Eastern Railroad Discussion > What are the odds.... (CSX and B&O)

What are the odds....On April 21st, 1981, I photographed a Chessie train from the Home Ave bridge in Akron, Ohio, a popular location. It's locomotive consist of a Chessie painted unit and two units still in B&O blue was pretty common then. Fast forward to today, April 21st, 2024, 43 years later to the day, I photograph another Chessie/blue/blue set, this time with the CSX "Chessie System" heritage unit up front followed by two CSX blues. That business in the background has expanded in those years, but the former CA&C/PRR/PC/CR you see on the right in the first photo is long gone.  

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

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That is an awesome pair of photos !

What is the business on the left ?

train1275 Wrote:
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> That is an awesome pair of photos !
> What is the business on the left ?

 Thanks ! It's LyondelBasell (yes, the words are together), formerly A. Schulman. Dealer in bulk plastics, long time rail customer.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

Another comparison from the same perch, this time between a B&O SD40-2 (taken 05-09-1987) and today's CSX 1973.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

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Nice shots for sure, Roger!  What a great place.

texchief1

texchief1 Wrote:
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> Nice shots for sure, Roger!  What a great place.
> texchief1

 Thanks ! I liked how both trains have a pair of like units trailing, 2 GP30s on the B&O train, 2 SD70ACs on the CSX train.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

Just spectacular!! Your efforts are very much appreciated!

Fantastic photos!!   Thanks for sharing these and great catch!!

Great bunch and interesting comparison, yeah what are the odds of that happening. Maybe time to grab a lottery ticket, lol...

JG

Very nice photos for sure and amazing that you were able to catch them both though years apart.  But I still do not like that half heritage engine, yet many people do.  To me it's a sad thing to represent what it should be.
John in White Marsh.

GREAT shots !  I wish that CSX had made the "Chessie System" on the 1973 look more like the billbord style that Chessie used rather than the tiny version they used on it. Great then and now and who would have thought it possible to do it again 43 years later, thanks again.

The 1980 photo has the CA&C track in right foreground?  

I was a stock owner of the Home Ave RR bought out by CSX a few years back.

MEKoch Wrote:
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> The 1980 photo has the CA&C track in right foreground? 

 Yes, I mentioned that in the original header. It would hold on into the late 80s, then stub ended for a while until the two remaining customers quit using rail.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

I love your "Then and Now" shots. This set is absolutely incredible !

perklocal Wrote:
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> I love your "Then and Now" shots. This set is absolutely incredible !

  Thanks Rod !

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

Great stuff Roger - thanks for sharing.  Too bad that lead GE had to taint what could have been an all-EMD then-and-now!  ;-)

rbenko Wrote:
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> Great stuff Roger - thanks for sharing.  Too bad that lead GE had to taint what could have been an all-EMD then-and-now!  ;-)

Thanks, and how true ! The B&O back then was nearly 100% EMD with stray C&O or run through SP GEs. Today the GEs predominate.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

Incredible then and now shots!  Well done.

 

Everything is interesting. Well done!