Snow Removal on the M&NJ
by Peter Brill
Edited for the web by John Deserto
reprinted from the M&NJRHS
publication, The Unionville Flyer
Let us pause to admire EL
7074 and M&NJ #1 at Unionville on a sunny Saturday in January of 1963 and
conjecture what this winter holds in store for us. From the collection of
Harold Rasmussen
As we await the onset of the winter of 2000-2001, we carry the memories of
the winter of 1993-94 fresh in our memories. For the first time in several
decades the snow accumulation was of such epic proportions that the use of
the #2 on numerous plow extra's proved inadequate to keep the line open to
Slate Hill. We responded by bringing the #1, who's snow blades are lower
than those on the #2, out of storage and used her as a 44 ton snow plow
pushed by the #2. . This strategy abruptly ended one frigid night when the
#1 froze to the rail on the LOOP track. We then played our trump card and
commissioned Jim Heavy Duty Schoonmaker to bulldoze the line clear, a feat
he performed twice in the course of the winter.
Over the years, there were several occasions when winter's wrath overwhelmed
the M&NJ's capabilities. On January 29, 1948, the M&NJ borrowed O&W snow
plow SP-4 and flanger R-70 at 9:20A and dispatched Work Extra 1 at 9:50 AM
to work south and open up the line. M&NJ No. 1 and the snow plow constituted
the work extra. The plow derailed twice east of Washington Street and the
M&NJ concluded that No. 1 did not have sufficient power to push the plow.
The M&NJ then borrowed O&W W Class
2-8-0 No. 320 at 12:05 PM and at 12:16 PM dispatched Extra 320 to work south
with the plow and the flanger. Extra 320 successfully plowed all the way to
M&U Jct. and this was the only time the M&U or the M&NJ ever borrowed an O&W
steamer as big as a W Class
This was not the first use of an outside contractor for snow removal. In the
1960's. the M&NJ utilized a man from the local gravel pits to plow out the
line with a large front end loader.
On one occasion however in January of 1963, the line had been closed for
several days by accumulated snow and the train could not venture below
Agway. The decision was made to contact the Erie Lackawanna at Port Jervis
and arrange for an E-8 to plow out the line in time for a resumption of
service on Monday. The rational was that the 6 axles of the E-8 would
distribute the weight sufficiently for the relatively light rail of the
M&NJ. EL responded quickly by dispatching F-3A No. 7074 at 9:00 am on a
Saturday morning. Engineer A.C. Dutton and a fireman, brought the F unit
down the Third track onto the M&NJ and then ran to Unionville plowing all
the way. The snow on Creeden Hill stopped them dead and to this day their
are rail burns near DeVries crossing, mute testimony to the battle that was
waged as the F-3 kept grinding away against the snow pack. The #1 followed
the 7074 to Unionville and then towed her back to Middletown. The only known
picture of this appears at the top of this page. This operation was never
repeated and interestingly, the M&NJ was never billed by the EL for the
services of its engine and crew. However, when a certain EL local official
retired at a later date, there were a number of M&NJ officials at his
retirement party.
The Erie
Lackawanna's DW yard in Middletown has a very Christmas Card look to it in
this undated photo by Ray Brown. The GP 35 is sitting very near the West
Main St. crossing while the SW and Dunmore caboose are closer to the EL
freight house.
