D&H PA's - A Tribute

More oldies from the film vault, this time it's the D&H PA's. The movie transfers are from two different sources, unfortunately I don't know who they are to give credit, but thanks to them for this coverage. Stills are from my slide collection and sounds from my video library.

[@dhdisprsmith2296]

Great video from a time lost to the past. As a 50 year D&H employee, 43 of them as a train dispatcher, these shots bring me home. Thanks for putting this together and posting for all to enjoy!

[@TrainmasterCurt]

The handsomest and most graceful diesel passenger engines ever!

[@railroad9000]

Curt, I totally agree with you! Something about their styling that set them apart from all the rest. Just beautiful!

[@trainslife5638]

Nope it is very beautiful but not as pretty as the sncf cc 72000

[@prsearls]

The ALCO PA's are really elegant, powerful and stylish. I'm partial to SP's Daylights but these and Santa Fe's Warbonnets are equally beautiful. I don't see many videos (old films) of PA's like the more common EMD units. It's great to hear what they sounded like, too. The spin-up lag of their turbo-supercharger cause them to smoke when the engineer opens the throttle. The PA's had higher capacity motors/dynamic braking that made them more suitable for SP's mountain routes than the EMD E series on their long distance passenger trains.

[@fmnut]

That's how Alco sold PA's to the Rio Grande for California Zephyr service.

[@Greatdome99]

Alco used 750-series GE traction motors which could be overloaded far more than EMD's. The diesel engines were turbocharged (from the exhaust), not supercharged (geared to the crankshaft). The smoke came from the Woodward Governor mechanically-driven fuel control unit which turned on the fuel too early before the turbo could spool up and provide proper air-fuel mixture.

[@paulmatulavich7321]

If only we could go back to the days when PA's and other incredible trains roamed the rails. Those were the glory days!

[@retr0bits545]

You don’t have to as Nickel Plate Road 190 (formerly D&H 18) was sold to GVT Rail to have the finishing touches for its return to operational status. It will remain in Nickel Plate Road colors for an amount of time per contract of the sale. Once that time is up it will be repainted into D&H colors.

[@dakotamurray7184]

Did those diesels have Cummins engines?

[@retr0bits545]

@@dakotamurray7184no, they were repowerd with the Alco 251F prime mover prior to being sold to the D&H.

[@hartmutlorentzen9659]

This wonderful video should be digitally remastered! Thanks, from Germany

[@dennis-ul5ht]

Love the paint schemes and train sheds....

[@jesikebiking]

Being a long-time D&H fan the Sharknoses and PA; are beautiful engines

[@travelingman484]

God I wish those days were back

[@RHJ3]

Thanks again for another killer video. The ALCO PA with the Santa Fe paint in Champlain blue is the best. period.

[@allegheny48]

Thank you for an excellent compilation. Your added sound effects are pretty darned good in my opinion. Kudos to the D&H for opting to acquire and run the PA's for as long as they did. As a kid I was able to watch the NKP Bluebirds which is probably why the ALCO PA's are one of my favorite diesels.

[@christopherorourke6543]

Great video of the D&H Alco PA’s. The very best looking ALCO PA’s are the D&H which used to be Santa Fe, the Santa Fe & in the Southern Pacific Daylight color scheme.

[@jimsutter149]

I remember seeing these in Erie, PA.

[@mottopanukeiku7406]

Absolutely fantastic footage! Thanks for all the hard work compiling, editing etc. The added sound (original or not) really adds an extra dimension. The PA’s are so beautiful and unique as working machines and as industrial art.

[@RailFan61]

Great video. To me there is no locomotive more beautiful than the PA's, especially in D&H colors.

[@mec4705]

Beautiful lines, a classic.

[@leehuff2330]

At 8:00, that depot is looking pretty sad, with the roof damage. Love the sounds of the ALCO power, those Roots- blown 567s, and the old jointed rail. Keep 'em coming!

[@budrindfleisch9445]

I could listen to those pre M-K 244's all day long! Awesome stuff!

[@Greatdome99]

These were rebuilt by M-K in Boise when their 244s were replaced with 2,400 hp 251s.

