Quick questions about the NYSW

xXwelderXx wrote:1) When did the NYSW switch over to diesel engine?

2) What engines were bought when they switched from steam?

I'll take a stab at this. First off, lots of details availabe on the NYS&W T&HS website:

http://www.nyswths.org/rostdir.htm


It's kind of hard to answer your first question. The NYS&W acquired it's first diesels in early 1942, but it appears that steam continued to operate until October 1947.

Early 42: 6 Alco S-2 Switchers arrive: 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 208 (Even number Alco's were equipped to operate in MU, odd numbers were not).

The S-2 arrivals seem to mark the end of the use of the former Erie 0-6-0 switchers.

Late June 42 Alco RS-1 231 and 233 arrive. These only last a few months and are requisitioned by the Government for WW2 service.

Spring 43: Replacement units 231 and 233 arrive.

Beginnning Nov 44 through mid year 1945, a group of 8 RS-1 units arrive:
230 232 234 236 238 240 242 244

By September of 45, only 4 NYS&W Steam locomotives remain active:
Decapods 2435, 2461 and 2492, and Pacific 2539.

Fall 1947 - four more RS-1's arrive: 246, 248 250 252 These are not equipped with Steam generator for passenger service and become power of choice for the daily turn to Hainesburg Junction (since they are newer and aren't needed for passenger trains).

Spring 1953 - two more RS-1's 254 256

Also in the late 1940's two small Whitcomb units (150, 151) arrive for use at Seatrain in Edgewater. Replaced with a GE Center cab #200 during the late 1950's.

The NYS&W of the early 1950's was a very busy railroad, with lots of activity on the east end of the railroad. There were typically three crews per shift, three shifts per day (total of 9 crews per day), working at Edgewater, a hump job ("Speedway") 3 shifts/day; two crews per shift working out of Passaic Junction (yard work Passaic Branch, Paterson/Hawthorne, etc.), a crew on each shift going back and forth between Little Ferry & Croxton, plus "locals" between Butler & Little Ferry (one east, one west), Butler and Hanford turn, "BO Drill" serving Ridgefield Park & Bogota, and the daily turn to Hainesburg Junction. Add to this the frequent RDC service plus the loco hauled passenger service out of Butler, and this was one hopping little railroad!

Hope this helps.

3) In 1978 how many miles of track did the NYSW operate?
Butler is about Mile Post 37? And I would say they no longer ran to Jersey City at that point so cut off 4-5 miles from that number. You had a few branches too. So around 40 miles of track would be my guess.


4) What RS-1s and S-2s never made it to the marron/gray paint? Which ones never made it to the yellow/black paint?
I thought they were all delivered in the maroon and gray, to be painted all silver or yellow and black later. Not sure on which ones made it to which color schemes though. A few websites on the NYS&W have some pretty good rosters w/ photos though.


5) When did trains finally start running past Butler?
The line was re-opened for through service in 1986, not sure on the exact date. There were some work trains that came from the west and made it to Smoke Rise and near Smith Mills, but the bridge at Smith Mills was almost the last item to be completed. I have pictures I took at Smith Mills of a test stack train that ran west over the line with Mr. Rich's P-car on the rear end. I will do some digging to get the date if someone doesn't beat me to it.

Chris