Some proof that yes, indeed, the New York City Transit Authority did, at one time, provide common-carrier freight service. The team track located near Coney Island Shops:
Some Coney Island shop photos from the Autumn 1947 visit via the Willeta Point - C. I. non-revenue move, photos of that move on its own thead. Plus one from the 1948 visit.
The one-of-a-king experimental steel elevated car for Brooklyn United Rys., before the dual contracts. At that time the four routes to Coney Island had surface operation with low platforms, so this car had steps and traps. So did the wood and composite BMT open-platform el cars, but they were modified.
Here is the Shop Switcher
A D-type in for repair
A wood gate car with the gravity third-rail shoe visible. Does CTA use a similar shoe today?
CTA still uses the gravity shoe. There were some cars in the 6000 series that were equipped with the spring “paddle” shoe as delivered in the late 1950s, but CTA quickly reverted to the gravity shoe.
They were first used in North Africa where the standard USA profile cab was usable. It was realised that they would have to be used in Italy, and the cab was cut down to the profile illustrated, and further locomotives were built to the low clearances. Quite a few were taken over by the Italian State Railways, and eventually re-engined with Italian diesel engines.
Peter, weren’t the cabs on the Italian Whitcombs ‘cut down’ even more than this, with angled walls above the beltline almost matching the side angle of the hoods? Much the same approach as the MRS-1s, if I remember right.
This is a ‘short’ cab (to fit the lower overhead); compare the type used in Syria.
Details of the various kinds of cab ‘in context’ can be seen here:
David, I always appreciate your shots of old New York, after all it’s the the city my mother grew up in and in a way still misses to this day.
I’m curious, have you seen the “Before and After” thread concerning the re-development of the old Hudson Yards area? I’m interested in your thoughts on the same. I’ll bet we all are!
Apologize for not getting back sooner. 1. If it facilitates a really fine railroad station for the existing Penn, great. 2. “There goes my sound system” because the Klepper Marshall King designed and specified system for the LIRR yards was intended to work as an outdoor system, not one with the controlled coverage required for a closed and reverberant space.
At the time I first posted this thread, I thought the attached photo too far gone to repair, but since have learned to do a better job and do it in less time, so herewith:
Not tyhe Spring 1938 visitm, but much later, Nate Gerstein’s images, with my minor editing, of IRT Low-Vs being overhauled for Nolstagia Train service. At least one photo appears to be in the paint shop: