Conrail GP38 in Wooster on the Ft. Wayne Line

Conrail GP38-2 No. No. 8178 leads a train in Wooster on the Fort Wayne Line in March 1987. The Geep was built in June 1977 and would later serve on the CSX motive power roster.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Different Work Assignments on Conrail

As Conrail GP40-2 No. 3353 works in the small yard across from the old ex-Pennsylvania Railroad station in Alliance, a westbound intermodal train led by LMS C40-8W No. 710 passes on the Fort Wayne Line on Oct. 19, 1996.

The 3353 was built in March 1979 while No. 710 dates to October 1994. Locomotive Management Services was jointly owned by Conrail and General Electric and provided motive power to railroads, notably Conrail, Union Pacific and Canadian National, that needed additional locomotives to meet their service needs.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Conrail Intermodal Train on the Chicago Line

Conrail GP40-2 No. 3396 leads an intermodal train through Danbury, Ohio, in July 1987 on the Chicago Line.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Conrail Massillon Triple Play

Here is a Conrail triple play from Massillon on the Fort Wayne Line.

In the top image. Conrail 8031 has just crossed the Tuscarawas River with a westbound in Massillon in mid-1987.

In the middle image four locomotives wait on the eastbound track in order to go west to Orrville. They are at CP Mace in Massillon on May 4, 1997.

Just leaving the single track and entering the westbound track is an eastbound trailer train. This was not a common move here.

Finally, we see Conrail 6270 and a westbound RoadRailer train westbound in Massillon in July 1998.

 Photographs by Robert Farkas

Back in Service Again

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

Pair of Conrail 70MACs in Alliance

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

Conrail Two for Tuesday

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

EL Monday: Life in the Conrail Era

Conrail SD40-2 No. 6479 is on the point of a westbound on the former Erie Lackawanna in Akron on May 3, 1980. Above the second unit is the light tower for the EL’s McCoy Street Yard.

At the same time an eastbound Chessie System freight with a caboose has just passed the 6479.

Note the former EL boxcar behind the motive power. The bridge in the background is Thornton Street. Today there are just two tracks at this location near Voris Street.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Harrisburg Area Two for Tuesday

Here are two from Pennsylvania made a decade apart. In the top image, the remains of Penn Central EP-5 No. 4976 are in Harrisburg on Aug. 22, 1978. The unit was built for the New Haven by General Electric in April 1955.

In the bottom image, a bevy of Conrail locomotives are leading a freight west on the Rockville Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Marysville on June 27, 1988. Note that one of the units is a Norfolk & Western locomotive in, perhaps, a bit  of foreshadowing of what would happen to Conrail a little over a decade later.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

When AC Tower Was Across the Tracks

AC Tower in Marion originally stood on the north side of the Conrail tracks. It would later be moved to the south side and reduced in height by the group that also preserved Marion Union Station. Shown is an eastbound Conrail train on the Indianapolis Line on May 23, 1999. At the end of the month these tracks will be taken over by CSX. In the foreground is the Sandusky District of Norfolk Southern.

Photograph by Craig Sanders