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New York Museum of Transportation
HEADEND
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THE EASTERN CROSSWAYBy Charles R. Lowe, NYMT Trustee Just fifty years ago, on December 1, 1964, the final construction barricades were removed from the original 490/590 highway interchange when the section of the Outer Loop from I-490 south to Monroe Avenue was finally opened. Although completely rebuilt since then, this original interchange reigned for a quarter century as the most complex spot to traverse on Rochester's expressway system. Here's the full story of this infamous interchange. Rochester's expressway system grew in the decades immediately following the end of World War II in 1945. The Thruway, conceived at this time, was to lie somewhat to the south of Rochester to maintain the shortest route between Albany and Buffalo. Rochester's main interchange in Henrietta (now Exit 46) was to be augmented by an Eastern Thruway Connection and a Western Thruway Connection, now I-490, connecting to the Thruway at interchanges near Victor (Exit 45) and Leroy (Exit 47). Circumferential expressways were to ring Rochester as well--the Rochester Outer Loop and the Rochester Inner Loop. The intersections of these loops with the Thruway connections were to be massive expressway-to-expressway interchanges, a confusion of ramps and bridges not seen at local road interchanges on expressways. Building expressways proved quite a challenge to State officials. Most State highway work before World War II consisted of improving two-lane country highways. One answer lay with consulting engineering firms. A consultant was employed for the challenging section of the Eastern Thruway Connection, all on new alignment, between Bushnell's Basin and Fairport Road. |
The eleven bridges needed on this section of expressway were a shocking amount of bridge construction, but when the new expressway opened in 1955 drivers in the area rejoiced. The next section of the Eastern Thruway Connection to be built, between Fairport Road and South Landing Road on the roadbed of the abandoned Rochester and Syracuse interurban railway, was designed by State forces. It was the very first project in the Rochester area to be funded with the then-revolutionary federal Interstate funding. The nationwide Interstate System came into being in 1956. To encourage expressway construction, the federal government agreed to pay 90% of approved highways' construction costs, far greater than federal funding for other types of highway construction. This highway opened to the public in 1958 as far as the Linden Avenue interchange. So far, the choices of where to locate the Eastern Thruway Connection had been obvious, since open farmland and the trolley roadbed guided the way. Within city limits, though, no obvious route existed for an expressway. The official State plan, proposed in 1947, was to widen University Avenue to eight lanes. A howling citizenry registered disapproval but could not find consensus on some other route. The Rochester Subway, following the old Erie Canal alignment, had opened with great hope in 1927 but proved to be a disappointing passenger carrier. By the early 1950s, it was becoming clear that public transit was in decline as more and more individuals purchased automobiles for personal use. The City of Rochester owned the Subway and was disinclined to consider abandonment, expecting it to play a useful part in anticipated post-war growth of the community. |
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| The 1947 plan for the interchange between the Rochester Outer Loop and the Eastern Thruway Connection featured a partial cloverleaf with stop lights on the Outer Loop, and a large bridge carrying the University Avenue Arterial over the New York Central Auburn Branch. Note that the continuation of the Outer Loop south of the Eastern Thruway Connection would have resulted in much destruction of residential property. |
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In fact, the 1947 plan proposed expressway lanes be built alongside the passenger tracks of the Subway between Clinton and Monroe Avenues as part of a separate "Monroe Avenue Expressway". However, in September 1954, in a stunning reversal, the Common Council decided to abandon Subway passenger service in favor of highway construction. The thought of converting gracious University Avenue into a roaring arterial no doubt repulsed both city officials and businessmen along that important street. In 1956, passenger service over the entire Subway was abandoned, along with freight service east of Meigs Street. This permitted the construction of an expressway on this route beginning in 1958. From Clinton Avenue near downtown to Colby Street, about a mile from the city line, cross streets were put on new overhead bridges. The expressway itself was fantastically wide and consisted of three lanes of shining concrete pavement laid in each direction. When it was opened to traffic in 1960, it left a tantalizingly short two-mile gap in the newly renamed Eastern Expressway between Colby Street and Linden Avenue. Soon, it was imagined, commuters could whisk into and out of Rochester without stoplights to and from their east-side suburban homes. The Rochester Outer Loop was proposed to cross the Eastern Expressway in this gap. To the south, the Subway alignment was available for building a leg of the proposed Rochester Outer Loop. The Outer Loop was to continue north of the Eastern Expressway on open lands. In the 1947 plan, a partial clover leaf interchange with stoplights on the Outer Loop was proposed, but by the mid-1950s it was obvious that only a free-flowing expressway could possibly satisfy the traveling public's needs and future