This book is intended to be an overview of the Pennsylvania Railroad west of Pittsburgh to St. Louis in the years 1960 to 1999 in words and photographs.
Beginning with the PRR in the late 1960s to the low points of the Penn Central era and concluding with the break-up of Conrail in 1999 this is not a detailed venture into railroad administrative records but information is drawn from employee timetables, bulletin orders, train schedules and other railroad documents. Merger discussions with the New York Central in 1962 focused on the elimination of duplicate routes. As the planners shaped the future railroad NYC routes in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were favored over the routes of the Pennsylvania due to aspects of the physical plant such as gradient, curvature, signaling and terminal facilities.
For many reasons the resulting Penn Central became the largest bankruptcy of an American corporation up until the filing on June 21, 1970. Later Conrail was formed from the ashes of the Penn Central and included many other now bankrupt carriers. Conrail became a profitable railroad with government subsidies and the Staggers Act allowing railroads more freedom to rationalize their plant and more freight rate leeway. Here in Color photographs and text is the story of this route of the former Pennsylvania Railroad.
Contents:Panhandle Passenger Operations, pp. 6-9,Pittsburgh to Columbus, pp. 10-43,Columbus to Richmond, pp. 44-77,Queen City Lines, pp. 78-107,Richmond to St. Louis, pp. 108-132,Bibliography, pg. 133,PRR, Penn Central, Conrail Symbols and Routes, pp. 134-135,PRR Master Symbol List, pg. 136.
Many color maps plus a train symbol section complete the work.
The Railroad Press, hardcover, 136 pages, standard portrait book 8 x 10 in., B&W and Color photographs.
View CartItems0
