Nostalgia & History > Conrail East Slope Action 38 years ago OTD 3/28/82

Spent the last weekend of March 1982 catching the action on the East Slope of Conrail's Pittsburgh Line between Altoona and Tunnelhill,PA. with fellow TO member Tom Luckey and a few friends.  Top shot of Alto Tower at the base of the grade in Altoona. Middle shot of XBN-13 (Empty Hoppers) at CP-Slope which is nearly a half mile west of Alto Tower. Bottom Shot of the Helper on XBN-13 at Slope.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/20 08:44 by perklocal.

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Top shot of PIEN-7E (Conway-Enola) nearing the bottom of the grade at Slope. Next down the mountain at Slope was #40 Broadway Ltd. with a pair of F40s and 10 cars. Bottom shot of 3 SD40-2s on PIPY (Conway-Pot Yard) at Slope.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/20 07:39 by perklocal.

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Top shot of a pair of ex-EL SD45-2s in Helper Service dropping back down to Altoona to grab another westbound. These 20 cylinder beasts with their 5,000 gallon fuel tanks were my favorite Conrail locomotive. Middle shot of an SD45 and SD35 heating up the brake shoes easing an eastbound Coal Drag UXB-76 downgrade at Scotch Run MP (240.5)  Bottom shot of OIEL (Oak Island-Elkhart) coming into Horseshoe Curve.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/20 08:46 by perklocal.

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Top shot of the Helpers on OIEL at Horseshoe Curve. Next 2 shots of TV-11 (Kearny-Chicago) taken from the same spot at the Curve with one of my Favs on the point.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/20 07:57 by perklocal.

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A little farther up the hill we shot another pair of 45-2s leading PIEN-8X (Conway-Enola) downgrade at Allegrippus (MP 245.5) on the Pittsburgh Line. There was another pair of ex-EL 20 cylinder Helpers on the rear. Bottom shot of OIIN (Oak Island-Avon) below Horseshoe Curve at McGarveys Curve (MP 240).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/20 08:25 by perklocal.

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Very nice series.  I love the SD45-2s as well.  Thanks for sharing.

Top shot of ENPI-8A (Enola-Conway) rounding Bennington Curve (MP 246) by Tunnelhill,PA. Crazy lash up of a B23-7, SD45-2, GP7, GP8. The Geeps probably headed back west after a little TLC at Altoona Shops. Middle shot of GP8 5437 seeming to protest that it had to work so hard coming up the mountain. Last shot of ENPI-8B back down where we started off at Slope. This was still a great time to see a variety of motive power and Conrail put on quite a show. Hope you enjoy my trip down memory lane.  Rod Miller



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/20 09:41 by perklocal.

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Awesome series - thanks for posting!!  Makes me yearn for Conrail blue, even though at the time I hated it!

An "A+"set.
Bob

Thank you Bill.  Great to see those former EL units working the toughest assignements on Conrail.
Tim Costello

Great stuff from a great era. Conrail was really starting to see a positive change at this point...

Never thought I would see the day when I wished for Conrail's return, but eastern railroading today is suffocatingly boring. Great overview of a super area!!

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

Teriffic set of images. This is what's called "having a good day" railside.
/Ted

i always enjoy those trips down memory lane, seems like it was yesterday.
we could probably drive to altoona blindfolded.

twl

Great stuff, love those 45s!

JG

Very NICE series!

​Larry

globalethanol Wrote:
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> i always enjoy those trips down memory lane, seems
> like it was yesterday.
> we could probably drive to altoona blindfolded.
>
> twl

Wonderful photo's.   I could drive to Altoona blindfolded also...been doing it for 32 years.....and it never gets old....