Conrail U25B No. 2623 is shown in Toledo on Nov. 11, 1979. The unit was built for the Pennsylvania Railroad in October 1962 where it had roster number 2523. Penn Central gave it roster number 2623 and that number carried over into the Conrail era. The Conrail Cyclopedia website does not show the 2623 as having been confirmed as having been repainted into Conrail colors. As was typical in the early years of Conrail, predecessor locomotives operated in their original liveries although with markings painted out or painted over with “CR” initials as is shown here.
John Woodworth and I saw this eastbound Penn Central freight crossing Conneaut Creek in Conneaut on Sept.22, 1968. Below the bridge is a Bessemer & Lake Erie coal train.
It is July 1972 in Alliance where Penn Central GP35 No. 2381 is eastbound on the ex-Pennsylvania Fort Wayne Line. The train is about to pass the passenger station just behind me. The old bridge with its signals adds to the scene. The train is crossing over the original Cleveland & Pittsburgh route to Bayard and beyond.
It’s a collage of Penn Central locomotives and rolling stock in Motor Yard in Macedonia in suburban Cleveland in early 1973. In the center of the image is PC GP40 No. 3154, which had been built for the railroad in September 1968. Also on hand are a caboose and some boxcars.
It’s a winter day in Akron and although Conrail has been in operation for more than three years its motive power still shows signs of it being a transition era. GP38-2 No. 8019 has minimal Conrail markings but has yet to be repainted blue as has been sister unit 2568. The 8019 was built for PC in 1973 and is shown leading a westbound on Feb. 3, 1980.
Penn Central U23B No. 2729 is eastbound in Akron in a winter scene captured on Feb. 24, 1973. The train is crossing Voris Street as Interstates 76 and 77 loom in the background.
Penn Central SD40 No. 6272 leads a manifest freight at an unidentified location in the early 1970s. It was built for PC in January 1971 and would later serve on the Conrail motive power roster before having a second career as a leased power unit, eventually being rebuilt into an SD40-2 for First Union Rail.
The wayback machine has taken us to Alliance in December 1974. Conrail is still two years away and Norfolk Southern is still the name of a regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina. This is a Penn Central town and we see U25B No. 2743 on an assignment.
Former Penn Central SD35 No. 6022 is northbound in Akron on May 26, 1977. Very likely, this train is heading to Hudson and then on to Motor Yard in Macedonia.
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