PRR Norristown

PRR operations in and around Norristown, PA in the late 1950's featuring Baldwin power. Sounds added from my video library.

[@JawTooth]

Awesome historical footage! This is why I film trains today. Hopefully someday my videos of rare catches will be historical

[@upperechelons6403]

They already are 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾...I watch your channel literally everyday... Where you film reminds me of back home in Winston Salem, NC... You do great work and your chases are great...

[@rossbryan6102]

LOTTA GREAT BALDWIN ACTION! THOSE TRANSFER SWITCHERS WERE MONSTERS! WORKING FOR AT&SF, WE HAD ALL THE BALDWIN POWER LEAVE FIRST, THEN THE GE 44 TONNERS, THEN THE FAIRBANKS-MORSE FLEET! KEEP THEM ROLLING BROTHERS!! 👍👍

[@susanramsey5026]

Thank you so much for sharing this video. My grandfather was an engineer and at one time a brakeman for PRR, ran out of Norristown. Couldn't make out the faces of the men, was hoping to spot my grandpa. He worked there from 1935 to 1960 when he retired. My grandparents lived on Corson St and their yard backed right up to the tracks. As a little girl I would stand by their fence and watch for grandpa to get off the train and come up the embankment.

[@shortliner68]

I miss the old PRR Baldwin switchers. Glad I had a chance to take some rides in one on a now abandoned branch line near where I lived in the 1960s. Miss all those fallen flag road names on the freight cars, too. Thank you for sharing the video clips.

[@JessicaKasumi1990]

This is just what I have been looking for. I always wanted to see action of the PRR around Norristown, and now I have. Thanks for making this Cali girl who is a big PRR fan, really happy!

[@australiasindustrialage689]

Well done on synchronising sound, love the early diesel era, I really appreciate it the effort

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

I live down here! such a change compared to today

[@Paublo79]

I work as a conductor out of Abrams in King of Prussia for Norfolk Southern. Its so cool to see what used to run on the lines I work on today. :)

[@susanconnahan4931]

✋ Customer of the U.M.P. they picked up cars at Abrams and dropped them at the newspaper. I left that job 20 years ago.

[@kenkramer6529]

This is some seriously nice audio work! Really good.

[@jamesshanks2614]

Baldwin had figured out the engine problems by the time the S-12 switcher went into production but by that time the damage had been done and they couldn't really sell a locomotive to anyone by that point. And yes there are a couple of shortlines that still run Baldwin S-12 switchers because they bought up quite a few spares when Baldwin stopped building locomotive's and one or two of the shortlines hired machinists when Baldwin shut down locomotive production. It's always easier to keep locomotive's running when you have extremely competent people maintaining them. Now those machinist are long retired but there apprentice's are now maintaining the locomotive's. Years ago I suggested to a shortline that had ALCO S class switchers mu equipped for freight service was considering buying EMD GP -9 locomotive's and I happened to be in the area where there yard and roundhouse is located so I stopped by and had a talk with the president of thr road and recommended for the next 8-10 years stay with ALCO 539T powered engines. My reasoning is all the tools they had were for ALCO engines not EMD and at that time a number of class one railroads were getting rid of all their ALCO 539 power and spare parts for scrap prices. I read a few months later they purchased several RS-1's and S class switchers and used ALCO power for about ten more years, but in the meantime acquired EMD specialized tool required to service them before they bought their first EMD locomotive. Saved a bunch of money doing it that way. Why do some railroads still use ALCO's? They aren't that difficult to maintain and they have GE electricals which are better than EMD electric's and an ALCO uses less fuel to do the same work as an EMD.

[@UnknownIdaho]

James Shanks Great info, thanks.

[@robinengland5799]

Wonderful video! Thank you for sharing!!!!

[@johnedge4259]

Many thanks for sharing this absolutely brilliant video. I never thought I'd see video of the Pennsy centre cabs but you've made it possible. Cheers!

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

I didn't know there were some Baldwin centercabs with tri-mount trucks. I'd make some snarky remark but your video is too good for such crass behaviour. I love your dubbed,-in sound. Another great video-thanks so much for posting.

[@iusetano]

Excellent video. Thank you for taking the time to upload.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Those Baldwins make a nice unhurried chunka-chunka-chunka-chunka sound. That's some quite enthusiastic high-speed switching going on.

[@paulwarner5395]

Thanx for the videos. Nice addition of the sounds. Oh for a sound recording movie camera back then..

[@Tinsby]

Been a long time since I've seen center cab Baldwins, thank you very much for this posting. Seems to me that the Reading had a few of them too, although I could be wrong. Anyway great stuff!!

[@fmnut]

Tinsby no, the RDG never had center cabs. They had AS16's.

