Re: (erielack) "Rider" cars

[Smtimko_@_aol.com]

In a message dated 8/29/2006 1:22:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
paultup_@_lucent.com writes:

The  riders were crew members returning to their base location? Why not just 
ride  in a caboose or in the motive power? (I've seen lots of video of EL 
trains  with many crew members riding trailing units, perhaps they switched to  
this?)



PAUL and List
 
The EL used the Rider Cars on Trains 3 and 4, after the passenger  
accommodations were removed from trains 7 (9 on Sunday) and 8.
 
If I remember, there was a partition in the center of the Stillwell, seats  
in one end and company mail and supplies in the other end.  A coal or oil  
stove heated the seat portion.  If Marion needed a fuel pump and Hornell  had one, 
it went in the Rider Car.
 
Crews were deadheaded on these trains when required.  To add a caboose  
(which were always in short supply) for the purpose of deadheading a crew from  
Meadville to Kent or Marion was prohibitive on the schedule.  It required a  yard 
crew, air test, etc.
 
For the most part, crews were deadheaded by taxi except when weather or  
other conditions dictated.  We usually didn't stop NY-98 at Kent to pick up  
deadheads but I'm not saying it was never done, as I am certain that it did  happen 
on occasion.
 
SMT


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