According to New York Central's Pennsylvania Division Time Table No. 8, dated Sunday, October 8, 1918, the junction in Clearfield, Pa. where the BR&P's Clearfield & Mahoning line entered the NYC Yard was a manned (24-7) block station. Where the BR&P entered the NYC, it was NYC Junction. Where the NYC entered the BR&P (going in the other direction), it was BR&P (later B&O) Junction. Same location, two different names, depending on the railroad.
The NYC Time Table only shows the BR&P trains only running from BR&P Junction to Clearfield (Union) Station and back again. It does not show movement actually entering or departing the NYC/BR&P trackage. In other words, a BR&P train running from DuBois to Clearfield does not show up on the NYC Time Table until after it crossed the dividing line, cleared the switch and came to a stop, ready to reverse direction and run the half-mile between the junction and the passenger station. Likewise on BR&P trains departing Clearfield for points west (or north on the BR&P).
Most interesting on the NYC Time Table was the fact that it used NYC train numbers for the movements between BR&P Junction (also known as NYC Junction on the BR&P) and the Clearfield passenger station. This, when you stop and think about it, makes sense since the trains were running in the opposite direction - they stopped and went in the opposite direction - the original BR&P train numbers no longer applied. Clearfield-bound trains were no longer going forward, but for half a mile they were running backwards. DuBois-bound trains backed out of the station, stopped, and then proceeded forward onto their home tracks.
As earlier stated, there were two trains a day each way, as follows:
BR&P Junction (8.10 a.m.), Clearfield (8:12 a.m.). NYC No. 541.
Clearfield (11.39 a.m.), BR&P Junction (11.43 a.m.). NYC No. 540.
BR&P Junction (4.31 p.m.), Clearfield (4.33 p.m.). NYC No. 549.
Clearfield (7.00 p.m.), BR&P Junction (7.04 p.m.). NYC No. 548.
One can only assume after the BR&P train offloaded its passengers and whatever it pulled back up into the NYC yard to have its engine serviced and turned. If, at this point in time, it was a gas-electric, it ran up to the NYC yard just to get out of the way. There was not much storage room at all at the NYC passenger stub-end terminal in Clearfield.
Ex-NYNH&H SS Opr