I love this so-o-o much! The old high hood engine at the beginning ....wow..... and the neat industrial settings..I am in Ontario Canada and never really saw high hoods back in the 70's 80's...maybe a glimpse of one or maybe one sitting in a yard but very mysterious.....I also love all those cool looking switcher engines .wow.....and one of them has a ladder going up from the hood to the top of the cab at 29:52 ............
18:05 For some reason, it always amuses me that the Chicago and North Western bought some of those Norfolk and Western box cars and patched them by adding a big ol' "C" in front of the "NW".
Great footage especially of The"J"! Love the shots of the SD9! I use to go to high school near USS South Works mill and would occasionally catch a glimpse of the elusive "J".
At 8:00 there are four or five Hulett unloaders across the river. It looks a bit hilly for Cleveland or Ashtabula - anyone know the location? (BTW, there is nothing more satisfying than an SD9's hogger blipping the throttle :-)
They are flat cars with ingot molds. The molds were filled at Gary and being transferred to South Chicago where the molds would be stripped and the ingots sent to the rolling mills after reheating.
That first train was the J I grew up around though being on the north end of the western part of the J the leading was a lot more mundane than ingot flats. Also kind of rare for that late 80s era the caboose still had it's cupola mounted marker lamp.
Nice footage of the J, once known as the "E.J.&E. Outer Belt" railroad, BUT U.S.Steel management did not want to be FORCED to take "Bridge" traffic, so THEY went to court to change the name. Great thinking, TURN DOWN business and MONEY. Typical steel mill management mentality. I worked as a locomotive engineer on the "J" for 34 years, now enjoying mY pension, glad to out of there, but still have many fond memories.
Some great archival footage! I especially enjoyed the views taken in Conneaut, Ohio where I grew up. Where were the high speed run-bys taken? If that was the Greenville roundhouse I have slides of B&LE 643 and Union 0-10-2 604 from the mid 1960's when both were stored there. Was the trio of F units in running condition when you shot them? Thanks again for the great footage. JM
The runby at 08:50 is somewhere around Mercer, don't remember the exact location, I got there off I-79 somehow. Yes, that is the Greenville engine area and roundhouse. The remaining shots were taken chasing from Greenville northwards to Osgood on the old line and then north to the 322 overpass. Yes, the F's at Kaylor were in running condition, just not running that day (it was a Sunday). I regret never having gotten them on the road, but at the time I had to work for a living and it was a bit far for a day trip.
It's an SD18. The cabs/short hoods sat higher on the frame than on an SD9. The battery boxes were taller. It made the long hood look stepped down, but actually it was at the same height as an SD9
B&LE at first had too much ore south and worked on getting the steam coal business to Canada to balance out over the years. Now the steam coal business is gone. When B&LE had mostly double track, one track was red [southbound ore] while the other was black [northbound coal].
Sometimes you would say they were purple depending on the lighting. Yes, that one batch of paint used about 1970 aged strangely, considering the time frame some of us thought that somebody n the paint shop had sniffed a little too much and tried to be psychedelic.
Nice vids, did you shoot these? I have been trying to find any video of trains using the hot metal bridge to the Carrie Furnaces in Rankin. I had seen a few vids on YT that said Carrie Furnace closed in 1978. Does anyone have a vid of before Carrie Furnaces closing?
Yes, I shot all of this video. You might struggle to find video from 1978 or earlier because consumer grade video equipment didn't become available until the 1980s. A film may exist somewhere, I would try searching film libraries like Prelinger Archive or Periscope Films.
Thanks, I think I have been there once and that was many years ago, a lot along the B&LE has changed and nature taking over doesn't help.My great-grandfather was the regular fireman on the Butler local for a very long time starting prior to 1900, never took promotion to engineman so he could maintain the regular job, daily except Sunday. So this was the southern end of his run, near here he met my great-grandmother who worked at a lunch counter.
+Paul S. Thats such a neat connection with the Bessemer you have! Nature definitely does take over too. This curve isn’t open in the middle anymore, as trees have taken over and there is equipment (not sure for what) sitting inside the curve.
friction bearings are not restricted to a specific time frame. Friction bearings can used even today, but equipment with such bearings cannot be interchanged among railroads
At that time, B&LE and Union were sister roads. Journal bearings between them would have not been a problem then. I do not know if they had any journal bearing cars in service in 2001 when CN took the B&LE and Union was still part of the Steel.
