Amtrak and Early Conrail Around Harrisburg

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The last stand of the GG-1s on Amtrak and Conrail circa 1977. Almost all of this film was taken around Harrisburg along the spiderweb of lines Conrail and Amtrak were still operating, including a short scene at Lemo tower, the only at grade crossing of electrified lines on the former PRR. The sequence toward the end with the Silverliners and Amtrak I think was Thorndale near Philadelphia.

[@karlfey]

This footage is gold! The 60s/70s were a particularly "gritty" time in the Northeast. It's what I grew up with and I still love it. I can only imagine the work and time that goes into digitizing the original film and editing. Much appreciated!

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

This was a 400' reel that was digitized in real time about 10 years ago. What takes the longest is post processing (grain reduction, etc), which takes about a day (just letting the software go). Luckily, this film was shot in a way it didn't need a ton of editing, but I did do a little additional color correction in Davinci Resolve.

[@monmixer]

Yup, watching my childhood, by the tracks. lol

[@NS9213]

Me too, the 60's/70's is when I grew up next to the PRR/PC.

[@MarkInLA]

And then you even took further time to type out your reply here !! 👍

[@GlennFresch]

Wow. This has to be one of the few movies of the GM6C electric out there.

[@mitchmatthews6713]

I will never turn off a video that shows a GG1 in action!

[@michaeldennis1728]

Iconic blast from the past. Thank you very much indeed.

[@JosephMusgrove]

Love seeing these rare gems of railroad history! As a model railroader modeling the 1970s era, these films are also a very useful reference. Thanks for posting!

[@0759trainz]

Was confused when I saw those two CNW units until I remembered Conrail was short on power in its beginning and leased power from BAR, CN, and CNW

[@kge420]

That’s why I model the Conrail era. Can run almost anything.

[@MystiCmeshtool]

didn't conrail gain 4,000+ locomotives from the railroads they inherited? I know they would later buy units on their own like the SD40-2s, B23-7s, C30-7s and GP40-2s.

[@ابوسارةابوسارة-ز6د]

عند الغروب تشاهد اجمل مشاهد لكافة القطارات ركاب وبضاعة ❤❤❤❤❤ ‏‪1:42‬‏

[@floppaeditz123]

First comment!!! Love the GG1 content!

[@AnthonyAnthony-tk4ye]

Erie Lackawaxen!!!

[@HenrikSweden1]

another great video ! and tons of gg1s ! the gg1 with the number 4896 was marked amtrak, and all the rest of amtraks in the 900 series. Why is that ? To my knowledge Cr had their gg1s in the 4000 series. this was a nice Time Machine , who wouldn't go back to a place like this ! that's sure is drama...thanks !

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

I think the Amtrak Gs were renumbered to make room for the AEM-7s, and this was shot while this was occuring.

[@JAGUAR-GT]

GG1's speeding is what they do best, they do look fast.💪

[@AnthonyAnthony-tk4ye]

Lol I don’t think Ive ever seen a GG1 in Amtrak colors… one tuscan red and PC puke black-green

[@carltonkeys6205]

Brunswick green

[@AnthonyAnthony-tk4ye]

@carltonkeys6025 Like I said, puke black-green….🤣🤣🤣🤷‍♂️

[@milepost4846]

Wow, GG1's pulling freights. Awesome!!!

[@b3j8]

These scenes no doubt are gold to fans who lived there at that time. Truth was, those first couple of yrs Conrail was around were tough if one of the Railroads that folded into it was a favorite. You'd still see your once proud Railroad's units wearing their old paint scheme but w/a Conrail number and just a simple "CR" logo over the roadname. Not a great time.

[@karlfey]

I fully understand your sentiment. My local line on the PRSL one day abruptly changed from perpetually dirty black PRSL geeps to those shiny baby blue locomotives. I was only a teenager at the time, but I was devastated. Took me nearly forty years to accept it. Now I miss that Conrail blue.

[@b3j8]

@@karlfey Sounds like we were about the same age. The Erie Lackawanna was my railroad. Watching that 2 track mainline pulled up was truly one of the saddest times in my life! I couldn't help but grudgingly admire what Conrail was accomplishing tho. I too miss ol Big Blue.

[@karlfey]

@@b3j8 very sad indeed. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky to remember our respective railroads pre-Conrail. We experienced history.

