It is early in the Penn Central era, most likely 1968 or at the latest 1969. The locomotives shown already have their PC roster numbers.
Along has come a freight with former Pennsylvania Railroad Alco C425 No. 2441 leading a five-unit lashup that also included another C425, an EMD GP9, an EMD F7B, and two EMD F7As.
The train is heading north through Akron to Hudson and the mainline between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
To the south in this image is the bridge carrying Buchtel Avenue over the tracks. Further back is the Akron Union Depot walk bridge.
Any one of these five units would be a good museum piece, but together they are priceless.
Things have been extensively rerouted around the campus since then, so I can’t remember what they are calling it now. Buchtel Avenue’s original path through the University of Akron campus now is a walking path most of the way,and Buchtel Avenue proper now is routed to the north and ends at the side entrance to E.J. Thomas Hall.
Mike Ondecker and I were in Akron on a morning in 1967 or 1968. Pennsylvania Railroad switch engine No. 9115 is eastbound on the eastbound Baltimore & Ohio main that is shared with the Pennsy between Arlington Street in Akron and Warwick Tower in Clinton.
Perhaps the crew is going to interchange cars with the B&O at Akron Junction.
On the next track is the westbound B&O Diplomat making a station stop.
Beyond the Diplomat is the Erie Lackawanna passenger station. Notice the man at the open window. What a railfan’s dream location this was.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It may be the early Penn Central era, but this locomotive still in Pennsylvania Railroad markings is working in what is believed to be Conway Yard near Pittsburgh. The image was made in 1968 or in 1969.
The late Mike Ondecker and I were in Dennison in the summer of 1967 where a westbound Pennsylvania Railroad coal train was about to enter or pass through the yard. It would be the last summer of Pennsy operation of this facility on the Pittsburgh-St. Louis line. We see the train in coming and going photographs. The signal shown in the top image is at the east end of the yard.
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