YouTube Vidoes of Port Jervis Trains on the Old Erie Main

Stumbling around YouTube, I found these neat two videos of NJT/MN trains operating on the original (and now abandoned) Erie Main through Orange County. (As a refresher: in the Mid-80s, local pressure pushed train service onto the freight bypass route, the Graham Line.) I often wish I was around to see what it was like having these trains service actual downtowns. Of course, one of the pluses of moving service to the Graham Line was having trains go over the Moodna Viaduct. Videos are below.

Harriman Station (Old Station)
Monroe Station

(Not my videos)

It must have been weird for commuters on this line to suddely have a new route to/from work one day. The same goes for the Boonton Line in 2002 when they abandonded eastern portion/NY&GL portion of that line. Some of those commuters may even remember the first route change back in the early 60s when the original portion of the line from Mountain View east was abandoned. Some of that original Boonton Line (or Branch, as it was originally called) lived on to see service with NJT's present Main Line service. Suddenly NOT having Paterson as one of your stops on your train line must have been quite a noticeble change.... or not.

This is really cool! I've been searching EVERYWHERE for footage like this! Anybody know about Russell Hallock?

Nick, awesome stuff. Is there anyway to get the "old school el/njdot/njt thread stickied at the top?

I recall as a kid riding 2 BUDD RDC cars to Port Jervis. It was after the main line was severed and all trains were going over the Graham line. When were the RDCs retired?

I remember riding them from Suffern too. There was also a time when the conductor told me not to get on because he wasn't sure if they'd actually make it to Port Jervis that day. Only a handful of people would ever ride those midday trains. I think they continued into at least the early 1990's.

Questions, questions ... there's a great thread here that talks all things RDC and Graham line:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 67&t=77551

What's interesting is that in the Harriman video there are 8 cars being used. Quite a consist considering this is 1983.

2-2 seating then - more cars needed than today's 3-2.

FWIW, only nearly a decade too late, the realignment of the Erie Main Line onto the Lackawanna Boonton Line did NOT bypass Paterson as a station. Eastbound trains were shifted from the Erie Main Line over a rebuilt Newark Branch connection to join the Lackawanna Boonton Line just (timetable) east of the South Paterson station. Westbound trains ran over the Boonton Line past the Clifton station and past the junction with the Newark Branch onto the rebuilt connection to the Erie Main Line through South Paterson.

For a short time, there was service on the Newark Branch, the Erie Main Line shifted to the Boonton Line, and normal Boonton Line operation via the Marshall St., Paterson station.

Great video. I am guessing that the person who took it could not guess that it would be posted on youtube when he took it.

Its a remidner to all that video will go bad in about 20-30 years and it is fairly cheap to get a USB connector that will dub tape. So if you have any old rail video you want to share its a great time to get it off tape and on to digital.

nick11a wrote:
Monroe Station

Huh, didn't know they already had de-powered Arrow conversions in 1983.

erie910 wrote:FWIW, only nearly a decade too late, the realignment of the Erie Main Line onto the Lackawanna Boonton Line did NOT bypass Paterson as a station. Eastbound trains were shifted from the Erie Main Line over a rebuilt Newark Branch connection to join the Lackawanna Boonton Line just (timetable) east of the South Paterson station. Westbound trains ran over the Boonton Line past the Clifton station and past the junction with the Newark Branch onto the rebuilt connection to the Erie Main Line through South Paterson.

For a short time, there was service on the Newark Branch, the Erie Main Line shifted to the Boonton Line, and normal Boonton Line operation via the Marshall St., Paterson station.

I think nick11a (if that's the post you're talking about) was referring to a passenger from Boonton or Lincoln Park finding his train hanging a right at Mountain View and going through Montclair instead of Paterson.

Matt Johnson wrote:

nick11a wrote:
Monroe Station

Huh, didn't know they already had de-powered Arrow conversions in 1983.

Matt: Those cars are Comet C1A...They were an interesting car variation using spare A3 car bodies...
They were owned by the MTA and the cab cars (2) were numbered 5198 and 5199 and the coaches (6)
5994 to 5999...These were obtained back in 1978 and were originally lettered M-METROPOLITAN
and then MNCR logos were placed on them during the 80s after MNCR's creation...Another spotting
feature is the "hatch" in place of the center doors like SEPTA's S4 MU's...The interiors were similar
to the A3 MU's...I believe all were retired after MNCR got its Comet 5 fleet...

I referred to this Wikipedia page for some updated information about these interesting cars:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retired_Ne ... rail_fleet

I discovered these cars in an interesting manner: Back in the Summer of 1980 I noticed some of these
cars on a train at Hoboken Terminal...Being very curious I took a look inside-the doors were open and
in one car some maintenance employees were napping and enjoying the air conditioner which was on
probably full tilt...I could not blame them-the day I remember was one of the hottest days of that
year...I learned also how good their air conditioners were and I wished that the LIRR had similar cars
because they were experiencing massive AC failures that same Summer with the M1 MU car fleet...
LIRR Diesel cars had AC units that were somewhat more reliable...and I once wondered why the LIRR
never considered ordering their own single-level Diesel fleet like MNCR had on their routes...

MACTRAXX

Actually these were "Comet I-As" - two cabs and six trailers built with spare Arrow III shells in 1978 for Port Jervis service, but without center doors. MNCR retired them in 2004 with the Comet V order and were sent to Ohio for scrap in 2005.

The "Comet IIB" was the second order of NJT Comet IIs in 1988 for Long Branch electrification (replacing the last lightweight "Jersey Builder" stock).

R36 Combine Coach wrote:Actually these were "Comet I-As" - two cabs and six trailers built with spare Arrow III shells in 1978 for Port Jervis service, but without center doors. MNCR retired them in 2004 with the Comet V order and were sent to Ohio for scrap in 2005.

The "Comet IIB" was the second order of NJT Comet IIs in 1988 for Long Branch electrification (replacing the last lightweight "Jersey Builder" stock).

Love how the train leaves with the doors open.