Akron Junction Getting that Empty Look

I mentioned at the November Akron Railroad Club meeting that most of the tracks at Akron Junction that once linked the Valley Line of the Baltimore & Ohio with the Chicago-Pittsburgh mainline of the B&O have been removed by CSX sometime within the past year.

The January issue of the ARRC eBulletin will have an article and photographs about the changes at Akron Junction, but here is a view of what it looks like these days.

In the photograph above, the gondola is marooned on the East Wye Track, the rails on each side of the car having been removed. Presumably, this car will some day be scrapped in place.

Also removed has been the other leg of the wye, which was called the Hole Track or PC&T connection. A small portion of the connection is still in at the Eastwood Avenue crossing.

Just beyond the far right end of the gondola is an empty space where the two legs of the wye from the Valley Line headed toward the connection with the Chicago main at BD Tower near Evans Avenue.

The coaling tower still stands, probably because of the expense of removing it.

Article and Photograph by Craig Sanders

Tags: Akron, Akron Junction, Akron Ohio, B&O in Akron, B&O in Akron Ohio, Baltimore & Ohio, Baltimore & Ohio in Akron, Baltimore & Ohio in Akron Ohio, Railroads of Akron Ohio