Fans on the 3rd Ave El

Nice photo.  It's interesting 'though how many of the the "fans" have cameras and all appear to be very intent on capturing the vantage point of the photographer.  Makes you wonder what he/she was standing on. Another car perhaps? Something even better?

Tomlinson Run RR

My guess Is that the photographer was aboard a moving uptown local . The fan with the movie camera would have been recording some footage of that train. In a way it is an interesting "runby " scenario.  

That was a famous fan trip on the 3rd Ave El. The fellow with the movie camera was non other than George Horn. He did many movies and was a a Railfan with a long history of hi knowledge of the New York transit scene. He started out as a Trolley motorman for the BMT a then became a motorman on the IND. After he retired he went to California and went to work on the BART. He was responsible for publications for the ERA and made a movie for the NYCTA. His movies were donated to the Library of Congress. I met him in the New York Historical Society in the 50's doing research in the Map and Print room. There were many photos and records there pertaining to the subways, elevated lines trolleys and buses that served New York City. He introduced me into the hobby and the ERA. He gave me much information about the IRT and its history. I was fascinated with the Mineola, August Belmonts private car. He introduced me to EJ Quinby who did a story on Minnie and was one of the founders of Branford. 

Nate

Nate 

Thank you for the informative account of the trip and the folks who were on the trip. It would be great to actually see some of those films so we can recall more of the days of these Els in New York City. 

OK Nate--  Your wish is my command !!  Get yourself a copy of "New York ELS" / "New York Subways" DVD by 'Mark I Video' ...  Jeff Balkin, one of two sons of the late Marc Balkin has an online video store on EBAY with free shipping to get this and most of the rest of Marc's historic library of films.  There is a scene with the gang on the 1947 fan trip.  Here is what is on the DVD :

NEW YORK ELS VOLUME I presents rare scenes of the Second and Third Avenue els taken in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Additional footage of the Polo Grounds Shuttle (remnant of the Ninth Ave. El), the Dyre Avenue line (formerly part of the New York, Westchester & Boston interurban line) in 1940, and the Staten Island Rapid Transit line is also included. You'll also view scenes of antique rolling stock being scrapped and the demolition of some of the elevated lines.

VOLUME II opens with a look at some of the rolling stock used on the Els, the program then offers an extended visit to the famous Third Avenue elevated line, which made its first runs in 1878. The Manhattan portion of the El, which began at the South Ferry Terminal and extended northward via the Bowery and Third Avenue, closed in May 1955, but the section from 149th Street to Gun Hill Road in the Bronx lasted until 1973. You'll take several rides over the line, and then view the Bronx portion in its final days. Rounding out the program are visits to Corona Yard in Queens, views of the Dyre Avenue line (formerly part of the New York, Westchester & Boston interurban line) right after its reopening in 1940 as part of the New York City transit system, and some IRT vignettes including the Polo Grounds Shuttle.

The music is great too !  Enjoy!

KRK