4-8-2 #2987 at West Albany, NY

After the second world war the NYCS began the process of dieselization first on all lines east of buffalo and through trains running the New York City main line to Chicago and all points west. The growing surplus of steam locomotives, primarily older freight and passenger engines were stored in the partially abandon West Albany yard, north of the shops directly behind the locomotive department. The no longer needed steam engines were eventually white lined and scrapped. As the collection and variety of steam engines collected in the West Albany yard grew, individuals and clubs sought permission to take photos of their favorite steam engines before the scrapper got them under the torch.  The eastern regional convention of the National Model Railroad Association held their 1947 convention at the Van Culler Hotel in Schenectady, NY. As part of their program, they took a special NYC train to the West Albany shops to look over and photograph the collection of white line steam engines in the yard and the still active locomotives in and around the shops! Time for steam engines and the West Albany shops, their maintenance base, was quickly coming to a sad end.