Did I miss a post, or has no one mentioned ( or noticed ) NYC engineer John Hitchko in the cab of Mohawk 3005 on the cover of the current TRAINS? Phil Hastings is credited with the photo, but there is no mention I have found of the altering of the photo through the bleeping "colorization" and deletion of the engine's identity. The least the mag could do is explain the altering, rather than leaving the impression that Dr. Hastings made the shot this way. BTW, the pic was made 9-4-55 in Galion, OH, as 3005 stopped for water on train BR-2 from Bellefontaine to Cleveland. A few miles up the Big Four at Shelby, Phil will capture John and his steed roaring over the B&O diamond at 60 or better, and companion DPM will immortalize the moment in "The Mohawk That Refused To Abdicate," one of the great r.r. stories of all time. If you don't have the book of the same name, try to find one. Well worth the effort and money. David, Phil, John and the 3005 combined to create an enduring classic from the end of the steam era, just before railroading began the long downward slide.

justighe@bright.net

> Did I miss a post, or has no one mentioned (
> or noticed ) NYC engineer John Hitchko in
> the cab of Mohawk 3005 on the cover of the
> current TRAINS? Phil Hastings is credited
> with the photo, but there is no mention I
> have found of the altering of the photo
> through the bleeping
> "colorization" and deletion of the
> engine's identity. The least the mag could
> do is explain the altering, rather than
> leaving the impression that Dr. Hastings
> made the shot this way. BTW, the pic was
> made 9-4-55 in Galion, OH, as 3005 stopped
> for water on train BR-2 from Bellefontaine
> to Cleveland. A few miles up the Big Four at
> Shelby, Phil will capture John and his steed
> roaring over the B&O diamond at 60 or
> better, and companion DPM will immortalize
> the moment in "The Mohawk That Refused
> To Abdicate," one of the great r.r.
> stories of all time. If you don't have the
> book of the same name, try to find one. Well
> worth the effort and money. David, Phil,
> John and the 3005 combined to create an
> enduring classic from the end of the steam
> era, just before railroading began the long
> downward slide.

Yes, I mentioned it on ObsCar last week; few cared about it. Guess they are more concerned with "digital vs. film" or "Fuji vs. Kodak". The Hastings images of 3005 and Engr. Hitchko (and there were few different angles) are among the classic images of American steam railroading.


hpincus@mindspring.com

Thank goodness NYC 3001 found a better home in Elkart, IN. It would still be a neglected orphan had it not been for fortuitous swap.

> Thank goodness NYC 3001 found a better home
> in Elkart, IN. It would still be a neglected
> orphan had it not been for fortuitous swap.
Speaking of 3001 and 3005, there is a great NYC tape of movies shot mostly in and around Bellefontaine in 1955 that shows both these Mohawks in action, including a sequence with 3005 leaving on a freight for Cleveland just as she did the day Phil and David found her. Don Krofta shot the footage, with his friend, Jim Hawk, recording the sound. I think Herron is the company selling it. Also on the tape are the last J-1, first J-3 and B&O 5300, near Cincinnati. A great show.

justighe@bright.net

Wow Jim, thanks for the plug regarding Don Krofta's films. I think he's one of the greatest motion picture shooters ever and hasn't gotten enough recognition over the years. He began shooting NYC, B&O, NKP, PRR and other railroads in the early 1950's and offers not just run-by angles but many dramatic scenes such as low angles, camera on the rails, pacing, etc. He may have been infuenced by the DPM/Hastings photos in TRAINS back then.

We began offering his 16mm footage of NYC on video with three programs based in and around Bellefountain shot in 1956 and later. That series covers the last year of steam and dieselization on the Big Four in that area with very detailed scenes as well as general views.
The series is "Steam & Diesel on NYC Volumes 1-3". Thesre is also some footage of other lines in there from a trip he made to Illinois in 1956 or 57. Those include ICRR and C&IM, both all steam.

Other Krofta NYC footage appears in these programs: "Niagara's Last Stand" (Toledo and N. Ohio area 1953-later), "NYC Indiana Division Volumes 1 and 2" (Cincinnatti, LaFayette areas 1956-57-the last of NYC steam).

