Great Photo of an earlier day, thanks. Love the one-horsepower pickup and station wagon. Would this be considered a "Woodie"? LOL Can't tell if the loco's front coupler is a knuckle or link-n-pin? Probably a knuckle in 1899. Though it still has Stephenson valve gear and a slide valve, so probably 1880-ish vintage.
Elkhart was on LEW's route and maybe he can figure the date. LEW, I'm not implying that you were operating back then!
Now Fitz you are telling me that I am not 88 yrs. young. We still had a yard engine we manned when I started The water tower and part of the depot was still there . There was a first and second trick jobs we had the second . The ground crew was Elkhart switchmen and the engineer was part time from the mainline . I fired steam but by the time I started running it was all diesel . The Alka-Seltzer plant was the last plant to the north on the B4 to Niles and Benton Harbor. The end of track was at this plant . At this location our train was behind us ,so we had to make a drop to get them ahead of us . This crew was different from most because the conductor gave the signals . The condr. would man the switch and we started the drop I never watched the man who was going to pull the pin on the engine ,but watched the condr. . With the engine throttle wide open and watching the condr. for a signal and when given apply the brake just enough and long enough for the brakeman to get the pin and away we would go into the side track and as we went by the switch apply sand the throttle in wide open position , come to a stop just to clear the main . The condr. would line the switch for the main and the brakeman riding the cars would bring the cars to a stop . I have made this move with 3 cars ahead of the engine and 3-4 cars in the track which ment you had about 2 or 3 cars of room after you stopped . Even with this short space you charged into the track as if you had 5 mile of clear track . The secret was make sure you stopped just in the clear . If you look on page 502 of the NYC lines vol. 2 you can see the engines the B4 had on this date . LEW
I never did get around to what year is the photo. If you look at the NYCSHS vol. 2 page 503 the date is 1905. That engine and the one at Elkhart look like brothers . They both have a fold up couplers on the front . I think the link and pin had to be replaced by 1903 . Looking at that and the fact that automobiles are not in sight I would say that the 1899-1905 date is about right . These engines probably are from the Cincinnati Wabash & Michigan which is the railroad name before it became the B4 in 1891 . LEW
Thanks, LEW, not only for your experiences, which are always not only welcome but looked forward to; but also for the reference to Edson/Vail's terrific NYC books. That photo on page 503 clearly shows a brother to the engine in the original post, and yes, adding more to the history here, most likely came from the Cincinnati, Wabash & Michigan. There is such a rich history in the various lines that eventually became the Big Four.
