1 wrote:I have an affinity for Warwick, having lived there for about a year, right around time of the Persian Gulf War.

Jim Boyd did great presentation at EastRail in Washington, NJ, yesterday.

Jeanne
http://www.jpalazzo.org
Subpage: Rails

Yes it was a good presentation on the CNJ. I especially liked his photos of the High Bridge branch and he and Tracy Antz where nice enough to answer some of my questions and sign my Morning Sun book. Looking forward to next year already.