Got there before me. Checked the ERA Bulletins, and the only disagreement is that the electrification to Sunnyside over the Hell Gate Bridge was started in 1917 and completed in 1918. I don’t value that opnion over Middleton’s however. So the era of all steam operation was much shorter than I thought.
However, the very last steam operation was in 1931 because of an occasional shortage of electric locomotives. But I am unsure whether this was freight or passenger or both.
And please check Middleton on this: It is not Sunnyside to Fresh Pond Jc. and Bay Ridge, but Oak Point (or Port tMorris) to Sunnyside and Bay Ridge. The freight route does not go near Sunnyside. The two freight tracks, the two eastern and northern tracks of the four across the Hell Gate Bridge, were not electrified at the same time as the two Penn Station tracks.
Somewhat the same sort of thing happended in the McGinnins-Alpert eras, after McGinniss sidelined all electric locomotives except the EP-5 “Jets,” closed Van Ness shops, and ordered the FL-9s. There would be shortage of EP-5s, and a pair or sometimes three FL-9s would run into Penn Station. The original EMD third rail shoes were dual sprung and could pick-up power on the LIRR third rail as well as that of the Central.
I recall the Trenton - Sunnyside/Harold electrification at 1935. What does Middleton say?
Pictures from one of the Hell Gate anniversary threads we’ve had clearly show just the passenger tracks electrified when the bridge was opened to traffic. I believe we discussed then when the freight service was electrified, but istr the original plan for the NYCR (even in the road-bridge days) called for all four tracks electrified early.
Middleton did not get into when Hell Gate route electrification was started, but said the passenger train route was electrified early in 1918, so it sounds reasonable that the project may have been started in 1917 as reported by ERA.
The phrasing Sunnyside to Fresh Pond Jc was in a summary appendix, and he did not get into a destinction of the seperate freight and passenger tracks over the bridge. A map shows that the freight line split off a ways from Sunnyside yard, however, I think elsewhere they referred to the split as Sunnyside Junction. Interestingly a photo from the mid 20s shows a passenger train on the bridge on one of the middle tracks, and it appears that the middle two tracks are electrified. In an Amtrak era photo, only the West two tracks were electrified.
In the summary on the PRR line electrification you were asking about: NY City to New Brunswick, 1931: New Brunswick to Trenton, 1933.
The location of the split between the freight tracks to Fresh Pond Junction and Yard and then on to Bay Ridge, and the tracks to Harold Tower, Sunnyside Yard, and Penn Station are on the embankement leading to the Bridge, and not adjacent to Sunnyside Yard. It may be called Sunnyside Junction, and there may have been crossovers there between the tracks, but for many years, the two northern bridge tracks and the two southern passenger tracks were separate, and I do recall the split without switches. It may have been called Sunnyside Junction, and this may have confused Middleton. A look at a map of the area will confirm this. The routes are the same as in 1917! Today just one freight track is in use. Has a switch a the junction been restored?
A photo from a reeent Providence and Worcester calender sent free to investors, one of whom sent one to me. Note currently only the passenger tracks are electrified.
1931 might then be correct as the last date for “emergency” steam operation in passenger service over the Hell Gate, since with NY-New Brunzwick electrification, presumably AC New Haven power could run to Penn. Station.
Any date given as to when all EP-3s were finally delivered? If that is also 1931, we have the year correct for sure.
That settles the matter, 1931 was the last year of sporadic steam passsenger trains over Hell Gate Bridge. Going to the orignal posting on this thread, I recently received a color photo of the MP54s at Fairfield, and here it is:
