Though steam would survive on the Erie for a few more years after this photo was taken, dieselization was already underway, as seen here. Starting in 1956, the Erie began shifting most of its trains up to the Lackawanna terminal at Hoboken, starting with non-rush hour trains. By 1958, the only Erie trains still calling at the Pavonia terminal were those of the northern branch (as well as the trains of the Susquehanna).

When I was a kid in the early 60's, I well remember trains like this, still fully lettered for the old Erie, operating out of Hoboken. The "wings" on the Erie engine noses gave these hard-working, no-nonsense machines a distinct touch of style, something totally lacking on today's modern, hi-tech equipment.

The venerable "Stillwell" coaches, entering service about 1915, lasted in service for decades on both the Erie and the Erie-Lackawanna. In fact, the very last of them were not retired until 1974, when new push-pull trainsets displaced them on the ex-Erie line to Port Jervis.

For generations of train buffs (including myself) these rolling antiques were every bit as unique to the Erie as the old open-platform "Boonton" cars were to the DL&W.

Today, everything seen here has vanished without a trace, replaced by modern development. So much for "progress".