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Thomas C. Ayers's Collection
 
3/28/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Thomas C. Ayers
Dates:4/1/1978 - 4/1/1978
Album Info:Here is a four-page article entitled "The World's Largest Railroad Shops." It was published originally in the April 1978 issue of "Rails Northeast" magazine, pages 12-15. No author is specified. "The zenith for the Altoona Shops would have to be the period 1925-28 and then again from 1943-46. The newly arrived diesel-electrics reduced the need for the Altoona Shops to build new motive power, and the presence of the Shops may have had something to do with the late move by the Pennsy to convert from steam to diesel. After all, an investment valued at some $27 million in 1946 was not easily discarded to a new technology." (Page 15)
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"Largest Railroad Shops," Page 12, 1978
Title:  "Largest Railroad Shops," Page 12, 1978
Description:  Here is page one of a four-page article entitled "The World's Largest Railroad Shops." It was published originally in the April 1978 issue of "Rails Northeast" magazine, page 12. Partial Caption: "A Funeral March! An H-10 Consolidation drags a dead Decapod and two Mikados to the cutter's torch in 1954. Its reward ~ the torch also!" Photo by F.S. Gamber; taken from the 4th Street Footbridge.
Photo Date:  4/1/1978  Upload Date: 10/5/2023 9:41:25 PM
Location:  Altoona, PA
Author:  Thomas C. Ayers
Categories:  Bridge,Yard,Steam,Signal
Locomotives: 
Views:  31   Comments: 0
"Largest Railroad Shops," Page 13, 1978
Title:  "Largest Railroad Shops," Page 13, 1978
Description:  Here is page two of a four-page article entitled "The World's Largest Railroad Shops." It was published originally in the April 1978 issue of "Rails Northeast" magazine, page 13. Partial Caption: "An example of the Altoona Shops' work is that of the T-1 duplex-drive 4-4-4-4 #5521." Depicted in both photos is Pennsylvania Railroad engine #5521, a T-1 (4-4-4-4) Duplex built in Juniata during May of 1946 and retired in December of 1953 after just seven years of revenue service. Both photos by F.S. Gamber; taken from the 9th Street Footbridge.
Photo Date:  4/1/1978  Upload Date: 10/5/2023 9:42:00 PM
Location:  Altoona, PA
Author:  Thomas C. Ayers
Categories:  Bridge,Steam,Signal
Locomotives:  PRR 5521(4-4-4-4)
Views:  66   Comments: 0
"Largest Railroad Shops," Page 14, 1978
Title:  "Largest Railroad Shops," Page 14, 1978
Description:  Here is page three of a four-page article entitled "The World's Largest Railroad Shops." It was published originally in the April 1978 issue of "Rails Northeast" magazine, page 14. Partial Caption: "This is Pennsy's very first set of EMD F-3's (9500-A, 9500-B, 9501-B, 9501-A) backing to its train where it will begin its trip west." Shown here (R to L) are Pennsylvania Railroad engines #9501, #9501-B, #9500-B, and #9500. All are EF-15's built by GM-EMD in July of 1947 and rated at 1,500 horsepower each. Photo by F.S. Gamber; taken from the 4th Street Footbridge. Notable here is a list of "the four separate and distinct units and sub-units" of the PRR's Altoona Works.
Photo Date:  4/1/1978  Upload Date: 10/5/2023 9:42:33 PM
Location:  Altoona, PA
Author:  Thomas C. Ayers
Categories:  Bridge,Yard,Steam
Locomotives:  PRR 9501(F3A) PRR 9501-B(F3B) PRR 9500-B(F3B) PRR 9500(F3A)
Views:  64   Comments: 0
"Largest Railroad Shops," Page 15, 1978
Title:  "Largest Railroad Shops," Page 15, 1978
Description:  Here is page four of a four-page article entitled "The World's Largest Railroad Shops." It was published originally in the April 1978 issue of "Rails Northeast" magazine, page 15. Partial Caption: "These were the kiss of death for Pennsy's great fleet of steamers. #9807 leads an A-B-B-A [set of] late model F-7's into Altoona with an eastbound perishable freight past a set of Baldwin RF-16's." Visible in the background (L to R) are Pennsylvania Railroad engine #9807 and three more units whose road numbers are not recorded. All were built by GM-EMD and rated at 1,500 horsepower each. #9807 is an EF-15A built in April of 1951 and retired in October of 1967. Partially visible in the foreground is PRR engine #2011, a BF-16 built by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton in February of 1952, rated at 1,600 horsepower, and retired in January of 1967. Photo by F.S. Gamber; taken from the 9th Street Footbridge.
Photo Date:  4/1/1978  Upload Date: 10/5/2023 9:43:09 PM
Location:  Altoona, PA
Author:  Thomas C. Ayers
Categories:  Bridge
Locomotives:  PRR 9807(F7A) PRR 2011(RF-16A)
Views:  72   Comments: 0


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