After reading the thread on MCC #385, I visited the Whipanny Railway Museum website. I notice that it says #385 left the site in 1974.

I rode a steam train on the M&E in 1976, and I'm curious what engine that would have been, and what tourist railway? (I think it was the Whippany museum operation...) Can somebody familiar with the operation clear things up for me?

It would have been FEC 148. I think the coaches were lettered Whippany Toonerville.

That's what I thought I recalled, but in my rather brief exploration of the Whippany museum website, I didn't see that loco mentioned so I thought maybe I was mistaken.

FEC 148 was the locomotive used, and the operation was M&E, not the Whippany Railway Museum. M&E management tried to cash in on the good will and following that Earle Gil had built up with the Morris County Central operation.

The PR guy (NOT a railroader!) that ran the operation for the M&E decided that the name "Whippany Toonerville" would tell the public where the train was, and the Toonerville part would be associated with having fun. (And what a fun, scenic, ride it was, the back ends of paper mills, and all sorts of green slime in the mill's settling ponds-)

Fortunately, the late Sam Freeman, who owned the 148, was adamant about not having "Toonerville" appear on his locomotive. Whippany River was a predecessor company to the M&E, so that name was perfectly acceptable, and the 148 was so lettered

The coaches were CNJs, three owned by M&E and one leased, and were painted Tuscan Red. An Erie Stillwell, not taken to Newfoundland by MCC (too rotten for interchange) became a stationary snack bar.

I was frequently the conductor there for all but the last season, and also did a little maintenance work on the 148 during the week. I also had a tiny cameo role (well, my outline-) as fireman on the 148 in a TV commercial filmed at Whippany in 1975.

Now if only someone would recover or rescue the 148 from Colorado and bring her back to Whippany...

What's happening with the 148 out there (if anything)?

Les

Of the four CNJ coaches on the M&E's Whippany Toonerville operation, we can account for the leased CNJ No. 1133 which later went to Conway Scenic RR. What were the numbers of the other three and are they still in existence (if so, where)?

No. 1133 came to the M&E from the New Hope & Ivyland, and before that, the Valley Forge Scenic RR. Many of the VFSRR volunteers went to the NH&I as part of their merger in 1969 and later staffed the Whippany Toonerville (I think 1974-1975) for part of that operation's existence.

K.R. Bell

Despite its name the Whippany-Toonerville RR was a nice operation. As one poster said the scenery wasn't much--certainly no Durango & Silverton! The Whippany-Morristown portion of the M&E, which the W-T trains used, did offer a decent grade to give 148 a bit of a workout. I remember Sam Freeman saying "...[BR&W 2-8-0] 60 would be better suited for the job...". Ironic, but at least 10 years after Freeman died and long after the W-T stopped running, 60 got the chance in 1994. That year the Whippany Railway Museum hosted a celebration for the unveiling of the USPS steam locomotive stamps and steam excursions were run over the old W-T route as part of the event. BR&W 60 made a rare off-line visit to Whippany and joined the also-visiting NYS&W 2-8-2 142 in powering the trips.

Back to the W-T. 148 looked good pulling those tuscan red CNJ coaches. The years of operation were 1974-1977. A ride back then was kind of like riding today's Middletown & Hummelstown tourist trains with onboard musicians and sing-a-longs. The W-T even passed out sheets with the words for those of us lyrically-challenged! Not much in the Whippany yard back then after the MCC left. The snack bar Stillwell coach and (IIRC) some sort of railroad steam crane, perhaps from one of the paper mills(?). IIRC, unlike the MCC which sold tickets from a booth, the M&E sold their tickets from the station ticket window.

During the W-T years, 148 ventured from the M&E several times. She went to the NH&I for repair work ( I think staybolt work and new tires) done by contractor Frank Menair. IIRC, she ran some short trips on the E-L and longer excursions to Bethlehem, Pa and Bay Head, NJ that were run by the Main Line Steam Foundation. I THINK Howard P. had a hand in those trips (Howard?).

Kurt is right about some ex-VFSR / NH&I folks helping out at Whippany. Ron S. spoke to me about working on 148 there and even moving some freight with her. Speaking of the Valley forge Scenic... note to Kurt... when will your article be out on the VFSR in the Reading Tech BEE LINE? Don't want to miss it; I'm sure it will be as great as your article on the Wawa & Concordville in the KEYSTONE. I had heard about the 1 coach going to the Conway Scenic Ry., but don't know what happened to the others.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

Jim,

I'm happy to report that my article on the Valley Forge Scenic RR is due out any day now. It will be in the next double-issue of The Bee Line with a 2005 cover date (they are trying to catch up). I saw proofs in advance and it promises to be the last word on the subject, with dozen of photos, rosters, sidebars and even a fold out centerspread! It is 54 pages of delightful tourist railroad history reading, with photography by John Krause, George Forero, Jr., Dennis McCoy, Bruce Saylor and Ron Shupard.

