Going Back to Early Conrail in Canton

We’ve dialed the wayback machine to the early Conrail era for the Fort Wayne Line. Here we see Conrail helpers 7034 and 2420 awaiting their next assignment. They are in the Conrail yard in Canton on June 29, 1978.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

EL Monday: Still Showing the EL Look

Erie Lackawanna GP35 No. 2581 is westbound in early Conrail times in Akron. My notes say I made this image in June 1978, but that seems too late for these two locomotives to be operating without a CR stencil somewhere.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

U Boat North of Alliance

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

EL Monday: Another Early Conrail Memory

Erie Lackawanna GP25 No. 2554 is on the head end of a westbound Conrail freight in Akron on Nov. 20, 1976. The unit was built for the EL in September 1964 and would later receive Conrail roster number 3660.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Well Done Early Conrail Patch Job

Conrail 6104 is in Toledo on Aug. 22, 1977. As Conrail patch jobs go, this one was well done when compared to the big black square patches some locomotives received.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Early Conrail Action in Akron

We told the wayback machine to take us to the 1970s in Akron and pushed the random selection button. We wound up going back to June 1976 for some early Conrail action. Former Penn Central F units are leading train AMA heading to Hudson and then to Motor Yard in Macedonia.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Working for Conrail Now

Although still painted in its Toledo Terminal livery, switcher 9300 was working for Conrail at the time this image was made. The date is March 30, 1983.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

EL Monday: Work Train in Akron

Technically, this is a Conrail train. The image was made on July 2, 1976, in Akron and Conrail was a mere three months old. But NW2 No. 410 still wars its EL livery and markings and is working the former EL tracks. So we’ll call it an EL train even if it isn’t.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

EL Monday: Still Celebrating

To celebrate America’s 200th birthday many railroads painted or more of their locomotives in a special bicentennial livery, often featuring the colors red, white and blue.

The Erie Lackawanna was no exception. It transformed SD45 No. 3638 into a bicentennial scheme.

This image was made in Akron on June 14, 1979. The bicentennial is long over and the EL has vanished, with some of its components being folded into Conrail.

Shown leading a westbound Conrail manifest freight, the 3638 has since been renumbered 6669 and has had its EL identity either painted over or obscured. Note the “CR” initials toward the rear of the unit.

The train is on former EL track and passing a building once used by the EL and the Erie Railroad.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Conrail at Mace

Conrail SD40-2 No. 6470 leads an eastbound trailer train through Mace in Massillon in May 1979. The 6470 was built by EMD for Conrail in 1978. The trailing unit appears to be a GP40 still in Penn Central black with minimal Conrail markings.

Photograph by Robert Farkas