The Erie As Seen From a Lineside Newspaper
1931-1934
News articles on the Erie Railroad are largely from the pages of the
weekly "Hancock Herald", as gleaned by Lordville, NY
historian, Emily Homer. The following compilation is from the
"History of Lordville" being researched and compiled by Ms. Homer and
is reprinted with permission. Dates given are newspaper publication
dates.
February 12, 1931:
Thoughtfulness Rewarded
Several weeks ago Mrs. Joseph Fisher noticed a brake beam down on an
Erie freight train passing through Lordville. She notified the
operator at Hancock, and recently Superintendent Murray came here and
thanked her personally and presented her with ten dollars in gold.
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November 19, 1931:
On or about December 1st the Erie railroad management will temporarily
take off eastbound train #30, and #27 westbound. Due to the depression,
the company is now running these trains at a loss of $80 per day. In
the spring, just as soon as industrial conditions improve, these trains
will be restored again.
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December 10, 1931:
"Interesting Events Around Hancock": Friday an Erie train killed a doe
deer at Kilgour Switch, just west of Lordville. Game Warden Bowen was
notified and delivered the animal to E.A. Whitaker of Hancock, Welfare
Agent of the town, who distributed the meat to needy families in the
vicinity. This is the fourth deer killed by trains in the town of
Hancock since the season closed November 15th.
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April 28, 1932:
Erie Freight Train Wreck at Lordville
18 Cars Derailed - Traffic Tied Up 12 Hours
Traffic on the Erie Railroad was returned to normal at 1:00 o'clock
Saturday morning, after it had been tied up, delayed and rerouted for
twelve hours, after an eastbound freight wreck at 10:50 a.m. Friday on
the Delaware Division, two and one-half miles west of Lordville at a
place called Kilgour Switch.
The cause of the wreck has not been determined, although it was reported
by officials that a broken car wheel might have been the cause.
Eighteen cars of manifest freight bound from Chicago to New York were
derailed. No injuries were reported. Over 100 cars were in the train.
From an unknown cause, fire broke out in the wreakage Saturday morning.
Among the cars was a tank of lubricating oil, and Supt. Murray of
Susquehanna, in charge, feared an explosion endangering the lives of
workmen, sent word to Hancock for the pumper and fireman. The apparatus
was loaded on a flat car at the Erie station here at 11:50 and about a
dozen firemen, with Chief of Police Winne in charge, went to Lordville.
Chemicals were used at first, and then connection was made with the
pumper to an engine. In a short time the fire was under control. Only
two cars were destroyed by fire.
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March 9, 1933:
"Local and Personal": Sunday, March 5, 1933, saw the last passenger
train operated by the Erie railroad over the famous "Jefferson Division"
from Susquehanna to Carbondale, via Brandt, Stevens Point, Starrucca,
Thompson, Ararat, Herrick, Uniondale, and Forest City. Hereafter the
people in these towns served by the Erie passenger trains will have to
depend upon the bus service, with the exception of the D & H trains
which will continue to run from Lanesboro to Carbondale.
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April 13, 1933:
Erie to Drop Three of Her Oldest Trains
As a complete surprise comes the announcement that the Erie will drop
three of the oldest and finest passenger trains on the system, effective
April 30, when the spring and summer timetable goes into effect.
Train No. 3 westbound, and No. 4 eastbound, are to be dropped from the
schedules. They have been on the Erie schedules for over 60 years.
No. 3 leaves Hancock from New York at 7:54 in the evening. This train
runs through to Chicago. Train No. 4, eastbound, running from Chicago
to New York, arrives in Hancock daily at 10:14 a.m. Also train No. 17,
westbound, which arrives at Hancock at 5:05 a.m.
This will leave in service passenger trains Nos. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8,
all through trains. The schedules of the remaining trains will be
changed to close the gap in the schedules made by dropping Nos. 3, 4 and
17.
Lack of business is given as the cause for the change.
(Susquehanna Transcript)
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June 8, 1933:
"Local and Personal": For years there was a station and agent at
Stockport, on the Erie railroad. Later it was made a flag station.
This month, when the summer schedule became effective, orders, we
understand, were included eliminating Stockport as a stopping point.
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December 6, 1934: Radios on Freight Trains
The Erie officials are considering the installation of radios on freight
trains, to obviate hand waving, whistle blowing and shouting . . .
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