The P&WV Hi-Line

[Rich_S]

Hello Group,
Has anyone produced a DVD or VHS tape of the P&WV before the N&W leased the line? or has anyone produced a DVD or VHS tape of the P&WV during the N&W era prior to the N&W and Southern Merger?

Currently I know of a 15 second clip of the P&WV's H20-44's taken in Cumberland, with the footage appearing in the "Vignettes of the Western Maryland" Volume 1, unfortunately the shot is not the best quality.

I've also heard the "Vignettes of the Nickel Plate Road" has some footage of P&WV units at Coshocton. Are there any other DVD's or VHS tapes that feature the P&WV?

I know currently there are a number of clips on YouTube of the W&LE in action on the P&WV, but none of the P&WV. I know Plets Express sells a W&LE DVD, but unfortunately all action on that DVD was taken in Eastern OH.

Does a DVD or VHS tape of the P&WV exist? Did the railroad ever produce any film or movies of the line?
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[summit_cut]

there used to be a company called revelation video that produced a couple different WLE dvd but not sure about P&WV. I saw the Vignettes of WM video I think the shot of the FM's might have been at bowest junction if Im not mistaken the wooden trestle for the west penn traction is in the background. www.revelationvideo.com not sure how much is on their website.

[Rich_S]

[quote="summit_cut"]there used to be a company called revelation video that produced a couple different WLE dvd but not sure about P&WV. I saw the Vignettes of WM video I think the shot of the FM's might have been at bowest junction if Im not mistaken the wooden trestle for the west penn traction is in the background. www.revelationvideo.com not sure how much is on their website.[/quote]

It's been awhile since I watched the DVD and now that you mention it, there is also a clip of the FM's at Bowest. There is also another clip of the FM's heading into Ridgely yard in Cumberland. Thank you for the link for Revelation Video, it looks like they have a couple of video's of interest.
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[Rich_S]

As a follow-up, Revelation video is still in business. I gave Ron a call at Revelation video (who I might add was very courteous and helpful) and ordered the two DVD's, "The Monessen Jct. Flyer" and "W&LE - The New Generation". Three days later the DVD's arrived well packaged. The Monessen Jct. Flyer starts off with a short preview of the DVD then begines with a Westbound N&W train crossing the Youghiogheny river bridge at Banning. The DVD then goes into a brief history of the Alphabet route and features some footage of P&WV's FM H20-44's at Connellsville and Brewster. The DVD then covers the Orrville Railroad Heritage Society trip over the line from Orrville, OH to Monessen, PA. The second DVD titled "W&LE - The New Generation" and opens with some footage of the P&WV H20-44's, AC&Y FM's, W&LE steam, NKP steam and diesel and Santa Fe steam locomotives being leased by the Pennsy. The DVD then moves to the early 90's and covers most of the new W&LE system including some action on the former P&WV. The DVD includes a system map, engine roster and a summery organized by time of the DVD's content.

In my opinion both DVD's are very well done and they both deserve two thumbs up. Ron at Revelation Video was very courteous and helpful and I will not hesitate to order from him in the future. Thank you Frank for the Revelation Video link.
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[jayrod]

Hey, Rich -

Contact me off list. I may have access to some WLE clips you might be interested in.

jayrod

[Longview Station]

I have some footage of the Avella concrete coal wharf being dynamited. It didn't fall the way it was planned, as it came down on the main track. Also there is a NKP train going through the siding. Also there is some footage taken in the 60's at Black Rock Cut, with Western Maryland
GP-35's in black going over the shoofly. The camera had a jittery shutter so the footage has the jitters. I think this scene also has footage of the ore train pile up ?

Of course I didn't take the movies, but they were given to me many years ago.

[Rich_S]

[quote="Longview Station"]I have some footage of the Avella concrete coal wharf being dynamited. It didn't fall the way it was planned, as it came down on the main track. Also there is a NKP train going through the siding. Also there is some footage taken in the 60's at Black Rock Cut, with Western Maryland
GP-35's in black going over the shoofly. The camera had a jittery shutter so the footage has the jitters. I think this scene also has footage of the ore train pile up ?