[@FreihEitner]

That continues to this day. My road was the AT&SF. Now almost all of their once proud "Super Fleet" red & silver warbonnet units are so faded they'd almost might as well not be painted at all, and most of the rest have been repainted in BNSF orange and green (which was formerly Great Northern orange & green).

[@b3j8]

@@FreihEitner True indeed. I remember when they first came out.

[@BenHelsel]

The EMD GM6C, 1975 puts the date as early to mid 1976 or later.. After CR began. EMD also had another Electric Demo out on the rails that came into Hbg and Enola on a regular basis, that being the GM10B, 1976.

[@charlesbaran1106]

So much electric freight - GG1 and E44, plus what must have been an EMD demonstrator! I wish I knew what Amtrak trains were shown. Broadway Limited? National Limited? Each with New York and Washington sections? Changing engines at Harrisburg. Good viewing - especially once I muted the projector sound. Thank you.

[@BenHelsel]

The CNW Units were leased by CR late 1976 early-mid 1977 and found there way into the HBG/Enola area. They could not lead on most ex PRR/PC tracks as they lacked cab signals. Believe they could lead on the Buffalo Line north and the Cumberland Valley line south to Hagerstown. Was really surprised to see the ex PRR bridge in Hbg being used like it was, I do not have many shots of trains or power on that bridge. And the shots from LEMO Tower. I never got brave enough to go by the tower itself back then. Seeing these video's/movies, makes me wish I would have. But they could and did operate in the lead on the ex RDG into and out of Rutherford. Have a few shots taken from that time frame as I grew up in North Harrisburg. Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@BeeLineEast]

Great video Glad you posted this i remember seeing these units go by the Bethlehem Steel Steelton Pa. Plant. I remember see the track walked once in awhile with a wrench to tighten the loose joint bar bolts

[@pgronemeier]

Those poor GG1's. Half-assed painted in the AMTRAK colors...🤮

[@carltonkeys6205]

Those electric locomotives would catch on fire 🔥

[@AhmearClayIombo-dj6di]

Awesome Catches

[@joesiciliano5280]

Wow, that is a 'Holy Crap' video!

[@fartflies]

Where is/was that diamond?

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

Lemo tower. maps.app.goo.gl/9216rnr7FWrsUqgr9

[@fartflies]

@@RailroadMediaArchive thanks

[@CloverdaleTransitAuthority]

Fantastic. This is great footage. From the automobiles it looks like early 1970s. I can't believe they were still using GG1s from the 1930s. This was before we started throwing everything away as a society because people think everything new is better. Thank you for this footage!

[@WeenyBeanyHere]

7:11 *Bonk*

[@Conrailfan2323]

Unreal footage. Hope there is more!!

[@dfw_railfanner]

Any northeast corridor Maryland action?, grade crossings?

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lV7Ji3SMiKenbrMsi=6jHywsRr5SlrGv64 The beginning of this video has footage at Havre de Grace and Aberdeen.

[@dfw_railfanner]

@@RailroadMediaArchive any NEC crossings from the d.c area? Like Glenn dale or seabrook or Bowie? Also do you know anybody who has footage of these crossings?

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

@@dfw_railfanner I don't have any, nor do I know of any.

[@rearspeaker6364]

@@dfw_railfanner youtuber jack 294.5 has Glendale video.

[@dfw_railfanner]

@@rearspeaker6364 what is the video called?

[@PhillyBagel]

Where did the Pennsy have a diamond with catenary on the crossing route?

[@RailroadMediaArchive]

Like the description says it's Lemo (Lemoyne) tower...basically across the river from Harrisburg station.

[@BeeLineEast]

Wow that goes back. I worked at the Bethlehem Steel Plant in Steelton I remember seeing a lot of these Units go by in the mid 70s. Nice video and thanks for posting it.

[@BenHelsel]

This was on the PRR/PC Cumberland Valley line as well as the Port Road/Enola Branch south out of Enola. Mostly used by the freights to and from Hagerstown and power moves between Harrisburg and Enola

[@Approach_Medium]

I love this but the ticking of the projector drove me nuts after 5 minutes

[@ekapus]

Agreed. I love the footage on this channel but can’t watch more than three minutes at a time.

[@kge420]

I have a mute button. You guys ought to see if your gear has one. Snarky remark is finished and I agree, it’s not necessary.

[@ekapus]

Can you guys PLEASE kill that projector sound? Just throw some ambient KZbin library music over it or something, but that sound drives me nuts.

[@ekapus]

Can you do anything about the projector sound. Even just dubbing in some elevator music would be better.