Love all the NPR video. Reminds me of my youth back home in the UK around Birmingham and the Black Country - a real working-mans industrial railroad. No fancy airs or graces - just grit, blackened faces and shear hard work! Hats-off to all those guys and a working life that's now all but gone! Great stuff!
NKP steam was great, but I really appreciate the ride on the N&W through Crewe and into Roanoke! It was awesome to see the VGN and N&W at work in 1957.
Nickel Plate Buffalo to Cleveland and a bit more of N&W operations. I used to watch Nickel Plate Berkshires racing thru Westfield , NY with my Dad in the 1950s.
I spent many a happy hour as a kid watching those Berkshires thunder along the mainline through Lakewood under fragrant clouds of coal smoke. Even through there was a street crossing every 500 feet they never slowed down. Drivers learned that "The Fast Freight Line" wasn't just a slogan. When the crossing lights came on they knew to stop.
Sar. Ten hut! The Nickel Plate was one of the finest railroads ever. YOu are blessed to have personally witness them. I can only dream and run my S gauge #756, S-3. Blessings for a wonderful Thanksgiving week.
At 16:00. Definitely Cleveland. Blue and Silver Cleveland Rapid Transit cars from Windermere to Cleveland Union Terminal. Also yellow Shaker Rapid cars from Shaker Heights.
2:23 Looking west at an eastbound diesel crossing the Central Avenue viaduct and pulling into the Dunkirk station between Park and Washington Avenues. You can see the steel plant in the background and also the Mansard roof of the Nickel Plate Hotel on the left of the screen. The photographer then crosses to the south side of the tracks -- the white fence you see was at the top of the 700 block of Washington, to keep cars from driving up onto the tracks -- and films a steam locomotive backing along the siding which reveals the Nickle Plate depot at 3:25. This depot was torn down, if memory serves me, in 1990. Next shot is of a westbound steam roaring around the slight bend at Main Street, followed by a quick shot of its caboose as it heads toward Westfield, followed by the first locomotive, with a boxcar in front, pulling out and heading west.
My guess is that the Norfolk and Western, and Virginian footage was taken during and around the time of the 1957 National Railway Historical Society convention, which was held in Roanoke. Also, the first footage after the Nickel Plate stuff looks to be Reading electric commuter operations in and around Philadelphia. Anybody have any idea where the small steeple cab electric at the end of the reel was taken?
The N&W footage was, indeed, taken enroute to the 1957 convention in Roanoke. The steeple cab electric seen at the end of the video was taken near Court Street at the Lehigh Valley interchange in Rochester, New York circa 1956. This was near the end for the Rochester "Subway". Taken by my close friend Ron Wright, who passed away last year.
Sure wished there were sound. Nevertheless, this is some great footage with something for everyone: steam, early diesel, interurban, streetcars et al. I hadn't noticed the channel owner, but watching, I couldn't escape the thought that this guy was out in the freezing cold, blizzard conditions and just kept filming. When I found out it was Ron Wright, I was not the least surprised. Only a dedicated rail enthusiast could have shot these great moments. Thanks, Ron! Is your wonderful website down?
My Grandfather Kaylor was a conductor, Uncle Jim was an engineer, and Uncle Larry was a yard master all at the NKP yard in Frankfort, IN.
Love all the NPR video. Reminds me of my youth back home in the UK around Birmingham and the Black Country - a real working-mans industrial railroad. No fancy airs or graces - just grit, blackened faces and shear hard work! Hats-off to all those guys and a working life that's now all but gone! Great stuff!
NKP steam was great, but I really appreciate the ride on the N&W through Crewe and into Roanoke! It was awesome to see the VGN and N&W at work in 1957.
An excellent and very enjoyable look into Nickel Plate Road operations right at the end of steam.
Really liked the shot of GB block station there at Blasdell NY. Thanks for the journey back for a few min!
Nickel Plate Buffalo to Cleveland and a bit more of N&W operations. I used to watch Nickel Plate Berkshires racing thru Westfield , NY with my Dad in the 1950s.
this is Grand!!
I spent many a happy hour as a kid watching those Berkshires thunder along the mainline through Lakewood under fragrant clouds of coal smoke. Even through there was a street crossing every 500 feet they never slowed down. Drivers learned that "The Fast Freight Line" wasn't just a slogan. When the crossing lights came on they knew to stop.
Sar. Ten hut! The Nickel Plate was one of the finest railroads ever. YOu are blessed to have personally witness them. I can only dream and run my S gauge #756, S-3. Blessings for a wonderful Thanksgiving week.
Lakewood gets six cars a week if we're lucky
You talking about lakewood ny?
@@Tybr0 Lakewood oh
What year did steam end on the nickel please anyway?
At 16:00. Definitely Cleveland. Blue and Silver Cleveland Rapid Transit cars from Windermere to Cleveland Union Terminal. Also yellow Shaker Rapid cars from Shaker Heights.
2:23 Looking west at an eastbound diesel crossing the Central Avenue viaduct and pulling into the Dunkirk station between Park and Washington Avenues. You can see the steel plant in the background and also the Mansard roof of the Nickel Plate Hotel on the left of the screen. The photographer then crosses to the south side of the tracks -- the white fence you see was at the top of the 700 block of Washington, to keep cars from driving up onto the tracks -- and films a steam locomotive backing along the siding which reveals the Nickle Plate depot at 3:25. This depot was torn down, if memory serves me, in 1990. Next shot is of a westbound steam roaring around the slight bend at Main Street, followed by a quick shot of its caboose as it heads toward Westfield, followed by the first locomotive, with a boxcar in front, pulling out and heading west.
Which town?
I'm guessing the shots from the other tracks were the now CSX tracks that run parallel the entire way from Cleveland to Buffalo.
Nice old movie, at 8:35 is Bayview tower on the New York Central 8 miles west of Buffalo.
My guess is that the Norfolk and Western, and Virginian footage was taken during and around the time of the 1957 National Railway Historical Society convention, which was held in Roanoke. Also, the first footage after the Nickel Plate stuff looks to be Reading electric commuter operations in and around Philadelphia. Anybody have any idea where the small steeple cab electric at the end of the reel was taken?
The N&W footage was, indeed, taken enroute to the 1957 convention in Roanoke. The steeple cab electric seen at the end of the video was taken near Court Street at the Lehigh Valley interchange in Rochester, New York circa 1956. This was near the end for the Rochester "Subway". Taken by my close friend Ron Wright, who passed away last year.
Sure wished there were sound.
Nevertheless, this is some great footage with something for everyone: steam, early diesel, interurban, streetcars et al.
I hadn't noticed the channel owner, but watching, I couldn't escape the thought that this guy was out in the freezing cold, blizzard conditions and just kept filming.
When I found out it was Ron Wright, I was not the least surprised.
Only a dedicated rail enthusiast could have shot these great moments.
Thanks, Ron!
Is your wonderful website down?
Yes. Thank you for the comment.
@@ronaldwright6928 I sure miss your website. Great film though!
I thought I saw some GG1s, Pennsylvania railroad, or was I mistaken.
It's the Berks!