For now, though, it looks nice, and adds a lot of period character to the area.
A quiet and peaceful walk by the restored part of the canal in St. Marys
Mandy by the canal boat on the active, restored part of the canal in Grand Rapids, OH
Going through a lock...
We rode the canal boat and enjoyed our first time going through a lock. Other canal boat rides we've taken have been fun, but without the lock experience. Then afterward, we watched the next boat go through "from above." A very simple procedure, and an almost forgotten skill...
The above depot in Stryker, OH (built in 1900 and used until passenger service ceased in 1956 - passenger trains no longer stop there) once served the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, and later, the New York Central. Stryker, named after Rome, NY attorney and railroad executive John Stryker, was founded in 1853, and likely would still be farmland without the influence of the railroad.
During the heyday of steam locomotives, Stryker was the site of railroad "track pans" which allowed engines to scoop up water without stopping, saving valuable time for the railroads. As dieselization occurred, track pans became obsolete, and they were operated for the last time in Stryker on or about March 1, 1954.
In 1966, the New York Central proposed abandoning its traditional long haul passenger service, and replacing it with high speed shuttles between major metropolitan hubs 200 miles or less apart. As part of that investigation, the NYC conducted tests from Butler, Indiana, through Stryker, due to the long stretch of straight and level track. (The NYC from Butler, Indiana, to Air Line Junction, Ohio, is in Guinness Rail - The Records as the third-longest stretch of tangent track in the US, at 68.49 miles. Stryker, Ohio, is between those two endpoints, not far from the Indiana - Ohio border.)
Tests were conducted using the M-497 RDC equipped with an aerodynamic shovel-nose front, special instrumentation, and two turbojet engines mounted on the roof for power. During the second run on July 23, 1966, the North American rail speed record of 183.85 MPH was established. This record still stands today...
The NYC's plans were scrapped following its 1968 merger with the PRR, despite the successful 1966 demonstration through Stryker. The M-497 was de-modified, and returned to service until the advent of Amtrak on May 1, 1971.
So, northwest Ohio is an interesting area with a lot of railroad history, for those inclined to seek it out!
Anyone remember Jimmy Stewart? I found this statue of him in front of the Indiana County Courthouse in Indiana, PA last Friday. Jimmy was born in Indiana, PA in May of 1908. This statue was dedicated in 1983 (he was present for it) and he died in 1997.
Jimmy Stewart in Indiana, PA
Curiously, Jimmy's voice (or that of a very good impersonator) guides you at the "Walk-Don't Walk" crossing in the center of town...
At last, another pic from my makeover last month...I love the outfit. Yes, I have several more pix to add, in upcoming posts...one of them in this short skirt!
Mandy's makeover by Beth...
More Later,
Mandy
I did not realize that the Erie canal made its way to Ohio. I have driven the NYS Thruway from Albany to Buffalo and the Mohawk river and Mohawk valley along with the old Erie Canal intersects or runs alongside the Thruway for much of the run. It is amusing to think back to the days when moving people and goods along a canal was the way things were done.
ReplyDeleteIt is also interesting that the old RR hub and Stryker was named after an attorney. It seems to me that one of the major banes to the use of RRs in this country is the litigation surrounding train travel as well as the lawyer supported unions.
I think that your photo is really nice. Beth did a great job on both the makeup and wig as well as the attire.
Pat
Actually, the Miami and Erie Canal doesn't connect to the Erie Canal. Instead, it goes (or more appropriately, used to go) from the river in Cincinnati to "Lake Erie" - hence the "Erie." Now it's just isolated segments, restored or unrestored.
DeleteFrom our travels in New York State this spring, we found that prior to the Erie and the Lackawanna Railroads came to be, produce was floated out of the southern tier of New York on the Cohocton (then spelled Conhocton) River. Looking at it today, it's hardly a creek. So you're right...times really have changed!
