Jim, some of those may have worked street level at the lower Manhattan west side docks. Obviously not 7189, because the snow is still white. We used to call that stuff "wind driven slush", though perhaps less poetic and slightly unfit for prime-time TV. I'll see if I can find some photos of Shays working West Street.
Here's a photo taken around 1910 of a Shay working the Eleventh Ave. (West Side) line in lower Manhattan near West 26th Street. (Credit: http://www.shorpy.com/node/1782) Apparently the Shays were originally purchased for the West Side line, but were later transferred elsewhere on the system when the West Side line was elevated and electrified in the early 1930's. Shay 7189 was relocated to Rochester, NY where the photo was taken that Russell posted. Note the man on horseback leading the train required by a New York City ordinance. Also the ordinance required that the Shays be shrouded in sheet metal to resemble trolleys so that horses would not be frightened. (There are times when one could question the intelligence and logic of elected officials.)
Sorry about that...click on the credit link. It's the lead photo on the linked page. Edit: now the photo is showing, at least for me.
Notice the man in white in the lower left corner sweeping up horse manure. New York City hailed the automobile as a Godsend because the City was having to dispose of nearly 3 Million Pounds of horse manure EVERY DAY!!!! And we think of exhaust pollution as a bad problem.
Hank, I remember reading elsewhere about the fact that they were "disguised" so as to not frighten horses, as was brought out in your photo link. They must have been something to witness running the streets of New Yawk City. I know of no survivors.
^ Maybe it's more like the covered bridge, horses don't think like humans or dogs or birds,..............the pics are awesome, I've always been looking at the Shays of the west coast logging where I grew up, it never occurred to me that they might have coachwork and do big cities. Fascinating! NYC had a few of these and I'd never heard of it 'till now. Way to Go! Steam On! Bobby
I don't know if my comment about covered bridges made it or not but I wanted to plug Shay Locomotives.com. so there you go.
Jason, thanks for the correction. Now looking at the highest detailed photo linked on the Shorpy site, it's obvious the engine doesn't have the same shape as 7189. Also, it's possible to make out the number 11 on the small coal bunker in front now that you've identified it. You must have an extensive roster of NYC locomotives that lists one as insignificant as #11. Though maybe that shouldn't be surprising because I assume #11 would be considered an oddity, if not unique. Is your roster available online, or is it a collection of information that you've acquired over time?
