Belle Mead NJ 1949 - Grainy Images

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I’m sharing two pictures that I really went back and forth about showing or not. For some reason my dad had switched from a 620 camera to a 1/2 frame 127 camera about 1948 and the pictures really showed the degradation in quality… but being Belle Mead in 1949 (I believe), I thought some might enjoy seeing them despite the grain and blur. First is what I believe to the be Baltimore & Ohio train #4, “The Diplomat” running on Reading rails. This guess is based on the position of the sun as the train passes.

http://knox.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1145395

Second is one of the Reading Brill Motor Cars. If this picture was taken about the same time as the B&O train, I’m not clear what run this could have been.

http://knox.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1145394

Any help in better identifying these two trains would be greatly appreciated. Also, the year is based purely on when I believe my dad was using this horrible little camera (which I still have, fyi). By 1950, I think he’d gone to a full sized 127 camera (doubling the frame size). Can anyone confirm if the date seems right?

Thanks so much,

Charles Freericks

2

Let me bethe first to reply to these photos as always i have enjoyed all that you have shared Not being to familmar with eastern railroading but always interested in all types of railroading and trains Please keep the photos coming Thanks Larry

3

Reading was getting out of the doodlebug business and being thrifty, probably put the unit into MOW. I wish I could have ridden to Lancaster, Slaington or Coatesville on the old gal!

RIX

4

…Neither can I ID any of these trains but have enjoyed all your older photos…especially, since I’m an easterner too.

5

Not a thing wrong with either of those photos. I like the BW and the graininess doesnt bother me. The fuzziness sorta works well with the fact it is 60 years old.

Keep them coming.

ed

6

…I thought doodlebugs were interesting. Got to see several operate over the years at Ligonier Valley RR @ Ligonier, Pa. I was a teenager then and always thought they were an interesting, different sort of machine. Wild sound to then too.