[@johnsweigart3917]

@@fmnut I remember a few occasions that centercabs were in Reading, stored under the Penn Street Bridge South of the PRR Station until the next return trip to Philly.

[@fmnut]

@@johnsweigart3917 The BS24's were standard road power on the PRR Schuylkill branch working out of South Philly yard up into the coal region.

[@craigfazekas3923]

Any of you old heads, like me, remember the tiny yard in Philly at State Rd. where it goes under I-95 ? It was maybe 3 or 4 tracks- probably a small shuttle point for industries around Tacony.... Did that have a CP designation or a name ? Thanks for the upoad there, FM fan !! 🚬😎👍

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

0:10 Norristown high-speed line, note the Brill Bullet.

[@Wingnutcaseman]

I only got ride the bullets once as a child. My dad was cool enough to take me on train rides for the fun of it.

[@charleskesner1302]

Love those Diesels with the cab in the middle. Baldwin's I believe.

[@TrainmasterCurt]

Charles Kesner They are Baldwin DT-6-6-2000 (2500hp)

[@TrainmasterCurt]

With A1A-A1A truck arrangement like a GMD GMD1

[@fmnut]

Curt Wakeman No, they are C-C. Note the uneven axle spacing.

[@fmnut]

Curt Wakeman No and No. They are model RT 624, the successor model to the DT6-6-2000. Neither was rated at 2500 HP, that was the Lima transfer model.

[@kiwitrainguy]

fmnut you are right on the money. By that time it was Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton, the PRR classed them as BT-24.

[@steamgent4592]

Well that was kool. Never seen any footage from Norristown other than at DeKalb in one shot of the PRR before and only a small bit of the Reading there as well. You'd have thought there would have been more.

[@anaplat45]

Ah! Center-cab Baldwins. The EJ.&E. had those in the mid or late 60's. Funny, while watching, I smelled diesel but there were no trains on any of the tracks near my house. Why is that?

[@fmnut]

anaplat45 Yes, EJ&E had DT6-6-2000's with Commonwealth cast trucks. By the 1960s they were re-engined by EMD with different hoods.

[@anaplat45]

That was unfortunate for Baldwin as their prime movers seemed to lack longevity.

[@fmnut]

anaplat45 The 600/606 series engines were very robust diesels, witness the fact that some are still in revenue service over 60 years after they were built. But they did incur increased operaing costs over EMD's and also Alcos to a lesser extent. EMD had a relatively standardized package for repower ing Baldwins that they marketed aggressively on the basis of reducing operating cost.

[@lazyrrr2411]

👍 love those Center Cabs

[@australiasindustrialage689]

Great sound

[@fmnut]

Thanks. It was a bit of work to match the sounds I have to the film, nice to know someone noticed.

[@marksgraybeal]

i rode few times on visits to see dad. 1963,69,74, last 2000? maybe. luved that it was tri, tram,train,subway?

[@lennyhendricks4628]

Did PRR send all the Baldwin Center cabs to their Schuykill Line? Seems whenever I see 1960's anthracite coal country videos, there are plenty of centercabs whenever PRR diesels are shown.

[@fmnut]

Not all. The earlier cast truck versions worked as helpers between Pitcairn and Altoona as well as yard jobs. The later trimount truck units were assigned to the Philadelphia division and worked the Schuylkill branch. By the early 60's both types appeared in Philadelphia and on the branch.

[@buixrule]

Be careful this video doesn't get into the wrong hands to someone who decides to try to paint graffiti onto the boxcars in the film.

[@pdxrailtransit]

Baldwin Heaven, amen!

[@fredaycott5283]

Greetings Fmnut. Let me just say this, the music you played earlier in the video was great. I wish you could have played more.

[@fmnut]

Fred Aycott House of Cards soundtrack available on Amazon.com

[@vancepomerening4794]

Excellent!

[@EpicThe112]

the Ivy Ridge to Norristown section should have been kept to present day because the Corridor would have 4 tracks Reading RR line local but PRR Express tracks

[@RRansomSmith]

They never ran together. Pennsy ran on a hill or a block away. They never shared right-of-way.

[@RRansomSmith]

And ridership doesn't call for it. I live near East Falls.

[@EpicThe112]

@@RRansomSmith thank you for telling me about the R6 line Norristown to Cynwyd PRR tracks. If so the reading railroad won over PRR service between Center City and Norristown due to it having more stop if they want to extend the regional rail network towards Reading then use both Norristown lines PRR Tracks to Norristown Express to Reading Locals Philly-Reading current R6 replying to your comment 11 months late

[@FQP-7024]

1:08 what is this train I never saw anithing like it it looks like a longer mid cab gp 9 version but clearly it is not. Found it out it's a Baldwin PT 624 center cab experimental diesel. 😅

[@fmnut]

Baldwin RT 624. Powered by two 1200 HP six cylinder in line engines, one in each hood. Built in the early 1950s, all were out of service and scrapped by the late 1960s.

