|
Railroad Ferries of the Hudson and the stories of a deckhand Baxter & Adams HC
Railroad Ferries of the Hudson by Raymond J Baxter & Arthur G Adams
And stories of a deckhand
Hard Cover
254 pages
Copyright ?
CONTENTS
About the Authorsvii
Acknowledgmentsviii
PART IThe Railroad Ferries of the Hudson1
1. The North River5
2. Early Ferries-Pre-Steam Era9
3. Coming of the Steamboat13
4. Technological Development of the Steamboat and Steam Ferryboat19
5. Development of the Screw Propeller Ferryboat34
6. Central Railroad of New Jersey North River Ferry Operations46
7. Pennsylvania Railroad Ferry and Its Predecessor Companies63
8. Pavonia Ferry Company of the Erie Railroad Company83
Pendent to the Chapter: John G. McCullough: A Pencil Sketch by Samuel Ward Stanton82
9. Hoboken Ferry Company of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company117
10. New York Central System147
11. Uptown Ferries162
12. Erie Lackawanna Railroad169
13. Weather and the Elements: Their Effect on Daily Operations173
14. A Note on Present-Day North River Ferry Potential179
PART IIThe Stories of a Deckhand181
1. The Erie Workweek182
2. Coffee Time184
3. My Problem with "Roderick & Baker" on the Jersey City Bridge185
4. Even the President of the Union Gets Caught Once in a While186
5. My First Steady Job Was a Good One187
6. The Fastest Railroad Ferry on the North River188
7. Vehicle Ticket Seller189
8. Fruit Piers191
9. Fog and Fog Signals192
10. Fog Stories192
11. Accidents193
12. Herbie Drops the Pin194
13. Fire! Fire!195
14. A Lot of Speed and a Lot of Damage Done195
15. Befriended by One of the Finest Men I Have Ever Had the Pleasure of Knowing197
16. Oh! To Steer a Ferryboat199
17. Differences Between Boats199
18. Captain Si Brodhead and the Coast Guard Inspectors200
19. The Wheelsmen Have More Duties202
20. Pilothouse Equipment203
21. Boat Drills206
22. Wheeling-Not Everyone Liked It208
23. Jimmy Breaks a Wheel208
24. Washington Irving Tale209
25. Charlie Courtiers-Clean Sweep Down Fore and Aft209
26. Special Trips210
27. Joe Glennon and the Hot Dogs210
28. Ferryboat Races210
29. Over the Years, Fog Has Always Been a Problem212
30. Captain John Stein, Meadville and the Holland-American Line's Veedam212
31. Jamestown and American President Line's Quick Water213
32. Surprised by the Superintendent213
33. Tools Used on the Ferryboats214
34. Surprising Steering Problems214
35. Sometimes the Boat Has a Mind of its Own215
36. Arlington's 5:15 P.M. Trip- Heaviest of the Evening Rush215
37. "Show Your Sister-in-Law How Good You Can Steer a Boat"216
38. Another Captain Used to Let Me Steer216
39. I Learned to Handle the Meadville's Engine217
40. Trip in an Engine Room218
41. The Bridgeman219
42. There are Personality Clashes in Every Business221
43. Toggle Ducking Was Tricky, But a Little Fun222
44. Hand Bells- Let's Use Them222
45. Joe Connelly and the Tugs222
46. Moran's New Tugs224
47. Can You Steer for a While?224
48. Even a Cop Can Steer a Ferryboat225
49. Decline of the Erie Ferry Service225
50. Decline of Railroad Marine Traffic in New York Harbor226
51. Labor Unions: Sometimes, the Smaller, the Better226
52. Partial Roster of Erie Marine Department Deck Employees227
PART III Appendix229
Bibliography 229
Index243
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
RAYMOND J. BAXTER
Raymond J. Baxter was born in the Northern Valley community of Englewood, New Jersey in 1928, and was a lifelong resident of New Jersey until moving to East Stroudsburg, PA in 1974. He has had a lifelong interest in the Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroads-especially in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area. His late grandfather was a conductor on the Lackawanna for almost fifty years during the interesting "steam" era of railroading.
It was this association that led Ray to getting his first job with the Erie Railroad on their ferryboats. Over the years he grew to want to know more about the various ferry operations of the lower Hudson. His desire to write a book about the railroad ferry operations increased with the rapid decline and ultimate abandonment of the last such ferry operation on November 22, 1967.
Baxter worked for almost forty years on, or around, the New York Harbor waterfront, first as a railroad ferryboat deckhand and railroad police officer, then for twenty-six years in the Jersey City Police Department. A graduate of Tenafly High School, Seton Hall University and Rutgers University, Ray presently lives in East Stroudsburg, PA with his wife Catherine and youngest son Thomas. He is a member of the Erie-Lackawanna Historical Society and the Railroadians of America.
ARTHUR G. ADAMS
Arthur G. Adams was born in the Hudson River community of Englewood, New Jersey in 1935 and, like coauthor Ray Baxter, has been a lifelong resident of New Jersey. Adams' consuming interest in the Hudson River and the surrounding region has stirred his constant exploration of its highways, byways, waterways, and foot trails from the Atlantic Coastal inlets to the Catskill and
Berkshire Mountain peaks. Deeply interested in regional history, he has been active in preservation and conservation movements.
Adams is the Founding President of the Hudson River Maritime Center at Roundout Landing in Kingston, NY; a fellow of the Carl Carmer Center for Catskill Mountain and Hudson River Studies, at the State University at New Paltz; and, in 1981, the recipient of a special Award of Merit for outstanding achievement in Regional Studies by the State University of New York. Additionally, Adams is a member of the Steamship Historical Society of America and a Vice President of the Steamer Alexander Hamilton Society. His other books on related subjects include: The Hudson Through the Years; The Hudson: A Guidebook to the River; The Hudson River in Literature; Guide to the Catskills and The Region Around; and Guide to the Catskills with Trail Guide and Maps (in conjunction with Harriet and Leon Greenman and cartographer Roger Coco). Arthur Adams has had many articles published in various journals and lectures widely on regional subjects. A graduate of Brown University, he resides in Mahwah, NJ, in the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains, with his wife Daryl and children Cynthia and Christopher.
With the passing of the last steam-powered double-end ferryboat, a graceful and romantic period in American history ended. Someone had to leave a written and pictorial record for our grandchildren. For this reason, Ray Baxter and Arthur Adams decided to produce this volume.
Adams and Baxter have been associated for approximately six years. Both men have been very active in local transportation issues, realizing the need for improvements and a greater dependence on mass transit. As they worked on various projects, they became aware of the need for a history of the North River ferry. The North River was truly the birthplace of the double-end ferryboat.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: Ebay will add $1.25 each additional items, there are a few exceptions.
Ebay Global shipping charges are shown. These items are shipped to Kentucky and forwarded to you. Ebay collects the shipping and customs / import fees. Refunds may be issued if you add multiple items to your cart and pay with one payment. For direct postage rates to these countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Payment options
Payment must be received within 7 days. Paypal is accepted.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us first. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding.
Thanks for looking at our items.
| 