desires. In 1954, when the City agreed to use the bed of the Subway for a highway, State engineers reconsidered the situation where the Eastern Expressway and the Outer Loop would cross. In addition to the planned expressways, both the New York Central Auburn Branch railroad and busy East Avenue cut through the site. University Avenue terminated nearby. Several important businesses lay to the north. A cemetery lay to the southwest. Homes were sprinkled through the site and to the southeast. The city line cut thought the site, introducing multiple jurisdictions. The busy new York Central mainline lay just to the north. Major utilities, including American Telegraph and Telephone's "Long Lines" telephone cables for cross-country service, water mains and Rochester Gas & Electric's power lines crossed through the site along East Avenue. As if all that was not enough, Grass Creek flowed through the area and drained to the north. The site in which the expressways were to merge was hemmed in on all sides. It was obvious that some land would need to be acquired, but how much? This was an important issue as the cost of land acquisition was largely borne by the individual states. State engineers started by designing the layout for the Auburn branch railroad bridge that would have been required for the old University Avenue expressway route; the footprint of this structure became the starting point around which the future interchange's land acquisitions were planned. Open land just east of the former Blossom Road Yard of Rochester Transit Corporation proved suitable for the Outer Loop north of the Eastern Expressway. Once Subway lands to the south became available, it was apparent that the Outer Loop south of the Eastern Expressway would most easily be built on this corridor. However, these two segments did not line up, being offset by more than half a mile. This created a short, 3,000-foot-long portion of the Outer Loop that would have to run in an east-west fashion along the Eastern Expressway. Knowing that only a free-flowing interchange would satisfy traffic needs, State engineers studied many types of interchanges. Some fourteen designs were considered. The narrow shape of the available right-of-way, with the 3,000-foot offset in the Outer Loop, guided engineers to consider a "weaving section" style of interchange. Two such interchanges had been built, one in Oakland, California, and the other at the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. During 1955, State engineers determined the lengths of the weaving sections that traffic in Rochester might need. A break-through occurred when it was realized that a multi-level interchange could be built, with the local features such as the NYC Auburn Branch on the middle level, and the weaving on the bottom and top levels. While it was ultimately decided that the westbound-southbound weave would end up on the bottom level and the eastbound-northbound weave would be on the highest level, the reverse of this arrangement was considered and found to be less desirable. For the new interchange, known by State engineers as the "East Avenue Interchange", the weaving sections had to be about 900 feet in length. The remainder of the 3,000-foot offset was required for the curves on the Outer Loop. Threading the connecting ramps through the maze formed by East Avenue, the Auburn Branch and the weaving sections was troublesome. The adoption of two levels required that two bridges be built at the New York Central mainline, one above and one below. Building the railroad-over-highway bridge would be especially expensive and require a shoo-fly so the railroad could bypass the construction site. A shoo-fly was also required for the Auburn Branch bridge over East Avenue. Eventually, with much trial-and-error work, approximate alignments were created for the connecting ramps. It was desired that University Avenue be directly connected to the expressway system. University Avenue was a major thoroughfare which ran directly to the east side of downtown Rochester and was to link into the Rochester Inner Loop; it had been the original choice for the Eastern Expressway route before 1954 for these reasons. A total of four University Avenue ramps, one on and one off, for both the Eastern Expressway and the Outer Loop to the north, were provided. Inclusion of these ramps greatly complicated the design, but nevertheless they were included in the final contracts. In this way, the Eastern Expressway--Outer Loop interchange would serve both local and through traffic in one location. |
One of the advantages of the weaving section style of interchange was that it required only a modest amount of bridge construction. This kept the cost of construction reasonably low. The interchange straddled the city line, which proved a blessing. While the whole interchange was designed as a single concept, two separate contracts were let, with the section lying in Brighton being let in 1958 and the section in the city being let in 1960. This spread out the cost of the interchange over several years. During the design of this complicated interchange, State engineers casually referred to the design as a "can of worms" since there were so many ramps racing about in a small, confined area. The press, which covered the project with great relish, quickly picked up on the moniker. The earliest known publication of the nickname was in 1957, and despite official efforts to rename it, the interchange was almost universally referred to as the "Can of Worms." Eventually, in 1962, the Rochester Times-Union sponsored a naming contest for the interchange. The winning name, "Eastern Crossway," found official sanction but the derisive "Can of Worms" unfortunately dogged the interchange during construction and beyond.
