Long Island Rail Road Company (LI) 105 - EMD SW1001

Attempt to shoot thru terrible window, the setting changed & I barely got this in time.

Actual date not known

Actual date not known, Afga film

Actual day not recorded.

Taken from LIRR train.

I rode the cab of an Oyster Bay train into Hunterspoint Av as part of a rider outreach program in 1978. This gave me vantage points I would not have otherwise had, such as this view out the window of FA 610 near Harold tower. The partial engine is SW 1001 105, one of a pair of units-the other was 101-kept there as protect power to pull an M 1 train out of the tunnel if it became necessary. That engine is not the star here. Down in the hole, partly obscured, is GG 1 4877, then a Conrail unit, pulling into the turning loop that trains from Penn Station use to get into Sunnyside Yard. In three more years, that engine will be repainted into the red PRR Congressional scheme, and live out the remaining two years of its existence running commuters at high speed between New York and South Amboy.

The Long Island kept these two engines on a tail track at Harold in Long Island City. They were equipped with MU couplers so they could go into the East River tunnels and pull out a stranded train in the event of a failure or emergency. Theyre headed to Jamaica for servicing, here passing Fresh Pond yard on the Montauk Branch. They would get repainted in a few years into an attractive retro 1960's scheme, dark blue with orange ends.

A pair of FAs is coupled elephant style at the Morris Park shop, probably dreaming of the days when theyd go out like this on heavy freight. Ah, the memories!! Note the coupler on 105. This is one of the Harold protect engines, along with 101. They are fitted with couplers that will mate with the M 1 and M 3 cars, and are stationed at Harold Tower in LI City, to fetch a disabled MU train should it be necessary. The pair would shortly be repainted in a dark gray/orange scheme, a 1960's retro paint job that was quite attractive on them.

After painting GP 38-2 252 with a red stripe when delivered to honor the Bicentennial, the LIRR later thought it would apply the scheme to all its GP38s, calling it "Surfs Up." Here we see the unit that would later be named in honor of LIRR president Walter Schlager in that scheme. To the left is LIRR 105, one of the Harold Protect units, that carried adapter couplers to pull MU trains out of the East River tunnel if needed. It would later get a retro dark gray and orange scheme reminiscent of the 1950's and 60's, complete with a Dashing Dan herald.

The East River tunnel protect power, tow units set up with couplers to accomodate MU trains, passes through Fresh Pond en route back to Jamaica following the morning rush. The untis are stationed in a pocket track at Harold Tower, to be used if an MU train has a problem in the tunnel and needs to be rescued. These units would later receive an attractive gray and orange scheme reminiscent of that used in the 1950s and 60s, complete with "Dashing Dan" heralds.

Coupler modified for protect service for the East River tunnels.