It is July 2, 1976, in Akron and thus only a few months into the Conrail era. Former Erie Lackawanna NW2 No. 410 is doing what it does best. Conrail would later renumber the switcher No. 9217. It was built for the Erie Railroad in January 1948. Note that No. 410 is switching an EL gondola.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Appearances to the contrary, this is an early Conrail photo made in Akron. Penn Central F7A No. 1782 is westbound on June 5, 1976. Very soon the train will arrive at Conrail’s ex-Pennsylvania Railroad South Akron Yard. The unit was built by EMD in November 1951 for the New York Central.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Conrail SD45 No. 6115 leads a Bayard-bound train south out of Alliance on Aug. 18, 1979. All three units are EMD SD45 locomotives with the middle one still painted in Erie Lackawanna colors.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Here are two similar views taken in Barberton by different cameras and lenses, so the scene is somewhat different.
In the top image, Conrail 3651 is westbound on Chessie System trackage on July 20, 1980. The train is going to Warwick and from there either to Massillon or Orrville and west. This was taken with a 50mm lens, thus giving a wider scene.
In the bottom image BNSF 7810 leads the Q016 eastbound on the CSX New Castle Subdivision on June 2, 2018. This image was taken with a telephoto zoom lens.
Here are some of the differences. In the newer photo CSX has one set of tracks, there is a different relocated bridge, the Akron & Barberton Belt water tower is gone, and an Akron Barberton Cluster switcher is visible.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
Maybe we should call this former Erie Lackawanna Monday. Conrail SDP45 No. 6686 is working in Akron on Aug. 3, 1976. It may be a Conrail unit, but it still wears its EL colors. Note that the unit now has Conrail initials on its nose and flanks.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
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
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
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
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
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
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