A pair of Wheeling & Lake Erie GP35-3 locomotives, Nos.100 and 102 are at the east end of the yard in Brewster on Nov. 10, 2016. Both units were once owned by the Southern Railway with the 102 once having served the Central of Georgia. The Wheeling rebuilt the 100 in July 2000 while the 102 was rebuilt in December 2000. The 100 carries the name Lynn R. Shook under its cab.
hotograph by Robert Farkas
Wheeling & Lake Erie GP40-3 No. 301 sports a Denver & Rio Grande Western look as it teams up with SD40-2 No. 6381 to pull a train across the diamond with the R.J. Corman line east of Brewster on March 18, 2010. Since this image was made the 301 has been repainted into the standard W&LE “tiger stripe livery” of black and orange.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-3 No. 3102 and former Wisconsin Central SD45 No. 1718 lead an eastbound freight sitting in the W&LE yard in Brewster on July 1, 1996. The 3102 was originally an SD40 built for the Missouri Pacific and in this photograph still sports its MoPac “Jenks Blue” livery. It was subsequently sold to WC/Oxford Leasing and leased to the Wheeling in 1982. Where the MoPac “buzzsaw” herald used to be are the letters WC. The 3102 was rebuilt by the Wheeling in February 2002.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Here’s an example of why not to always trust the software. First, I used Epson Scan 2. There were hundreds of small white air bubbles visible in this defective negative, so I thought I’d try Epson’s dust removal function.
At first it removed some of the air bubbles. On first glance it looked good, so I ran the image through Lightroom and Photoshop. That took about half an hour.
Then I had a “Bah Humbug!” moment. The Epson 2 dust remover had also removed the nose herald on the second F-unit.
Now I’m certain that there are other unwelcome surprises that are as yet undiscovered.
Anyway, here is the imperfect image of locomotives around the Norfolk &Western turntable in Brewster in 1967-1970.
My advice is “Pay close attention! Don’t end up like me.”
Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas
Today’s two for Tuesday features two trains in Northeast Ohio on Oct. 24, 2022, amid varying degrees of autumn color.
In the top image, CSX GP40-2 No. 6248 is about to leave the stub track where power is kept for the local working from Warwick Yard in Clinton.
In the bottom photo Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40T-2 No. 5411 is sitting about a third of a mile down the track crossing Elton Street SW, which is located west of the west end of the W&LE yard in Brewster.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
It is July 3, 1972, in Brewster. I had just purchased my first single lens reflex camera, a Nikormat by Nikon, and was taking my first few rolls of Agfachrome slide film. In less than a year, I would move on to Kodachrome.
Back then a release was easy to get, and Brewster was filled with locomotives built by Fairbanks-Morse, Alco and the Electro Motive Division of General Motors.
I took this slide and have looked at it perhaps two or three times since 1972.
A few days ago, I discovered this slide in one of my boxes. Now I can appreciate the scene. It is not a far away FM H12-44 image as much as a portal into my past.
I’m looking east. The big building in the background is the Norfolk & Western office building which was built by the original Wheeling & Lake Erie and is now used as the main offices of the modern W&LE.
As long as I did not cross tracks, go into the shops, or wander into the yard, I was free to photograph where I wanted. I even had permission to cross tracks to photograph in the engine facility.
Such freedom is almost unheard of now. I can truly say that I have been blessed.
Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas
The wayback machine has landed us in the late 1960s at the Norfolk & Western engine facility in Brewster. Around the turntable can be found EMD F7As, EMD SDs, Fairbanks-Morse switchers, and a single FM road switcher. Second generation power can be seen behind these treasures.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Here is a pair of Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-2 working east of the Brewster Yard. Nos. WE 6312 and 6316 are east are shown on Feb. 24, 2017, approaching the signal for the W&LE/RJ Corman crossing, and about to cross the Corman.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
It is the morning of March 17, 2012, in Wheeling & Lake Erie’s Brewster Yard. BNSF 9933 will be eastbound later in the day, but WE SD40-3 No. 3049 is switching the yard now.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
The Wheeling & Lake Erie provides our two for Tuesday this week. It is Oct. 1, 2021, and we are in Brewster. GP35-3 No. 103 and GP9R No. 4602 are leaving eastbound for the Gambrinus, Yard near Canton. These view show the duo coming and going.
Photographs by Robert Farkas.
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