If one digs deep enough, they're likely to find that many more towns were named in a manner similar to Stryker... We found out on the way home that the little burg of Clymer, PA was named after George Clymer, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
And Colver, PA was a hybrid of two business partners in the mining industry: COLeman and weaVER. Not to be outdone, they named a nearby mining town Revloc, which is simply Colver spelled backwards!
Look up the town named Delano in PA. You can't help wonder if it somehow has a connection to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It does... Ir's named for Warren Delano, FDR's grandfather, a NY investor drawn to the coal region in search of "lining his pockets" as he had done in China. He made his fortune importing opium into Chinese ports, producing thousands of addicts and becoming a thorn in China's side for years, as evidenced by the Opium Wars.
Just some of the things you can stumble across by traveling...
Thanks for the kind words about my picture. There will be some more in my next post. I really liked the work Beth did...and plan to try it again in the future...perhaps on a Saturday morning with a makeup session and then a shopping trip with me in one of my own outfits. Would be a lot of fun!
Hugs,
Mandy
It is a safe bet that I may be your only reader who knows where Cohocton is AND has a CD related event that relates to it.
ReplyDeleteAbout 14 years ago I had to be in Rochester on business. I started the drive up the night before and spent the night in Elmira. Back then the primary dressing times that I had were on business travel. In the morning I put on my pantyhose along with a black bra and my breast forms. Over that I wore a black all in one girdle that snapped at the crotch. Over that I had on a cami/slip and then a black velour sleeveless tank and a brown skirt.
My older son had just started to drive and I had essentially given him my old 1992 Subaru Legacy with about 130K miles. He has started to work on the car with a new sound system, extra lights, etc. He had scraped out the old rust and had puttied and painted the repair. I decided to take the Subaru rather than plow the miles onto my car.
I pulled out of Elmiri wearing my brown high heel pumps, wig and light makeup heading up Rt. 17 to Rt. 390. About a dozen miles onto 390, listening to Tommy but the Who blasting on the tape player I sense that I was losing power. I looked in the mirror and saw the car blowing black smoke.
I pulled over to the side of the road and a good samaritan stopped to offer aid. By this time I had removed my wig and breasts. I told him I was OK and showed him my cell phone which at that time was a huge flip phone. He left and I struggled to find an AAA office that knew where I was.
I put on a shirt over my top and slacks over my pantyhose and skirt. I changed my shoes to find a mile marker.
AAA sent a truck that towed me to the only gas station in Cohocton that was run by Gomer and Guber. They were working on two other cars from women who were there. I was there now wearing a dress shirt and slacks over my other clothes. I was sure that the black underthings could be seen. I felt as if the skirt under my pants was showing odd bulges and I could easily see my ankles in my panty hose between my shoes and slacks. The all in one girdle and bra were digging into me and when I went into the bathroom at the station I noticed that my lipstick and mascara could be seen. It was not the most comfortable of days.
Cohocton is a tiny town with one gas station, two feed and grain stores and a general store. The bathroom was too small to change and over the course of the day I went out behind the gas station to get out of some of my more obtrusive under clothes.
I was able to call someone else who was going to that Rochester event to tell him I would not make it and he picked me up to drive me home late that evening and left me in a mall about an hour from my home where my wife picked me up.
The car blew its water pump and as a result the engine was cooked. Gomer and Guber said they could probably find an engine in a junk yard in a town about a half hour away and could get the car fixed in 3-4 weeks. I decided to donate the car to the Lung association and over the weekend my son and I drove up in my other car to take off the plates and remove our personal effects.
That, my friend, is my CD related story about Cohocton.
Pat
You're probably right on both counts - being the only reader who knows where Cohocton is...and has a CD story to go with it! (But I think they have two gas stations now - Gomer runs one and Goober the other...)
DeleteI used to drive up Route 15 a lot, and I had a Subaru, which had issues in Williamsport. Must be something about Subarus and that routing to Rochester! (It wasn't totaled like yours, though...a dealership got it going again, to live another day.)
Smart move to donate yours...saved a lot of trouble.
Thanks for posting the interesting story!!!
Mandy