Many thanks for your kind words on my W&C article. Copies can still be obtained from the Phila. Chapter of the PRRT&HS.

Stay tuned,
K.R. Bell

Well then you probably remember when I came to town. OK, I'm sure you don't remember me, but you probably do recall Ross Rowland, Reading T-1 2101 and the Freedom Train coming to town. I was part of the crew and we were on display in Morris Plains (?) very near the M&E, and then used the M&E shops for an inspection and some maintenance work on the 2101.

Ron Shupard....wow, there's a name I've heard "around the dinner table" a few thousand times in my life.....stories of the NH&I in the 1970's abound in my family.

Look forward to this publication Kurt!

As to the W-T coach dispositions. While looking for something else, I found a short blurb in an old issue of THE SHORT LINE (from "back in the day") about the M&E ending the W-T excursions. The information stated that the Erie Stillwell snack bar coach and 1 CNJ coach were cut up by Naparano. It stated the other 3 CNJ coaches went to the Conway Scenic Ry. I had thought only 1 coach went to Conway. Not sure which is the correct information.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

Jim -

Here's a photo of the 148 when she was on the roster of the U. S. Sugar Company down in Florida:

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr1007/uss148.jpg

Those ex-Florida East Coast engines sure did give post-steam era folks a good ride while they were in operation!

Les

Ya gotta love the "more bars in more places" U. S. Sugar logo on the tender. And I had forgotten that Sam had moved the headlight forward while the engine was at Black River, IIRC to match BR&W 60.

Yes, those engines did give quite a few people good rides. My favorite was on the CNJ main, at the end of the Blue Comet trip. I was in the jump seat just ahead of the fireman, and we did a few miles at 60. Wish I could go back-

The mid-70s saga of 148 sure had her in a lot of places. After getting new tires (from Germany; the lead time for US-made ones was way too long for Sam Freeman, who tried to borrow some from Steamtown before getting the imports) and other repairs at New Hope (the famous Nyatron hub liners, etc), she went back to Whippany light and under steam. A RDG Division Super ran 148 up the Bethlehem Branch at 72 mph!!

The E-L trips were charters for a "Ridgewood Railroad Days" weekend and were shuttles, using 4 E-L Stillwells, between Ridgewood and Waldwick. 148 headed west and the train tail-hosed in reverse back to Ridgewood. That was Sept. 1975.

The next month, 148 and George Hart's CPR 972 doubleheaded a round trip over the LV between Bethlehem (CNJ station) and South Planfield, NJ, on a raw, wet October day. It was quite a spectaular work out for those two engines climbing up to Pattenburg Tunnel westbound. LVRR trustee Bob Haldeman was on board for at least half the trip, riding in a coach seat like everyone else (no business car on that trip!).

And, in early December 1975, 148 handled 9 CNJ coaches on a round trip between Raritan and Bay Head, NJ. over the CNJ and NY&LB. The trip was completely sold out-- the 972 was supposed to be on and it was to be a 15-car train, but 972 was pulled out about 3-4 weeks before the trip.

That was the "Blue Comet" trip complete with repro tail sign on the railing of the CNJ Blue Comet obs, and headboard on the front of 148, just like a CNJ 830-class Pacific. 70s TV personality Tom Snyder was aboard to do his 1975 Christmas show on the train, interviewing Oliver Jensen (VRR pres and American Heritage magazine founder) and Rogers Whittaker ("E.M. Frimbo"; Whittaker was a well-known writer and was the dean of "Mileage Collectors"). Whittaker went flying through the air, about 15 feet down the aisle of the CNJ 1178 obs car during a low-speed emergency stop and slightly injured his hand; he was 78 years old at the time! The comment was then made by a trip staffer that, "Frimbo never flies, except IN CNJ coaches!" The flight and comment were unfortunately not captured by NBC's cameras.

There was some fast and spirited running on those trips, especially on the CNJ and NY&LB track. The pride that both the LVRR and CNJ people had in their railroads and their heritage was quite evident during these last excursions on those railroads, especially as this all occured during the countdown to the big unknown of Con-Rail (that's how it was spelled in 1975).

Yes, Jim, I did have a little bit of involvement with those trips, operated by Main Line Steam Foundation. EDM was another one of the "young guys" who helped make them happen. A couple of other of "the kids" have gone on to careers in the rail industry. And it does seem like it all happened yesterday, too.

Howard P.
Time Tunnel, NJ