On February 2, 1956, the Rochester Times-Union printed this early version of the weaving section interchange design. Some changes were adopted in the final design plans, one of which was the elimination of weave shown between the Eastern Expressway mainline and the northerly-most ramp to University Avenue. Construction on the interchange largely took place between 1959 and 1962. For about two years, the interchange was largely completed, but the Outer Loop lanes to the south had yet to be extended far enough south to reach the local road interchanges at Highland, Elmwood and Monroe Avenues, and the great weaving sections were really functioning only as overblown entrance or exit ramps. All that changed on December 1, 1964 when the last barricades for the ramps to and from the Outer Loop to the south were removed. There was great anticipation in engineering and law enforcement circles at this time. Public officials were quoted as saying "It is a dangerous thing" and "Maybe it will work and maybe it won't" in the Rochester Times-Union. The motoring public, eager for the challenge, overwhelmed the interchange soon after its opening.
On a sunny morning in July 1984, the westbound weaving section is full with rush hour traffic. Heavy southbound traffic from the Outer Loop, seen on the curved two-lane roadway in lower foreground, is blending with westbound traffic from the Eastern Expressway. Notice that to stay on the same route, 490 or 590, drivers had to change lanes in the weaving section.Photo by Charles R. Lowe Almost immediately, the conceptual weakness of the weaving sections became apparent. To stay on the same route, be it the Eastern Expressway or the Outer Loop, required that the driver had to change lanes, "weaving" through traffic on the left and right that was simultaneously trying to "weave" to the opposite side. While this occurred at many places on slow-speed rural touring routes, this was not generally the case on high-speed expressways. Extensive traffic studies were conducted soon after the interchange's opening but traffic grew wildly with the explosion of population growth in Rochester's eastern suburbs. By 1979, design of an S-shaped flyover was being considered to carry the through lanes of the Outer Loop. Once it was realized that many safety and capacity improvements were also needed, the design effort shifted in the early 1980s to one which considered only full reconstruction. This design effort, which lasted from 1981 to 1987, resulted in the free-flowing interchange of today. The new interchange was constructed between 1986 and 1991. Only one bridge, carrying the present-day CSX mainline, remains from the original interchange. Millions of motorists, from the meek drivers who carefully queued up at the beginning of the weaving sections, to those who raced to glory and wildly ricocheted through all four roaring lanes of traffic at the very far end of the weaving sections, experienced the interchange in all its glory. Now, the weaving is just a receding memory. The weaving, though, all began back on that late fall day fifty years ago when the last barricades were pulled to the side of the road and the "Can of Worms" began to take its place in the annals of Rochester transportation history. |
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DONATIONS SOUGHT FOR NEW FURNACE The propane furnace in the Archive Room died recently, and its replacement cost $3,500. This is the heat source for our office, valuable collection of papers and photographs, and the restrooms. The museum is seeking contributions to help cover the cost of this important replacement. Donations may be sent to the museum at P.O. Box 136, West Henrietta, NY 14586. Thank you! |
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ROCHESTER STREETCARS......................... No. 73 in a series
