One Day at Berea in June 1971

The wayback machine has transported us back to June 1971 in Berea. An eastbound Penn Central mail train is passing BE Tower.

There is much to see here that is of historical significance and much you can’t see anymore. Let’s start with E7A No. 4034. Built for the New York Central in March 1939, it wasn’t all that long ago that it was pulling passenger trains. Now it is in mail train service, which wasn’t a bad place to be given how mail trains operated.

Look closer at the 4034. It may have a PC herald on its nose but its NYC “cigar band” stripe is still easily visible.

If you look back in the consist of the train you’ll find a rider coach and a string of Flexi-Vans, which were a NYC specialty.

You’ve probably also noticed the type G signal heads that lasted into the Norfolk Southern era on the Chicago Line.

Now look in the door of BE Tower. Yes, that is a child waving along with the operator. We don’t know the identity of the kid but it might be the photographer’s son.

Back then not only did towers have operators but some of them could also be quite friendly and accommodating.

Photograph by Richard Jacobs

Tags: BE Tower, Berea Ohio, Berea tower, Penn Central, Penn Central locomotives, Penn Central mail trains, Penn Central motive power, Richard Jacobs photographs