A Robert Potruff post , My Dad Hit a milestone this year, Dad has owned his first car for 70 years. Went for a drive to the approx same spot for a updated pic
Last run may 31,1951. In spite of the nostalgia draw of the last run, they can barely fill a railcar, and a combine at that(freight /pass). The line and sidings are weed choked. 1968 the rails got torn up. The last freight and mail is being unloaded/loaded. No more railway express, no more teary goodbyes here. Tomorrow the mail comes by truck, and everyone drives. Luckily, the station and seed house still exist, and the line was converted to rail trail. The railcar is a Mack demonstrator, with an Osgood Bradley body, built in 1927-8. The New York Central owned it, then W&OD got it in 1943. When one of these showed up to take over passenger service, it was only a matter of time. The railroads were bound by the ICC to provide service. the ICC had to agree to abandonment of services, scrapping of the line(which they usually didn't until too late). Many railroads got their faces pushed to the grindstone in this scenario, and went belly up. These cars helped to slow the hemorrhaging of cash. Same rail car at diff times. It had passenger, us mail, baggage and railway express all packed in it.
In one article I read there were 8 optional 348’s in 1959. The last one was 350 HP. I thought the 335HP was the top but not the 350HP. There were none listed at 270. The lowest 348 with 3-2’s was 280 and I knew a guys mom who had that one with a power glide. It was crazy back then. The highest single 4 barrel was listed as a 305 HP and I remember NASCARS having that on the hood. I’m sure they put out a lot more…
The lady sitting down putting on skates is Paulette Goddard stared with Charlie Chaplin in movie Modern Times
The Jalopy Journal