© Charles R. Lowe As we have learned at NYMT, winter trolley operation can be difficult. Look, then, at this wintry scene from the past. It is a snowy and windswept day in February 1943, and rail photographer Steve Maguire is in town. Car 50, still in its art-deco paint, seems stranded in drifts of snow in front of the car house while a few cars at the right have poles up and are ready to brave the storm. Many dangers exist for winter trolley operations. Derailments at snow- or ice-packed flangeways, especially at grade crossings, could easily blockade a line. High-speed ventilated motors, which relied on air passing through the traction motors to maintain cool operating temperatures, might suck in snow flakes that could cause flashovers with the motors, rendering them inoperable. Sleet on trolley wires or ice on rails could break the circuit of power, causing car stoppages. Cold brake shoes and wheels would have greatly reduced coefficients of friction, catching unaware motormen by surprise. With proper care, a fleet of snow removal cars and a well-equipped shop, electric railway operations such as the Rochester Subway could battle through almost any storm. A 1944 storm idled buses in Rochester, but the Subway was able to maintain operation through the debacle. The railfans, though, mostly stayed indoors during snow storms. Maguire was the exception. here, as in other known blizzard photos he made, Maguire risked the delicate bellows on his folding camera and made a classic photo evocative of the depths of winter. |
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New Jersey Transit 7: Bob Sass checked all of the 32-volt systems on car 7, and all are in working order except the headlight. Work has continued over the winter with the cleanup of the space between sweeper C-130 and car 409 which will become the home for car 7. Bob Achilles is masterminding the installation of the new door needed in the north end of the hay barn and hopes to have the contractor begin work soon. Work has also proceeded over the winter in shaping the wood block which will be used to support an ex-Philadelphia Transportation Co. PCC-style trolley catcher on the front left corner of car 7. No new holes will be drilled into car 7, and the catcher will be hung from the heavy-duty rub rail around the car's lower perimeter. Railroad: Tony Mittiga, Rick Holahan, Taylor Reed, and Rich Fischpera cleared away scrap lumber from the track tool corral, and rearranged all the tools. Over the winter, the small tools were also rearranged by the crew as well. In preparation for winter operation of the trolley in December, this crew also cleared away snow from the track using an ingenious system of holding a track broom against the rail while driving ahead on TC-1. Looking ahead, the crew is investigating the installation of scrapers on TC-1 for light-duty snow removal. Streetcars in northern climates were often equipped with small scrapers at each wheel for this same purpose. Genesee & Wyoming Caboose 8: Additional copper tacks were procured and attachment of the canvas roofing to the ends of the car is still all but complete. Fiberglas filler was used to repair the east end of the roof. PVC flashing to cover the ends of the canvas at the cupola was installed and painted. Special canvas coating will be applied in the spring. North Texas Traction 409: The last two of the four motors on the trucks for 409 had protective tarps applied by Bob Sass and Charlie Robinson in early November. |
Track 23: Our railroad contractor, Nicholas P. Giambatista, Inc., returned to NYMT on November 11 and completed all work on the track 23 switch. TC-3 was used to test operate over the switch. Jack Tripp, Tony Mittiga, Rick Holahan, Bob Sass and Bob Achilles assisted in this work by leveling and tamping about 50 feet of track 23 south of the new switch. Motor Vehicles: The Thursday group prepared Brighton fire engine 302 for winter by draining most of the gas and adding fuel stabilizer to the remainder and charging the battery. The 1952 Packard ambulance's battery was charged and fogging oil put in the cylinders. Rochester Subway Casey Jones Track car: The Thursday group removed the spark plugs, put in fogging oil, and hand-cranked the engine as part of maintaining the car in operating condition. Facility: Facility Manager Dave Coon reports that in January, the 15-year-old furnace