Snapshot - March 2018

B&M Mechanicville, NY.

I look at Mechanicville yard through the photos taken by Bruce Nelson back when things were still happening in town. Don Janes and I stopped by last fall and it is hard to believe most of this fits in the area that is mostly weeds...George Dutka

Yardmaster's view of class yard. That's the lower end switcher on Trk 18. NE-84 is made up Trk1 on left and first half on NY-10 on cripple track lead/Trk36 on right. Metal building on right house the air compressor for "yard air". Retarder operator tower also on right. There used to two towers when class yard had 36 tracks. Switches were electric and fast action and operation was not protected by track circuits. It was possible, "but never happened" to throw the switch under a moving  car, March 1976

Retarders operators view 1976.

The two units in the clear are the hump switcher, March 1976.

Two of the seven retarders.

The B&M engine house is seen in the background in March 1976

B&M 1213 lower end switcher works the east end of class yard. March 1976.