This image was made at Penn Central’s Collinwood diesel shop in Cleveland in 1968 or 1969. From right to left there is what looks to be the back of a Pennsylvania Railroad GE U25B, a New York Central Alco RS32, an NYC Alco RS1 and an NYC Alco FB.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
It is between 1967 and 1969 in Akron when Pennsylvania Railroad No. 6217 heads an eastbound freight underneath the Wilbeth Road walk bridge.
The train is on joint tracks used by the Pennsy and Baltimore & Ohio between Warwick Tower in Clinton and Arlington Street Tower in Akron.
Looking down makes the superelevation of the curve at this location seem more severe than it is. The nearest track is PRR/Penn Central. The next two are the B&O-PRR mainlines.
The three tracks on the other side of the B&O-PRR mainlines are the Erie Lackawanna mainlines and a long EL track to serve industries paralleling the EL mainlines.
Today only the two ex-B&O-PRR mainline tracks are still in place here.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
We know many of you enjoy seeing Alco locomotives so here are two of them for Tuesday.
In the top image former Pennsylvania Railroad Alco RS11 No. 7621 has a Penn Central roster number as it sits mostly backlighted by the sun in the Conway Yard engine facility near Pittsburgh in September 1968.
In the bottom image, Alco RS3 No. 5550 is in Conway the same month. To the left are two Alcos and to the right are two Baldwins.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
Here are a pair of Pennsylvania Railroad images for two for Tuesday. In the top image E7A No. 4212 is in the Penn Central scrap line in East Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1969 or 1970.
In the bottom image, cabin car No. 477628 was photographed most likely in 1966 or 1967. Amazingly, it still had a Trainphone antenna. There is a good chance that this photo was taken through a car window as we passed the PRR yard in Dennison.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
Pennsylvania Railroad No. 6808 has a Penn Central roster number and I caught it in the East Altoona, Pennsylvania, scrap line in 1969 or1970. This is a rare Alco RSD-7.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Early Penn Central provided some interesting lash-ups coming through Akron. Mike Ondecker caught former Pennsylvania Railroad 2210, a GP30, and former New York Central No. 1753, an F7A, northbound in the summer of 1968.
Photograph by Mike Ondecker
Every once in a while, I’ll find some glassine envelopes containing treasures from a long ago trip. The first part of one such envelope contains photos of the Penn Central scrap line in East Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1969 or 1970.
We see former Pennsylvania Railroad 6810 (6810 is its PC number), formerly PRR 8610, an Alco RSD-7. We also see New York Central Alco S4 No. 9760. On the far right is my good friend John Woodworth taking down the roster numbers.
Behind the 9760 is PRR Fairbanks Morse Train Master No. 6707. A side shot is blocked by the next line of locomotives.
Other images include PRR 6708, an FM H24-66 Train Master. NYC 8305, an FM H12-44, and a second NYC FM switcher are sunning themselves. Soon these locomotives will feel the heat of the scrapper’s torch.
Finally, we see PRR 4216, an EMD E7A, and PRR 7949 (PC number), which I believe this is a Baldwin DS44-1000.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
Sometimes it’s the scene and not just the locomotive. It is the summer of 1967 in Dennison, Ohio.
My friend Mike Ondecker and I have left our usual railfanning locations to go to see the Pennsylvania Railroad in Dennison.
In a few months, Penn Central will change everything, but for today, this is still Pennsy history.
PRR U25B No. 2608 is working the yard and has come east of the road at the east end of the yard. Soon, the GE U boat will back into the yard and resume work, but for now let’s soak in the summer sun and the scene.
There is so much to see. As an example, check out the Insulbrick on the East End Restaurant. Insulbrick was similar to the shingles that you might find on a house.
It is made with a brick design and used on the sides of a building.
Article and Photograph by Robert Farkas
Pennsylvania Railroad switcher No. 7819 is shown in Akron in late 1966. That makes the original slide close to 56 years old. My how things have changed with the Akron railroad scene during that time.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
John Woodworth, Mike Ondecker, and I visited Penn Central’s scrap line in East Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 14, 1970, where we found Penn Central 6976 (BLH AS616) still in Pennsylvania Railroad paint but with a PC roster number.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
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