[@iusetano]

I totally enjoyed watching this video. Thank you for taking the time. Excellent.

[@LibertyRailfan]

Awesome video @UC1apGMREzx11VjBJPuXhJGg Happy New Year.. I've heard so many wonderful things about the D&H sad that it is just a memory now, thank you very much for sharing this footage.

[@chuckabbate5924]

Om man that fast switch out of the cars, thats some old school railroading. Fearless

[@rockguitarist931]

What a gorgeous piece of machinery! I can't wait until Doyle gets his PA running.

[@ChamplainDivision]

WOW! This is really, REALLY, great stuff. So far, the most D&H PA footage with sound is all right here!

[@fmnut]

ChamplainDivision the sound with 1 exception is not original. I will leave you to guess which one is.

[@MrTenor-ch5gs]

@@fmnut 10:24?

[@fmnut]

@@MrTenor-ch5gs no, sorry, try again....

[@danielhulitt1212]

A wonderful tribute video, and thank you for putting this together. I would see PA's come thru Oneonta when I lived there in the early 70's, one time with the Sturbridge Lion in tow. My model railroad is based on the D & H, but my PA's don't make quite the smoke as the prototypes did. Mexico got most of these 4 units, but I think 1 is still on tracks, but with much of its cladding off. Maybe a restoration project. They certainly deserve it.

[@fmnut]

Daniel Hulitt All 4 went to Mexico. After a few years all were out of service, 2 were wrecks with no trucks. 17 and 19 were restored in Mexico and went to museums. The hulks of 16 and 18 were brought back to the US. One has been restored as NKP by Doyle McCormack. The other will be restored to ATSF at Kansas City. The trucks for 16-18 came from Erie Built FM B units.

[@ocsrc]

Central Warehouse Albany NY. I remember these trains. D&H ran passenger trains from Albany NY to Mechanicville and they were double tracked the whole way, and they would fly through Cohoes doing 70 or 80 MPH. I remember feeling the wind from them passing and the ground shook as they went by. City Hall shook and the windows rattled It was an great time in history We had trolley service then and the trolley tracks ran down Ontario Street and there were diamonds where the trolley tracks crossed over the D&H line and there were four tracks at that crossing. Two sightings on either side that ran the entire length of the city as well as the two main lines Absolutely amazingand to my knowledge there are no photographs of this in existence but I remember it clear as day the train station was an operation then in Cohoes and the railyard was right behind on the other side of the tracks and the church which is now the library was a church at that time there was a signal at 8.1 and there was another signal across the bridge in Waterford at 10.1 When you stood on Mohawk Street at the church you could look South and see 8.1 and look North and see 10.1 In Watervliet there were several overhead signal towers And the yard going into Watervliet what they called Northgatewas the entrance to the Watervliet yard that serviced the Watervliet arsenal as well as other businesses The railroad really was the lifeline of the country back then the yard in Mechanicville had 50 tracks and the Boston and Maine yard which was just north of the Mechanicville d&h yard had 50 tracks And there was a crossover and there was also a y where trains comingNorth from Albany could go directly onto the Boston and Maine tracks and over the Hudson or into the yard for the Boston and Maine and the Boston and Maine could go south on the Delaware and Hudson line The wye is long gone as is the crossover And now the yard is an intermodal yard There used to be around house there and a sand tower and so much more CPO 17 is a holdout signal now, but it used to have a siding that ran to the paper mill And there were so many businesses in all of the cities that used sidings I used to watch them switch cars in and out of the paper mills and the warehouses and the textile mills and the factories and the quarry and so many other businesses they had a gravel company that used to get cars put up on a platform in the back of the Cohoes yard that the truck could back underneath and they would climb up onto the platform and open the bottom of the car to dump into the dump trucks there were also box cars that they would leave off on sidings and the warehouses would come and unload them General electricis still there but the Ford plants are all gone as are most of the other businesses that used to use D&H everyday God I miss those days 😭

[@user-fu8es9ok6d]

Thank you! I totally enjoyed watching this video. I didnt seen PA footage with sound before!

[@fmnut]

Виктор Кондратенко the sound is mostly dubbed in from other sources.