Of course I didn't take the movies, but they were given to me many years ago.[/quote]

Gene,
Have you had the movies transfered to DVD? Do you have anyway to make copies of the movies? If the process were not too expensive, I'd be willing to chip in and help pay to have the movies transfered to DVD.

In the opening section of the Monessen Flyer DVD, there is some footage of a N&W train crossing the Youghiogheny river bridge at Banning. Do you know if this video is part of another DVD? I saw your name mentioned on the W&LE - The New Generation DVD, Do you happen to know if any of the P&WV video used in the above two videos are available? I'm just wondering how much P&WV and N&W footage taken on the P&WV exists? and if anyone has put all of the available video on one DVD or VHS tape?
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[Rich_S]

[quote="jayrod"]Hey, Rich -

Contact me off list. I may have access to some WLE clips you might be interested in.

jayrod[/quote]


Hi Jayrod, You have mail.
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[camp car bill]

Longview Station

I was with the Bridge Gang when the Avella Coal Dock was dynamited.The Bridge Gang Drilled the holes for the dynamite under direction of outside contactor who set it off.We were told the outside contractor wired the dynamite wrong,when the first blast went off it cut the wire to the second blast and that dynamite did not go off and the
Coal Dock came down on the main track.Now the scary part,we had to in with paving busters and bust up the concrett with live dynamite scattered around so the clam shell could cast it off the main track.

CCB
_________________
wmmjr

[Rich_S]

Camp Car Bill, Did you work for the railroad when it was the P&WV?
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[camp car bill]

Rich S.

I started to work for PWV on March 29,1951 when I was 17 years old,before that I stayed many summers at the Bridge Gang Camp Cars during school vacation.My father was Bridge Gang Foreman from 1918-1964.

CCB
_________________
wmmjr

[Rich_S]

Hi Bill,
What was it like when the N&W took over in '64, was it business as usual or did they try to change everything? On a side note, I work for NS at Conway, but my first love so to speak was the P&WV. My grandparents on my mothers side lived in a home near the east end of Gladden siding. I spent many days watching the passing trains from their front yard and often dreamed of getting a job with the P&WV / N&W, but by the time I was old enough the economy was going down hill and crews were being laid off. It was just a few years after that the N&W became part of NS and the rest is history.

From my own personal experience, when NS took over Conrail in '99, they treated everyone like they didn't know anything about railroading, and they were going to show all of the Conrail people how to run a railroad. I was just wondering if N&W had the same attitude towards the P&WV?
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[Longview Station]

If I remember correclty, the movies were transferred onto VHS tape as its been many years ago (20+?) when this was done.
I should have that VHS tape here somewhere. Sadly though, the camera that made the movies had shutter problems and some of the footage is jittery.

The transition from the P&WV to the N&W...
I have 1 or 2 Tim McCready letters to/from the N&W after the takeover.
Like anything else, Company changes bring personnel changes.
Tim wasn't wanted by the N&W so he resigned.
His letters were addressed to N&W's C.E. Pond.
Tim left the P&WV and worked for the ICC and Pittsburgh Steel before retirement.

Tim was a Company Man.
And he Loved making things work on the P&WV.
It broke his heart to leave.

G.P.S.

[camp car bill]

Rich S.

There was a big change to Track and Bridge Building Dept. when the NW tookover in 64.They did not understand the big bridges ,like Mingo Creak with a severe curve and Adams tunnel with curve in it.The longest straight line track on the railroad from Rook to Bridgeville.My bigest problem was they did not want to keep their Camp Cars clean,so in 1967 I got a chance to bid into Welding Gang in Rook.

CCB
_________________
wmmjr

[Rich_S]

CCB and Gene,
Thank you both for the replies. I guess some things just don't change. I never understood the need to change what already works? But like we say in Conway, it's not my train set.

Gene, thank you for the Tim McCready letters. Reading through the letters partially answered one of my long standing questions. Tim mentioned that the GP35's were going to be painted black, regardless of the merger. The only thing he did not mention was the lettering if the merger did not go through? Possibly painted like the W&LE 101 except yellow lettering instead of orange? On a side note he did mention if the merger did not go through, the GP35's were going to be assigned to the Alphabet Route merger pool between Brewster and Cumberland. Now that would have been neat to see P&WV GP35's pooled with WM F7's and WM GP35's.
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.