Wow railroading as it should be. Nothing better than a 5 pack of MPs lugging coal up the North bessemer branch. It's a shame these lines are just a fraction of what they were only 20 years ago. #FJB
10:15 Looking at all those engines in the Greenville yard/shops, it’s so depressing how few are left now.
Awesome catch the BLE trains in Butler Pennsylvania
The a .k. steel plant I hauled coils out of had tracks next to the door o loaded in, I hated going there their coils paid cheap rates.
I love this so-o-o much! The old high hood engine at the beginning ....wow..... and the neat industrial settings..I am in Ontario Canada and never really saw high hoods back in the 70's 80's...maybe a glimpse of one or maybe one sitting in a yard but very mysterious.....I also love all those cool looking switcher engines .wow.....and one of them has a ladder going up from the hood to the top of the cab at 29:52 ............
18:05 For some reason, it always amuses me that the Chicago and North Western bought some of those Norfolk and Western box cars and patched them by adding a big ol' "C" in front of the "NW".
So, so cool. Sure brings back a lot of memories. Thanks for posting.
Great footage especially of The"J"! Love the shots of the SD9! I use to go to high school near USS South Works mill and would occasionally catch a glimpse of the elusive "J".
Great Memories of growing up across from the North bessemer yard. But it sure ain't active like it was back when I was a kid.
At 8:00 there are four or five Hulett unloaders across the river. It looks a bit hilly for Cleveland or Ashtabula - anyone know the location? (BTW, there is nothing more satisfying than an SD9's hogger blipping the throttle :-)
Conneaut OH
At 7:55, I love the old Huletts in the background!
Just noticed... Interesting in the era preceding ditch lights BLE using flashing headlights! Super video compilation!
They used gyrating headlights since the 1960s.
At the 6:38 mark, at first I thought I was seeing things, nope! The flashing mars light is just great! You just don't see this stuff anymore.
Some of the Alco’s RSD7 switcher are still in use in Argentina.
Nice job. Thanks for documenting.
Excellent
Nice image texture. Terrific cine work.
What a piece of living history in this video. Can you do a timeline of the years?
The EJ&E is all from 1991. The B&LE is from 1989 and 1991. The Union is from 1991 and 2004.
those BLE F's are sitting at the former Allegheny Western RR engine house at Kaylor PA @4:20
What are those cars in the first scene (0:35)? I've never seen anything like that before.
They are flat cars with ingot molds. The molds were filled at Gary and being transferred to South Chicago where the molds would be stripped and the ingots sent to the rolling mills after reheating.
@@fmnut Thanks!
Thank you for the great capture!
Thank you for this. Now I don't have to work on building a time machine. That URR stuff really took me back.
That first train was the J I grew up around though being on the north end of the western part of the J the leading was a lot more mundane than ingot flats.
Also kind of rare for that late 80s era the caboose still had it's cupola mounted marker lamp.
5 EMD switchers grunting a loaded coal train! Love it!!
VERY GOOD
damn that is one hell of a way to lead off the video!
My Grandpa Carr once worked for the EJ&E, but he didn't call it the EJ&E but Easy Jobs for Everyone.
at 3:46, B&LE 845 (ex- DM&IR) survives as SBVR #181, and at 10:30, B&LE 853 (Former Bicentennial unit) survives as SBVR #182.
867 is the only one still standing from this video...
Nice footage of the J, once known as the "E.J.&E. Outer Belt" railroad, BUT U.S.Steel management did not want to be FORCED to take "Bridge" traffic, so THEY went to court to change the name. Great thinking, TURN DOWN business and MONEY. Typical steel mill management mentality. I worked as a locomotive engineer on the "J" for 34 years, now enjoying mY pension, glad to out of there, but still have many fond memories.
nice video!
Some great archival footage! I especially enjoyed the views taken in Conneaut, Ohio where I grew up. Where were the high speed run-bys taken? If that was the Greenville roundhouse I have slides of B&LE 643 and Union 0-10-2 604 from the mid 1960's when both were stored there. Was the trio of F units in running condition when you shot them? Thanks again for the great footage. JM
The runby at 08:50 is somewhere around Mercer, don't remember the exact location, I got there off I-79 somehow. Yes, that is the Greenville engine area and roundhouse. The remaining shots were taken chasing from Greenville northwards to Osgood on the old line and then north to the 322 overpass. Yes, the F's at Kaylor were in running condition, just not running that day (it was a Sunday). I regret never having gotten them on the road, but at the time I had to work for a living and it was a bit far for a day trip.
