When Pennsy Had a Yard in Akron

Perhaps you will have the same feeling of disbelief as I had when I looked at these two Mike Ondecker images.

Where was this heavily industrialized area? I didn’t know, but the sign on one of the factories matched a company in Cleveland, so I labeled this as Cleveland.

Much to my surprise, several railfans said this was Akron!

It was only upon close observation that I realized this was taken from a Firestone building.

On the left where a stone company now is located was once the Pennsylvania Railroad yard in Akron.

The building on the left is part of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Erie No. 517 is most likely bringing a cut of cars back to the Erie Lackawanna McCoy Street Yard.

This Akron of the early 1960s is totally unlike today’s railroad/industrial scene, but thanks to Mike these memories come alive again.

Article by Robert Farkas, Photographs by Mike Ondecker

 

Above Akron on a ‘Manned Drone’ Flight

Looking westward while flying over Brittain Yard. That is Interstate 76 to the left snaking into town.

On July 2 I took a “manned drone” flight in a 1943 vintage Stearman biplane.

The main objective was to get photos of the airships in town, specifically Wingfoot One at the Suffield base and the MetLife Snoopy Two blimp moored at Akron-Fulton Airport and in for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron.

I did manage a quick flyover of the Wheeling & Lake Erie’s former Akron, Canton & Youngstown yard that’s near the Akron Railroad Club meeting location. I’ve included two views of the rail yard in this report.

I got lucky with Wingfoot One lifting off after we had made a couple circles around the Wingfoot Lake hanger. In the air dock photo, note the small MetLife ship out where the giant rigid airships Akron and Macon once moored.

We flew right over the MetLife blimp on our takeoff.

The last photo is my ride that morning. It was a great way to fly.

Article and Photographs by Roger Durfee

Zooming in on the locomotive service facility at W&LE’s Brittain Yard.

Spotting the Met Life blimp while taking off from Akron-Fulton Airport.

The iconic air dock at Akron-Fulton Airport.

Circling around the Goodyear hangar at Wingfoot Lake.

Wingfoot One takes flight over Wingfoot Lake.

My ride for the day.