| Hazy. Here is an original photo that I took in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in July of 1973. Shown here (R to L) are PC engines #9136 and #9158. #9136 is an SW-9 built by GM-EMD as Pennsylvania Railroad number "8536" in March of 1953, rated at 1,200 horsepower, and renumbered "9136" in preparation for the PRR-NYC merger. #9158 is an NW2 built by GM-EMD as New York Central number "8733" in September of 1948; rated at 1,000 horsepower, and renumbered "9158" in preparation for the merger. They're about to pass under the 4th Street Footbridge with a four-car mixed-cargo local freight train, plus two cabin cars. In the good old days, this was one of the busiest places in Altoona as almost every eastbound freight train entered and then stopped in these Receiving Yards. Nowadays, almost every train passes straight through Altoona, many of the Yard's switches have been torn out, and its tracks are clogged with rusting freight cars. |