in the Archive Room finally ceased working. The heat exchanger was perforated and only a full replacement was practical. Ted Strang and Dave had a new unit installed by a contractor within a day or so of its failure. Lifetime Assistance is doing weekly cleaning at the museum. Jim Johnson is working on replacing the lights in the hay barn with fixtures we have in stock, but with updated high-efficiency bulbs. The Thursday group continues to struggle with diverters to direct roof leaks into interior gutters. They also installed vision barriers near the G-gauge train set-up. Bill Randle has helped with plowing, and Ted Strang is repairing the museum plow truck. Bob Miner has donated his John Deere riding mower to replace the one that has done yeoman's duty for many years. IT'S A BIG FACILITY......and it can use your help. Specifically, Dave Coon is seeking a scissors lift to install the hay barn light fixtures, mowing help in the summer, and folks eager to paint the large, red doors on the main building. Call Dave at (585) 721-2449 to get involved. Thank you! |
SUBWAY VIEWSThe Rochester Subway still fascinates Rochesterians and traction fans well beyond our local area. Maybe it's the fact that we're the only city to have a subway and abandon it. Or, perhaps it's the intrigue of a tunnel under downtown that piques the imagination. Then too, with interurban trolleys ending their service here in the early 1930s and the last city streetcars grinding to a halt in 1941, the Subway's 1956 denouement is recent enough to still have former riders around to remember it. The Museum's massive Tom Kirn Collection containing just about every view of the Subway available illuminates the line's construction, operation and eventual abandonment. These images cover everything from stations and signals to signs and switches. Research on the Subway can be done through NYMT's on-line archive containing many of the Kirn images. But every now and then another view comes to our attention and finds its way into our collection. Here are four such pictures, each telling us a little more about the Rochester Subway.
We'll start with some artwork courtesy of former students at the Rochester Institute of Technology, known before 1944 as the Mechanics Institute. Here's a "quick sketch" by Franz Weterring that he dashed off in 1935, standing between the tracks just north of Rowlands Loop. Franz's good grasp of perspective provides the impact for the scene. Weterring joined Walt Disney Studios as an animator after graduation, and in January, 1947, returned to Rochester and took up a career on the art staff of the Charles L. Rumrill Company, a firm specializing in marketing and advertising. Bernie Weis' name has popped up in these pages before as a life-long Rochesterian with a love for trolleys, buses and antique cars. He has donated photos, articles, manuals and all sorts of items to our collection over the years. Bernie attended RIT and in the fall of 1948 handed in this sketch to his drawing instructor who noted that he was "getting nice tone to your palette". The view is of one of the many ramps that were part of the Subway's original construction, intended to provide access between the Subway and some of the city's streetcar lines. Such connections would have created a fully integrated transit system, but tight money during the Great Depression prevented all but the Emerson Street ramp from being used. Track was constructed on this and the other ramps, but by the time of this sketch, the rails and ties had been removed, and of course the city streetcar lines were gone too. Note Bernie's attention to detail in the signs for routes 31 and 104, and the entrance kiosk for the Times Square station. |
Tom Kirn's enthusiasm for the Subway goes beyond the hundreds of photos he collected over the years. He has also exercised his artistic talents to share memories of the line in his own unique interpretation of what it was like so many years ago. Here's one of our favorites of Tom's works--an atmospheric view of a southbound two-car train kicking up the new-fallen snow near Highland Avenue.
