I came on the rail scene shortly after the creation of Conrail. In the east, the modern Norfolk Southern was a few years from being born, and the CSX roads were still known as Chessie System and the Family Lines System. Out west, while the Union Pacific claimed to own the territory, the Katy, Missouri Pacific, Chicago & North Western and Western Pacific were still individual lines – as were the Southern Pacific and Denver & Rio Grande Western.
Back then, first generation power was still holding regular mainline assignments on the large roads. GP9’s built for the Great Northern could be found coupled to the newest six-axle power from EMD for GN successor Burlington Northern. Western Maryland “F” units could still be found climbing over Appalachian grades and the Santa Fe had recently discontinued its “Super C” freight linking the 2,200 miles between Chicago and Los Angeles in a ground-scorching forty hours.
Yet, for the large railroads of the 1970’s and early 1980’s, there were still dozens of small roads and regionals that were tied to the communities of the geographic areas that they served. They prospered when local businesses did well, and suffered when their communities were hurting. They were different from many of today’s shortlines and regionals that are often owned by large holding companies and aren’t tied to one the people and communities of a specific area.
One such road was the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad. The onetime New York Central and Penn Central subsidiary was known as “The Little Giant”. It was a reference to the significant amount of traffic that was generated by the large number of steel mills, coal producers and other industrial entities along the route. In addition, the P&LE reached further into the region through subsidiaries Montour Railroad and Youngstown & Southern.
When Conrail was created, the Little Giant was still a profitable entity, and was spun off as a private operator. As the steel industry retrenched in the 1980’s, the P&LE mainline was increasingly used as a through route by CSX. When CSX took over the Pittsburgh regional in 1993, even as a teen, I’m sure that I realized that things would be different.
Today a couple of locomotives from that earlier time period are preserved about two hours west of Pittsburgh at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum. GP7, No. 1501, was one of the last locomotives to hold down Pittsburgh-area commuter assignments. During the late 1970’s, it also wore a special commemorative paint scheme honoring the United States’ Bicentennial. Montour 82, an SW9, represents typical power for the one-time coal route that was known to originate a large amount of coal traffic on its short route. Other pieces of equipment from the two roads are also in the roundhouse collection, including several freight cars and a large 160-ton wreck crane.
While I never saw the 82 before it came to the roundhouse, I have memories of the 1501 – and even the wreck crane. By then, they were in the employment of the Ohio Central Railroad System. Although the Buckeye Route didn’t carry the amount of traffic that the P&LE once carried, they were alike in that they served local communities – and even portions of the same area. Although only about forty years removed, this equipment today represents a different time period. These pieces are from an era when companies were still part of the local fabric – not only linked by an “800” number or social media site. They allow us to remember how things were, bringing back memories of days gone by.
Reflections from the Road 