Images from 60 years ago.

[RGlueck]

Scanning the family slide box; stuff my father took during his service to the LIRR.  These are from between 1950 and 1956. 


Track cut at "B" Tower.

Ballast tamper Central Branch


Track gang, probably installing crossing signals.  No idea who the men are.

Newly installed crossing protection.


Clearing switches out east.

Switch repair?

Grinding points on a frog.

More coming as I find them.

[NYandW]

Nice...  What location "Newly installed crossing protection" if you recall? Sayville? "Switch repair? Coal silo in background?

[RetiredLirrConductor]

that house with the wagon wheel looks like railroad avenue in Patchogue looking north.. note the same house in this picture from trains are fun.com

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/patchogue/photos/patch-RailroadAve-viewN.jpg

[LIRR Agent - Retired]

Wonderful photos, Dick.   A great find and thanks for sharing.

[RetiredLirrConductor]

yes forgot to say very nice pictures.. and it gets more interesting.. that crossing no longer exists.
When they built the new patchogue parking lot and platform, the crossing was eliminated.. a very rare picture indeed. The yellow push pin is where the crossing was, note a couple of the buildings are still there.. notably the long narrow one facing the tracks, and the pointed roof one next to it.
Cant tell if the corner house is still there.. tree in the way.
You can see in the original picture how the crossing splits through the old low platform.

[RGlueck]

Glad you like them.  I did not re-post the snow clearing shots, as they simply show a plow path through an east-end track, as seen from the rear of a coach.  THey are mostly dirty snow in a swath on both sides of the track.  RLC, thanks for the explanation of the location!
If I find more, you'll see them here.

[rs31556]

Great stuff!!  Thanks for sharing.

[No Door Light]

Absolutely great! Just saw the new ones you put up as well. Please keep them coming, wonderful images of history.

[RGlueck]

Some of these might be repeats from postings a few years back, but when I'm gone, who is going to see these and know what they are?  I suppose they are pictures of random men doing something dull and hardly unusual, but these are the people who built the railroad.  Everybody takes it for granted, but these were real men, doing their jobs, trying to get a leg up in the post-war world.  I look at the track gang and marvel at the muscles those men had.  Can you imagine the biceps on those guys?  Anyway, it is important to remember that it took sweat and dedication to do a job correctly, because it was all done by hand.  No calculators or computers.  Paper and pencil.  And perspiration.

[NYandW]

Railroad Ave view N older version:   Yes, you nailed it, nice.

Steve

[NYandW]

"... but these are the people who built the railroad.  Everybody takes it for granted, but these were real men, doing their jobs, trying to get a leg up in the post-war world.  ...sweat and dedication to do a job correctly, because it was all done by hand.  No calculators or computers.  Paper and pencil.  And perspiration.

In addition, many of these men had father's that were first generation immigrants who also worked the railroads. Many had no formal education or high school. Yet, through sheer will learned the complexity of the railroad facets from trackwork, signaling, orders, repairs, engineering, shop machinists, etc. on and on... A testament to their work ethic and determination.