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2014 YEAR END REPORTThe museum's volunteers continued to work hard on a number of fronts, serving the public, maintaining the museum and its collection, and blazing some new trails to lead us into the future. We have accomplishments to celebrate and we also have things that continue to need work. While we can't ignore the dollars, the most important operational measure for us is the number of people we serve--visitors, researchers, and off-site audiences for educational presentations. That's what we are here for. In 2014, the total museum attendance including free admissions (toddlers under age 3, TV crews, members, volunteers, etc.) was 6,540. The similar number last year was 6,666. In 2012 it was 6,994. These numbers include both weekend visitors and those attending in group tours during the week. Looking at just the paid attendance, the 2014 weekend headcount was 4,558, down from 4,711 the year before. Fortunately from a headcount standpoint, weekday group tours brought in more paid visitors--781 in 2014 versus 561 in 2013. NYMT has been encouraging birthday parties at the museum, and several during 2014 contributed to the Sunday paid attendance. Of course, we are disappointed to see these numbers dropping. Especially so for several reasons: First, we had one additional weekend day in 2014 (our Halloween event held jointly with RGVRRM). Second, we spent more than we ever had on advertising, including excellent art layout by Otto Vondrak. Third, with Otto's leadership we worked hard to freshen our special events and add new ones. We're already looking at ways to turn this trend around in 2015. For one thing, our visitor survey told us repeatedly that social media and internet searches were more effective than expensive paid ads for letting people know about us. Otto's creation of the RochesterTrainRides.com website should continue to help us reach parents seeking a train ride for the family. We'll also consider paying for more visibility on such popular local websites as Kids Out and About, Genesee Valley Parent, and others like them. Free mention in traditional media outlets like newspapers from Buffalo to Syracuse, TV and radio stations, and indirect awareness opportunities such as donating family visit certificates to local charity auctions will continue to play an important publicity role. Our email address list for publicity releases has over 120 contacts on it. |
HELP GET THE WORD OUT After more than 40 years in operation, we still have delighted visitors tell us "We had no idea such a gem exists right here in Rochester". Museum members can help. Tell your friends, and let us know if you need some of our brochures to distribute. Have a suggestion? Let us know. The schedule of Special Events for 2015 is just about set. We'll have the detailed schedule in the Spring issue of Headend, but for now, we're looking at special admission rates on Father's Day, a return visit of RGRTA's restored 1950s transit bus on Subway Day, food trucks for Trolleys at Twilight, special admission rates and a return of Rochester Redwings mascot, Spikes, for Baseball Day, a possible antique car or tractor show, return of antique fire trucks to kick of the busy Fall Foliage by Trolley and Train Sundays, and more extensive Pumpkin Patch and Christmas holiday events. All in all, we'll have sixteen special event days. Trolleys will operate each Sunday through the ride season, and there will be at least 15 of those days when the RGVRRM diesel train meets the trolley at Midway. Headend has reported through the year on projects that have kept our volunteers busy. We're pleased to report that several members have stepped up to help, in the Gift Shop, lawn maintenance, track car operations, track work, and helping out with special events. We're always shy on volunteer help, but these new contributors are easing the load and at the same time bringing fresh, new ideas to the table. A major thrust in 2015 has been preparations to include former Newark Subway PCC car 7 in ride service. The first step has been clearing a space to house the car inside the main barn, accompanied by a major effort to install a switch and run track into the barn. Charlie Lowe has been heading up the design and construction, with Bob Achilles in charge of the construction of a door into the building. Meanwhile, Bob Sass has been digesting information on PCC cars and has begun a program of inspection and testing. We're expecting that the car is in running condition, but there's much work to be done before any attempt at connecting the car to the 600 volt line. Our
report wouldn't be complete without a reminder that it all happens
with volunteers contributing their time, talent, and labor. You
too can be a part of this good work. Join us. Give a call to
(585) 533-1113, and we'll take it from there.
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ADDITIONAL MOTORMEN WANTED
One of NYMT's current motormen, Jack Tripp takes the controls of P&W 168, ready to take his riders on a trip through history. |
BECOME AN NYMT MOTORMAN Trolley crew members receive detailed training in operating procedures in a classroom environment and hands-on. It's all under the watchful eye of our experienced operators. After training runs, you'll take the controls in revenue service. You'll share both motorman and conductor duties, operating the only trolley car ride in New York State, punching tickets, reversing the poles, and greeting your eager passengers. To join the fun, contact Trainmaster Charlie Lowe either by email at crloweny@rochester.rr.com or by phone at (585) 662-3309. |
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EQUIPMENT AND SPECIAL FEATURES OF NEW JERSEY TRANSIT PCC CAR 7 Fifth of a Six Part Series Devoted to NYMT's New PCC Car By Charles R. Lowe, NYMT Trustee Although they appear about the same, PCCs had a surprising amount of variability. The specification for PCC cars permitted such variances as a way to make the cars suitable to a wide range of owners. Electrical equipment, body dimensions, track gauge and a host of other features could be altered, within limits, to suit local conditions.