And, his coverage of NKP, PRR and B&O is equally stunning. He does mix color and B&W as his budget dictated but it's all very good footage.

His pal Jim Hawk recorded a lot of scenes as they were being filmed so we were fortunate to be able to match actual sounds for a lot of scenes.

We're currently working on his Canadian footage from 1958 with both CN and CP in southern Ontario and hope to get that out in early 2004. It's about 98% steam material.

- Jim Herron



Herron Rail Video
hrvideo@mindspring.com

> Wow Jim, thanks for the plug regarding Don
> Krofta's films. I think he's one of the
> greatest motion picture shooters ever and
> hasn't gotten enough recognition over the
> years. He began shooting NYC, B&O, NKP,
> PRR and other railroads in the early 1950's
> and offers not just run-by angles but many
> dramatic scenes such as low angles, camera
> on the rails, pacing, etc. He may have been
> infuenced by the DPM/Hastings photos in
> TRAINS back then.

> We began offering his 16mm footage of NYC on
> video with three programs based in and
> around Bellefountain shot in 1956 and later.
> That series covers the last year of steam
> and dieselization on the Big Four in that
> area with very detailed scenes as well as
> general views.
> The series is "Steam & Diesel on
> NYC Volumes 1-3". Thesre is also some
> footage of other lines in there from a trip
> he made to Illinois in 1956 or 57. Those
> include ICRR and C&IM, both all steam.

> Other Krofta NYC footage appears in these
> programs: "Niagara's Last Stand"
> (Toledo and N. Ohio area 1953-later),
> "NYC Indiana Division Volumes 1 and
> 2" (Cincinnatti, LaFayette areas
> 1956-57-the last of NYC steam).

> And, his coverage of NKP, PRR and B&O is
> equally stunning. He does mix color and
> B&W as his budget dictated but it's all
> very good footage.

> His pal Jim Hawk recorded a lot of scenes as
> they were being filmed so we were fortunate
> to be able to match actual sounds for a lot
> of scenes.

> We're currently working on his Canadian
> footage from 1958 with both CN and CP in
> southern Ontario and hope to get that out in
> early 2004. It's about 98% steam material.

> - Jim Herron
Jim, you're welcome. One minor quibble. The scenes in the tape I referred to appear to date from no later than '55. Steam is still coming into Bellefontaine from Indy, on the Big Four line through Muncie, which was, sadly, all diesel by '56, and the P&LE Berks haven't shown yet in B'f. Also, the "Riley" is shown leaving Greensburg, IN, behind a J-3, and that train was d-ized early in '56, IIRC. Quibble aside, this is great stuff, not only for the steam, but for the look it gives at an America before McDodo's, the I-Hiway mess, malls, etc. The Morgan-Hastings pieces also present that world very vividly. Sadly, most of what David, Phil, Don and Jim documented has vanished, making their efforts all the more meaningful. Watching the tape and then going to B'f today makes you wonder if the film was shot on the same planet, as almost nothing remains to identify the place as a "railroad town." Obviously, I prefer the "was" to the "is." BTW, is either Don or Jim still with us?

justighe@bright.net

BTW, is either Don or Jim
> still with us?

Don Krofta is very much alive and kicking! He's got vivid memories of all the footage he provides to us and sends extensive notes of almost every scene, right down to dates, places and sometimes even names and time of day. where he ate breakfast, etc. We use his notes to write a lot of the script information.

Jim Hawk passed on a few years ago and Don has Jim's recordings which we've been transferring to digital tape. I've been thinking of making some CD's from them.

One thing that's very noticable about those recordings is that there were far fewer whistle "artists" than you would think from the fan trip engineers of the late 20th Century. Most engineers seem to have blown the bare minimum crossing signals. This seems to be the case on all the railroads he recorded. But then, he never came down south , LOL!

As for the dates in the Bellefountain series, Don's notes say that volume one covers from January to June, 1956; volume two covers July through December, 1956 and volume three begins in January, 1957 and continues on after diesels replaced steam. It is possible that some earlier scenes may be in there but I'll have to ask Don and get back to you on the dates. I know the NYC Indiana Division footage is all freight because when Don went down to Cincinnati, the passenger trains had been recently dieselized and he refused to shoot the diesels. Once steam was gone, he changed his mind and began shooting diesels, however.

