Who remembers the S.I.R.T.?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
21

Sorry no I now live some distance from the NY/NJ area. The closet I have gotten to SI recently was last Dec when I visited my younger son outside Philly.

I would presume the traffic has to be worse now then some years ago.

We moved from Queens to NJ in July of 69 a very short few days before Armstrong foot hit the moon. I was also in my glory since the NYJs were SB champs & the NYMs were BB champs.

In the mid 50s I was to young to drive yet.

We all have regrets of things that we should have done or seen but did not.

I am not so familar with the SIRT history all I know it existed & help me out in a pinch.

Right now my thinking mode is do whatever make me happy as tommorrow you may not be abple to accomplish your wish.

I am typing this from my sons home while I am watching one of his kids.

I go railfanning every year & this year so far I will be in Utah, Wy, Idaho, Montana, Texas & NM. [:D]

[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by siberianmo

Hello sped:

The weekend is upon us and I’m STILL at it (?) - “Get a life,” you say? Ha ha.

Back to the GSP - no joke about southbound on Friday and northbound on Sunday (evenings ) - slow 'n go, slow 'n go. I’d rather not know what it is like today! Used to spend some time at my girl friends parents cottage at Lavellette Beach - sometimes I’d take the train in lieu of driving. My recollections go back into the mid-50’s - so I can just imagine what it all is like today.

Also in later years (early Coast Guard), I spent some time at Cranberry Lake near Netcong (I think). Great summer memories from there too - but alas, no trains involved!

Just wondering, do you get to Staten Island very much these days? I was back in 1981 for a 25th high school reunion - spent about 5 days there. Great fun seeing the “chums” and “gals” of my day (some I really had a hard time figuring out

22

For sped:

I surely can relate to the way you feel about doing today that which you may not be able to do tomorrow … that sounds very much like me!

When I get away for my solo rail trips they are pretty much restricted to within Missouri (round trip to KCity or JeffCity and back to Kirkwood (closest to my home, which is the first station westbound out of St. Louis). I also “do” a round trip between Montreal and a place called Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada aboard VIA Rail. I have a friend there and it turns out that Sackville just happens to be a “turn around” place for my weekend getaway.

The eastbound (destination Halifax) drops me off at about 12:30 PM and after about a four hour rendezvous with my friend and his family, I board the westbound (destination Montreal) for the completion of my two nights aboard the “Ocean” in a bedroom (of course!). I ensure that my bookings provide me wth at least one segment in the Budd stainless steel beauties, as VIA has replaced most of the equipment with their new “Euro” Renaissance cars. Not my cup of tea, to say the least. Just LOVE those Observation Dome cars (Park Cars) bringing up the rear of the train … dining cars are equally appealing as are the accommodations.

Anyway - all the aforementioned in response to your comment about railfanning, except I’ve been pretty much a solo act.

My wife and I will be traveling to Halifax this May and we booked the round trip for the Budd cars - cannot wait for this trip to commence! Have you ever been to either place - Montreal or Halifax? In my opinion, Montreal’s Central Station is a really interesting place to “people watch” as the main waiting room is always chock full of people scurrying about to and from the Metro (subway) or connecting trains or … Kind of a European flare to it all with the chimes before the train boarding announcements in French and English. I could go on and on … The trains are one level below and inaccessible

23

I prefer a car to get where I want to go. Other then my wife I also run solo. I am not much for rail train trips. I guess all those overniters from St. Pete to Moscow that I took took riding a train love out of me. OK so if I dial up Missouri as my destination then I can dial U up. I have a tape that I got from Pentex of Gibbon Jct NE which is in your area sort of. If it is what I think it is I will have to get their to insure I know I eyeballed it.

Enjoy your Canadian trip.

As a aside when I was in Dagget last year I met a trainfan couple from England. The same at the T. Loop when I was their. At Dolton IL I met trainfans from Germany. [:D]

[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by siberianmo

For sped:

I surely can relate to the way you feel about doing today that which you may not be able to do tomorrow … that sounds very much like me!

When I get away for my solo rail trips they are pretty much restricted to within Missouri (round trip to KCity or JeffCity and back to Kirkwood (closest to my home, which is the first station westbound out of St. Louis). I also “do” a round trip between Montreal and a place called Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada aboard VIA Rail. I have a friend there and it turns out that Sackville just happens to be a “turn around” place for my weekend getaway.

