Mystery Monday
In April of 1983, New York, Susquehanna & Western ran a private charter of what was called the "Mystery Express". High paying clientele boarded the game of "Clue" at Little Ferry, NJ, for a run up to Cortland, NY. Someone would be "murdered" along the way and the patrons would have to put together clues to figure out whodunit. It also gave the opportunity for the railroad to debut it's latest Alco C-430, #3004.
The train ran to Passaic Jct, NJ, then up the Southern Tier line with a Conrail crew at the throttle. The NYS&W was using it's "haulage rights" for this train on the Tier. At Binghamton, the train would have to reverse direction in order to head up the Susquehanna's Northern Division putting the shiny Alco in the lead. Riders were placed in hotels in the Cortland area overnight and returned east the next day to solve the murder.
I believe at the time, it was rumored that Walter Rich, the president of Delaware Otsego Corp., owner of the Susquehanna, was the one who lost his life aboard the train. Now who would want him gone? I don't believe it was true, but railfans love rumors!
Here we see the train with GP-18 #1802 in the lead as they roll along the Delaware River near Callicoon, NY.
Mystery Monday
In April of 1983, New York, Susquehanna & Western ran a private charter of what was called the "Mystery Express". High paying clientele boarded the game of "Clue" at Little Ferry, NJ, for a run up to Cortland, NY. Someone would be "murdered" along the way and the patrons would have to put together clues to figure out whodunit. It also gave the opportunity for the railroad to debut it's latest Alco C-430, #3004.
The train ran to Passaic Jct, NJ, then up the Southern Tier line with a Conrail crew at the throttle. The NYS&W was using it's "haulage rights" for this train on the Tier. At Binghamton, the train would have to reverse direction in order to head up the Susquehanna's Northern Division putting the shiny Alco in the lead. Riders were placed in hotels in the Cortland area overnight and returned east the next day to solve the murder.
I believe at the time, it was rumored that Walter Rich, the president of Delaware Otsego Corp., owner of the Susquehanna, was the one who lost his life aboard the train. Now who would want him gone? I don't believe it was true, but railfans love rumors!
Here we see the train with GP-18 #1802 in the lead as they roll along the Delaware River near Callicoon, NY.