NYCRR remembered forever. My Grandfather ran steam for many years Buffalo and points East, he retired in 59'
My father died when I was young, we had rode the trains together many season's night and day on the"Water Level Route" he had a managment position and often left the babysitting of me to the diner car crew or Brakeman and often the locomotive crew if I behaved.
Buffalo on snowy nights, NYC lights, Harmon to the Park ave.tunnel, Grand Central, Colinwood yard east of Cleveland employee boarding of the 20th Century. Sneaking back to my dad in the observation car on the ESE. For some reason i loved standing in the vestibule as the Brakeman or Conductor would open the upper window approaching a station to look out, swirling snow blowing about and I could usally get a look and a smell as floor plates shifted underfoot; the sounds and the smells are always so very important to the memory. After dad died at 44 the railroad awarded all his children and my mother a lifetime pass. I used it frequently, Cleveland to NYC , and Cleveland to Buffalo.
Second place, the Great Northern, both uncles worked out of Whitefish MT. one apparently used to hunt with JJ Hill in Glacier Park regions. At age 13, I rode the Empire Builder alone from Seattle to MSP, then on the Burlington to Chicago, then on the NYCRR to Cleveland. An adventure I will never forget, trainmen looking out for me all along the way. Today I live not far from the famed Cascade division of the GNRR and love the history of the route.
Sant Fe just plain looked good, who couldnt love the Hollywood stars and starlets often feautured traveling on the Chief as she streaked across a fire colored desert at sunset.
I believe I could come to like the PRR...... however lets let Grandpa's ghost sleep.
k
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