More Youngstown...

[Chris333]

Well I'm always yappin' about Youngstown, OH.   :   So here are some pictures.

First a map:
[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/ErieChris333/Rm8g3rvKpkI/AAAAAAAAAmY/aZBjf2RkMUo/s800/Google%20Youngstown.jpg[/img]
Yellow = Erie
Blue = B&O
Red = PRR
Green = NYC/P&LE/LE&E
The numbers and arrows go with the photos.

Second I was born in Y-town, the next Erie RR station to the East was Hubbard, OH and is where I lived till around 8th grade. My Grandfather on my Dad's side worked at and retired from a machine shop. Right out the front door of his shop the Erie crossed right through an intersection. When I was about 5 years old I saw a EL S12 go down that track. I knew what a S12 was because my Dad had a HO scale Athearn EL S12.


Photo location #1:

1968 the gate tower still in Erie paint, later it was maroon. The building in the background with the blue car is where my Grandfather worked. The smoke stacks to the right are a steam plant (more later)

2007


Photo location #2:


2007 Erie's freight station that was joint owned by the P&LE.
Right across the tracks was the steam plant that was serviced by the Erie:

This is where coal was un-loaded.


Photo location #3:

1968 Erie's Youngstown passenger terminal and headquarters for the whole Mahoning Division of the Erie. This building was heated by steam from the nearby plant. It is also where the Erie drawings on George Elwood's site were found and saved:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/dwg/draw.html

2007


Photo location #4:

1961 still at the PAX station, nice mix of power.

2006


Photo location #5:

1969 I've shown this before. The tracks to the right head to the P&LE and Pittsburgh. The building straight ahead is where Pollock hot metal cars were made.

2007


Photo location #6:

1968 NYC station boarded up looking towards the start of Gateway yard.
[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/ErieChris333/RkyPSmxJmuI/AAAAAAAAAVI/jP9-y-pw6Fc/s800/IMG_3807.JPG[/img]
2007


Photo location #7:

1968 VY tower in Erie paint where the Erie and NYC crossed. My Dad was a signalman for EL/Conrail and would take me with him to this tower to check his schedule and pick up his paycheck.

2007

1970's in Conrail paint.

2007

[SAH]

Cool photos Chris.  Tell a casual observer today that a RR ran through town on the yellow line Chris drew and they'd likely not believe you.  Saw an article recently that the city fathers have decided green space is the way to go in Y'town.  No business, no jobs, no tax revenue, but too much infrastructure to maintain - Might as well turn it into parkland.  One giant land bank.  Interesting concept.  We'll see how it plays out.  The good times are not coming back to the Mahoning Valley anytime soon unfortunately.

Steve

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Chris, have you ever played with this: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=68480

I've created one here:

http://tinyurl.com/23dq33

[Chris333]

Ed,
I'll have to try that out, might be cool to link photos with markers.

Steve,
The old Erie main isn't all green. Right across the street from the freight station is a multi story jail built right on top of the old tracks (right below the "2") :
http://www.mahoningsheriff.com/

Then half a block away right before the PAX station is the steel museum built over the tracks (under the tip of #3's arrow) :
http://www.sia-web.org/tours/youngstown/falltour/SIAFT2006HP.htm

And right passed the station is a federal court building over the tracks (under the tip of 4's arrow):
http://www.clevelandgbc.org/graphics/news/Youngstown/exterior_final.jpg

The steel museum was sort of a disappointment other than a couple hours going through archive photos & maps.

[SAH]

 . . . . . . built right on top of the old tracks . . . . .

 . . . . . museum built over the tracks  . . . . .

. . . . . . court building over the tracks . . . . .

The steel museum was sort of a disappointment other than a couple hours going through archive photos & maps.

As I was saying . . . .   

The steel museum closed at one point did it not?  Of interest to the architects on the list:  The museum building is a Michael Graves designed structure, late 80's, just before he made the big time - in household goods - at Target if I'm not mistaken.  My Dad helped the Ohio Hist Society get many of the artifacts they displayed when the place opened.  It was easy to get artifacts back then - Everything was closing so they just went in and loaded up a truck.  :  It started out as the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor.  With an emphasis on Labor.  After a few years of special exhibits celebrating the undying spirit of the working man and the incompetance of management he decided enough was enough and never went back.  Plenty of blame to go  around for the decline of the Valley - management, labor and the politicians - ESPECIALLY the politicians.  Hosting an Industrial Archeology Society convention in Y'town just makes sense, no?

[Chris333]

I will have to look next time, I didn't know it closed.

I while back a buddy of mine tried to save the blast furnace at Brier Hill to turn it into a museum, then a watched on the news when they blew it up. He now has a BIG Tod steam engine on his own land because he couldn't get the original building where it was built saved.
http://www.todengine.org/

Now if you look where the blast furnace was a concrete company is using the raw materials bin, thats it. Not really a big reason for not saving it.

[SAH]

I will have to look next time, I didn't know it closed.

I while back a buddy of mine tried to save the blast furnace at Brier Hill to turn it into a museum, then a watched on the news when they blew it up. He now has a BIG Tod steam engine on his own land because he couldn't get the original building where it was built saved.
http://www.todengine.org/

Now if you look where the blast furnace was a concrete company is using the raw materials bin, thats it. Not really a big reason for not saving it.

It may be open now.  This was some time ago - when the Ohio Hist Society was cutting back sites.

My Dad tells the story of the day they imploded the Brier Hill blast furnaces.  Big tent with all the local politicos & guests celebrating the start of the "redevelopment" of da Valley.  After the big boom there was to be a procession through the buffet line for lunch.  Well, steel mills are big dirty places, and there was a slight breeeze blowing, toward the tent of course.  Needless to say everything, including lunch, had a fine covering of grit over it.  Served 'em right.

The Tod engine site is interesting.  There's another group of ex-mill employees trying to restore some mill RR equipment.  Has been tough going.  I think they have a bottle car.

[Chris333]

Yeah he was given the bottle car that is at Station Square in Pittsburgh, just has to go get it. He has a short section of track laid behind the Tod engine for it. He also got the owners of Valley Mould in Hubbard to donate a alco S2 switcher. I went to school with him (Rick) in Hubbard till 7th grade, his grandmother worked at "Tony's" next to the tracks and we would ride with her to work and play around the tracks all day. The RR crews would stop there for lunch since it was about 20' from the tracks.

Wish I would have watched the blast furnaces in person. The sinter plant is still there, but earlier this year they were hauling out the remains in the bulk materials area so maybe it will fall next. There is still a rotary dumper there rusting away.

[diezmon]

Chris, have you ever played with this: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=68480

I've created one here:

http://tinyurl.com/23dq33

Ok, this is totally addicting   I love how you can put html into the placemarks! I spent most of my work-day making this  LOL

Some eastern TC tidbits..