Oswego Daily Press
October 6, 1870
New Cars for the D.L. & W. Railroad
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Elegant Coaches Built in the Oswego Shops
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Orders Ahead
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Yesterday afternoon we were afforded an opportunity to pass hastily through the car shops of the D.L. & W. R.R. Co. in company with Mr. J. H. Parker, Superintendent of the Car Department for the Oswego & Syracuse Division of the road.
New Cars
In the paint shop we found coach “No. 78, Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R.R. Morris & Essex Division,” receiving the finishing touches that shall make it ready for the road in a few days. It is a fine looking coach - handsomer and more substantial looking care never was turned out of any shop.
The interior is finished in cherry and black walnut, with gilt moldings and silver plated trimmings, Creamer’s patent ventilator and patent safety bake are used, and the upholstering will be of crimson and green plush. The head linings, made by Mr. J. G. Phillips, and the painting and ornamentation done by him and under his supervision, are all of the first quality and in the highest sense creditable to Mr. Phillips, who is an artist of no mean pretensions as well as a first class mechanic.
Mr. Phillips as made this summer 23 head linings which have been sent to other divisions - a class of work always before got in New York a much greater cost than are made here, and not so fine an article. The coach is painted with the regulation color, brown olive, ornamented with stripping of white and gold imitation. The number of the car and the name of the road and division are borne on a raised sign board on tghe side, 24 feet long, and a conspicuous and handsome object.
No. 73, also for the Morris & Essex Division, stands in the paint shop being finished up, and will be the precise counterpart of No. 78.
A coal stove will be introduced in these cars which is securely bolted to the floor and has a door so made as to lock securely, so that should the car be turned over the lability to take fire is almost wholly done away with.
In the wood shop are two new narrow gauge coaches* for the Oswego & Syracuse Division, built on the same plan as the others, but four inches narrower. In these a new system of bracing ha been introduced, which greatly strengthens the coach, and makes it more durable and less likely got be wrecked in case of accident. In the finishing there will be some variations from the style of the Morris and Essex coaches, but they will be equally handsome.
Orders Ahead
Mr. Parker has orders to build one coach and one postal and baggage car for the Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Valley Division, and thew work for that branch in the future will be done in these shops. There is also an order standing for forty freight cars for the Oswego & Syracuse Division. Anew track for setting up cars is to be run into the workshop.
The frame work of these coaches is of the best Georgia pine, and they are made “on honor” in every particular. Mr. George Nelson, a competent and experienced man, is foreman of the building department.
Mr. Parker acknowledges that the suggestions of Mr. Robert McKenna, General Superintendent of the Car Department, have been very valuable as regards the work done here.
It must be a gratification to the Company to see that the work they hover ordered here is done in such an economical, substantial, and modern manner.It certainly affords us gratification to see and commend such work.
*Meaning 4 ft 8 1/2 inches - standard gauge
