Still Showing its NYC Heritage

Monongahela 1205 is still in its New York Central lettering and markings as it works in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in early 1969.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

At the Engine Facility in Brownsville

It’s early 1969 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. The Monongahela engine facility has two Baldwin switchers, including recently-purchased ex-New York Central 1210, a Baldwin RF16A. Also visible are small portions of two more Sharks.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Down on the Monongahela

We haven’t paid a visit to the former Monongahela Railway for a while so let’s got back to July 1, 1971, to Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Hard at work at Baldwin S-12 switchers 424 and 401 in the yard.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

At Work in Brownsville

It’s July 1, 1972 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. One of Monongahela’s newest locomotives, MRY 2000, sits next to ancient work equipment.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Another Shark Attack in Brownsville

It’s March 4, 1969 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Four of the last Baldwin Sharks and two Baldwin switchers – the nose of one is barely seen on the left – are in the Monongahela engine facility with a most likely Pittsburgh & Lake Erie GE unit.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Sharks in Browsville

Monongahela 1205 and 1216, the last two surviving Baldwin RF16A Sharks, rest in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 1972.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Shark Warning!

We’re in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on the Monnogahela and taking a tour of the engine facility.

This may not look like a Monongahela locomotive because it has New York Central markings.

The former NYC unit, a Baldwin RF16A, is part of an A-B-A sharknose motive power set waiting in Brownsville on Sept. 21, 1968, to get back out on the road.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

A Baldwin and a Wooden Caboose

Monongahela Railway Baldwin S12 402 and a wooden caboose work in the Brownsville, Pennsylvania, area in the late 1960s. No. 402 was built in November 1952 and as far as could be determined never had another owner.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

The Monongahela in Brownsville

We’re venturing today into the southwest region of Pennsylvania to visit the Monongahela Railway, a coal hauling regional railroad that also had tracks in West Virginia.

The Monongahela in 1970s had 281 miles of track on 193 route miles in the two states.

In the top photograph is Alco S12 switcher No. 416 is in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

In the bottom image, Monongahela 1210 and 3708 are in Brownsville, in 1969 or 1970.

On the back right is New York Central FR-16A No. 1205 which along with sister NYC 1216 is stored unserviceable in Michigan. All the rest of these shark nose units are gone.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Shark Tank

It is May 1969 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Monongahela No. 1205 is still painted in its New York Central paint scheme and along with MRY No. 1210 is one of the two identifiable Baldwin RF16A Sharks.

This is one of my few slides showing Sharks in NYC colors. Notice the engineer’s windshield on 1205.

Both the 1205 and 1216 have survived and are locked up for safe keeping in a building on the Escanaba & Lake Superior in Michigan. The 1210 was, hopefully, the last Shark to be scrapped.

Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas