We asked the wayback machine to take us to a time and place where we could see a motive power consist of mixed eras. That was how we wound up in Alliance on Dec. 23, 1978, to see a consist of Conrail, Erie Lackawanna and Penn Central liveries.
Conrail was just over two years old and such sights would not last much longer. Note that the ex-EL and ex-PC units have a CR initial stenciled on their flanks.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
In the foreground is the bus-stop type shelter that served as the Amtrak station in Alliance for several years. A little to the south of the shelter is the new station that Amtrak built in spring 2011. The new station looks much nicer but provides little more than what the existing station did. Both stations were little more than a shelter against the elements. This image was made on April 17, 2011.
Alliance is a stop for the Chicago-Washington Capitol Limited and for a few years also was served by the Chicago-Philadelphia Pennsylvanian.
Photograph by Craig Sanders
Conrail SD40 No. 6352 is eastbound in Alliance in November 1988. This unit was built for Penn Central and had to be repaired after sustaining damage to his fuel tanks during an accident.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Conrail SD70MAC No. 4131 is eastbound in Massillon with a two-unit motive power consist. Both of these are SD70MAC locomotives pulling a train in late 1998 or early 1999.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Here are a pair of Conrail images from the archives for two for Tuesday. In the top image GP38-2 No. 8126 is in Alliance on Aug. 15, 1984. In the bottom image SD40-2 No. 6479 leads a westbound at Center Road in what is now New Franklin on May 3, 1980. In a few minutes this train will be in Clinton and likely head toward Orrville and beyond.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
I only visited Alliance during the Conrail era once. That came on May 23, 1998, when I was with Dan Davidson. We spent much of our time there that day photographing the westbound signal bridge at the east end of the interlocking plant. At the time, it still had Pennsylvania Railroad position light signals. Both trains shown above are headed eastward on the Fort Wayne Line. Since then I’ve visited Alliance numerous times in the Norfolk Southern era.
Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders
Conrail SD45 No. 6115 leads a Bayard-bound train south out of Alliance on Aug. 18, 1979. All three units are EMD SD45 locomotives with the middle one still painted in Erie Lackawanna colors.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Conrail B36-7 No. 5005 leads an eastbound trailer train in Alliance, on March 5, 1988. Built by GE in November 1983, the 5005 wound up on the CSX motive power roster after the Conrail breakup in 1999.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Penn Central F7A No. 1772 leads an eastbound passing through Alliance on Feb. 18, 1973. This train is headed for Bayard and then east. It is about to cross the Fort Wayne Line.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Here is an image made north of Alliance. Conrail U23B No. 2710 leads an eastbound on Oct. 15, 1983. The unit was built for Penn Central in August 1972.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
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