BusTalk

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traildriver:

Not only was this Cleveland commuter train an "orphan" on the E-L system, it also had the distinction of being the last E-L commuter service to be using non push-pull equipment.

In earlier years, ex-ERIE Stillwell coaches were used on these two trains; later on, ex-"PHOEBE SNOW" coaches were used.

Trains #'s 28 and 29 traveled over the 66-mile, 13-station route between Youngstown and Cleveland; of course, there was no head-end traffic, and passengers were few (there seemed to be know shortage of "commuters" who worked for the E-L/ConRail, who used their company passes)

The financially-weary E-L battled with the PUC for years, to try to eliminate this money-losing service.

However, it was not until 1977 (now with ConRail at the helm) that these "orphan" commuter trains were finally abandoned.

"NYO"

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The classic "STILLWELL" coaches entered service with the ERIE in 1915; at the time, the ERIE was looking to electrify their commuter lines out of Jersey City.

The earliest STILLWELL coaches featured porthole windows to be used by motormen at some future date; also, there was sufficient room for the instillation of added electrical gear (the cars, had they been used as MU's, would have been nearly identical to the NYW&B cars, which entered service in 1912)

The earliest STILLWELL coaches also featured window arches; in later years, some of these cars had panels installed over them, to give the cars a more modern look; however, a number still retained their window arches until they were retired in 1971.

See following post for several STILLWELL photos......

"NYO"

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Newest of the STILLWELL fleet were the "Thru-Line" STILLWELLS (also known as "semi-suburbans")

These cars differed from the "standard" STILLWELL, in that they featured vestibule traps and air-conditioning; over the years, these cars (with their handsome two-tone paint) could be found on almost any passenger train, both long-haul and commuter.

This photo was taken at the Hoboken Terminal, not long before the last of the STILLWELL cars were retired in late 1974 (my first trip up to "PJ", with my folks, way back in 1961, was aboard one of these classic coaches!)

"NYO"

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/el-c2709ags.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads)

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After the massive E-L "train-offs" in the later 1960's, a number of STILLWELL coaches were converted into "rider" cars, used instead of cabooses on certain long-haul freights.

Steam heating apparatus was removed from these cars, and stoves were installed; also refrigerators for crew use.

Some of these cars had the windows at one end blanked off; this area was used for the storage of company mail, en route.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/el-r27aps.jpg

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/erie-r21.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads)

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Two E-L era photos of the "orphan" Cleveland commuter trains.....

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/stilwell.jpg

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/t29-1.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads)

See also:

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/clesch.html

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Back East on the E-L......

On this bitterly cold day, circa-1969, we see several commuter trains at Port Jervis, awaiting their respective highballs into Hoboken.

The train on the left is made up of ex-SANTA FE coaches, purchased in the late 60's for service on the E-L's diesel lines......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/commuter-train.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads)

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Roster of ex-SANTA FE cars purchased for service on the E-L (NJDOT)

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/atsf-coaches.html

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads)

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Here are two views of E-L E-8 #826 at the Waldwick commuter train yard, leading a cut of ex-AT&SF coaches, awaiting the next run into Hoboken.

Note the NJDOT emblems on the cars......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/el826djh.jpg

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/el826elb.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads)

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Here's proud-looking E-8 #831 with a cut of ex-SANTA FE coaches at Waldwick, 1970......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/el831akj.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlags Railroads

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With a string of ex-SANTA FE coaches behind, E-L #833 makes for an interesting contrast to the ancient "Wickerliner" MU's and elderly Stillwells (Dover, NJ, yard, 1970).......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/el833akg.jpg

(courtesy: FallenFlag Railroads)

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On this day in 1960, the last trains departed the old ERIE terminal at Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City.

By this late date, only a handful of trains still called here; these were trains of the ERIE's Northern Branch, and the NYS&W trains.

The echoing, ancient terminal buildings had been closed and demolished the previous year, and only two platforms remained in use.

