T he Erie Railroad family pass afforded many enjoyable trips to destinations on the Susquehanna. “Being there” often was a necessity but “getting there” made the day. The train consisted of two or three wooden cars, a baggage car, a passenger car, and a smoking car. The trainmen wore uniforms. They joked with the passengers and entertained the kids. The trip was never too long. The steam engine was a big attraction. Trips were made often from Oak Ridge to Jersey City and then to Bayonne to visit grandparents. Train No. 902 departed at 7:22 and arrived at Jersey City at 9:00. The train made fourteen stops. There was a flurry of activity with exchange of mail, express, and passengers. From Jersey City a trolley made the trip to Bayonne. It was nice to visit but “being there” was not as interesting as “getting there”. Sometimes we would go to New York City. We walked through the Erie passenger station to reach the ferry. There were trucks with solid tires. Horse drawn wagons and automobiles loaded on 23rd Street in New York. “Being there” walking the streets of New York could not compare with “getting there” on the ferry with the view of New York City. Annual trips to the dentist at Franklin were made during summer vacations. We 3 took the westbound train at 11:05. There was a short top at Stockholm and a long step at Beaver Lake. Here we tool the Hanford Branch down Sparta Mountain. Sometimes there was activity at the coaling station. We got off at Franklin Junction and made the short walk to the dentist office. Needless to say, “getting there” was much more fun “being there”. Lake Mohawk, in Sparta, was dedicated on June 26, 1927. A celebration was planned with the real soldiers in a mock battle. Levi Chamberlain, a neighbor, took me to the show. We boarded the morning Stroudsburg train (Continued on page 4) than
4 Publizr Home