The following list of
specifications for car 7 reveals the large number of features that
transit systems could customize to their needs:
The
standard width of a PCC car was 100 inches, a width which just fit
the majority of double-track street railways in the United States
and Canada. Devil strips (the width between the gauge sides of
inside rails on a double-track line) were generally set at four
feet which, for standard-gauge track, created a center-to-center
width between tracks of 104.5 inches. Typically, conventional
streetcars were built to a maximum of about a 98-inch car width,
leaving a space of 6 inches or so between passing cars. Attempts
to use cars with much more width than 98 to 100 inches would
inevitably result in side-swipe collisions, especially at curves.
The
Minneapolis-St. Paul street railway system was fortunately built
with devil strips having more than the standard width. This
permitted TCRT to purchase 108-inch-wide PCC cars. This made the
TCRT PCCs very unusual.
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Lines with private rights-of-way, such as the Newark Subway and Shaker Heights Rapid Transit in Cleveland, also used a wider spacing between tracks. The extra width proved useful in that standees could be more comfortably accommodated.
Before World War II, PCCs were air-electric cars, so called because they had air brakes. The weakness of the air system used was that the compressor was constantly running. The postwar all-electric PCCs did away with the entire air system, simplifying the cars greatly. All the TCRT cars were post-war all-electric cars. The two major electrical component manufacturers in the United States, General Electric (GE) and Westinghouse (WH), each built their own electrical packages for PCC cars. While TCRT purchased both GE- and WH-equipped PCCs, PSCT purchased only GE cars to standardize on one set of components to maintain. Over the years, much has been written praising the WH system for its ease of maintenance, but the fact remains that each system had it advantages and weaknesses
The back-up controller at the rear of the car, as on NJT 7, was not a standard PCC feature. The TCRT streetcar system relied upon wyes in many spots to turn its single-end cars at the ends of lines. Running a car in reverse was made much safer with the motorman at the rear of the car, and TCRT ordered all its cars with back-up controllers. The back-up controller is a simplified unit which controls both power and brake applications with one handle. These were eventually disabled in Newark since it was not necessary to run cars in reverse except in cases of extreme emergency. Since car 7 will have to run in reverse on return trips at NYMT, it is well that it has a back-up controller.
In
the next issue of Headend, read more as we complete this special
series and consider plans for the storage, rehabilitation and use
of New Jersey Transit car 7 at NYMT.
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BOARDS WORKING TOGETHERSince the early 1970s, two rail-oriented museums have been developing within a mile and a half of each other, both sharing a vision of working together for a combined visitor experience. The New York Museum of Transportation found its home and began its collection in 1973, while two years before that the Rochester Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society bought the former Erie Railroad station at Industry and began developing their museum of rail equipment, now known as the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. NYMT soon started construction of the northern portion of a railroad line to link the two museums. Later, work began from the southern end, and by the fall of 1992 the line was connected to create the mile-and-a-half Museum Railroad that today carries trolleys, trains and track cars. Well before that link-up took place and a public "gold spike" ceremony was celebrated, members of both organizations realized that public operations would not only be totally new, but would require close coordination between the two groups. A team dubbed "Transitown" was formed and an operational plan was agreed to whereby both groups would contribute equally to equipment, track maintenance, volunteer staffing, etc. While NYMT had been offering visitor rides on its track car since 1980, according to the agreement a second track car set of motor car and trailer was constructed by the Industry group. This balanced things according to the agreement, and also provided the additional capacity needed now that a more extensive visitor experience was being offered. The Transitown team met more or less monthly, using a standard agenda to keep everyone updated on headcount, promotion efforts, and issues needing attention. The forum was also where new ideas could be put forth for events and suggestions brought out for improvements to our facilities. All this focused on the visitor experience which was at the core of both groups' missions to present and interpret the transportation history that we were collecting and preserving. |
Over time, as both organizations grew and personnel came and went, the nature of the Transitown group changed. As new people brought new ways of thinking, we had also ironed out the basics of our joint operations to the extent that the group meetings at times seemed superfluous. But, despite the growing needs unique to both groups, there was still a need to continue working together. Now, the Boards of both museums have decided to meet on a quarterly basis. We all feel this is the best way of working together to concentrate on all the components that make up and support the joint visitor operations. This large group can expect to be better informed on the many things that have to happen at both museums and along the rail line for a safe, smooth visitor experience, and the joint meetings will provide an open forum to resolve any differences that may arise between us.
As our
low-tech joint track car operation of 1993 has grown into
transit-style half-hourly trolley departures and diesel trains, the
cost and complexity of the operation has grown with it. Assuring
that we meet the challenges together with a fair balance of
volunteer effort and dollars is an important goal for the members
of the Joint Meeting of the Boards.
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ROCHESTER MODEL RAILSWith the release of the entire array of past issues of Model Railroader magazine on a CD-ROM, model train fans can now conveniently browse through back issues and even search for specific subjects or authors. A few clicks will reveal Rochester's contributions to the hobby, and some are tied to our museum. Just about any model railroader recognizes the name Harold Russell. For almost 60 years, Harold has produced scale drawings of railroad rolling stock and structures, published in Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, O Scale Trains, the magazine of the National Model Railroad Association, and many other publications. Harold originally did his drawings in the time honored pen and ink of traditional draftsmanship. Nowadays, he does all his drawings via computer. In more than 500 such drawings, his work has provided the details and the back story that permit modelers to create the cars and buildings in miniature. Just as important, his documentary work preserves railroading history in a unique way. Harold also plays an informal role in museum public relations as he has spotlighted a number of cars and structures at NYMT and RGVRRM. Years ago, Harold's skills in model railroading earned him the 14th Master Model Railroader award from the National Model Railroad Association, and those skills are evident in the O-scale pike in his basement. We're in awe of the craftsmanship in Harold's drawings, as well as the sheer number of them, and we're proud to have him as a member and volunteer of both museums.
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Visitors to the NYMT model railroad room discover a large exhibit that portrays the evolution of railroading through accurate HO-gauge model trains. The finely crafted miniature engines and cars were constructed by Rochester's own Ed VanLeer, whose talents earned him the second Master Model Railroader award from the NMRA. Ed's name appears in numerous articles in the Model Railroader CD. He was quite knowledgeable across a wide spectrum of skill sets in the hobby, and he willingly shared his knowledge for the benefit of others in the hobby. Like most cities, Rochester had several hobby shops to serve the needs of local model railroaders. Gardner the Train Doctor is a name many will recognize, and the store still operates, now in North Rose, NY. Mr. Gardner lent his name to the well-known GarGraves flexible track for tinplate model railroads. This fine improvement in 3-rail O gauge helped modelers achieve a higher level of realism and operation. Owners of other hobby shops in our area made forays into manufacturing their own passenger and freight car kits. Many such adventures didn't last long, and we suspect some of their products may be collector's items now. The
popularity of our museum's model railroads--the large HO layout,
the N-scale recreation of the Rochester Subway, and the G-scale
train overhead in the Gift Shop--remind us that model trains are
still a hit with kids and older folks alike. Rochester's many
talented model railroaders have done much to promote the hobby and
teach the skills to new generations of enthusiasts.
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ALL ABOUT US The New York Museum of Transportation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. We are managed and operated entirely by volunteers, and the welcome mat is always out for anyone wishing to join our work. Open for visitors all year on Sundays only, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., we also welcome group visits during the week by appointment. |
We are located at 6393 East River Road in the Town of Rush, and our mailing address is P.O. Box 136, West Henrietta, NY 14586. www.nymtmuseum.org is the place to find us on the internet and learn much more about us. Also, you can visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NYMTmuseum. Want to contact us? Call us at (585) 533-1113 or send us an email at info@nymtmuseum.org. And, remember to tell your friends! |
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HEADEND is published four times a year by the New York Museum of Transportation, © 2014. All rights reserved. No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. www.nymtmuseum.org (585) 533-1113 |
Editor
and photographer - Jim Dierks |
