Postcard. "Penn'a Lines Great Freight Yards at Conway, PA." colored photograph of many loaded hopper cars. Circular inset of steam locomotive. Turntable in center; mountains and river in background.

From the Museum Collection: Postcard. "Penn'a Lines Great Freight Yards at Conway, PA." colored photograph of many loaded hopper cars. Circular inset of steam locomotive. Turntable in center; mountains and river in background. Reverse: "Published by S&S Postcard Co., Beaver Falls, PA. Made in U.S.A." trademark at top. "R-27485" at bottom. "111" and "59" encircled in pencil. Unused. 1902-1920. In April 1871 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was formed, and in 1884 they began to construct the Conway Yards (Conway, PA). On January 9, 1900, the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased sixty-three acres of land adjacent to the yard on which to build extensive shops. This was the beginnings of what was to become the largest and most modern classification yard in the United States. In 1901 the Pennsylvania Railroad officially opened Conway Yards. Then on December 5, 1901 the Pennsylvania Railroad bought 92 acres of land adjacent to its existing property. The purpose of this was to provide housing for the families of the men working at the Conway Yards as there was insufficient housing in the area for the anticipated increased employment. The yard was sufficiently enlarged by 1904 that the Allegheny Yard was shut down and the men from the Allegheny Yard moved to the Conway Yard. Construction began on the new roundhouse in 1909 to replace the old roundhouse, which had been built in the 1880’s and had 12 stalls. The increase in the size of the yards meant an increase in the number of yard locomotives. When Conway became a junction for trains traveling to all points of the compass a larger locomotive shop was needed. The new locomotive shop had 23 stalls. The first drop tables were built in Conway in 1927. In 1943 work was started on the engine house. The railroad spent $ 300,000 to accommodate these larger locomotives at Conway. The “Conway Project” of the mid 1950’s had a great impact on the Conway roundhouse and $35,000,000 was spent to upgrade the yard and other facilities at Conway. 145 miles of new track were laid in the classification yard which now measures four and one-half miles long and three-fourths of a mile wide at its widest point. At this time there were no longer any steam locomotives operating through Conway.

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