Teach me about the D&H in the 80s

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm looking to learn a little bit about the D&H in the late 70s and 80s after they got all the trackage rights on Conrail.

Specifically, I'm looking to learn about what trains they ran and what they looked like.

If, for example, the D&H needed helpers to get through the B&P or Union tunnels in Baltimore, would Conrail provide the shove? Were they on their own?

What type of power would they send down to Potomac Yard, for example?  I once heard that it was only their later model EMD stuff that had Amtrak compatible cab signals. Does that mean that we only saw the GP38s and GP39s in Maryland? Or would they sandwich some of the odder stuff (like C420s or rebuilt RS3s) in the middle of consists?

From Wikipedia, it looks like Guilford had control of it for a few years there too right in the mid 80s. How common was other Guilford stuff in the area? Like, for example, would it be possible to see a U18B on the Northeast Corridor?

I'm not looking for all the answers, but I am looking for where to go look for them.

This makes it look like it'd be all geeps, but that's a sample size of one.

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[Point353]

Then there's this:


http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/dh/dh7407y10.jpg

[Missaberoad]

Then there's this:


http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/dh/dh7407y10.jpg

I think those are later, Post CP takeover units... Ed's Era would be more like this unit, some with lots of LV red bleeding through the blue...

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/dh/dh7315as.jpg

[Point353]

I think those are later, Post CP takeover units...

Photo is from 1990. CP takeover occurred in 1991.

[conrail1973]

@Ed Kapuscinski - If you can, pick up a copy of Delaware and Hudson in Color Volume 4.  It has a good section on trains running to Pot Yard.  If I recall, any power could run to Enola, but their GP38-2 and GP39-2 had to lead on CR and Amtrak trackage. I hope this helps.

Thank you,

Adam

[Ed Kapuscinski]

@Ed Kapuscinski - If you can, pick up a copy of Delaware and Hudson in Color Volume 4.  It has a good section on trains running to Pot Yard.  If I recall, any power could run to Enola, but their GP38-2 and GP39-2 had to lead on CR and Amtrak trackage. I hope this helps.

Thank you,

Adam

Awesome. It's now on my list.

Thanks!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think those are later, Post CP takeover units... Ed's Era would be more like this unit, some with lots of LV red bleeding through the blue...

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/dh/dh7315as.jpg

Oh, that's hot.

[conrail1973]

The following DVDs are also helpful through John Pechulis Media:

Conrail Lehigh Line
Conrail Reading Line
Railfan Delaware Hudson Volume 3

Adam

[Mark5]

Baltimorish 12/27/1980:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/26631791350

1/25/81:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/30703814654/in/album-72157661509952233/

West Baltimore! 12/20/80

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/26825446255/in/album-72157661509952233/

More 1980

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/26803833005/in/album-72157661509952233/

Mark

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Baltimorish 12/27/1980:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/26631791350

1/25/81:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/30703814654/in/album-72157661509952233/

West Baltimore! 12/20/80

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/26825446255/in/album-72157661509952233/

More 1980

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guitartrain/26803833005/in/album-72157661509952233/

Mark

All very helpful. All second gen EMDs. Hmm.
Sounds like, if I were to be running a D&H train down the NEC I'd need a lightning stripe GP38, a blue GP38, an ex RDG GP39 and an ex LV GP38AC. Maybe a gray Guilford geep in there too.

However, if I were to, say, need D&H helpers for the Northern Central, I could probably get away with all sorts of other craziness. Like a C420/U18B combo. Hmm...

[Point353]

Sounds like, if I were to be running a D&H train down the NEC I'd need a lightning stripe GP38, a blue GP38, an ex RDG GP39 and an ex LV GP38AC.

Or, in 1983, just an assortment of GP39-2 locos in various paint/patched schemes:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2982897
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2982892

By 1988, the view is substantially different:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3737282
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3737283

[davefoxx]

Then there's this:


http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/dh/dh7407y10.jpg

This photo jars my recollection of additional D&H trackage rights down the B&O between Philadelphia and Pot Yard.  Probably to allow the D&H to try to survive and compete, since it was left out of Conrail.

DFF

[Point353]

This photo jars my recollection of additional D&H trackage rights down the B&O between Philadelphia and Pot Yard. 

The location is identified as Halethorpe MD, which is in between Baltimore and Relay on the CSX/B&O.

[C855B]

Then there's this:

What has me scratching my head is why a B&O blue anything existed in 1990. 

[learmoia]

There were several CSX patched and unpatched C&O and B&O units into the mid-late 1990s. (They seemed to linger longer than the Chessie units..)


(From the CSX photo archives on trainweb..