August 1991

NEWSLETTER OF THE MOHA WI< & HUDSON CHAPTER, N.R.H.S.

THE CALL BOARD 9

Log of Last Rides As United Traction Co. Abandoned Four Trolley Lines: Saturday, Aug. 10, 1946
By Fred B. Abele
The evening of August 10 was showery and threatening as I set out to do my last riding over four lines to be abandoned. I boarded car 838 at the end of the Pine Hills line and 8:43 PM we started down Madison Avenue. At New Scotland Avenue, John Murphy and Michael O'Heaney boarded the car to join us and we continued the ride enue line. Two cars were there, 853 and 842, the latter disabled with bad contactors and waiting for a relief car. We waited in 842 until the next regular 866, arrived and boarded it at 10:22 for the ride over Delaware Avenue as far as Lark Street and Washington Ave. where we hoped for a ride on the #2 West Albany. Due to the number of cars out of service, the #2 was operating with only one car and one bus and it was our luck to get the bus, #269, an old 23 passenger Mack of 1936 vintage and falling apart. Instead of riding to the end of the line as originally planned, we rode only to Quail Street where we got off and hung around the barn for awhile. We were then joined by Bill Allen and Jim McAuliffe. The Quail Street yard hummed with activity. The double truck cars not in service were all being put in the yard and shoved with reckless abandon to the back of the yard against the fence. There was much arcing and sputtering and the popping of straining motors could be plainly heard. At 11:33 PM bus 615 rolled out of the barn marked Pine Hills, followed by 629 marked Delaware Avenue, both for the owl runs. At 11:40 with a loud toot of its horn, 615 was off, piloted by Franklin Peeney. Shortly later the 620 departed with Walter Bell as operator. At 11:55 PM we boarded car 301 on the Belt Line for the run downtown. It was the first time 301 had ever been used on an owl run in its entire history. An uneventful run brought us to State & Pearl where we waited for the #4. At 12:25 we boarded 826, last Pine Hills trolley, piloted

United Traction Company motorman Milton Greenfield takes a moment to pose with Car #851, a single-truck car, in 1946. (Fred B. Abele Collection)
downtown, around the downtown loop to the Grand Theater at Clinton Square. After watching activities for awhile we boarded car 875 at 9:38 PM for a ride over the #6 Second Avenue line. This was crowded and as we threaded our way through narrow South Pearl Street, most of the passengers discussed the fact that it was their last trolley ride and a few old timers were reminiscing about the early trolleys. Arriving at the end of the line, we pulled the poles for the motorman and walked the few blocks to the end of the #5 Delaware Av-

United Traction Company motorman Pat Condon poses with car #301, the one-of-a-kind double-truck car, during the last fan trip on July 27, 1946. (Fred B. Abele Collection)

United Traction Company motorman William McEntee posing with single-truck car #852 on August 27, 1946. (Fred B. Abele Collection)

10 THE CALL BOARD

NEWSLETTER OF THE MOHAWK & HUDSON CHAPTER, N.R.H.S.

by a bus, #269. We waited around until 875, last Second Avenue car pulled in, shortly followed by 862, last Delaware

August 1991

by Frank W. Eggleston, veteran trolley operator, and rode around the downtown loop for the last time. Going up Washington Ave., we passed 862 on the Delaware Avenue line, also a last car, and the last to make the downtown loop. At Madison Avenue and Willett Street a dramatic moment occurred as we passed bus 615 and both operators blinked headlights in a final salute. Soon all passengers had departed and we arrived at the end ofthe line. We changed ends and Irolled the sign to "Car House Only." Then at 12:55 Ihad the honor of wheeling 826 off the switch at the end of the line for the last time and piloted her for two blocks until a customer appeared. We arrived at the barn at 1:05 and watched 826 wheeled in the bam. The last #2 trolley run on the West Albany line was actually run

Avenue, at approximately 1:30 AM, the busstitution was completed except for the Belt Line.

Lasts
Last Last Last Last Last Last Last cars to operate on #2 - 852, bus 269 and bus 270. cars to operate on #4 - 824, 838, 830, 826, 834 (824 came off at 8 PM). cars to operate on #5 - 866, 840, 853, 842, 862 (842 was replaced by 862). cars to operate on #6 - 871, 870, 875, 861 (871 came of at 8:30 PM) car change was 862 substituted for 842 at about 8:30 PM on the #5 line. cars: #2 - 852, #4 - 826, #5 - 862, #6 - 875. car around downtown loop - 862.

Finis.

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Trolley Route Map 19341946 courtesy of Mrs. Prederici:B. Abele

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