CONRAIL TRIBUTE: TIMELINE, IMAGES, AND VIGNETTES • � � HOT SPOT - PORTER JUNCTION (Indiana) One of the best action junctions we've seen. The Conrail Chicago Line, the Conrail Porter Branch, the CSX/CP line to Michigan, and the Amtrak (ex-Michigan Central) line thTu Michigan converge. We capture the daylight action of 60 trains in several locations in Porter and Chesterton from Conrail, CSX, CP Rail, and Amtrak. Lots of run through power from other roads arc on the Conrail trains. MVP# 610 ..... 75 Min ....... $ 29.00 available ill Ocrober CONRAIL - Vol. 1 - Chicago to Elkhart Locations include Chicago inside the Belt Railway of Chicago, Whiting, Gary, Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, Otis, Pinola, LaPorte, South Bend, and Elkhart. Lots of motive power and train variety including Conrail, CSX, CP Rail, UP, SP, NS, GTW, and South Shore freights! MVP# 620 ..... 90 Min ....... $ 29.00 available in Ocrober NORFOLK SOUTHERN - Vol. 1 - Chicago to Fort Wayne Covers the ex-Nickel Plate line from Chicago to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Locations include the East End of the Belt Railway of Chicago, State Line crossing, Hammond, Van Loon, Hobart, Spriggsboro, GTW crossings, Valparaiso, Fort Wayne, and other locations in between. See Triple Crown Road Railers, stacks, manifests, locals. transfers, a ribbon rail train, and more. Lots of new wiele-cab Dash 9-40CWs. MVP#71 0 ..... 80 Min ....... $29.00 available in October UNION PACIFIC Geneva Sub Vol. 3 In 1997 Chicago & North Western color is still present on UP's high traffic route out of Chicago. Lots of new locations shot in 1997 including Malta, Creston (lL), Meredith, Elburn, Sterling, Glen Ellyn and more. See new trains and a variety of power with SP, CNW, and UP. MVP# 473 ..... 70 Min....... $29.00 available in October THE BELT RAILWAY OF CHICAGO (BRC) NEW! East End Series for 1997 The BRC East End - 1997 Chicago is THE HUB of railroading and the Belt's Clearing Yard is the center of action. See the busiest junction in Chicago with arrivals, departures, and operations at several locations inside the East End including Hayford, Pulaski, Cicero, and the east yards. See mainline ttains, transfers, and jobs from Conrail, NS, SP, BNSF, CP Rail, CSX, UP, CN, GTW, and the Belt's own jobs. Over 50 trains and incredible variety of new as well as classic power including ALCO C-424s and 1st generation EMDs. Includes a visit to the new dispatching center in Bedford Park. MVP# 510 ...... 90 Min ...... $29.00 available in OctOber Motive Power on the BRC - 1997 The Belt has the widest variety of well maintained classic power - GP7s, GP9s, SW9s, SW1200s, SW1500s, MP15s, GP-38-2s, TR 2&4 cow-calf lash-ups, ALCO C-424s, S-6, and more. We show the majority of the roster including all classes, operating and in the engine terminal. See actual repairs inside the diesel house including replacement of traction motors. Ourside fueling and lubricating. In addition to the BRC roster, we show lots of road power in and out of the engine terminal from SP, CNW, UP, CN, NS, GE Super 7s, and more. See and hear (in the cab) all throt­ tle notches of an ALCO C-424 and EMD SW-1200. Extensive views inside and outside of the diesel house. MVP# 530 ...... 80 Min .. .. $29.00 available in OctOber A Day with BRC #525 This is real railroading! See coverage of the working day of a Belt Railway Co. of Chicago industrial switch job with an SW1200 and its crew. We had one camera in the cab AND one camera on the ground following the acrion - flat switching, kicking cars, mainline running, and the action of passing trains and operations along the way. MVP# 525 ..... 90 Min ....... $ 29.00 available in OctOber -Other videos of SP, BNSF, UP, C&NW, BRC, WC -Quality color shot & mastered on professional format equipment -Live stereo -Narration Add $5 S/H per order. III residents add 6.75% sales tax. VHS only. Send check or money order to: for r call write o Midwest Video Productions al free cat Og p.o. Box 6533, Aurora, It 60598 To order by Me or Visa, call toll free 800-528-4176 e I November 1997 Issue 408 FEATURES 28 Conrail: 21 Years of History Conrail's brief history is documented fwm scraggly beginnings to a questionable future. Michael W. Blaszak 34 Bye-Bye, Big Blue? Is this the last good-bye for Conrail and its employees? Steve Smedley Bye-Bye, Big Blue? Gary R. Schermerhorn DEPARTMENTS Conrail Remembered Steve Smedley. The Southern Tier Brian Solomon The Conrail We Would Like to Forget Howard Ande 4 Editorial Early Morning on the River Line Joe Greenstein • Big Four Yard 8 Letters Mike Danneman • A Tiny Corner of Conrail Howard Ande Expediter Conrail from a Distance Ben Bachman • YAOP-17 Tackles the Bridge 8 From the Cab Joe Greenstein • Conrail's Pittsburgh Division Alex Mayes 12 Regionals Changes on the Boston & Albany Brian Solomon· Conrail's GP40s 18 Mike Danneman • Substantial Tom Hoover· Ted Rose Plays the Blues 18 Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Joe Greenstein • Mingo Junction George S. Pitarys • Horseshoe Curve 22 Amtrak Mike Danneman • River Line Allure Howard Ande • Not Always the Case 24 Canadian National George S. Pitarys· Young Conrail Michael W. Blaszak 28 Conrail 83 Illinois Central 84 Kansas City Southern 58 87 Norfolk Southern 88 VIA Rail Canada Images: Conrail 70 Canadian Pacific Railway A gallery of spectacular Conrail photos graces these pages. 