Meanwhile, Back in New Jersey

I hope Dave McKay Day went well. I was in Waldwick, New Jersey, on that day, getting the Erie Waldwick Tower and Waldwick Erie Station museums ready to open for the season. Since the famous Erie landmark Waldwick “S” Curve (also known as Collin’s Curve) is right there I decided to take a couple shots. It may be only three tracks now and the only varnish it sees are NJ Transit commuter trains, but it still looks good and is still as photogenic as ever. Also included is a shot of Chesapeake & Ohio 614 when it traveled the ex-Erie back in 1996.

Photographs by Jack Norris

Simulating the Work of a Tower Operator

Being a volunteer at the former Erie Railroad WC Interlocking Tower Museum in Waldwick, New Jersey, I have keys to the place and can access it whenever I want.

I had a day off so I decided to spend a Monday morning rush hour seeing it from the tower operator’s point of view.

Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. there were 30 scheduled movements, plus deadheads and a local Norfolk Southern freight for good measure.

These trains either passed through the interlocking on the mainline or were originating/terminating in Waldwick Yard.

Each time I watched the computer-controlled interlocking set up for each train, all I could think of was the poor operator setting up the interlocking for up to 10 trains per hour.

Even though WC interlocking was electrified early, the operator still had to throw the switches and signals individually.

When you experience the conditions first hand it makes you appreciate the workers of the past. Here is some of the variety from this morning, including New Jersey Transit runs push-pull trains with a cab car on the south end.

They are suffering from a cab car shortage right now, the result being that some trains are being led by a locomotive on the south end, making for some rare photo ops.

Being a volunteer at the former Erie Railroad WC Interlocking Tower Museum in Waldwick, New Jersey, I have keys to the place and can access it whenever I want.

I had a day off so I decided to spend a Monday morning rush hour seeing it from the tower operator’s point of view.

Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. there were 30 scheduled movements, plus deadheads and a local Norfolk Southern freight for good measure.

These trains either passed through the interlocking on the mainline or were originating/terminating in Waldwick Yard.

Each time I watched the computer-controlled interlocking set up for each train, all I could think of was the poor operator setting up the interlocking for up to 10 trains per hour.

Even though WC interlocking was electrified early, the operator still had to throw the switches and signals individually.

When you experience the conditions first hand it makes you appreciate the workers of the past. Here is some of the variety from this morning, including New Jersey Transit runs push-pull trains with a cab car on the south end.

They are suffering from a cab car shortage right now, the result being that some trains are being led by a locomotive on the south end, making for some rare photo ops.

Article and Photographs by Jack Norris

 

Keeping Erie, EL Alive on New York Division

The restored WB Tower in Waldwick, New Jersey.

Akron Railroad Club blog reader Jack Norris wrote from his home in New Jersey that because many of us here in Ohio are interested in the history of the Erie and Erie Lackawanna railroads that we might be interested in some news from the old New York Division.

In Waldwick, New Jersey (milepost 23.2) on four-track old Erie Mainline is the home of the famous Waldwick “S” curve (a.k.a. Collin’s Curve) and sits WC Tower.

The Victorian style wooden tower controlled the interlocking as well as the entrance to Waldwick Yard, a layover yard for intermediate distance commuter trains.

The tower was manned until 1986 when New Jersey Transit closed it. The tower then languished for several years and was in danger of being torn down.

The community of Waldwick wanted to save their tower as well as the matching Victorian station.

The restoration process was successful and both structures are now property of the Waldwick Historical Society.

WC Tower has been restored and is open infrequently for guests to visit. The building has displays on both the lower level and the operator’s level.

Although the interlocking machine and model board are not in the building at the present time, both still exist and may, in fact, be reinstalled one day, depending on public interest and funding. The Waldwick Station will open this Sunday (May 22, 2016) as a town history museum.

By the way, if you know where to look you can still find seven EL manhole covers still doing their intended job even though their railroad is long gone.

I am sending along some photographs of WC Tower and the restored station.

About 100 commuter trains a day pass through Waldwick on a weekday as well as a couple local freights. One road freight passes through nocturnally five nights a week. I am also attaching the websites for both structures.

For more information, visit

http://allaboardwaldwick.org/

and https://www.facebook.com/WaldwickCommunityAlliance/

The Erie station in Waldwick before its restoration.

The restored Erie Railroad passenger station in Waldwick, New Jersey, as seen in December 2014.

An Erie Lackawanna manhole cover.

The next three photographs show the various exhibits of Erie and EL artifacts.

New Jersey Transit has an extensive network of commuter rail routes in its namesake state.

The current NJT locomotive livery.

NJT trains come with a variety of motive power.

A Metro North locomotive pulls a commuter train.

WC Tower before its restoration.

Another view of WC Tower.