Railroading as it Once Was: Some Strange Bedfellows Showed up in Early Conrail Days

There were some strange bedfellows in Conrail’s first year or two as the newly merged railroad was leasing anything it could beg, borrow, or even steal for a day or two.

In this August 1976 example we see a former Erie Lackawanna caboose being moved by a former Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Alco RS-3 (renumbered as BN 4065) at Brier Hill Yard, a former EL facility, in Youngstown.

West Coast meets East Coast in the shadow of the YS&T steel mill. In a few short years, Conrail would get its act together and these SP&S/BN units would make their way back to Washington State.

Article and Photograph by Roger Durfee

Tags: Alco locomotives, Alco RS-3, EL caboose, EL in Youngstown, Erie Lackawanna, Erie Lackawanna caboose, Erie Lackawanna in Youngstown Ohio, Railfanning in Youngstown Ohio, Railroading as it Once Was, Railroads of Youngstown Ohio, Roger Durfee photographs, Spokane Portland & Seattle, Youngstown Ohio, Youngstown Ohio railroads