[@FQP-7024]

@@fmnut thanks for the info 😅👍

[@Foxyisinhell]

where did you find these photos? im interested to know.

[@billporter9494]

big ol' BLW transfer engines, neat to see a clip of thr critters moving freight. didn't somebody manage to hang on to one of these?, I recall an article on an ex D&H example, along with a shark.

[@fmnut]

Bill Porter The only existing Baldwin transfer unit is Minneapolis Northfield & Southern DT 6-6-2000 21 at IRM Union IL. The D&H never had this type of loco. The only Baldwin diesels they had were the two sharks, which are now stored at Escanaba MI.

[@kelvintorrence5994]

I love old iron

[@SantaFe19484]

Awesome!

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Very good sound editting! Lots of Baldwin power on the PRR back then, the sound that you used for the RT624 is very similar to the 608A powered Belgian class 59 locomotives that I know (and featured on my channel), but they were 2x606A?. It's anyway the same engine range, so they must sound very similar. Did you film this youself back then or is the film from another source?

[@fmnut]

Thanks for noticing the sound work, it was a bit of a job to find clips that matched the action and loco type. The RT 624 sounds are a pair of Trona AS 616's. I tried overlaying 606 engine sounds in multiple, but the result was not satisfying. The switcher sounds are from Amador Central, Erie Mining and SMS.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Overlaying the same track twice doesn't gve a very natural effect, as the two engines don't give exactly the same sounds, there is a very slight difference, which you don't notice consciously but will be missed when it is not there. So a good decision to keep it as a single track.

[@elirosen1391]

Hmm I think that is Spring Mill at 6:15

[@jonnybeck6723]

Excellent

[@roberthayes2936]

Do you have any pics,videos of trains in area of Derby, Comerce City Colorado? Thanks

[@fmnut]

No, sorry.

[@nickt.2238]

Do you have anymore footage like this? I would love to see more of the Pennsylvania or even the PC in Norristown.

[@fmnut]

Nick T. Yes, more to come.

[@steamgent4592]

@@fmnut oh thats awesome can't wait

[@eugeeropel5572]

I can’t wait either, but I will, patiently. Thank you once again, fmnut.

[@davidng2336]

1:02 What type of locomotives are those

[@fmnut]

Baldwin model RT624 transfer locos. Essentially 2 S12's on a 6 axle, 6 motor platform. Only PRR and MN&S had them. The precursor model was the DT6-6-2000.

[@tracynation239]

An Excellent Video. ♡ T.E.N.

[@RailPreserver2K]

At 0:48 are any diesels of that type preserved or even operating ?

[@fmnut]

Railroad,Preserver,2000 One. MN&S 21 at IRM, Union IL

[@warrenwilson4818]

Love those center-cabs. Were any saved?

[@fmnut]

One. MN&S 21 at Illinois Railway Museum

[@jonathanemert849]

Is this really Norristown? Because I live in Norristown and I'm pretty sure that both sides of the river were operated by the Reading company

[@fmnut]

Jonathan Emert yes, the Reading ran on both sides of the river. The PRR ran next to the Reading on the Norristown side, but it is all removed now. You should recognize the Red Arrow Norristown hi speed line passing over in one of the shots. The new hi speed line station is on that site.

[@jonathanemert849]

Wow, I learn something new everyday

[@elirosen1391]

6:15 Miquon station!

[@williamh.jarvis6795]

Nice classic videos!

[@elirosen1391]

Is that Haws Station or Miquon at 6:15?

[@fmnut]

elirosen1391 Miquon, I believe.

[@randyoehling1701]

I wish someone would do those big Baldwin center cabs in HO scale.

[@fmnut]

Division Point and NJ Custom Brass both offered them in the past. You can occasionally find them on ebay but they're pricey. Unfortunately with so few owner roads they're not a good candidate for mass production in plastic.

[@randyoehling1701]

@@fmnut that hasn't stopped rapido in the past. There's s lot of pennsy fans out there. Who knows?

[@russellgxy2905]

Were those Baldwin or Lima Transfer units?

[@fmnut]

Baldwin RT 624s. The Lima units worked the western part of the system.

[@thenekom]

Hard to make out any numbers, are those center cab units Lima transfer locomotives?

[@fmnut]

Baldwin RT 624. PRR originally bought Lima and Baldwin center cabs, but when BLW and Lima merged, the RT 624 was chosen for continued production.

[@thenekom]

@@fmnut Ah thanks. Neither one made many of them but I know the PRR was the biggest customer though oddly enough the one (I think?) that remains wasn't built for them IIRC.