The eastbound (destination Halifax) drops me off at about 12:30 PM and after about a four hour rendezvous with my friend and his family, I board the westbound (destination Montreal) for the completion of my two nights aboard the “Ocean” in a bedroom (of course!). I ensure that my bookings provide me wth at least one segment in the Budd stainless steel beauties, as VIA has replaced most of the equipment with their new “Euro” Renaissance cars. Not my cup of tea, to say the least. Just LOVE those Observation Dome cars (Park Cars) bringing up the rear of the train … dining cars are equally appealing as are the accommodati

24

Apparently, files over 20 years old, are deleted. i had additional old negative scanned, but apparently the old thread I had started on SIRT is not available. So here are tthree recently scanned photos, and then some I probably posted long ago.

Fan trip, prlobably Tottenville:

Passing Clifton Shops:

Wentworth Avenue, was N. America’s smallest high-platform station:

RoW near Clifton:

Grant City:

25

St. George Terminal:

Rail-Grinder at Clifton Sgops:

Inside Clifton Shops:

Crane at Clifton Shops:

Arligton:

26

I still think it is a shame “Hylan’s Holes” were not built. Aside from the promise of additional liner berths both on Staten Island and across in Brooklyn (see the PRR trains from Penn Station via the Bay Ridge part of the NYCR) the Narrows tunnel… intentionally planned oversize to freight clearances at the end, which was probably a factor that got it killed in the end… would have come out at near right angles to Bay Ridge, and a pretty direct connection both to the LIRR and to Penn Station. That would give a double-track line from New Jersey south of most congestion right around to the New Haven east via Hell Gate.

All that expensive grade separation and third rail was almost certainly built with an eye toward running SIRT trains to the rest of Greater NYC.

27

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In time for your Holiday, more SIRT from that Kneiling fan-trip.

Another view at Arlington:

And the diesel switcher brought os to Port Ivory:

St. GeorgecTunnels

Exterior of Clifton Shops:

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More ouside the shop:

Connecting tracks at the St. George Terminal throatL

At a Terminal platform:

American Dock had its owm switcher and had somwe tracks with trolley wire:

30

3 branches on the Island one in use to Tottenville…Line to Arlington abandoned in place and tthe other to South Beach ILegaly taken by developors

31

Freight service has been restored on the westernmost, never-electrified, part of the Arlington branch across the bridge to Arlington, and the details can be found on the Wikipedia website Staten island Railway history.

Various propsals to re-activate this branch for passenger service have threads on the Trains forums.

for a few years in the late 19th century, the B&o provided a passenger connection for State Islanders across the bridge to connect with tgrains for Washington and the Midwest.

A diesel switcher with an adapter coupler hauled the John Kneiling joint Railfasn Trip committee special to and from Port Ivory;

32

What year was that fantrip?

33

I don’t remember SIRT directly, but I grew up in Fanwood NJ on the CNJ mainline. As a teenage railfan, I used to peddle my bike down to Cranford Junction/Aldene to take in the action. LV crossed over the CNJ, short line Rahway Valley interchanged with with the CNJ (and LV in nearby Roselle), and the CNJ also interchanged with the Baltimore and New York (essentially SIRT in New jersey).

"The Baltimore and New York Railway was constructed from Cranford Junction on the Central Railroad of New Jersey, in Union County, New Jersey,

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Fan trip; some time 1947 or 1948.

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Wentworth Avenue looking toward South Beach Station:

And the opposite:

36

Turns out SIRT interchanged with electrified switching line American Dock

American Dock Company / American Dock & Trust (trainweb.com)

37

Nate Gerstein provided this photo of an SIRT snow-scraper:

38

I remember it, sort of. I was way too young to identify it as such…but in JK my class went on a passenger train outing. It would have had to have been the SIRT as there were no other passenger operations on Staten Island at the time. I have no clear memories of it other than other kids… an old coach… a crisp sunny day… and alot of construction going on trackside… maybe the SIRT was getting a new siding.

39

I grew up in Brooklyn and remember riding the SIRT trains. You had to go Manhatten by subway and take the ferry across NY harbor to Statan Island to ride the SIRT trains.

40

Into the Post-WWII years, there was a municipal ferry from the W. 39th Street dock, loop terminal of the Church Avenue streetcar adjacent, to the St. George, Staten Island, ferry terminal.

June 1950, I had a morning interview with the Head Councelor of Camp With-a-Wind for my summer job as Photography Councelor (age 17). The day was also the Picnic Day for my Dad’s Masonic Lodge, and the picnic site was the lawn of the hotel in Grant City, Staten Island. So I took the subway to Chuch Avenue, BB or CC to 59th, A to Jay Boro’ Hall, F, walked to my future boss’s home, After the interview, Church Ave streetcar (8000 double-end Peter Witt) ferry, SIRT, picnic.