BusTalk

[Cyberider]

Thanks. If I read the right article and understood it, the race track was the reason for the viaduct and elevators existence and the viaduct, minus the elevator towers, remained many years afterward?

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

.....there have been, for many years, rumors that remnants off the old steam railroad that operated over the Weehawken viaduct still exist today in the basements/foundations of the apartmeb buildings on Boulevard East, sitting where the fomer ROW was located......

"NYO"

['PORTER"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is a list (with many photos) on the preserved PORTER locos that still exist today;note that these engies came in many different configurations, and were used in many different capacities.

Until the early 1900s, PORTER engines also hailed elevated trains in New York; they also switched cable trains at the two terminals of the original Brooklyn Bridge Railway..............

https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_preserved_H._K._Porter_locomotives

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further.................

After the Weehawken steam railway ended service, the PORTER engines were sold off, many being sent to destinations far from home.

After the NY elevates electrified in 1903, many PORTER engines were sold to logging and construction site railroads.

Some remained on the elevated lines until the early 1930s, hauiling work trains......

'NYO"

["INTERBOROUGH"]

[Cyberider]

Interesting company and market they catered to. Lots of survivors too.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[Cyberider]

I noticed that one of them was at a mine in AZ.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is rare photo from 1910, showing a retired steam loco doing yard work at the 3rd Avenue El's 99th Street yards, after the Els had been electrified......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?136461

(courtesy: nycsubway.org).

["SOUTH FERRY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This elderly BALDWIN hauled 3rd Avenue El trains for years, prior to electrification; seen here in work service, many years later; note unusual stack.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?58147

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BALDWIN"[

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

These rare photos depict the days when steam power hauled New York's elevated trains; the wooden cars they hauled were all electrified (motors and trailers) by 1903, and ran for decades afterwards.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142606

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?136464

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142581

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?132618

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142612

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?136469

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

['NEW YORK ELEVATED RAILWAU"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this rare c.1890s photo, we see a "Forney" switching a Brooklyn Bridge cable train at Park Row (engine is just visible on the extreme right)

The same operation was duplicated on the Brooklyn end of the span (Sands Street).....................

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116196

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["TO BROOKLYN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This fine photo from 1901 affords a detailed "head on" view of one of the "Forneys" on the 3rd Avenue El, seen here at 14th Street.

The Els would all be electrified by 1903................

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?27802

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["60"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also.........

The "Forney" engines used on the elevated lines came in a number of variieties, a boon to the early train watchers of that era.

These hauled locals at 15 miles per hour, while express trains ran uo 45 MPH, quite speedy for those days.

The era of steam on the E;s began in 1871, and ended in 1903, when the El lines were electrified.

In the heyday of steam on the Els,these hard-working liittle engives more than dominated the elevated rails in Manhattan and Brooklyn...............

"NYO"

["SOUTH FERRY"]