No. 15 Meets the Corson Brothers

On a brisk Tuesday, January 30, 1951, the Rahway Valley’s crew returns from the interchange yard at Roselle Park. They have dropped the per diem cars and made their way across the ‘diamond’ heading for Kenilworth and an early quit. Approaching the West Webster Avenue crossing, Number Fifteen eased to a stop to allow brakeman Jack Jenkins to run out with a red flag. The fireman, Robert Hoeft, saw from his side window, a truck making for the crossing. “Corson Bros. Tree Experts” is painted on the side, along with a phone number. It was a 1941 Ford flatbed with stakes and a cover of an old tarp. The driver didn’t look like he was going to stop. Frank Froat, the engineer, laid on the chime whistle – a couple of toots, his usual abbreviated warning, but it appeared the truck was going to try to beat the slowly moving 1916 Baldwin. Shoving the throttle closed and sweeping the brake into the ‘big hole’ was not quite enough to keep the two machines apart. With a crumpling of sheet metal, the 73 ton #15 pushed into the right front fender and hood of the Corson Brothers’ 1 ton truck, sliding it into the middle of West Webster Avenue. This wasn't the first time Frank Froat tackled the truckers – he met with an eastbound hauler on Route 29…Engine 1, Truck 0 – and the Baldwin came out ahead this time too. This wouldn't be the last time for Frank, either. Nobody seemed any worse for the wear, standing about in wool jackets and overalls, although the truck probably needed some frame work. The suit might be some ambulance chasing counselor or insurance shark. Even with Frank’s best efforts on the truckers, the RV still had to keep on their toes to hold onto their small package freight.

All photos taken by William S. Young, from the collections of Richard J. King and Jeff Jargosch. Letter from the Rahway Valley Railroad Historical Society Collection.