Nostalgia & History > E - units Utica NY 1977

Viewing the video posted by UT-1 several days back http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3783655,3785761#msg-3785761 made me think about the days of E units on Amtrak trains in Utica, NY.

Normally in those days I would be over at the former EL facility and rarely hung around Union Station or the PC side other than a brief diversion. However, I did at times stop down there and partake of the action in early Conrail days when Amtrak meant either Rohr Turbos or E units.

1. The Niagara Rainbow comes in from Detroit with two E's, both I think were ex MILW E-9's. 7-27-77
2. Lead E-9 on Train #64 at Utica 7-27-77
3. A late running #48 - "Lake Shore Limited" comes wheeling in on a chilly October 14, 1977 with steam heat going. Units were the #443 and #442. There was somthing about the smell of the steam and the sound of those 567's that just made things seem right with the world ! This guy wasted no time coming in and making his stop.

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4. Train #48 spotted at the Utica, NY platform - 10-14-77
     The old boiler house stack rises high in the background and the train emits steam from everywhere !

5. A closer view of the E's.

6. Lead unit #443 with an impatient engineer waiting for the highball. Note the American Flag decal below the engineer's window, common at that time on the E's seen through here.

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Finally the highball comes and the throttles come out in Notch 8 with 48 cylinders winding up and it is off to the races down the Mohawk Valley.

At far right is NYC Tower 30 at this time used as a crew room below and a yard office above for the PC side. The EL side still had their separate yard office about a mile to the west.

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Terrific pics & naratives!

Looks like a green PC pick-up truck in the first photo too.

Boy, the engines sure looked rough....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/15 12:52 by ut-1.