Ferry service to Chambers St. had shut down in December, 1958, meaning that the remaining commuters no longer had an option over the H&M tubes to reach Manhattan (two of the ERIE's ferryboats were purchased by the DL&W, and modified for use on the Barclay St. line)

Today, not a trace of the old Pavonia terminal remains today.

The ERIE's Northern Branch trains were then shifted up to the DL&W terminal at Hoboken, and the NYS&W trains were cut back to Susquehanna Transfer (North Bergen)

The ERIE had begun shifting trains up to Hoboken from Jersey City in stages, beginning in 1956......

"NYO"

*Note:

In 1966, the Northern Branch (now E-L) trains were axed, and all passenger service on the NYS&W ended.

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Also of interest:

Today, in 2020, the only intact vestige of the former ERIE terminal at Pavonia Avenue is the PATH (H&M) station.

The station, opened in 1909, was called "ERIE" until the the Pavonia Avenue terminal was abandoned; then, it was renamed simply "PAVONIA AVE."/"PAVONIA".

In the later 80's, it was again renamed, "PAVONIA-NEWPORT", as the new Newport Mall and commercial complex was built on the site.

Today, it is simply "NEWPORT"; for whatever reason, PATH (never all that historically-minded) chose to obliterate the time-honored name "PAVONIA" entirely.

When the H&M station opened in 1909, it had only a single island platform.

Howver, as passenger loadings at this station increased, a side platform was opened a few years later.

In a unique arrangement, each of the several ERIE platforms featured two IRT-style kiosks, which led down into the "Erie Concourse"; this concourse, spanning the width of the area occupied by the platforms, also featured train indicators (w/ERIE-style colored bulbs) at the entrance to each platform, so dashing commuters would know at a glance which platform their home-bound train was waiting.

There was also a long inclined passageway that led into the main ERIE station concourse; in the early 1950's, the world's first "Travelator" passenger conveyor was installed here, but it was not long in service.

By 1956, with many ERIE trains already being shifted up to Hoboken, the side platform was closed*, and, when the station buildings were demolished during 1959, the "Travelator" was taken out of service, but remained intact through a good portion of the 1980's.

Only the entrances to the two remaining in-use platforms remained open until the ERIE's Northern Branch and NYS&W trains pulled out in 1960.

For many years, the rusting skeletons of the kiosks on each ERIE platform stood silent guard over the abandoned station area, until they too vanished.

A large "park-and-ride" lot was later built just beyond the old platforms; today, the area is beyond overdeveloped, and not the slightest trace of the once-busy ERIE terminal remains today.....

"NYO"

*After many years of being closed off, this side platform is again in use.

One vestige of the ERIE can still be seen today in the prominent "E" that adorns the crown of each of the PATH platform columns.

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Further:

On October 13, 1956, the ERIE shifted most of its non-rush hour trains, including all of its long-distance services, from its 1870's-era Pavonia Avenue depot to the DL&W's Hoboken Terminal (built 1907)

Nearly $1,000,000 was spent for new track connections and new signalling with this expansive change-over.

At Hoboken, ferryboats could also load and unload from the upper decks; at Pavonia Avenue (as was also the case at Chambers St.) there were no provisions for upper deck loading, even though the ERIE ferryboats had all been designed for upper deck loading (the only location where ERIE boats loaded/unloaded from the upper decks was at W. 23rd St.; the ERIE abandoned service to W. 23rd St. in 1942)

Two ERIE ferryboats were purchased by the DL&W to handle that added crowds at Hoboken; these boats were modified for docking at the DL&W slips at Hoboken and at Barclay St.; this included having their upper deck landing hoods extended, to meet the upper bridges at the two terminals......

"NYO"

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Here's a photo showing the "E" (for "ERIE") cast into one of the columns at the PATH (H&M) station at today's "NEWPORT" station......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?28411

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

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Here are two nostalgic photos of the ERIE's Pavonia Terminal, back in the day.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142360

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142363

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)