I remember seeing those "triple-power" boxcabs many times, both up on the High Line and down on West Street switching the docks. Although I didn't know what an oddity they were until I joined the Trainboard. They must have been an operational and maintenance nightmare! Having to switch between three sources of power ... 1) diesel generator, 2) 600VDC third rail, and 3) lead-acid batteries .... Johnny, do you know if any of them were saved?
Gee Hank, I've never heard of any Boxcabs in any museums. The transit Museum in Brooklyn had a Steeple Cab electric on display though.
Check out these beauties from New York's past! Almost as good as a Boxcab to some folks! Just as old! http://www.nycsubway.org/slides/locomotives/loco-5a.jpg
Oh Yeah! I remember seeing some of the survivors on MOW trains before they were all phased out. Looked like a giant cyclops coming out of the tunnel. Love it! <img src=http://www.trainboard.com/sigbreak.gif> Russ
Russ, you actually saw them in action? I don't remember ever seeing them anywhere but the Transit Museum.
I'll be darned, I had forgotten about those orange beasts. I saw them a few times when I was coming back from the Village very early in the morning. I used the B'way/7th Ave Line or the BMT with a transfer at Columbus Circle ... whatever
There is a one-page article on the High Line in the Summer 2002 issue of Invention & Technology magazine. The article discusses both sides of the politcal controversy, with a short overview of the Line itself, the why and how it was built. The magazine website has not been updated to show the summer issue yet, but here is the address .... Invention & Technology Magazine
I saw that article too, what blew my mind was that there was no other line to replace it. Makes me wonder what they were thinking. I'm thrilled to hear that has beed saved. It should be part of NY's History and after last year I think maybe we as Americans are starting to realize just how important it all really is.our history. How ever small and insugnificant it may seem.
Land on Manhattan is too valuable and expensive for rail traffic. The City gets a whole lot more taxes from the residents in a bunch of 50 story high-rises than from one measly 2-track freight line with a few yards and warehouses. Today freight cars are unloaded up in the Bronx and over in Joisey, then the stuff is trucked in. [ 10 May 2002, 01:06: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
I passed the High Line today, and realized how incredibly steep the grade is onto it. When it was first built, the electric locos made the climb easily I guess but I wonder how those latter day small diesel switchers (already old too) made that climb with a couple of loaded boxcars in tow. It must be a 4% grade! It climbs as steeply as some of the elevated trackage on the subways. I wonder how long the third rail operations lasted up there. You can still see some of the mounting for it although it's long gone.
Hey John, why don't you ask that question on the TB NYC Forum, or maybe to someone in the NYC Historical Society? I'm sure there are some High Line maintenance and improvement records in archive somewhere. Maybe LEW has some buddies who might know. Is there a forum associated with the Central's historical society like the B&M historical forum?
Hank, I'll ask in the NYC forum, but I don't know of any other societies involving the High Line. I did belong to the WESTSIDE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION many many years ago and they tried to preserve the line before they went under. I can say though that they opened the eyes of the public to the line! It's still there 20 years later!