[@kenkramer6529]

Just excellent. Very good sound work. Nice!

[@fmnut]

Thanks.

[@redbarnz]

That is beautiful country to have a dome car-- especially along Lake Champlain. Luckily, there is still Amtrak's Adirondack service to Montreal.

[@tahititoutou3802]

If I am not very wrong, D&H refers to Delaware and Hudson, a U.S. rr company. So I was surprised to see, since the very beginning, scenes from Montréal Canada. Then, later in the vid, many scenes also from the Montréal suburb (like the Vertu train Station) and D&H locos pulling Canadian Pacific wagons... Very interesting vid, well done, a beautiful tribute! Good job fmnut!

[@fmnut]

The D&H ran into Canada at Rouses Point, NY. Their track in Canada was under a subsidiary company, the Napierville Junction Railway, which ran from Rouses Pt to Adirondack Junction, thence via the CP into Montreal. Through passenger trains went to CP's Windsor Station, while freights were yarded at St Luc.

[@tahititoutou3802]

@@fmnut Thanks fmnut!

[@billporter9494]

thats maybe the most graceful looking locomotive set ever produced. what happened to all of these, aside from G.M. getting in the act.

[@fmnut]

Bill Porter They weren't replaced by GM's but by Amtrak Turbotrains. The 4 PA'S went to Mexico, 2 were wrecked badly and the other 2 survived in Mexican museums. The 2 hulks were returned to the US. One is in Portland Oregon restored as a NKP unit, while the other is in Frisco TX awaiting restoration as ATSF.

[@billporter9494]

sweet!, I'm looking at doing a doodle of the PA-B set, cool to hear there are a couple left, I read about Mr. Mcormak putting one back togther in Portalnd.

[@wrailfan]

I have a new favorite video. Beautiful!

[@bobkohl6779]

And EMD and switcher? Nooooo! 😉 PAs were a thing of beauty

[@cats0182]

The original Albany, NY railroad station is gone. The "D&H" is gone. The ALCO PA's are gone. The American Locomotive Company plant is now the site of a casino. Go figure. Great video. Bittersweet memories for me as a former resident of Albany, NY and fan of the "D&H".

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

Terrific video....again. You really know how to do them right.

[@GUSTAVTIME]

Spectacular good material!

[@TRRailfan]

0:25 an ALCo doing what it does best

[@dermottmcsorley8641]

Remember seeing this in Boston pulling an MBTA train

[@charleskesner1302]

Fascinating look back. Do not recall the swirling light on the front of the engine. Interesting.

[@kevloo6078]

I believe they were manufactured by the Mars Corp. They are very noticeable. It would seem they could still be applicable today. Every little bit helps.

[@fmnut]

@@kevloo6078 that's actually a Gyralight made by Pyle National. The Mars light described a figure 8 pattern while the Gyralight was a simple circle.

[@snickpickle]

When four people missing the "Like" button by that much goes wrong!

[@andypittman9850]

Memorable capture @ the 0:09 point, Windsor station in Montreal, the iconic Chateau Champlain hotel with it's half-mooned windows rising above. The setting has been greatly altered, a hockey arena has been built between the original station to the recent platform westward.

[@charlesferebee263]

OUTSTANDING. If only we could get someone to build PAs with late model Caterpillar or Cummins Power. Tier 4 engines and AC. Traction motors. PTC. Would be so much better than the trash p42s we had to live for the last 20 years or so 🤔

[@davesb45]

Great film, thanks for sharing this. A lot to take in but liked the footage although incomplete of the "Lakeshore Limited" (NYC) cut out to form the "Laurentian" (D&H) in Albany. The Baldwins were nice to see also.

[@fmnut]

davesb45 I used everything that was on the original transfer to video. If the Albany switching appears incomplete it's because it wasn't put on film. Thanks for your comment.

[@davesb45]

I understand, they probably ran out of film, time or both. It was nice to see old Albany station and all of the others for that matter.

[@chuckabbate5924]

Stunning

[@theswitcher1]

Brilliant

[@davidbudka1298]

Sounded like a big old diesel truck! LOL!

