I am standing east of both the Erie Lackawanna, and Baltimore & Ohio passenger stations in Akron in the late 1960s.
From left to right: A string of freight cars (mostly hoppers), what looks like a B&O baggage car or a mail car on what might be the B&O eastbound main; an eastbound B&O train sitting on what looks like the B&O westbound mainline perhaps waiting for the eastbound EL freight on the next track to clear the crossovers at JO Tower east of this location, and finally the boxcars on the upper track leading to Quaker Oats
This is the most congestion that I have seen at this location.
It is Dec. 17, 1967, and Baltimore & Ohio No. 3836, Reading Lines No. 3615, and B&O No. 6578 are heading east through Akron. For some reason, the E units have cut off from the westbound Erie Lackawanna’s Lake Cities, which is seen on the other side of the platform.
We’re visiting McCoy Street Yard in Akron in May 1974. It’s the twilight years of the Erie Lackawanna and forces are at work in Washington and elsewhere that will fold the EL into the Consolidated Rail Corporation in spring 1976.
As you know all too well the coming of Conrail would spell the beginning of the end for the EL in Akron.
But that is still a few years away on this day where they are many relics of the EL including a transfer caboose and a box car with EL markings on display.
Then there is that Erie switcher that is pretending that the Erie and Delaware, Lackawanna & Western never merged. This unit would continue to proudly wear its Erie livery until the coming of Conrail.
Also of interest is that Sperry rail car sitting toward the back of the yard.
It is the summer of 1968 in dpwntown Akron. Three Penn Central locomotives. al of them still wearing a New York Central livery, are bound for Hudson and beyond.
The fancy building on the other side of the bridge is the Erie Lackawanna freight house. The train is passing the still-in-use at that time EL passenger station.
Both former Erie Railroad structures have since been razed.
That’s quite an interesting locomotive consist pulling this eastbound intermodal train on the Erie Lackawanna in Akron in mid 1972.
On the point is GP35 No. 2571. The trailing unit is E8A 812, which a little over two years earlier might have been seen in Akron pulling the Lake Cities.
The image was made at Voris Street, a favorite Akron railfan hangout location.
Here is a scene that can’t be repeated. Erie Lackawanna F7A No. 6331 is leading a westbound train past EL’s McCoy Street Yard in Akron on Jan. 14, 1973. Everything railroad-related, including the walk bridge, is gone now except for two CSX mainline tracks.
The late Mike Ondecker caught General Electric demonstrators 304 and 303 leading an eastbound Erie Lackawanna freight through Akron in mid-1968.
Note the two trailers on flatcar in the consist behind the motive power.
In recent years intermodal shipments largely moved in dedicated trains, but with precision scheduled railroading dominating operations at most Class 1 railroads such sights as this, which used to be common, are coming back into vogue.
Nos. 303 and 304 were built in June 1966 as U30B models, but were later converted into U36B units when they were transformed to 3,600 horsepower.
After being downgraded back to 3,000 horsepower, the units were sold to the Western Pacific where they had roster numbers 770 and 771.
If it’s another manic Monday for you we’ve got just the thing to chase away those Monday morning blues.
Here at Akron Railroads its also another Erie Lackawanna Monday, which is our periodic tribute to the fallen flag that passed through Akron, Kent, Ravenna and Youngstown.
In the top image, an eastbound led by Alco C425 No. 2459 meets a westbound in Akron on Jan. 14, 1973.
The middle and bottom images feature the same train in Akron in the late 1960s, most likely in 1968.
The train is in Akron heading westbound with a motive power consist of an Alco RS3, EMD F7B, EMD F3B, GE U25B, EMD F3B, and an F7A.
In the middle is the full scene while the bottom image shows a closer crop.
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