Harry Williamson, Jr.

Harry Williamson, Jr., was born in Summit to Harry and Nellie Williamson. He was raised in Summit alongside several siblings. Williamson later lived in nearby New Providence, with his wife, Marie, and their two children, Sally and David. 

Williamson hired on with the Rahway Valley Railroad as a brakeman on May 16, 1928, at the age of eighteen. He carried a gold pocket watch with him that first working day and boasted about its indestructibility. He made $6 a day when he started (for sixteen hours of work).

He quickly proved himself capable and was made fireman the next year and conductor the year after that. Williamson proved himself an expert at almost anything

Clark made him engineer in February 1931.

"I recall the first time I drove an engine for myself in 1931. The feel of having all that steel, all that weight, at your fingertips is thrilling. And watching the wildlife along the tracks was always intriguing to me. We used to watch the groundhogs come out along the railroad bank in the spring. We'd watch the fish hawks dive in the water for food. And the eagles - what a joy to watch," he recalled.

Unfortunately, however, after a few cracks at the throttle, Williamson put a flatcar on the front-end of the engine and so ended his time in the engineer's seat. After stints as fireman, brakeman, and being laid off for more than a year during the Great Depression, Williamson was made the fulltime conductor in September 1934.

George Clark had promised Williamson the engineer's job when "Pop" Snyder retired in 1939; however, Clark put Frank Froat in that job instead. 

Williamson's younger brother, Bob, was a DL&W station hand. He served as a brakeman on the RV until 1942, when he went to the CNJ as a passenger brakeman. 

Finally, Williamson left the RV in Summer 1943 to work as a fireman for the CNJ, "because I just got tired of walkin' on the ground and I wanted to be a fulltime engineer."

Williamson didn't became a CNJ engineer immediately. He served his apprenticeship as a fireman, "I fired and ran every engine the Central has. Of course, firemen are now called 'assistant engineers' since diesel engines have replaced the steamers. But I'm still a steam man. The diesel engines today are cleaner but the steamers you were part of. There was a great sound made by the steam engines, in North Jersey we used to call it 'mountain music.' The harder she'd pull the lounder she'd bark. But they went out of use because of environmental concern way back then. They just gave off too much smoke."

On the CNJ, Williamson was known to wear traditional blue and white pin-striped overalls even after diesels made them obsolete. He was called "the Deacon" as he didn't smoke or drink, and complained of "burning ears" if anyone cussed in front of him. 

He was eventually promoted to engineer. Williamson's last jobs on the CNJ were worked on the Southern Division out of Bridgeton.

Williamson retired in September 1972, after forty-six years railroading. He died in 1982.