[@cdp200442]

Thank you

[@davidng2336]

Thank goodness all four were saved, even though only two are left in the US. But hey, both Mexico and the US are doing great taking care of their PAs, even though Mexico is ahead and already has one operational unit.

[@Toledo1940]

Was that Marv Davis waving from the cab at 23:34? It sure looks like him! He started as a locomotive fireman and became Chief Road Foreman of Engines for the entire railroad. I got to know him after he had retired and moved to Florida.

[@jagc1969]

Thanks for posting this video. For me D&H's PAs were the most beautiful diesel locomotives ever. As far as I know D&H didn't own any PBs . Am I right?

[@fmnut]

Correct, no PBs. They bought the four A units from ATSF in 1967 as part of an overall upgrade in passenger service. They got the stainless steel cars from DRGW at the same time.

[@jagc1969]

@@fmnut Thank you very much for the video and for the information. You've made my day.

[@fmnut]

@@jagc1969 glad to hear that. D&H also had a fifth PA, New Haven 0783 that was bought as a parts donor. It never ran on the D&H.

[@jagc1969]

@@fmnut I didn't know that! Thanks a lot.

[@gt3trains]

Can anyone definitely tell me why the warbonnet paint design is used on D&H PAs? One site said it was because they were used ATSF locos that were just repainted, reusing the warbonnet scheme but in new colours. That seems odd to me, and well outside the accepted practices for that era.

[@fmnut]

The D&H warbonnet scheme was indeed derived from the fact that the PA's were ex ATSF units. Several schemes were considered but in the end it was decided to take advantage of the existing stainless steel side panels and follow the warbonnet pattern. When the Sharks were purchased a few years later the scheme was adapted for them, too.

[@leonciohernandez]

AND EXTRAORDINARY VIDEO i like to much the ALCO PA units the surviving units are Delaware and Hudson 16 17 18 and 19 17 and 19 are in a museuam in Puebla which 19 is still in operating condition with old n de m colors and 17 with ex southern äcifici colours number 18 is owen by Doyle McCormack and is being restored to operating condition as Nickel Plate Road No.190. number 16 was acquired by the Museum of the American Railroad and transported to the museum's new site in Frisco, Texas in April 2011. This unit will be restored to full operational status

[@omaralzagaruiz842]

En Puebla Mex aun existen la 19 y 17

[@davidbudka1298]

Were the Erie-Lackawanna units a carry over from when N&W wanted to take over the Wabash, E-L, and D&H, before Hurricane Agnes?

[@fmnut]

David Budka Yes. It was a holding company called DERECO, and included the D&H and EL. The Wabash was already merged into the NW in 1964 and was not part of DERECO.

[@ocsrc]

At 18:30 and 18:40, does anyone know the numbers of those " newer " locomotives ? They would have been new in the 70s I remember seeing that train crossing the Cohoes Waterford bridge with those 2 locomotives. The smaller one used to work the Cohoes yard all the time. I would like to get N scale models of those locomotives. Thank you Bill from Cohoes

[@fmnut]

At 18:30, the lead engine is an Alco RS36, 1800 HP. It would be in the 5012 to 5023 series. New in 1963. These were used with a boiler equipped RS 3 trailing while the PA's were at MK getting rebuilt.

[@ocsrc]

@@fmnut Thank you

[@arch9enius]

Wondered what these things sounded like. Where'd you get the music from?

[@fmnut]

arch9enius the artist is Future World Music.from the album A Hero Will Rise.

[@arch9enius]

Cheers.

[@OScaleAmtrak]

Were all the Erie Lackawanna E-8's acquired by Amtrak? I am guessing what I am seeing in this video is early Amtrak with D&H and Erie Lackawanna acquired engines and cars?

[@fmnut]

No and no. E-L's E8's went to Conrail in 1976. E-L never joined Amtrak as it dropped its last long distance train, the Lake Cities, in 1970. From 1968 to 1972, E-L and D&H were under common ownership of the holding company Dereco (an amalgam of letters from DElaware and eRiE) which was created by order of the ICC as part of the stillborn merger of the N&W and C&O. During the Dereco period, the D&H "borrowed" diesels and passenger cars from the E-L during the winter when two units per train were required for train heating. The D&H could then catch up on maintenance on its own engines and cars. The E-L had a surplus of E's and passenger cars after discontinuance of the Phoebe Snow in 1967.