Thanks for the videos, the Shops were in my near me.
the SD at 1:39 has a stepped roof. but why? change to the air filter box?
It's an SD18. The cabs/short hoods sat higher on the frame than on an SD9. The battery boxes were taller. It made the long hood look stepped down, but actually it was at the same height as an SD9
I thought the b.l.e only hauled ore.1 of my favorites
Coal, coke, and limestone in addition to ore. All part of the steel making process.
B&LE at first had too much ore south and worked on getting the steam coal business to Canada to balance out over the years. Now the steam coal business is gone. When B&LE had mostly double track, one track was red [southbound ore] while the other was black [northbound coal].
Thank you 2 for replying to me sorry it took me so long as to I drive trucks and just 2day saw it. Thanks again
Good Stuff FMNUT
do you have any footage of the Birmingham Southern? it was a USS railroad in Birmingham AL
4:36 Did they really take off this fast ?!! Or are a few seconds missing from the video ?
The train snuck up on me so I didn't get time for a proper lead-in. I included a few seconds of freeze frame to avoid a jump-cut.
10:57 a purple B&LE caboose?
kleetus92 no, it was a really faded orange almost tending to look pink. The purple cast is an artifact of the old video and the backlighting.
Lol... I was gonna say, that's definitely a unique find!
Sometimes you would say they were purple depending on the lighting. Yes, that one batch of paint used about 1970 aged strangely, considering the time frame some of us thought that somebody n the paint shop had sniffed a little too much and tried to be psychedelic.
7:55 Hulett Alert!
Nice.
Hey FMnut. You wouldn't happen to have any footage of the Union Railroad Buffalo's ?
Nice vids, did you shoot these? I have been trying to find any video of trains using the hot metal bridge to the Carrie Furnaces in Rankin. I had seen a few vids on YT that said Carrie Furnace closed in 1978. Does anyone have a vid of before Carrie Furnaces closing?
Yes, I shot all of this video. You might struggle to find video from 1978 or earlier because consumer grade video equipment didn't become available until the 1980s. A film may exist somewhere, I would try searching film libraries like Prelinger Archive or Periscope Films.
What yard is at the 18:50 time mark?
Duquesne PA
Where is 8:46?
Branchton? I am not sure.
Probably not, maybe Queen Jct.
+Paul S. Thanks, I’ve since figured it out and have shot a modern train here. That is at the North end of Calvin Yard in Butler.
Thanks, I think I have been there once and that was many years ago, a lot along the B&LE has changed and nature taking over doesn't help.My great-grandfather was the regular fireman on the Butler local for a very long time starting prior to 1900, never took promotion to engineman so he could maintain the regular job, daily except Sunday. So this was the southern end of his run, near here he met my great-grandmother who worked at a lunch counter.
+Paul S. Thats such a neat connection with the Bessemer you have! Nature definitely does take over too. This curve isn’t open in the middle anymore, as trees have taken over and there is equipment (not sure for what) sitting inside the curve.
What year is that? I see hops with "friction bearings" or are those retro fitted with roller bearings?
To which scene are you referring?
friction bearings are not restricted to a specific time frame. Friction bearings can used even today, but equipment with such bearings cannot be interchanged among railroads
8:57, 30:19... pretty odd stuff
URR is a class 3... that may be why they were still running friction bearings.
The year was 1989
At that time, B&LE and Union were sister roads. Journal bearings between them would have not been a problem then. I do not know if they had any journal bearing cars in service in 2001 when CN took the B&LE and Union was still part of the Steel.
Can I get a copy write on this video
what do you mean? do you want to make a copy, or do you want to be able to distribute it?
Wow railroading as it should be. Nothing better than a 5 pack of MPs lugging coal up the North bessemer branch. It's a shame these lines are just a fraction of what they were only 20 years ago. #FJB
THE EJ&E SD9'S ARE DM&IR!
THE UNION RAILROAD ISN'T SOLD THE OTHER TWO WERE PIRCHASED BY CN!
Yes they are still running I haul steel out of the u.s.s. mom valley plant and seen them every day.
Nice orange peel
,,