The thread "Baseball Specials" rekindled some of my memories involving special trains to racetracks back in the 60's and 70's.
I remember especially going to Bowie Racetrack in Maryland from NYP in January, 1960 or 1961 on a Pennsylvania Railroad special. That same winter (fortunately not the day I went), the special they ran derailed about a mile from the racetrack; fatalities were involved, I believe.
Later, post-Amtrak (so I wonder who ran it), I rode a special from NYP to Monmouth Park Racetrack in New Jersey. This would have been August, 1975 or 1976. Believe the cars used were still marked PRR or PC, but I'm vague on that.
Of course, today, I'm sure there are many specials extant; the LIRR, for example, serves Belmont Park in NY directly from NYP or Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn. I'd be interested in learning where else there still are racetrack specials.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
I expected to find the accident in the DOT library historical accident reports, but did not. The list for 1960 and 1961 both look like they are incomplete.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
GBN, I can't access that NYT story without giving some credit card info, etc. Is this a pay service?
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
I believe the B&O ran specials to Bowie also.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ocala Mike: GBN, I can't access that NYT story without giving some credit card info, etc. Is this a pay service?
Same here. At first it asked for my user name and password, which I registered years ago, but it wouldn't take it. So I re-registered because they said it was free. After I registered it asked for a credit card number. So much for free.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
AS I have said before, I am no more going to give them any personal infromation so I can look at their newspaper than I would give identification if standing on the street reading the headlines on the newspaper in a paper box. I can happily live without the NYT.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
I got far enough into the article for free to note that the date of the mishap was 2/2/61 (I went on opening day, sometime in January), and six people were killed.
I seem to remember reading at the time that horseplayers, anxious to get their daily double bets in, were practically stepping over the casualties so they wouldn't get shut out. Oh, the humanity!
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Thanks, Gil, will do.
Posted by mr williams (Member # 1928) on :
O/T I know but Ocala Mike makes an interesting point about human nature in emergency situations. Some years ago there was a terrorist bomb attack on a shopping mall in one of our northern cities resulting in several fatalities. The police were frantically trying to evacuate people from the area but a load of people in a pizza restaurant refused to go until they had finished their meals!! They just sat there eating whilst fire engines, ambulances, sirens etc screamed past! What goes through people's minds in such situations?