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From: JG at graytrainpix graytrainpix AT hotmail DOT com
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:29:49 -0400
Subject: Yet another passing from the EL family
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Sad to hear about Robert L. Downing's passing. Back when he was NY Division superintendent and I was in 8th grade, I wrote to him as a 13-year old enthusiast, asking him if I could get permission to visit the various interlocking towers in New Jersey. He was considerate enough to write back and offer a second-best: I could stop by the dispatchers office in Hoboken and have a look around there. And you bet I did, about 2 weeks after I received his letter.

It was a weekday morning around 9, just as the rush hour was simmering down. After arriving in Hoboken by train from Rutherford, I made my way upstairs with my letter. I still remember the Assistant Chief, George Wright, showing me around, letting me talk for a few minutes to each of the three on-duty dispatchers. I vaguely remember one of them telling me that they were running NY-98 via Scranton that day, which saved them a brakeman into Croxton given the NY State full crew law out of Port Jervis. I also remember seeing some 1850-series Trainmasters in Croxton during the train ride, the only time I remember seeing them. I told Bob Byrnes on the West End about this, he said yes, there had been an eastbound during the night with those units. I remember saying something about "U25B's" and the response was "oh, the 2500's??" I also remember George showing me where the former side-lines dispatchers desk was.

In another 4 years or so, I would be able to get into a lot of towers on my own, I knew enough to call an SD-45 a "3600", and I could even stop by the dispatchers office on a weekend if I knew someone on duty, such as Artie Erdman. Only later on did I find out that the EL NY Division was pretty loose on enforcing the rule against non-company visitors in interlocking towers. But for a 13-year old railfan newbie, Mr. Downing's letter was an invitation into to the forbidden inner sanctum.

Maybe 5 or 6 years later, I did get to talk briefly with Mr. Downing. One morning during my brief tenure as a college-student summer relief operator, I was working the 1st trick at SF Suffern Tower, and Mr. Downing unexpectedly walked in, wearing the standard superintendent suit and tie. I was a bit flustered at first about having a big-shot visit me, but RLD calmed me down, asked me how I was doing, and told me to just stay alert and think ahead, and everything would be OK. Other than the local trainmasters, RLD was the only EL big-wig I ever got to talk with.

Yes, he was one of the few who held the EL together despite all the forces tearing it apart. RIP, RLD.

Jim Gerofsky


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