Harlem Division push-pull experiment 1967

This 1967 Katonah photo recently came up for sale on eBay. The car looks like a heavyweight coach modified for push-pull operation rather than an MU-car. If so, were many such cars converted? I've never seen a photo of an MU-car with zebra stripes. The long string of cars behind the locomotive is also interesting.

I'm not too familiar with goings on on the Harlem during that period...but, the end is striped like RDCs were for better visibility (to motorists) at crossings, windows have been cut out in the vestibule end and there's a headlight. So maybe it's a homemade push-pull cabcar. CNW was already running p-p trains with new equipment and CNJ was doing it with homemade p-p equipment at this time.

The cars could have been modified to be used as RDC trailer cars,the mu control for RDC's was only 4 wires,and jumped
the battery bus to keep the car lit,very unusal for NYC. Possibly to be dropped off at North White Plains for maintance?
This will predate what CNJ did with their coaches for "push-pull" service.

NYC_Dave wrote:This 1967 Katonah photo recently came up for sale on eBay. The car looks like a heavyweight coach modified for push-pull operation rather than an MU-car. If so, were many such cars converted? I've never seen a photo of an MU-car with zebra stripes. The long string of cars behind the locomotive is also interesting.

Damn, more of this series is coming up for sale? How many pictures of this move were there? I only own one... Can't afford the others...

Here's the details you seek:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 93&t=77549" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-

Thanks, Otto. That anwers my questions.
According to the passenger car roster on the Canada Southern website, the conversion was done in 1962. I found that I have a photo from that date and had classed it as an MU car. Also found another photo from 1967 with the zebra stripes.

NYC_Dave wrote:Thanks, Otto. That anwers my questions.
According to the passenger car roster on the Canada Southern website, the conversion was done in 1962. I found that I have a photo from that date and had classed it as an MU car. Also found another photo from 1967 with the zebra stripes.

Really cool, thanks for the follow-up! Makes me wonder why they converted a coach and not an existing MU car?

-otto-

I was a daily commuter on the Harlem*** during that period and watched operations closely. I have to assert that I never saw a push-pull train in service; nor did I ever see that car in the photo anywhere. I don't make any more claims than that --- that I never saw this. So, as you can imagine, this photo got my attention.

FWIW, I do well remember the oddball (my opinion) use of RDC's being towed into and out of GCT --- normally by MUs, with one weekday round trip being towed by an electric loco and coaches.


_____________
*** Yes, this New Haven-loving resident of Danbury took to commuting on the Harlem in those days. New Haven service in those deep dark days of its last bankruptcy had gotten too undependable even for me!!!

Tom

The photo shows the one car converted for the "push pull" experiment. You can also find info in the 8/62 TRAINS magazine, as well as the 1982 4th Quarter and 1983 2nd Quarter NYCSHS "Headlight" Magazine, available from the NYCSHS Website. Seems that the unions wanted too much money to make a go of it, Changing "ends" meant changing power = a days pay! Two round trips = 4 days pay, no wonder that's as far as it got.

Dave Mackay
Modeling the River Division between MP 11 and 14

I found in the August,1962,issue of Trains magazine,a photograph with a short caption describing the push-pull subject.The photo doesnot show the entire consist,am only able to see 7 cars minus the P motor 235.The train is southbound[railroad east] on the Hudson in February,1962.The standard air-conditioned cars went into regular service on the Harlem Division on March 5,1962.

Interesting story of this experiment. Looks like this experiment was over and done with before my Harlem-riding days began in Sept. 1964, which explains why I never saw it.

What I don't get is the post (above) that has a 1967 photo of the converted car in zebra stripes. 1967????

While I'm on this I have another question: there's a reference in another post above about air-conditioned heavyweight cars going into service in 1962. Those cars obviously had some serious body work done at some point, i.e., new sealed windows, etc. That was also apparently done before I ever rode the Harlem, i.e., pre-sept. 1964. Was the installation of a/c part of that rehab?

Here's another oddball one-of-a-kind New York area commuter car: who remembers a private club car that was a converted heavyweight coach? Actually I understand there were three such private club cars but the one I'm thinking of was done to operate at the rear of an MU trainset. It had a round roof, was painted in the olive green with yellow trim MU scheme, and must have had some other kind of heat other than steam. Presumably it could only operate at the rear of a train! I heard that sometimes in service it was assigned to run in an engine-hauled trainset, which must have looked really odd.