CLass A #1206

[NW Mailing List]

Interesting thread.  I attended the NY World's Fair  (with my parents, 
of course).  Recall the three
RR exhibits:  static display of locomotives, including 1206; the pagent 
"Railroads on Parade"; and
the O scale display "Railroads at Work".  I still have the letter size 
booklet from the fair.  The pamphlet
 from RR at Work was lost in 1950 when we moved to southern NJ.  Two 
pieces of trivia:  The S-1
was lettered for "America's Railroads", not PRR; and the rolling stock 
for the RR at Work layout was
lettered on one side only, because the 'back' side was not visible to 
spectators.

Jerome Crosson; formerly New Jersey; now St. Peters MO.

-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: N&W Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Thu, Oct 30, 2014 10:55 am
Subject: Re: CLass A #1206

What I would like to know about the 1206 is how in the heck she got to 
the 1939 World's Fair.


That Fair was held at the Flushing Meadows Park, which is in Queens, on 
the lower end of Long Island.  How do you get an engine that big across 
the Hudson River and through New York City...?


My initial surmise was that she went up to Albany and then came down 
the NYC's Hudson Division (east shore of the Hudson River,) through 
Spuyten Duyvil and through NY City to Long Island.  But clearances are 
probably too tight on the Hudson Division for the 1206 to have moved 
that way.


I've consulted with some retired railroad officials in the NY City area 
and they suggest the move was probably as follows:


PRR to either Greenville Yard or Harsimus Cove Yard (both on the west 
bank of the Hudson River in Jersey City.)  Thence by float trans-Hudson 
to either Bay Ridge or Long Island City, on the east side of the 
Hudson.  Thence handled by Long Island RR to Flushing Meadows Park. 
 This route would have meant the N&W gave the engine to the PRR at 
Hagerstown.  One crew district Hagerstown to Harrisburg, and one crew 
district Harrisburg to either Greenville or Harsimus Cove.  It would be 
great if some day a photograph turns up depicting the 1206 being barged 
across the Hudson River.


Whatever route she took, I'll bet the MW guys were out for weeks ahead 
with tapes and measuring sticks, and maybe even transits.  And on the 
day of the move, I'll bet there were coolies out with oil cans, 
greasing the rails on the curves !


Of course, the PRR also had its big S-1 6-4-4-6 at the same Fair, so 
the 1206 wasn't the only one causing consternation and giving migranes.


-- abram burnett
keeper and trustee-in-perpetuity of the imperial signal arm


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