Throwback Thursday
Phil Boldman is pictured here with a fresh derailment at MP 9.70 (Main Street, Highland, Indiana) on Penn Centrals Danville secondary on February 28th, 1973. Phil had just arrived at "another fucking derailment due to the horseshit merger..." as he said. Phil hired on Penn Central in 1969 and according to Phil, when all the PRR & NYC lines merged in Indiana, it caused a lot of problems with the men, seniority, rights, etc, etc. Phil was a die hard NYC man, because his entire family had worked there, but like any mega-merger, there will always be issues.
This derailment pictured shows what looks like the underframe of an autorack. It looks as though this view is looking S/W from somewhere near the Main Street crossing. The derailment has been long forgotten by Phil. There were so many in PC days that it was just another day at the RR. This line would start to fall apart south of Schneider, Indiana, Phil would load it up full of speed restrictions that never got fixed and him & the line that his family built through Kentland would both be retired in 1999.
When Phil retired in 99, his title under Conrail was "I&R Foreman" (Inspection & Repair) and his territory included the following:
MC-Hartsdale to Chicago Heights.
PRR-When still in service, Hartsdale east and west to ends of track.
NYC-Osborn, Indiana to Cairo, Illinois.
NYC-Hennepin, Illinois to Wheatfield, Indiana.
CCC&StL-Sheldon secondary (Sheff, Indiana to Kankakee, Illinois) & Fowler secondary (Sheff, Indiana to Templeton, Indiana).
I believe Phils co-worker took this upon arrival. Phil opened the door on purpose to hide the PC logo.................gawd. Of course, I kick myself for not photographing his truck in the 80's, it was ALWAYS sitting in his driveway and I was there every damn day.....GAWD.
Throwback Thursday
Phil Boldman is pictured here with a fresh derailment at MP 9.70 (Main Street, Highland, Indiana) on Penn Centrals Danville secondary on February 28th, 1973. Phil had just arrived at "another fucking derailment due to the horseshit merger..." as he said. Phil hired on Penn Central in 1969 and according to Phil, when all the PRR & NYC lines merged in Indiana, it caused a lot of problems with the men, seniority, rights, etc, etc. Phil was a die hard NYC man, because his entire family had worked there, but like any mega-merger, there will always be issues.
This derailment pictured shows what looks like the underframe of an autorack. It looks as though this view is looking S/W from somewhere near the Main Street crossing. The derailment has been long forgotten by Phil. There were so many in PC days that it was just another day at the RR. This line would start to fall apart south of Schneider, Indiana, Phil would load it up full of speed restrictions that never got fixed and him & the line that his family built through Kentland would both be retired in 1999.
When Phil retired in 99, his title under Conrail was "I&R Foreman" (Inspection & Repair) and his territory included the following:
MC-Hartsdale to Chicago Heights.
PRR-When still in service, Hartsdale east and west to ends of track.
NYC-Osborn, Indiana to Cairo, Illinois.
NYC-Hennepin, Illinois to Wheatfield, Indiana.
CCC&StL-Sheldon secondary (Sheff, Indiana to Kankakee, Illinois) & Fowler secondary (Sheff, Indiana to Templeton, Indiana).
I believe Phils co-worker took this upon arrival. Phil opened the door on purpose to hide the PC logo.................gawd. Of course, I kick myself for not photographing his truck in the 80's, it was ALWAYS sitting in his driveway and I was there every damn day.....GAWD.