[@fmnut]

@@thenekom Yes. MN&S 21 survives at the Illinois Railway Museum. I is an earlier model centercab, a DT6-6-2000. RT 624 was similar but with upgraded diesels and electrical equipment. 2000 to 2400 HP.

[@brakie44820]

Anybody notice PRR was still using firemen? That's who that second man is in the cab.

[@Pixy335]

Isn't he just an engineer's assistant?

[@johntapp1411]

Union

[@kevinhoward9593]

wish i had a map to where each part of the video was in todays map.

[@elirosen1391]

Was there actually a crossing at that first location?

[@fmnut]

elirosen1391 Nope, but the rest of the sound track fit too well to pass up. It's from the last run of the Blueliners at Norristown.

[@elirosen1391]

Is that first train traveling west or east from Norristown.

[@fmnut]

elirosen1391 Both the MU trains are heading west. There was 1 more station beyond Norristown at Haws Ave. That's where the wire ended and the MU's reversed back to Philly.

[@elirosen1391]

Wow, that's what it looked like with tracks still in place! And might I say, cleverly matched sounds to the trains going by!

[@fmnut]

elirosen1391 sorry but no

[@elirosen1391]

What about PATCO?

[@fmnut]

elirosen1391 again no, sorry

[@lnproductions3227]

what were the mid cab baldwin's called?

[@fmnut]

They were cataloged as "Transfer" locomotives. The model number was RT 624 standing for (R)oad (T)ransfer 6 axles 2400 HP. Baldwin and Lima Hamilton were the only two builders with specialty units in this category. EMD and Alco marketed cow-calf sets instead. The intended service was for heavy transfer moves between yards. All Baldwin buyers of the RT and predecessor DT models wound up using them in road service. PRR used its Baldwins and Limas as dedicated helpers too.

[@lnproductions3227]

@@@fmnut I didn't know Lima even survived long enough to manufactre Diesel Locomotives.

[@fmnut]

@@lnproductions3227 Only for 2 years, 1949 to 51. Merged with Baldwin Locomotive Works to form Baldwin Lima Hamilton Corp.

[@RaisedLetter]

0:46 what music did you add?

[@fmnut]

Bigmindcreator is just a name It's from the "House of Cards" soundtrack.

[@RaisedLetter]

Okay thanks

[@anaplat45]

What model is/was 9275? + 8045?

[@fmnut]

anaplat45 Baldwin DS4-4-1000

[@anaplat45]

Thank you. I'd assumed they were S-12; according to a photo + description "List of Baldwin Locomotives", from Wikipedia.

[@fmnut]

anaplat45 The DS4-4-1000 and the S-12 were virtually identical in appearance.

[@2READYCRETE]

Good Stuff

[@sthomas6369]

Nice video. The MP54s at the beginning of the video would have air whistles instead of horns. The sounds used in this video reminds me a bit of the AA-2 horns used by the Silverliner IIs & IIIs. Here's a link to a video that first sounds off an AA-2 and second an air whistle like that used on the MP54s. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGHZmI18j9dgpdU Enjoy!

[@fmnut]

S Thomas I never heard an MP 54 whistle. I used sounds from Blue liners and Silverliners. Good catch.

[@sthomas6369]

The Blueliners used AA-2 horns also - the old Reading MUs had either straight horn or bent horn types of the AA-2. I happen to have a straight AA-2 horn from a Reading MU car. If you look at clear photos of MP54s (even the 3rd rail LIRR ones) you may be able to see the air whistle, a narrow tube, above the round cab window. Some of the LIRR cars had a different version, which I think was referred to as a "peanut" - it's a stubby thing. Again, nice video, not complaining about the sounds, just providing info.

[@medickdd]

I was going to keep those facts to myself, but know that its been said lol

[@robertmuckey887]

wish the resalution of the film was better

[@fmnut]

Robert Muckey so do I. It's from a poor VHS copy of the original transfer. I enhanced it the best I could. if you could see the VHS you could tell.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

Those goofy ahh transfer diesels

[@bangunkartafanz8530]

0:43 cc201 horn

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

The horn type itself is a Wabco AA-2, a common interurban horn.

[@bangunkartafanz8530]

@@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory cc 201 is a indonesian locomotive

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

@@bangunkartafanz8530 I know

[@cows_cowsandcows]

the smartest indonesian foamer

[@cows_cowsandcows]

the smartest indonesian foamer

[@kingdoughnut7244]

Wow, the CN noodle is so old, it was around in the final days of the PRR!!! The CN and GTW noodles were brand new back then. The CP multi mark was new back then too.

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

King doughnut. If you do it right, things last a long time. With a few variations along the way, the CN noodle is as fresh today as it was then. I look at it as one of the Helvetica fonts (Arial in MS monotype) of railroad logos. It'll be around forever.