Nostalgia & History > Three PC electrics

Back in 1970 I was working my first full time railroad job as Assistant Track Supervisor for Penn Central in Harrisburg, Pa.  Being the junior man in the department I never carried my trusty 35mm Canon 7S rangefinder camera on the job in the Harrisburg Terminal, but when off duty or out in the "boonies" somewhere, it was a different story.  Attached are three pictures from that period of time.  #1 is an eastbound mixed freight of 110 cars at Columbia, Pa. on February 14th behind a pair of GG1's, the second one in PRR paint,  The snow that day was just light stuff and didn't affect operations that much, but the rest of that winter was a different story with around 70 inches total snow including 9 inches on Easter Sunday.  #2 is another e/b mixed freight on March 13th with another GG1 pair, this one at remote Wago Jct., Pa., where the line to York - visible to the right of the train - splits away from the main freight line.  The snow is finally gone in picture #3 on April 12th of westbound freight EC-5, Potomac Yard, Va. to Enola, Pa. at Wormleysburg, just east of Enola Yard, with two E44's and 117 cars including a small block of perishables on the point.  The first E44 is still PRR, not sure about the second. 

Bob.   

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Last one is at Stell Interlocking.  Ben

I miss the 70s, I used to be in Paoli often and see these sights as well as the Broadway Limited. Good stuff.
Gonut

Thanks for those, Bob.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Your first photo managed to make me nostalgic for Penn Central, a difficult feat as I have mostly very negative memories of the railroad.  Great photo!  Thanks for sharing.

I was told by a Road Forman of engines that you could stand at the back end of a GG1 and try to run to the front, but you wouldn't be able to get to get to the front when the GG1 took off from a standing start.  Was that true? That was some excelleration!

Love the shot with the E-44s and the reefers up front!  Looks like the second reefer is still an iced reefer perhaps?  

realscott Wrote:
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> I was told by a Road Forman of engines that you
> could stand at the back end of a GG1 and try to
> run to the front, but you wouldn't be able to get
> to get to the front when the GG1 took off from a
> standing start.  Was that true? That was some
> excelleration!

Acceleration was amazing on a GG1. I had a cab ride from South Amboy, NJ to Penn Station and back one time. I stood behind the engineer for the trip and at one point we were passed by a set of electric mu cars whose engineer gave us a "let's race" sign. The engineer looked back at me and said  "so he wants to race does he? Hold on". He notched out the throttle and I was immediately pushed back against the rear cab wall from the acceleration! Unbelievable! It was an experience I will never forget!

realscott Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was told by a Road Forman of engines that you
> could stand at the back end of a GG1 and try to
> run to the front, but you wouldn't be able to get
> to get to the front when the GG1 took off from a
> standing start.  Was that true? That was some
> excelleration

I once rode from New Brunswick to Philadelphia behind a GG1, and departing each station along the way
it felt like I was on a jet plane taking off.  Nothing like it before or since, and that was in 1974.

Isn't itinterestingto see the  open auto racks... to think there was a time when theft and vandalism was less rampant. Sigh...

Bob Phelps
Micanopy, FL

The acceleration on the Jersey Arrows was pretty good.

Ten car train, five motor cars, you were flying from a station stop.

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