71 CSX Transportation Contributing Photographers 72 Union Pacific Peter Ruesch 74 Commuter/Transit 78 The Last Word 80 RAILNEWS Classifieds 82 RAILNEWS Advertising Index ABOVE: A Conrail S035 waits at Bkhart, Indiana, in 1976. LEFT: A Conrail train glides through Romney, Indiana. covm: Slouched in thought, this engineer may be pon­ dering his own and Conrail's fate. Mark Oanneman photo It\ILNEWS (lSSN 1091·2436) is published monthly by PCllIrcx, Inc., 2652 E. \Valnut. Pasadena. CA 91 107. Pcriodil.:als postage paid at Pasadena. CA 91109 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes .0: R,\lLNEWS. P.O. Box 94911. Pasadena. CA 91109. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $34.95 (U.S.) for 12 issues. S67.95 for 24 issues. Foreign $45 for 12 issues. S82 for 24 issues. Single copy S5 postpaid frolll Pasadena office (subject to change without notice). CHANGE OF ADDRESS: The Post Office does not regularly forward Periodicals Mail, and RAILNEWS is not responsible for copies not forwarded or destroyed by the POSI Office. Replacement copies/P.O. notincations will be billed. Please allow us at least four weeks for any address change. ADVERTISING RATES: Contact RAILNEWS, P.O. Box 379, \Vaukcshil, WI 53187: (800) 410-0444. MA GAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: For all sllbscrip'ion problems and inquiries. call .oll-free in .he U.S. and Canada: (800) 210-2211 or oUlSide the U.S. (818) 793-3400. EDITORIAL RailNews' RAILNEIVS Good-bye Blues is a trademark of Pentrex Media Group Publisher: Michael W. Clayton Operations Manager: Trish Miller Editor: Carl Swanson Art Director & Managing Editor: Tom Danneman Features Editor: Katie Norton Associate Editor & Photo Editor: Brent Haight Editorial Assistant: James Ziegler Advertising Manager: Patty Montbriand Graphic Artist & Advertising Production: I-leather Bahr Submissions Articles, news items, and photographs are welcome and should be sent to our Wisconsin editorial orrice. Please include return envelope and postage if you wish your submission returned. RAILNEWS does not assume responsibility for the safe return of material. Payment is made upon publicat�ion. Rising from the ashes of seven bankrupt northwestern railroads, Conrail developed into a Submit all photos, articles, and editorial corre­ rich and successful railroad. With this issue, we pay tribute to Big Blue. Mike Danneman photo spondence to: RAILNEWS P.O. Box 379, Waukesha, WI 53187-0379 t's hard to believe that 50 years ago off, Art Director and Managing Editor there were roughly 140 Class I rail­ To m Danneman gathered vignettes and Submissions sent via UPS, Federal Express, or I roads. It's even harder to believe that photography from some of Conrail's similar courier must be addressed to: the impending loss of Conrail will leave many admirers. The result is a portrait 223 Wisconsin Avenue, Waukesha, WI 53186 the United States with just eight Class Is: of a great railroad, drawn wi th elo­ Phone: (414) 542-4900 Union Pacific, Burlington Northern & quence, honest affection, and care. I Fax: (414) 542-7595 Santa Fe, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Illinois think you will agree that Tom 's diligent Centra l, Kansas City work on this issue paid Advertising Sales: (800) 4 I 0-0444 Southern, Canadian Pacif- off handsomely. E-mail: ic, and Canadian National. It's a fine effort on [email protected] We 're not much for the part of all involved. [email protected] nostalgia around here. We It's even harder This issue will be my like trains, lots of them, last, and I am glad to be Magazine Subscription Service: and preferably in good to believe that leaving on such a high Address all correspondence regarding subscrip­ light. But the loss of more note. ['m leaving this tions (including new orders, renewals, and re­ than 100 sizable railroads the impending magazine to pursue oth­ placement copies) to: is a disturbing thought for er interests. RAILNEWS those who treasure the loss of Conrail Almost seven years P.O. Box 17108 character of a railroad ago, when I hired on, our more than its bottom line. will leave the offi ces were above a North Hollywood, CA 91615-7108 Given today's business cli­ neighborhood bar, and I For all subscription problems and mate, it's important to U.S.