RailPictures.Net Photo: CR 2072 Conrail Alco C420 at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by Doug Lilly

Community Response

Locomotive Details

Location/Date of Photo


Views: 12,787 Favorited: 56
Since added on April 05, 2016

+ Add to Favorites

+ Subscribe

+ Add to Photo Album

+ Post a Photo Comment

» Conrail (more..)
» Alco C420 (more..)

» Unknown
» Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA (more..)
» May 04, 1978

Locomotive No./Train ID

Photographer

» CR 2072 (more..)
» Unknown

» Doug Lilly (more..)
» Contact Photographer · Photographer Profile

Remarks & Notes

The times, they are a-changin’ – South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has undergone quite a bit of change since the late 1970’s, and this image captures the beginning of the change. The Bethlehem Steel complex, which dominated the South Bethlehem skyline for well over a century, is still running, but the glut of cheap foreign steel has taken its toll on production totals. The mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad has been slowly deteriorating due to the deferred maintenance policies of the postwar era. Newly-formed Conrail is now undertaking the task of rebuilding the line, and upgrading it as part of what will become the main New York – Harrisburg corridor. A pair of Alcos of Lehigh and Hudson River and Lehigh Valley heritage lead a local on a siding to bypass the construction work. Within a few years, the Alco’s will also be gone. The 2072 was the only of Conrail’s C420’sto receive Conrail blue paint. Done by the Bethlehem shop forces the paint was applied with a roller. I never heard the actual story, but local rumors suggest that CR management was not pleased with the misappropriation of paint for this project.

Photo Comments (4)

User Photo Albums Containing this Photo (9)

+ Add to Album

Classic Rails Album created by member Shaun Hennessy	Album Views: 33,507
Photos that show the true classic days of railroading.

Penn Central/Conrail Album created by member Rod Clark	Album Views: 14,938

Paint Schemes Album created by member Nathan Richters	Album Views: 993,558
Not just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.

Exotic Album created by member Nathan Richters	Album Views: 893,385
Looking for rare, obscure, or otherwise exotic locomotives? Look here!

Best of Big Blue Album created by member Derek Stewart	Album Views: 26,060
Great or interesting photos showing Conrail equipment, past and present.

Russ RR Album created by member Russ Kendter	Album Views: 2,137
Anthracite Railroads

ALCo World Album created by member Rolf Stumpf	Album Views: 198,234
A world-spanning collection of diesel locomotives from ALCo, MLW and Bombardier.

Classic Railroading Album created by member Chessiefan2	Album Views: 531,462
Railroading in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, basically anything but the 2000s.

DreamTrains Album created by member coco13cos	Album Views: 3,005,994
Over 50.000 of RP's most appreciated and beautiful photos.

Add to Photo Album or Get Your Own Photo Album

EXIF Data for this photo: [What's this?]
- Hide Data -

Make	Plustek
Model	OpticFilm 8200i