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| Re: Dual third rails on the IRT Els (686337) | |||
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Re: Dual third rails on the IRT Els |
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Posted by JOE @ NYCMTS - NYCTMG on Wed Sep 24 19:56:19 2008, in response to Re: Dual third rails on the IRT Els, posted by Mellow One on Wed Sep 24 10:47:19 2008. Hello Randy O & Charles (MELLOW) See Photo BELOW  Sorry for the somewhat low quality, but RARE, images taken from an old 8mm color movie film I have (tho being sharper on movie film itself somewhat). The BRONX view ABOVE is taken from front of a wooden 3rd Ave. "EL" train, coming westerly (southbound) just past the Jackson Ave. Station behind it, looking eastward on the White Plains Rd EL over Westchester Avenue, near BROOK Ave. crosstreet. Our EL train on the MAIN-LINE LOCAL track, approaches its switch set to take it to the LEFT and onto the left side up-ramps towards the 3rd Avenue EL and Bergen Cutoff. This color film was taken around 1947, NOTE in the foreground of the White Plains Line MAIN LOCAL track we are riding on, the exposed "EL style" (and no back-face wood safety boards) 3rd rail at left of it, and NO COVERED "Subway style" positioned 3rd rail at right side of it. Also NOTE ABOVE - and IN the next "CLOSER VIEW EAST" PHOTO, JUST BELOW, again, the START of the covered subway 3rd rail beginning at right hand track right-side just beyond the switch track...where the Subway MAIN local track descends FOR STEEL SUBWAY TRAINS ONLY, at right, westward towards the eventual tunnel portal. NOTE: I recall reading a 1940's official report of an errant EL motorman who didn't read his "iron" or signals, and incorrectly took the track TO THE RIGHT with his full 6 car wooden "EL" train, westward downgrade and completely PAST the switch on track leading to the subway tunnel portal- and LOST all Electrical POWER at that point...as ALL his train's EL Style 3rd rail "Drop-Sled" shoes dropped down into open space !!! He braked to a full stop....finally realizing his error. Another Local train coming westward from behind, had to couple to and tow his "dead" train backward easttward upgrade to again make contact with the "EL" style 3rd Rail just east beyond that switch - and thus taking his whole train-legth past, EAST of, that switch in mention, for his train to reverse end again a head back WESTWARD, and switch onto the proper UP ramp track to the 3rd Ave. EL route !!! (see next photo below !) SEE PHOTO BELOW -- our westward (southbound) EL train is about to take the switch to the left and enter the UP Ramps to the 3rd Ave. EL's Bergen Cutoff.  Charles IS correct...that the portion of the IRT White Plains Road Line "Westchester & (after Simpson St. Station), Southern Blvd. EL structures from the Tunnel Portal up to E.180th Street Station (and the nearby original Bronx Park Stub Terminal Station) and E.180th St. layup yards...originally had ONLY exposed Elevated Style 3rd Rail, and, but, WITHOUT the usual catwalk-facing wooden safety back board as used exclusively on the four older Manhattan El's. That wooden "safety 'catwalk facing' back-board-plank was higher than the EL STYLE 3rd rail head ( by 1 1/2" ) and would foul the steel subway car "paddle-type 3rd Rail shoes" which protruded beyond it - and could thus lift up onto same, and OFF of the EL STYLE 3rd rails head. The line to E. 180th St was opened and operated by 2nd and 3rd Ave. EL trains in late 1904 but originally solely via the earlier ORIGINAL 3rd Ave, - E.150th St. 2-track connection. By July 1906 the subway Trains route via tunnel portal at Bergen-149th Street, was completed to this Westchester Ave EL. Thus service thru from Manhattan West Side subway also began using COMPOSITE and GIBBS cars trainsets which utilized the then-new "Subway Type Covered 3rd Rail" Paddle Shoes having 2 steel contact pads, one for EL and one for Subway 3rd rail type positions. Those shoes were angled slightly upward at the shoe tip-end for subway 3rd rails - so the end tip shoe "contact pad" plate would ride FLAT on the subway-style 3rd rail head. SEE LAST BELOW TWO PHOTOS - our Manhattan 3rd Avenue Elevated bound Wooden "EL" train is now at the top level of Bergen Cutoff 2-track up ramp structure, (at approx. Brook Avenue), facing WESTWARD, and about to curve LEFT (south-westerly) over Bergen Avenue "Cut" (and riding immediately above the lower two descending subway tracks curving left also towards their tunnel portal cut below). This trackage area starts the beginning of having the safety wooden BACKBOARD behind the EL STYLE 3rd rails...as the entire Manhattan & Bronx 3rd Ave EL, and including its "Bergen Cutoff-to E. 143rd St. Station" structure trackages all used that safety feature. NOTE the totally intact and "fully, as non-revenue service" functioning" (work trains, shop moves, etc) ORIGINAL 1904 connection from 3rd Ave. El at E. 150th Street & Westchester Avenue, is seen heading straight ahead Westward with 3rd Avenue El faintly visible in distance. This and the Bergen Cut both "live" connections lasted until late 1947, and were demolished by early 1950 - severing the Bronx 3rd Avenue EL from the subway line at this South Bronx location.   regards -Joe |
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