[@leehuff2330]

Those blue, yellow, and silver coaches would've been right at home on the C&O.

[@fmnut]

Some of them came from the C&O via the DRGW. The baggage mail and grill cars in particular.

[@leehuff2330]

@@fmnut I was thinking of the Potomac Eagle scenic train in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. They use a lot of ex-C&O coaches. Unfortunately, they are closed for the season when I drive past there in November on my way to hunting camp.

[@ijarika7534]

Do you happen to know the dates on the two films?

[@fmnut]

Flakeroni _ The films span the whole period of PA operations. The Albany station shots are pre PC before 1968. The Amtrak dome cars date a few shots to near the end in 1976 after the PA's were rebuilt. The rest are in between.

[@ijarika7534]

Ah ok, thank you.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

24 well spent minutes after comming home from night shift, I will have nice dreams about the gracefull railroad, that was wat the D&H was for me. The ALCOs were gracefull, but the most beautifull streamliner locomotives were the Baldwin RF-16s for me.

[@patrickambrose8681]

dieselmupke

[@tommythomason6187]

Did Delaware and Hudson continue private passenger operations after Amtrak? When did D&H cease their passenger operations?

[@fmnut]

D&H passenger service ended with Amtrak Day, May 1, 1971. The last arrivals of the Montreal Limited at Grand Central and Montreal's Windsor Station occurred that morning. The State of New York later (1974) paid for passenger train service between Albany and Montreal, using D&H as a contract provider (providing crews and equipment). It was during this time that the PA1's were rebuilt into PA4's with 251 engines. This train was the Adirondack, and carried leased dome cars from CP Rail. This operation lasted until 1977, when Amtrak took over the route and replaced the newly rebuilt PA's and D&H conventional cars with Turboliners. This was done as the Empire service was converted from conventional equipment to turbos. This simplified fleet utilization and as a result an equipment change was not needed at Albany/Rensselaer as the turbos could continue straight thru from/to Grand Central.

[@tommythomason6187]

@@fmnut Rode a Turboliner in summer, 1984, out of Grand Central to Albany/Rennsalear (sp) station. It was very much like an airliner. Beautiful scenery on the river up there.

[@cweve]

8:32 Altamont, NY

[@johntuttle5045]

8:50 Delanson, NY --- Town was named by D&H from DELaware AN hudSON in 1893. The D&H train is coming from Albany, the other track at the split comes from Schenectady.

[@amtrak706]

Is this original sound??

[@fmnut]

No, all sounds were dubbed in, the original film being silent.

[@thomasabramson100]

Can understand how cars from the NY Central (regular on Adirondack) engines from the Erie Lackawanna from Scranton on D&H north and cars from CP Rail (at Montreal) were all on the train but I thought there were some cars from the Pennsylvania HOW DID THEY EVER GET ON THERE??? 8:11 2 red PRR coaches with PRR herald confirmed

[@fmnut]

After the PC merger, NYC and PRR cars were pooled.

[@johnchandrav.1823]

Alco sound is just music.

[@chuckabbate5924]

Id kill to see one in any New Haven scheme...Ironically New Haven PA 0783 was scavanged for parts for DH pas...

[@thomasabramson100]

@ 19:31 A Western Maryland PA ????? 19:50 WM confirmed

[@fmnut]

Yes, WM confirmed. But look more closely, it's an FA2, not a PA. Shorter nose=more of the windshield is visible than on the D&H PA. Hagerstown, February 1972.

[@andrewwalsh4798]

Bring these glamor girls back. Rebuild them and put some life back into American passenger train service. Thanks.

[@keithode1737]

TWO dislikes?! What the hell is wrong with people?

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

Keith Ode Something is wrong with people if they have different tastes than yours? Personally I don't find the PA all that attractive but then I was used to seeing several Great Northern F units in the yellow stripe scheme every day. To each their own and nothing is the hell wrong with people if they're different than you.

[@bobkohl6779]

Awful lot of EMDs for an ALCO PA tribute