
Erie Lackawanna F7A No. 7121 is westbound in Akron on May 8, 1976. This is about five weeks into the Conrail era.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
This is in memory of May (Marie) Wilson who was John Woodworth’s aunt and my second mother. She and her husband made me a part of their family when my parents moved to Florida in 1979.
Every Thanksgiving, I was invited for dinner. She would call me her adopted son.
She went home to be with the Lord last week, and her funeral was held on May 26.
Both she and this slide are precious to me. As I said, this is in memory of May.
Every once in a while I’ll post a photo from my small set of 2 and 1/4 inch by 2 and 1/4 inch slides I took before I switched to 35mm slides in 1972.
Erie Lackawanna 7111 is eastbound just west of the Manchester Road bridge in Akron in late 1968/early 1969.
Yes, this is one of those “Please don’t do this on your own.” slides. Most likely, I had Mike Ondecker watching my back, so I would not be surprised by a Baltimore & Ohio train.
I also railfanned with both of Mae’s sons, Charlie Wilson, whom some of you know, and Al Wilson.
Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas
Here is an over-a-half-century-old favorite. After picking up some cars, Erie Lackawanna Alco C424 No. 2407 is pulling its eastbound train out of McCoy Street Yard in Akron. The image was made in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Note that it is passing the EL’s Akron passenger station.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
A pair of Erie Lackawanna GP35s, Nos. 2563 and 2560, lead a westbound manifest freight in Akron in the late 1960s/early 1970s. The train is passing beneath the concourse of Akron Union Depot. Passengers would descend from here to the boarding platforms. At one time, the concourse led to the Greyhound bus station on the north side of the tracks.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Erie Lackawanna Nos. 819 and 818 are on the point of the approaching Lake Cities while Baltimore & Ohio No. 1440 is on the point of the Diplomat, which is already at the Akron Union Depot. It is the late 1960s, and it was not uncommon to have both westbound trains at their respective stations at the same time.
Photograph by Robert Farkas