We have another NYC program, "Reflections of the NYC" which does have some great NYC passenger steam between Cincinnati and Indy shot by Doctor Howard Blackburn and Dick Baldwin. Doc Blackburn got a cab ride on Hudson 5413 one day on the Riley between Cincinnati and Indy. Dick Baldwin went lineside on both the main line at many locations and on the Whitewater Branch shooting color 16mm. Dick's work is also outstanding as he's a professional news cameraman who began in the pre-video days when 16mm was the state of the art.


Herron Rail Video
hrvideo@mindspring.com

> BTW, is either Don or Jim

> Don Krofta is very much alive and kicking!
> He's got vivid memories of all the footage
> he provides to us and sends extensive notes
> of almost every scene, right down to dates,
> places and sometimes even names and time of
> day. where he ate breakfast, etc. We use his
> notes to write a lot of the script
> information.

> Jim Hawk passed on a few years ago and Don
> has Jim's recordings which we've been
> transferring to digital tape. I've been
> thinking of making some CD's from them.

> One thing that's very noticable about those
> recordings is that there were far fewer
> whistle "artists" than you would
> think from the fan trip engineers of the
> late 20th Century. Most engineers seem to
> have blown the bare minimum crossing
> signals. This seems to be the case on all
> the railroads he recorded. But then, he
> never came down south , LOL!

> As for the dates in the Bellefountain
> series, Don's notes say that volume one
> covers from January to June, 1956; volume
> two covers July through December, 1956 and
> volume three begins in January, 1957 and
> continues on after diesels replaced steam.
> It is possible that some earlier scenes may
> be in there but I'll have to ask Don and get
> back to you on the dates. I know the NYC
> Indiana Division footage is all freight
> because when Don went down to Cincinnati,
> the passenger trains had been recently
> dieselized and he refused to shoot the
> diesels. Once steam was gone, he changed his
> mind and began shooting diesels, however.

> We have another NYC program,
> "Reflections of the NYC" which
> does have some great NYC passenger steam
> between Cincinnati and Indy shot by Doctor
> Howard Blackburn and Dick Baldwin. Doc
> Blackburn got a cab ride on Hudson 5413 one
> day on the Riley between Cincinnati and
> Indy. Dick Baldwin went lineside on both the
> main line at many locations and on the
> Whitewater Branch shooting color 16mm.
> Dick's work is also outstanding as he's a
> professional news cameraman who began in the
> pre-video days when 16mm was the state of
> the art.
Thank you, Jim, for running all this down! BTW, if any of you has both the Morgan/Hastings work and the Herron Belle. tape, look for J-1 5247, which David and Phil encountered near Toledo, running behind 2 FM units. On the tape, she drifts into B'f from Cincy, changes crews and hiballs for Toledo, skipping the engine change account her huge PT tank. The footage is shot looking down from HI Tower right into the gangway. And, if your interests include vintage autos as well, check out the A.J. Miller factory right next to the NYC in B'f.

justighe@bright.net

> Thank you, Jim, for running all this down!
> BTW, if any of you has both the
> Morgan/Hastings work and the Herron Belle.
> tape, look for J-1 5247, which David and
> Phil encountered near Toledo, running behind
> 2 FM units. On the tape, she drifts into B'f
> from Cincy, changes crews and hiballs for
> Toledo, skipping the engine change account
> her huge PT tank. The footage is shot
> looking down from HI Tower right into the
> gangway. And, if your interests include
> vintage autos as well, check out the A.J.
> Miller factory right next to the NYC in B'f.

