Mike Ondecker and I found Erie Lackawanna 617, a Baldwin Locomotive Works S-12) in the Brier Hill engine facility in Girard on Oct. 1, 1972. It was still wearing its Erie Railroad livery. But note the unit behind it is in EL colors and markings.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
This image or a similar one may have been posted on this site some time back. An Erie switcher sits west of the Main Street bridge over the tracks in Akron in the late 1960s. This was taken from the long-ago removed walk bridge west of the road bridge. This image is a higher quality redo of this photograph.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
It is the late 1960.s in Akron. Erie Lackawanna Alco C-424 No. 2406 and EMD F3A No. 8061 are westbound with their train passing under the Interstate 76 bridges. Note that the 8061 still sports an Erie Railroad herald.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
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.
Here are three images of Erie switcher 532, an S2, working in Akron in the middle 1960s.
By then, of course, this was Erie Lackawanna territory and the Erie Railroad was just a fond memory.
The photographer is standing on the now-removed foot bridge over the tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Baltimore & Ohio and EL.
The bridge was a short cut between the Firestone Tire assembly plant and headquarters and Ira Avenue.
The 532 is sitting on the track used to switch local industries north of the EL east (bottom track) and west (middle track) mainlines.
The top image shows the full scene. The middle image is a closer crop while the bottom image is from a different angle.
This locomotive would later be repainted into EL colors and markings and Bob could capture it in 1973 working in Akron.
To see that image go to https://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/2019/12/23/what-once-was-el-monday/
Perhaps you will have the same feeling of disbelief as I had when I looked at these two Mike Ondecker images.
Where was this heavily industrialized area? I didn’t know, but the sign on one of the factories matched a company in Cleveland, so I labeled this as Cleveland.
Much to my surprise, several railfans said this was Akron!
It was only upon close observation that I realized this was taken from a Firestone building.
On the left where a stone company now is located was once the Pennsylvania Railroad yard in Akron.
The building on the left is part of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Erie No. 517 is most likely bringing a cut of cars back to the Erie Lackawanna McCoy Street Yard.
This Akron of the early 1960s is totally unlike today’s railroad/industrial scene, but thanks to Mike these memories come alive again.
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