HvyWt #5372 at West Albany, NY

PB578059

HvyWt #5372 at West Albany, NY

Steam Passenger Train

Photo is looking east at the top of the West Albany hill (1.63% grade with "s" curve) with tower #3 in the background. Switches for the cross over in front of the tower are operated from the second floor of the tower. Union station pusher engines would uncouple on the fly after pushing the heavy weight Limiteds up the West Albany hill then cross over to the east bound track and back down to union station! Provide for switching in and out of the locomotive and car departments from the main passenger line! Very busy location, great spot for photo taking! Tower #3 also contained the switches to bring the NYC wrecker train off the parrel siding on to the main. It also switched the three-car red fire train out of the shop complex on to the main. What happened to the track/switch board when NYC tore down the tower with the arrival of CTC along with the shops closing in the early 1950s is unknown. The high concrete foundation remained and served as a great spot for early morning and late day picture taking as the post WWII NYC great steel fleet went buy. The Century west bound cleared tower #3 daily at around 7:45pm in the post WWII period. The two east and west bound freight tracks were on the opposite (north) side of the shop complex splitting the West Albany freight yard in two at about 7:45pm nightly. Searchlight signals in foreground, tower in background

Ed Nowak

8x10 glossy photo

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HvyWt

J-1d

#5372

Alco-Schen

West Albany, NY