The Long Island Rail Road/LIRR, always short of equipment and long the dumping ground for used Pennsylvania Railroad/PRR equipment, purchased cabooses NYO&W 8304, 8308, 8306, 8301, and 8360 in March, 1957, the month the NY,ONTARIO & WESTERN RWY. ended operations. These center cupola style cabooses, in LIRR orange and blue becoming respectively LIRR 70-71-72-73-74, added to the odd assortment of motive power and non-revenue cars that gave the LIRR's freight traffic its distinctive flavor. While they lasted in service for only five years on the LIRR, this short period of service and maintenance was probably their salvation after the abandonment of the NYO&W...their original owner. Interestingly, LIRR #73 was sold in 1963 to the Empire State Railway Museum in Middletown, NY and has been restored as NYO&W #8301 in 2000. RMT pays tribute to these unique LIRR cabooses with RMT-611-11 CAB as LIRR #73. RMT-611-111 CAB is currently SOLD OUT. However, a LIRR caboosem will be made again in late Spring 2010 as RMT-611-112 LIRR #C-74 (a different roadnumber) but quantities will be limited...you can order RMT-611-112 LIRR #C-74 now to guarantee availability...redirect to RMT-611-112 LIRR #74 listing. |