Yon 2677 hath a lean and hungry look, a mournful look, as a yardman rolls it out from the gloomy depths of a Passaic Wharf storage shed, heading for the rehab line and a newstart in life. 2677 was transferred by truck to the Greenville yard on October 1, 1944. (DE, 4-514, 54LR)
The first four of the car sheds were built at the Passaic Wharf in 1918 at a cost of $23,600. Each shed measured 50 feet by 145 feet--just under the length of three 55 foot 2600 series cars.
Additional sheds were added later for a total of 12, in three lines of 4 sheds each. Sixty-two compromise roof cars were in storage at the wharf when the war began: 17 2600s, 22 2700s, and 23 high-3200s.
13 double-end cars were transferred by truck from the Essex to the Hudson Division, in addition to the cars sent from the Passaic Wharf. These were replaced by single-end cars from the Wharf. After the war, only 10 cars were returned to the essex Division, plus five of the high 3200s.
In addition, one car, 2751, used as a paint-test car and stored at the Newark Shops about a mile north of the Passaic Wharf, was returned to service initially on the Bloomfield line and later trucked to the Hudson Division along with 3202, 3208, 3211, and 3219.
Hopping over the security fence and making a quick dash through the Sunday morning sunshine gave a split-second opportunity for this rare close view of the Passaic Wharf paint line.
Here, cars received a slap-dash platform makeover with the "v" stripe, but retained the red doors for later rework. Trivia item: 2677 was the only compromise roof car to operate with a wooden deck sign, nailed over the roof roll sign during service onthe Passaic line in 1935.
