Nostalgia & History > Fossil fools and other relics of railroads and fans past

Railfanning obviously still haunts the inner recesses of my blood stream, and obviously I am a glutton for punishment. Case in point is my once and a while reunion with my "old" friend EL833, known by some as Roger Durfee. Mr. Durfee and I, on occasion rally for a reunion to see if we are still viable. Actually except for different types of mental deficiencies, we are still good friends after 45 years. I really think Roger wants to test me every few years to see if the railfan gene is still there somewhere. He does bring it out in me, and we met last week in Cresson Pa. on the turf of his former employer NS. Cresson is literally the half way point for both of us, so it fits perfectly. Of course we stayed at the famous Station Inn, and immersed ourselves in total BS, junk food, and chasing trains. NS did its job with a fine variety of action, the weather was a flashback to the first times I ever went there in 1970. COLD! Snow, but a rarity, two days of SUN! So Roger did his job, and cranked up this old fool's interest in train photography once more. Now, he's trying to get me to follow his ass to Canada to shoot F units....just maybe!

top...The two fossil fools together in front of other fossils outside of Cresson. Cresson Steel is chopping up Dash 9s. Hard to believe their time is up, but happy ours is not. I truly thought Roger was showing me two units that he managed to wreck while in train service.

middle...the day before I shoot the fossil shooting fossils.

bottom...Somebody has my sick sense of humor.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/20 04:53 by Roadjob.

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top and middle....the now "world famous" footbridge at Cassandra in 1970 when it was not so famous, and now.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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next stop west, Portage Pa. and the Jamestown Road overpass in the early 80s, and now.
and one more look at the other fossils.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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You guys look great ! Glad you still get together to torment one another.  If for no other reason, just for the BS and Junk Food !  Nice "Then and Now" shots Bill !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/20 05:14 by perklocal.

I would guess that the Jamestown Road overpass looks strange without these attached, as does the whole Pittsburgh line now...
7/2017 photo by WW Jenkins

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Great story Bill, to which I can closely relate. My best friend for >45 years and I try to get together at least once a year at trackside. While the weather and trains won't always cooperate, it's the enduring friendship that matters more to me. 

So........ I'm guessing Roger is at the right, right?? And who is that other brother of the other brother?  :^)

Lance

BTW: I had lunch with Ms Cassandra last May:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,4849887,4849887#msg-4849887
I'll have to come back and see her again some day...

"Fossil fools"- love it ! It was a great few days Mr Roadjob ! I knew you still had it in you- can't fool me on that one. And sorry, I can't lay claim to adding to the GE pile of busted up cabs lol. Those are actually off the DC to AC rebuild program- note the dual number on the 9024/4239 cab. I know the cab/school bus pile was interesting, kinda looked like the remains of a staged OLS event. We will endeavor again, in the near future, to scare the straights in Cresson and clean the Sheetz out of junk food.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

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perklocal Wrote:
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> You guys look great !

You need new glasses Rod lol ! And you should think about joining us sometime- you'd love to get out trackside again. Maybe a nice couple of Alco days over Scranton way...

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

Thanks for an interesting series!

Larry

Roger is the taller one that walks around with his coat open. I won't lay claim to that mental deficiency.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

Picture #2 belongs in the "Railfans in Paradise" collection.

Ray