Here is a favorite of mine that some of you haven’t seen. Nickel Plate Road 765 and Norfolk Southern 8100 (Nickel Plate heritage unit) are leading an eastbound ferry move on NS tracks in Mansfield on Aug. 7, 2012. The 765 is heading to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s “Steam in the Valley 2012.”
Photography by Robert Farkas
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.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Conrail SD50 No. 6778 splits a pair of Pennsylvania Railroad position light signals at Back Orrville Road in Orrville in June 1984. The train is operating westbound. These signals were later were removed by Norfolk Southern. No. 6778 was built in May 1984 and later wound up on the NS motive power roster.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
I only visited Alliance during the Conrail era once. That came on May 23, 1998, when I was with Dan Davidson. We spent much of our time there that day photographing the westbound signal bridge at the east end of the interlocking plant. At the time, it still had Pennsylvania Railroad position light signals. Both trains shown above are headed eastward on the Fort Wayne Line. Since then I’ve visited Alliance numerous times in the Norfolk Southern era.
Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders
Here are some other trains we got on Sunday in the snow while railfanning along the former Pennsylvania Railroad’s Fort Wayne Line.
In the top image is CSX train I132 at Dunkirk. This is a run-through train that CSX gets from Union Pacific. It terminates on CSX in Detroit and usually operates with UP motive power.
The next two photographs were made at North Robinson. This was the second of three 171s running on this day.
Due to crew shortages three of these trains had been tied down at various locations on the Ft Wayne line one for almost a week. On Sunday they found crews to run them.
The last image is the 55K at Mansfield. This was an extra grain train for the big elevator in town.
Photographs by Todd Dillon
Conrail SD 60 No. 6754 SD 50 No. 6711 are on the point of an eastbound train in the Canton yard on Jan. 17, 1987. This is former Pennsylvania Railroad territory as evidenced by the position light signals on the Fort Wayne Line.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
It’s July 1972 in Alliance. The fireman of Penn Central Alco C628 No. 6314 is giving a friendly wave as the train enters the Bayard Branch on its way to Conway Yard near Pittsburgh. Also in the motive power consist are PC 6314, 6300, and 6317. The track under the rear trucks of No. 6314 is the Fort Wayne Line to Canton and Chicago.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Everything about this scene says The Pennsylvania Railroad from the Keystone herald on the locomotive nose to the position light signal giving the train a clear indication.
It is 1967 in Dennison on the former Pan Handle line between Pittsburgh and Columbus and we’re watching an eastbound saunter through town.
In less than a year this will all become part of Penn Central and today the rails are operated by the Ohio Central.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Conrail was more than three years old when this image of an eastbound was made in Alliance. But note that the third and fourth locomotives in the power consist still wear Penn Central markings and colors.
Conrail SD40-2 No. 6405 was built in September 1977 and would later become CSX 8819.
Here are two views in Massillon that show some of the changes in the past 40 plus years.
In the top image, Conrail GP38 7793 is at Mace Tower in March 1978.
Notice the freight cars in the small yard. The steel industry (now gone) and local industries made this yard needed.
The Baltimore & Ohio crossed Conrail (ex-Pennsylvania Railroad) on a diagonal here and there were two tracks west out of Massillon.
In the bottom image it’s April 17, 2009. Notice how the B&O line, now part of R.J, Corman, switches onto NS and then switches directly off. Look at all that’s missing.
Today even the ex-PRR signals are gone, having been replaced by modern signals.
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