I also enjoyed Herron's Mohawk material around Cincy that I saw in the last couple of weeks. As a kid I was down there with my dad who shot 8mm movies. He also rode the Riley to Chicago a few times on business and recorded that including the engine changes at Kankakee. I have a B&W of a partially scrapped Mohawk near Cincinnati and I know its a Mohawk as it has the Elephant ears. In some of dads movies I am watching with a forlorn look as a 2-8-2 rolls by hauling a couple of dead NYC engines in the freight near Storrs yard. Cincinnati was a great place for steam in the mid-late 1950's with B&O, L&N, NYC, and N&W steam, plus C&O and Pennsy before that(dieselized earlier).
HR let me know which tapes you want and will send them out.
Greg


sales@gregschollvideo.com

> I also enjoyed Herron's Mohawk material
> around Cincy that I saw in the last couple
> of weeks. As a kid I was down there with my
> dad who shot 8mm movies. He also rode the
> Riley to Chicago a few times on business and
> recorded that including the engine changes
> at Kankakee. I have a B&W of a partially
> scrapped Mohawk near Cincinnati and I know
> its a Mohawk as it has the Elephant ears. In
> some of dads movies I am watching with a
> forlorn look as a 2-8-2 rolls by hauling a
> couple of dead NYC engines in the freight
> near Storrs yard. Cincinnati was a great
> place for steam in the mid-late 1950's with
> B&O, L&N, NYC, and N&W steam,
> plus C&O and Pennsy before
> that(dieselized earlier).
> HR let me know which tapes you want and will
> send them out.
> Greg
Greg, speaking of Cincy, here is a little story. In March of 1957, St. Lawrence Jr. High in Muncie, IN, chartered 3 Trailways buses to take the 7th, 8th and 9th grades to Cin. to see "Cinerama, Seven Wonders of the World, the one with the Darjeeling Himalayan r.r. scenes. When we left Muncie, the buses were gliding over ice on the road, but in Cincy it was a beautiful Spring day. We visited the zoo before going to the theater, and somewhere in the area I spotted an NYC 0-8-0 working in a yard ( Riverside? ). Since NYC steam died early the following month, I guess I saw one of the last engines in service. And the movie was good, too.

justighe@bright.net

> Greg, speaking of Cincy, here is a little
> story. In March of 1957, St. Lawrence Jr.
> High in Muncie, IN, chartered 3 Trailways
> buses to take the 7th, 8th and 9th grades to
> Cin. to see "Cinerama, Seven Wonders of
> the World, the one with the Darjeeling
> Himalayan r.r. scenes. When we left Muncie,
> the buses were gliding over ice on the road,
> but in Cincy it was a beautiful Spring day.
> We visited the zoo before going to the
> theater, and somewhere in the area I spotted
> an NYC 0-8-0 working in a yard ( Riverside?
> ). Since NYC steam died early the following
> month, I guess I saw one of the last engines
> in service. And the movie was good, too.

I am pretty sure the last NYC steam was 2-8-2 #1977, and I think my dad has a movie of it. There were also some 0-8-0's both at Riverside and Sharonville. Dad also had a cool movie of a Niagara exiting the Cincinnati Union Terminal Roundhouse onto the turntable. What a cool place that was in the early 50's, with a variety of steam railroads represented in one place. Of course the last steam in the area was B&O(for Freight) and N&W for Passenger.
Greg


Videos
sales@gregschollvideo.com

Jim-

Your correct in those dates!

I spoke with Don Krofta today about the dates and it was 1955, not 1956 that he shot that footage. Also, his trip to Illinois where he shot the IC and C&IM action was in the summer of 1955.

-Jim Herron

Herron Rail Video
hrvideo@mindspring.com

> Jim-

> Your correct in those dates!

> I spoke with Don Krofta today about the
> dates and it was 1955, not 1956 that he shot
> that footage. Also, his trip to Illinois
> where he shot the IC and C&IM action was
> in the summer of 1955.

> -Jim Herron
Jim, thank you for going to the trouble to run that info down. To me, 1955 was the last really "good" year for railroading: steam was still present in decent numbers, the axe hadn't yet fallen on the pass. trains, the I-System wasn't yet authorized, the Boeing 707 was 3 yrs. away from commercial service, and the mega-merger mania had yet to start. The Morgan/Hastings and Krofta/Hawk efforts preserve in print and on film an image of American life the way I wish it had remained. I just returned from a brief visit to my hometown, Muncie, Indiana, and find it hard to grasp just how much the place has declined since the years of my youth there in the '40's thru the '60's. If the past 40 yrs. represent "progress", I will pass.

justighe@bright.net