#17 was the last locomotive ever
purchased by the Rahway Valley Railroad. In late-1953 the railroad placed
an order with General Electric for its second 70 tonner. Churned out of
the plant in January, 1954, #17 arrived on February 2, 1954. With its
arrival, all subsequent steam-powered movements over the RVRR were
discontinued. The last fire had been dropped on #15
that past November. From then on the
RVRR was a diesel only line.
The locomotive arrived in forest green paint with
yellow striping, contrasting the red and yellow #16, paint schemes they
would retain until 1975 when Bernie Cahill
had them repainted in
their identical maroon and white paint schemes.
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, these two
little switch engines more than paid for themselves on the little Rahway
Valley, hauling ton after ton of freight over the line. They even hauled a
special passenger train to Baltusrol for the US Open
in
1980.
After the RVRR lost its liability insurance,
operations over the railroad were assumed by the Delaware Otsego
Corporation in April of 1986. The new operator went on to purchase the
line that December. #16 and 17 went on to serve their new owner, on home
rails, for a few more years.
By the end of 1989 #17, as well as #16, were
removed from their old home to perform other duties for Delaware Otsego.
#17 even went on to serve on the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley
Railroad in upstate-New York. Both #16 and 17 were subsequently donated to
the United Railway Historical Society in 1995.
Today #17, as well as her sister #16, can be seen on
display at the Whippany Railway Museum in Whippany, NJ.
See what #17 looks like
today.
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#17 builder's
photo at the GE Plant in Erie, PA |
Just weeks after being
delivered, #17 is seen here at Aldene with Caboose 102. 2/1954.
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#16 nudges #17
into the engine shed at Kenilworth. |
#16 and 17
at Kenilworth. Collection of Patty Clark
Gilbride. |
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| #17 switches
cars at the Lehigh Valley interchange. Note the Roselle Park High
School in the background. 6/1967. Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
Hey look!
It's ol' Frank Froat leaning out of the cab, with #17 sandwiched
between a cut of cars. 6/1968. Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
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Frank Froat eases
#17 through Kenilworth, with cars coupled to both ends of the
locomotive. Before 1971. |
#17 coming through
the woods after picking up cars at the Lehigh Valley interchange.
10/1969. Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
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On
the same day, in the same spot, #17 has passed us and continues on.
Look it's Froat up in the cab! 10/1969.
Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
The always busy #17 eases her train
underneath the Parkway bridge at the CNJ interchange at Aldene.
7/1970. Collection of Paul Carpenito. |
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#17 in
Kenilworth. 1970. Photo taken by Tom
Piccirillo. |
#17 in
Kenilworth, crossing the Boulevard. 1970.
Photo
taken by Tom Piccirillo. |
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#17 at the Aldene interchange.
2/11/1971.
Photo taken by Frank
Reilly. |
#17 in
Kenilworth, crossing the Boulevard. 2/11/1971.
Photo taken by Frank
Reilly. |
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#17 in
Kenilworth. 2/11/1971. Photo
taken by Frank Reilly. |
In the woods, #17
heads north towards the Route 22 crossing. 3/1/1971.
Photo taken by Frank
Reilly. |
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#17 crosses Route
22 eastbound. 3/1/1971.
Photo taken by Frank
Reilly. |
George Davis eases
#17 out of the engine shed in Kenilworth on this warm Summer's Day.
7/8/1971. Photo taken by Frank
Reilly |
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#17 crosses Route
22 westbound. 10/12/1971.
Photo taken by Frank
Reilly. |
#17 works the CNJ interchange at Aldene.
1/1/1972.
Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
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#17 works the CNJ interchange at Aldene.
1/1/1972.
Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
Bound for Monsanto,
#17 trundles across N. Michigan Ave. along the old Can Branch.
2/4/1972. Photo taken
by Frank Reilly.
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#17 in Roselle Park. 5/1972.
Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
#17 backs towards Westfield Ave. in Roselle Park as
the flagman halts traffic. |
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#17 crosses Westfield Ave. and heads
towards the CNJ interchange at Aldene. |
#17 is seen here switching a cut of cars at Aldene.
6/1973.
Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
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#17 is seen here switching a cut of cars at Aldene.
6/1973.
Collection of Paul
Carpenito. |
#17 is seen here switching a cut of cars, under the
Garden State Parkway, at Aldene. Collection of
Paul
Carpenito. |
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#17 crosses Westfield Ave. and heads
towards the CNJ interchange at Aldene. post-1975. Photo
taken by Richard Dunbar. |
#17 crosses
Route 22 eastbound in this view. 9/1979.
Collection
of Paul Carpenito. |
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#17 in
Kenilworth |
#17 in
Kenilworth |
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#17 in
Kenilworth, along the Galloping Hill Golf
Course. |
#17 in Kenilworth,
note the burned Kenilworth Station in the background.
1977. |
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#17 in
Kenilworth |
#17 in Kenilworth,
note the RVRR's Passenger Coach offices in the background.
1977. |
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#17 at the
ex-Lehigh Valley interchange. 7/21/1982.
Collection of Donald
Albertson. |
#17 is seen here
at Kenilworth in 1988. |
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| #17 leaves
the interchange with Conrail with three carloads of lumber and a
hopper, most likely filled with plastics for Monsanto Corp. in
Kenilworth. 3/1988. Photo
by Carl Perelman. |
#17 heads
up a freight out of Kenilworth. 2/1988. Photo taken by
Carl Perelman. |
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#17, on its way
back from the Conrail interchange, heads north to Kenilworth
along the Lehigh Valley Branch and is about to cross West
Colfax Avenue. The stadium lights for the Roselle Park High School
Football field can be seen in the top left. 7/1988. Collection
of Carl Perelman. |
#17 is seen
here in Cranford, switching the former CNJ interchange. 11/1989.
Photo taken by Carl
Perelman. |
