Old Passenger cars

I was at Fresh Pond this afternoon, saw a west bound freight with MP15-GP38-GP38 plus a long string of gons, but what was of interest was west of the yard on the Bay Ridge branch was a 4 car set of the old push-pull passenger cars. How long have they been there? Where are they going?

Mike

Those are the last 4 LIRR coaches left that were sold to Ken Bitten. They were held for non payment of freight charges, and have over the past 3 or so years been heavily vandalized both inside and out.

I don't know where they are going, but they are going off-island soon.

Please let's not start a cry to save them. They're basket cases.

Jay

Here's a shot of the said cars at Fresh Pond on August 2, 2003:

Ok, makes sence. From the ground they don't look that bad, but looks aren't everything! LIRR should've kept them as bar cars for the summer east end runs.

Mike

Just because it has wheels and looks like a passenger car, does not make it compatible with C3's.
No HEP , No Comunication, No traction control, and probably just paint to keep the rust together.

What I meant was, when they were first taken out of service that's when the LIRR should've set them up for that service. Not now!

Mike

even then they were not compatible.

And even then they had already used up 45 of their 45 useable years in active passenger service.

Do you really think that people would pay a premium service to ride in old 45 year old coaches when the regulars are paying less to ride in a brand new coach? Come on.

I remember the rage of the commuters in the last few years of these cars when none of the air conditioners worked in the summer and you couldn't even see out the windows because the windows were opaique. Their time had come...and it has gone. Period.

Jay

They would make a wonderful reef off of Fire Island. I'm sure the fish won't mind the opaque windows!

Any idea on what RR will be hauling them off? CP? CSX? Cross Harbor? I wouldn't mind getting a shot or two of them leaving town if they go via hell gate...

lirrmike wrote:I was at Fresh Pond this afternoon, saw a west bound freight with MP15-GP38-GP38 plus a long string of gons, but what was of interest was west of the yard on the Bay Ridge branch was a 4 car set of the old push-pull passenger cars. How long have they been there? Where are they going?

Mike

Last Wednesday, that train was parked on the trestle over Cypress Hills Street in Glendale, where the old Fremont Fremont tower was.

I was kinda nostalgic for them for a while. Then I remembered they rode like junk, were totally rusted out, smelled like piss, were dirtier than Britney Spears, screeched when they bounced, bounced when they moved, the doors rarely worked right, and the seats were, uh, yucky.

I believe they will be going via CP. One of the reasons might be that CSX has had big issues (and several derailments) moving these coaches in the past.

Also, a dirty Britney Spears is still not all that bad.

Jay

P72's and P75's! That thought brings a tear to my eye, many memories as a child. And boy did I love that rough ride!

-Tom

Emfinite,

I can see from your image at Fresh Pond that the first car is P72 2928. Does anybody know the other three car numbers?