In mid-1986 the Delaware Otsego System (which by then owned all of the assets of the MCC) sold the MCC's ex-New York Central wood caboose # 19886 to an individual from Honesdale, PA. The D.O. had to send a work crew up to Newfoundland, NJ to switch the caboose out of a standing line of vandalised excursion cars that were stored next to the MCC's old Green Pond Enginehouse. This "switching move" took place just before the NYS&W main line was reopened over Sparta Mountain, so there was as yet, no way to move the cars with a locomotive. A bucket loader was used to make the moves...one car at a time.

The crew had to bring five coaches up a distance of about a quarter-mile to the Newfoundland station area in order to get the NYC caboose. Once that was accomplished, and the caboose was safely set off on the run-around track alongside Bigelow Road, the crew then decided to bring ALL five coaches back to the enginehouse at the same time, in an effort to save work, etc. Everything was coupled together with a chain attached between loader and westernmost coach. The shove down the hill began easily enough. Once across Green Pond Road and mid-way through the MCC's former parking lot, the coaches picked up speed and began dragging the bucket loader, which no longer had control of the cars. The crew jumped off the machine. Eventually the cars broke free of the chain and picked up even more speed as they rolled along. The five coaches, weighing about 60 tons each rolled through the switch lined for the storage track next to the enginehouse. The coaches smashed into a line of standing cars and assorted equipment, including the MCC's open-air flatcars. Had the switch been lined one way or another, the cars would have either simply continued rolling down the main until they stopped, or in another event, the coaches would have smashed through the enginehouse doors, running head-on into either MCC steam locomotives 385 or 4039.

All five of the coaches were extensively damaged. They suffered major structural and frame defects...the floors inside each car were raised in several places, with huge cracks in the concrete floors. A good portion of the enginehouse wall was ripped down in the crash as well. Beginning in 1988, the D.O. scrapped the freight and passenger cars that were involved in the wreck, except for the PRR caboose and coach # 1001. 1001 had the least amount of damage as it was the west (last) car in the line of runaways. It appeared to only have damage to its steps which were later straightened. No idea on any frame damage.

The cars that were scrapped during 1988 included the 3 open-air flat cars: # 455, 1610 & 2309; Restroom Caboose (ex-NYC) 18441; Morristown & Erie wood Caboose # 3 (ex-Erie RR); Snack Car (CNJ coach) 910; and MCC (ex-CNJ) coaches 1002, 1153 & 1205.

Around the same time frame, the scrapper contracted by the D.O. "accidently" scrapped two complete sets of spare driver tires for locomotives 385 & 4039, as well as a cross-compound air pump, an ALCO reverse gear, and numerous other steam locomotive appliances that the scrapper had been expressly told not to touch.

My jaw dropped when I scrolled down to see those photos, thanks a great deal for that story. It certainly puts the preservation field into perspective a bit.

Finally located a shot of PRC&I No. 91 while still "in service" at Locust Summit...although it probably hadn't seen a fire in years. Earle Gil photo, November 1962

Thanks for all the updates whippany. Though some was lost good to see may survived!

My first reaction when I saw this photo was, "Boy, look at those NEAT Reading boxcars!" Yes, I like steam locomotives, but I admit that I'm a "freight car kind of guy"! Any of these "plain jane" Reading 40' boxcars get preserved?

Les

The RCT&HS has a few in their collection, and there are a fair number used as storage sheds at coal processors in the coal region..

-Micah