Do you know your hometown R.R. history?

 

quote:

Do you know your hometown R.R. history?

 

Yes.

Yes, for one, the Lincoln Funeral Train was pulled on the MONON right of way and stopped in MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA and then was pulled to CHICAGO by the MICHIGAN CENTRAL RR with an engineer from MICHIGAN CITY.  Just one little nugget.

 

What he said!

Aside from having the Gladstone branch of the Morris & Essex line (NJ Transit nee Lackawanna) running in front of my house, there was a little known railroad called the Rockaway Valley. Affectionately known as the 'Rockabye' due to it's 'impeccable' track work and engineering (picture swaying cars), started in Whitehouse and ran through Tewksbury and Bedminster and into Gladstone, just a stones throw from the terminus of the Lackawanna. Not sure where it continued from there, although from what I've read, it said it went to Mendham. there are some remnants of it in Gladstone and Bedminster.

I was born in McKeesport hospital.  McKeesport was cursed with having the B&O run right through the middle of town.  Take a step outside of Balsemo's and miss the high rail designed to protect the inattentive and POW you get hit by a train.  You know that hazard is in the layout.  I grew up a few miles south in Elizabeth across the river Clairton where the Union Railroad carried the 4th most freight of any railroad during the years the steel mills boomed.  And slag cars dumped refuse down the hills.  Yep that is on the layout.  And the Pittsburgh McKeesport and Youghiogheny cut right through the rural areas outside of those towns also there on the layout.

I was fortunate to be born (1947) and live in Hoboken, NJ, the Eastern terminal for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western. In addition, I lived right across the street from Maxwell House Coffee on the Hudson River, and the Hoboken Shore Railroad had a small yard and float bridge service there. The mighty Pennsylvania had some sort of car shop on River Road. Further uptown, on the border with Weehawken, was an Erie yard to service industries and the waterfront, and interchange. 

I was also fortunate to have an aunt and uncle and family in Tannersville, PA, so we often took the DL&W to East Stroudsburg. I rode the Phoebe Snow, the Owl, and other famous trains of the road. Obviously, my favorite was the Phoebe Snow. No wonder I love model railroading! Now, I live less than a half hour from Steamtown!

Take care,

Artie

Houston History after 1996:

 

1.  BNSF

2.  Port Terminal

3.  Amtrak

4.  Big Yellow!

Born and raised in Roanoke Virginia. We've got "just a touch" of railroad history there....

 

Gilly

Hometown is Bound Brook ,New Jersey
Definely a RR town past and present
I worked for the CNJ for 6 yrs back in the day

RR I remember  B&O,Reading,LV. Pennsylvania ,Erie Lackawanna and of course the The Little Big RR--CNJ
Glad to see Bound Brook is a popular rail fan location
Keep the YouTube videos coming

Many people are surprised to learn many towns in Texas are named after railroads (as opposed to railroads named after the towns they served) and railroad employees.  Examples:  Frisco, Katy, Santa Fe (towns); and Crowley, Denison, Ennis, Keller, Sealy, Taylor, Temple (officials).