New Book Honors Putnam Division


Forgotten Railroads Through Westchester County chronicles the life and times of several bygone routes through the New York metropolitan area. Of particular interest to NYCSHS members are the first two chapters, dedicated to the Putnam Division and its Getty Square Branch. The Put was opened in 1880 as the New York & Northern Railroad, and was acquired by the NYC in 1905. It ran from a connection on the Hudson Division at High Bridge to a connection with the Harlem Division at Putnam Junction (Brewster). We are coming up on the 50th anniversary of the end of regular passenger service, May 29, 1958. The second chapter outlines the Getty Square Branch, built as the Yonkers Rapid Transit in 1888, running from Van Cortlandt Park Junction to the heart of Yonkers at Getty Square. Double tracked and equipped with automatic block signals, this busy branch quickly opened up southern Westchester to development. It was electrified by the NYC in 1926. Abandonment of the Ninth Avenue Elevated in 1940 made ridership drop dramatically, and the line was abandoned in 1943. Many color and black and white photos take us on a tour of the line, with informative captions to help the reader navigate easily. The rest of the book covers New Haven topics, including the pioneering mainline electrification program of 1907, and the ill-fated subsidiary New York, Westchester & Boston Railway. Hardbound, 174 pages. Available from your local dealer or direct.

2008 Annual Meeting - Independence, Ohio

2008 Annual Meeting - Independence (Cleveland) Ohio

Three day meeting program Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 16,17 and 18 2008. Not a member of the NYCSHS? Membership can be obtained by filling out the membership application and sending in the money. Memberships will also be taken at the annual meeting registration desk.

HOLIDAY INN - CLEVELAND SOUTH / INDEPENDENCE
6001 ROCKSIDE RD.
INDEPENDENCE, OHIO 44131
Tel: 1-216-5248050
Fax: 1-216-5249280
Email: holidayinn@hirockside.com

Our past successful shows have offered interesting collections of scale models, books, photographs, and other memorabilia portraying the New York Central.

Tours

Model and Railroad display
We encourage you to bring NYC items for display and to be judged. All scales are welcome.

This meeting is being held in conjunction with the NMRA Mid-Central Region hosted by Division 4 North Coast Division and NOARS (Northern Ohio Association of Railroad Societies).

TENTATIVE AGENDA

Friday May 16th:

8 AM TO 6 PM, Tour to Marion Ohio, VIA Bellevue, Bucyrus and Galion. (Advance reservation required!)

Saturday, May 17th:

9AM TO 3PM - Train / Memorabilia Show open to the public. Presentations on Various NYC-related subjects

6PM - Banquet -(Advance reservation required!) Banquet Reservation form included in Registration Form above, and should be mailed soon

8:00PM - Annual Business Meeting

Sunday, May 18th:

10:30AM - Brunch at Berea Station Restaurant (in Big Four Station) (Advance reservation required!)

12:30PM / 4:30PM - Tour or RTA Electric Lines including stop at Lake Shore Electric Trolley Collection at Dock 32. (Advance reservation required!)

Bus transportation to and from the brunch and tour will be provided including stops at the Airport for those having a Sunday flight. (Advance reservation required!)

Note: The NMRA Convention commences Thursday May 15th. NYCSHS members wishing to attend the NMRA Events on Thursday and Friday may do so, but MUST pay a surcharge as shown on the registration form. The full schedule of the NMRA meet mat be found at www.div4.org .

Contact:

NYCSHS
Dept W
PO Box 81184
Cleveland OH 44181-0184

Edward L. May Memorial Photo Collection

The Edward L. May Memorial Photo Collection is a private collection of negatives of various New York Central railroad images from around the system. This is a varied and diverse collection of sharp subjects in a variety of poses and locations. Images from this private collection may be purchased from Richard Stoving. Please write for more information.

Central Images
Ed May Collection
264 Dartt Settlement Rd
Wellsboro PA 16901-8388


Class F-2 #2097 Castleton, NY, circa 1908


Class L-2a #2731 at Selkirk, NY - May 1941


Class K-3g #4850, Kingston, NY - July 15, 1939


Class J-1d #5296 at Roa Hook, near Peekskill, NY - July 20, 1941


Class J-3a #5442 at Harmon, NY - December 5, 1937


LS&MS Class J-41a #4715, Cleveland, OH - pre-1917


Class I-10g #786, at Weehawken, NJ - July 21, 1923


Class F-12e #831 southbound at Katonah, NY - March 1941


Class I-b #898 crossing the Harlem River Bridge in New York, circa 1895


Class E-b #1552 at Castleton, NY - circa 1908


Class H-10b #2396 at Detroit, MI - February 25, 1950


Class L-1a #2502 at Jersey Mills, PA - August 8, 1948


Class L-3a #3022 at Harmon, NY - May 1941


Class L-4a 3106 at Breakneck Ridge, near Cold Spring, NY - June 21, 1947


Class J-1b 5216 at Oscawana, NY - September 14, 1941


Class J-1b #5242 at Albany Union Station, NY - March 22, 1936


Class J-3a #5447 at Manitou, NY - July 1, 1939


Class S-1b 6014 at Croton, NY - August 2, 1946


Class U-2b 7406 at High Bridge, in The Bronx NY - May 25, 1951

NYCSHS Central Headlight

Editorial Submissions
The Central Headlight is the official journal of and published by the New York Central Historical Society, Inc. Address all material and articles to:

R. L. Stoving, Editor
264 Dartt Settlement Road
Wellsboro, PA 16901-8388

We welcome all submissions, and invite your contributions to our magazine. We cannot emphasize too strongly our continuing need to receive well-researched and well-written feature articles for our magazine, and we urge all of our members to contribute to this effort. Otherwise, there can be no Central Headlight. All submissions become the property of NYCSHS, Inc. and will be held on file for future use.

For The Modeler
Items and questions directed to the "For The Modeler" column should be sent to:

James M. Benedict, NYCSHS
PO Box 374
New Canaan, CT 06840-0374

The Tack Board
Items and questions for "The Tack Board" column should be sent to:

R. L. Stoving, Editor
264 Dartt Settlement Road
Wellsboro, PA 16901-8388

Passenger Car Roster Information

Hugh T. Guillaume has reviewed the classification books and microfilm records in the NYCSHS archives and has developed a large data base of NYC passenger car roster information. He will be pleased to field questions about passenger car numbering and renumbering, rebuildings, etc. However, he must restrict this service to specific questions and must have a road name, car number and/or lot number as a starting point. General questions, such as “Tell me about Big Four diners,” cannot be answered. The time frame of the available data is 1870 to 1968, although the early data is less complete. When requesting this service, please send Mr. Guillaume a stamped self-addressed #10 envelope; otherwise no reply can be made.

NYC Passenger Car Roster Information
Hugh T. Guillaume
160 Parkledge Dr.
Amherst, NY 14226-3925

Photograph Listing
Listings of the locations of published photographs of specific NYCS equipment or sites is available. These will be sorted from a data base of over 14,000 entries. Inquiries can be accommodated for locomotive sub-classes, equipment lot numbers, specific engine or car names/numbers, towns, cities or stations. Copies of the bibliography, abbreviation list and a preliminary response will be furnished. Please send a large #10 SASE with your request.

NYC Photograph Listing
Kent Singer
146 Barrington Rd.
Pooler, GA 3 1322-9434

Classified Ads
There is no charge for NYCSHS members for this service for ads of 50 words or less, exclusive of address. Over 50 words, there is a charge of 25 cents per word, per issue. Non-member rate is 50 cents per word per issue, exclusive of address. Items for the Classified Ads column should be sent to:

Central Headlight Classified Ads
264 Dartt Settlement Road
Wellsboro, PA 16901-8388

Address Changes
Send all address changes, at least 60 days in advance of effective date, to:

NYCSHS Membership
P. O. Box 81184
Cleveland, OH 44181-0184

Address changes must be submitted in the standard USPS format. Please see www.usps.com for details. It is extremely important that you keep the Society informed of your current address, as the USPS will not forward publications, including Central Headlight, which are sent under a bulk mailing permit. The Society does not re-mail magazines returned to us on account of a change of address. Members who miss issues on account of failure to notify us of change of address may order replacement copies at the back issue price. See instructions under “Back Issues.”

Central Headlight Back Issues
Address all orders for back issues of Central Headlight to:

James C. Suhs, NYCSHS Secretary
17038 Roosevelt Ave.
Lockport, IL 60441-4734

The price of back issues is $8.00 per copy, postpaid. Copies of all 2007, 2006, and 2005 issues are available, as well as a limited number of earlier issues. A listing of available earlier issues, 1985-2004, may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Secretary Suhs at the address given above.

NEW! Bound Reprint of the First Five Years of Central Headlight
These issues have been out of print for many years and are sought after by many to complete their Central Headlight collections. Issues comprise the complete New York Central System Historical Society Central Headlight magazine from 1970 (The society's founding) through the end of 1974. Approximately 160 pages, reprints of the original newsletters, Headlights and articles, embellished with additional color photos. Here are some highlights:
  • Volume 1 - NYC 800 - HS-1a 4-8-4, P&LE 91st Birthday, M-497
  • Volume 2 - Inspection Loco Cleveland, Cleveland Union Terminal
  • Volume 3 - The Mercury, NYC 119 Years Ago, X-660 Rotary Snow Plow Diesel Roster: Pt 1 FM, NYC X-8016
  • Volume 4 - Motor Car Roster, NYC oval and application, Surviving NYC Steam, 999
$30 plus $5.00 USPS Priority Mail shipping. Ohio residents must include $2.10 in state sales tax. Get yours now by mailing:

NYCSHS Headlight Reprint
Dept W
17038 Roosevelt Ave
Lockport, IL 60441-4734