Conrail Hall of Fame DVD video 

Conrail was an amazing achievement. They took the failed Penn Central and other smaller companies and made them into a system that was not only profitable, but respectable. When the time came to divide up Big Blue, CSX and NS couldn't wait to get their hands on this cash cow Not gonna point any fingers but I think Penn Central could have survived if it wasn't for the over-regulation placed on the railroads at the time... They couldn't afford to fix their track and were even forced by the ICC to add the bankrupted New York, New Haven, and Hartford to their system so the Pennsylvania-New York Central merger could even begin, but that's neither here nor now...

3:23 I see 2 chessies over there

You mention worn out Power. I fired on the Penn Certain to Conrail to Amtrak from March of 1974 until December of 1982. I went into the LETP program in July of 1975 and was Promoted to Locomotive Engineer in November of 1976. This LETP program was not easy as by far more failed out of the program than made it.After the Schooling part of the LETP program was OJT and I was assigned to a Road Freight job with the Best Known Freight Locomotive Engineer. The First day I showed up to Meadows Yard in South Kearney NJ. Changing Crews then to Enola Yard Pennsylvania. From the time I got on the Electric Locomotive” 2. Two E-44s in multiple units” on the Engine House Outbound Track until I uncoupled the E-44s at Enola Yard in Pennsylvania. This Engineer yelled at me continuously. When I stopped the E-44s on the Pit and the Engineer and I get off the Locomotives. This Engineer says to me. Kid come on I’ll buy you Dinner. I said to him, right now I want to get as far away from you as Possible. Then he says, I know your Father personally and I just want you to learn how to operate any Freight Train you may encounter. I say,as long as you’re aren’t going to yell at me, of course I’ll go to dinner with you. I come to find out from the Engineer that my dad requested that I be assigned to work with him. My Dad was real good friends with the Head of the LETP. Anyway my 3 months of OJT I was assigned to the best and strictest Freight Engineers on the Penn Central Railroad. It paid off as when I was done with OJT. I wouldn’t have any problem operating any Freight Trains on any of the Main Lines we operated on. You say that Penn Centrals Locomotives were basically worn out. I have to disagree with you on two of Penn Centrals Electric Locomotives. The GG-1 and the E-44 were extremely reliable and Powerful Locomotives. The GG-1s were extremely reliable and I never was on one that didn’t make it from Point-A to Point-B. The E-44s could give you problems if you didn’t operate it Properly. But I never operated any E-44s that didn’t make it from Point-A to Point-B. The E-44s also had Dynamic Braking that was very useful operating a long Freight Train to and from Meadows to Enola or to Harrisburg Pennsylvania. The GG-1s were another Electric Locomotive that you had to know how to operate or you would have problems with it. Any Problems that could occur with this Locomotive were easily rectified.The GG-1s were way ahead of their time, but were basic Electric Locomotives. It had Two Pantographs” you always used the rear Pantograph” a Transformer,AC Traction Motors and Ticklers that were between the Spoked Drivers that had Rubber Pads on each side and would repeatedly hit against the spokes until the Locomotive reached between 10 and 15 Mph and then the AC traction motors would kick in. You couldn’t get on a GG-1 and just pull the throttle out. If you did you would either blow the Main Fuse or trip out the Pantograph Relay. You probably know how to operate this Locomotive so I won’t go into any more details on how to operate this Locomotive unless you ask me too. It’s been over 34 years since I last operated one. As far as I’m concerned the GG-1 was by far the best Electric Locomotive ever produced. These Locomotives were still able to keep pulling trains when they were retired. Now the E-33s were fairly worn out, but then again if you knew how to operate them. They would also get you from Point-A to Point-B. You had to baby these Locomotives. Do you know what ever happened to that 6,000 HP EMD GM6C Dual mode Locomotive?

This is a dynamite DVD and is now available at www.trainmovies.com

Who killed the pensy?

Probably took them 10 years to repair the rails the past roads didnt have the money to fix. The Conrail breakup basically undid the PC Merger

at 1:40 the nararator talks about " worn out power , broken morale". What's not mentioned was the Reading's Power was in good shape. Infact the Penn Central would take the Reading's power and send the Beat up PRR/ NYC/ PC power to the Reading.

Pssst. Best part at 4:07. Ex EL SD45-2 pushers growling past.

The PRR was my favorite from very early in my childhood But when PENN CENTRAL came along with those ugly paint jobs I just about gave up Rail fanning, Then when that wonderful BLUE PAINT with the Wheel & Rail logo came along it was like I died and went to HEAVEN. >JOE Morris

conrail 4 life!

woah, electric freight engines, don't see those too often in america (never anymore)

Amazing. God i sure wish they were still in existence. At least they do on my HO layout!

Chris, just google Charles Smiley Presents and a number of mail-order sellers will come up that sell it. We don't sell direct but leave that to hobby shops, mail-order dealers and rail museums all over North America. Don't forget to try a local hobby shop too.

to drby: Ex Pennsy ES44s made by GE in the 1960s for electric operation.

I miss conrail. Such a valuable asset our government gave up, and such a great looking collection of locomotives...

I !miss big blue

1:33 what kind of engine is that??

NS did not take down any catenary.

It amazes me that they wanted to run electrics from south Kearney, nj to Conway yard, pa! That would've stunk in my opinion - damn I miss big blue!

So what was Conrail's plan in growth but a twist of fate if CSX and NS didnt buy it out? Let me know anybody.

The engine at 6:20 is still around working for the East Penn Railroad from Emmaus to Pennsgurg.

6:00 Wyomissing,Pa 1990 looks nothing like that now Good old days!

conrail!we miss you

long live big blue! at least Norfolk southern has heritage unit #8098 i hope csx does the same thing by making its own conrail heritage unit soon if they decide to make there own heritage units

Charles, i just recently viewed the photos of your layout. it looks fantastic! im heading to a train show in harrisburg tomorrow. hope i can find some more conrail stuff. i have watched almost all of these video previews. they are great! keep up the great work!!!!

How do you order this DVD.

Conrail was going to merge with Western Pacific that was Conrails plan in growth but Union Pacific bought W.P before Conrail got to hope that helps Matthew Sanders

I need to get one!

Crazy how much 40 years makes. Now America has the greatest freight rail network on the planet. Norfolk Southern and CSX are now world-class railroads.

Great dvd

Charlie, am I allowed to use some of this footage in my talking train series?