A Little of Everything it Seems

Western Maryland No. 7546 is wearing a Chessie System roster number as it leads Chesapeake & Ohio 4096 and Baltimore & Ohio 4061 east in Akron in June 1981.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

B&O Intermodal Train in Akron

Let’s go back to the Chessie System era. Baltimore & Ohio GP40-2 No. 4342 is westbound in Akron on Sept. 9, 1979, with an intermodal train. Note the trailing unit is still in B&O blue paint.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

One Day at Valley Yard in Akron

It is April 19, 1980, and former Western Maryland 6418 is switching its train in the former Baltimore & Ohio Valley Yard in Akron, which could be seen west of Arlington Road. The yard was small, but offers much to see. Today this yard is gone and trains rarely operate past here on the ex-B&O Valley Line.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

‘Wild Mary’ Two for Tuesday

Let’s crank up the wayback machine again and look for locomotives wearing the livery of the Western Maryland. In the top image, WM No. 3797 is westbound in Akron on Oct. 16, 1976, during the Chessie System era. In the bottom image, WM 7548 might be wearing WM paint, but it’s a Chessie System locomotive working in Akron on Dec. 24, 1976.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

Chessie Geep in Akron

Baltimore & Ohio GP40-2 No. 4114 is in Akron on May 18, 1977. The unit was built in September 1972. It would later become CSX 6014.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Chessie Era Intermodal Train in Kenmore

The motive power consist of this Chessie System intermodal train heading westbound in Kenmore has all been repainted into the Chessie livery. But the lead unit is a former Western Maryland unit, No. 4355. The image was made on April 8, 1987.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

EL Monday: Rusty Rails in Akron

A Chessie System train is on the Baltimore & Ohio mainline running westbound in Akron in June 1981. The two very rusty tracks to the left of the train are what remains of the Erie Lackawanna mainline through Akron. To their left, the empty field was where the EL’s McCoy Street Yard was.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Showing More Than I had Intended

Sometimes a photograph shows more than originally thought.

All I wanted was a roster photo of Chesapeake & Ohio SD40 No. 7526, but in 2020, this shows how much we have lost.

We no longer have Chessie System, C&O, the Akron, Canton & Youngstown hopper), the Erie Lackawanna’s McCoy Street yard and yard office behind the locomotive, some or all of the buildings behind the yard, and all but two CSX mainline tracks.

No. 7426, which was built in July 1970 is eastbound in Akron in early 1974. It would later go to work for the Utah Railway.

Trailing is Baltimore & Ohio GP40 No. 4020, which was built in September 1971.

Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas

Eastbound at Akron Junction

Western Maryland GP40-2 No. 4365 and Baltimore & Ohio GP40-2 No. 4129 cruise eastbound on the main line at Akron Junction in early 1980.

No. 4365 was built in 1979 while No. 4129 rolled out of the EMD plant in September 1972. Both would later serve CSX.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

One Day Early in the CSX Era

It an afternoon early in the CSX era, March 14, 1987, to be exact. I’m standing on “the Hill” in Akron where four locomotives led by Chessie System-painted (Baltimore & Ohio) GP40-2 No. 4308 are eastbound climbing east of the CSX yard. The track on the right is the now-removed ex-Conrail line from Hudson, to Akron.

Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas