Candid Operating Session Photographs

The following photographs were taken during several different operating sessions
on the Pennsylvania & Western. Some photos show the operators while others are
closeups of the action on the layout. Hopefully there are some to interest everyone.
Basically, the captions describe what is happening. Because these photos
span several operating sessions, the same train may be shown with different
locomotives and different consists, depending on when the photograph was taken.

Eastbound coal drag SE-32 passes the station in Lebanon. This train is powered today by ex-N&W Y3 2-8-8-2 #374 (PRR class HH1).
This peaceful scene shows the Mainline and the freight station in East Valley. On the lefthand side of the photo we can see a hopper of coal for the snappers (helper locomotives) stationed here. The edge of the water tank for the snappers is also visible.
Here are two freight trains making a "meet and pass" in Lebanon. The slower, lower priority train has taken the siding so that the higher priority freight can pass by and get ahead of it.
At the west end of Lebanon are LW Tower and the coal siding for Lebanon Lumber and Coal. In the background is the Furnace Hill Coal Company's breaker.
One of Pennsy's 598 2-10-0 Decapods acts as a snapper to assist train EC-11 up the 3.5% grade from West Valley to AE Tower. The snapper tied on to the train in East Valley and will cut off at Annville Yard.
Here the snapper has been placed on the holding track in Annville by the hostler engineer (after adding coal and water at the Annville steam service area). It is now ready to go "light engine" back down the hill to East Valley as an "extra" train movement.
Later in the session the snapper, running as "Extra 66 East" returns to the snapper pocket in East Valley, running in reverse. Here it is passing under the West Valley Approach Signal bridge.
Local freight crews for trains AS-37 on the left and SA-44 on the right clog the aisle between Lebanon and East Valley/Summit. The Pennsylvania & Western was planned with wide aisles (4 feet in this area) so crews would have room to work.
Interchange run ARD-31 is busy in Lebanon. The typical power for this train is the Lima 2500 h.p. Transfer Diesel shown in the photo (PRR class LS25).
In this photo from a different session, ARD-31 has a PRR CC2s 0-8-8-0 for power. Since this is a short-haul train, it is assigned an ancient ND 4-wheel bobber cabin car.
Here is another shot of the CC2s working train ARD-31.
Passenger train 13 is stopped at Summit passenger station (just behind the operator's right shoulder). In the early 1950's, Baldwin Centipedes (PRR class BP60) still served as passenger train power.
Here are the steam service facilities in Annville Yard. The inbound turntable track passes by a water plug (on the far side of the coaling tower), then under the tower, past the ash pit and past the sanding tower. At the left is the Annville Yard Office, scratchbuilt by Mike Havron. It is patterned after the Rose Tower structure in Altoona, PA as it appeared after 1952.
A PRR EF15 locomotive (EMD F-3) idles at the Annville Diesel Enginehouse. This engine is an MTH model with TMCC and Railsounds installed on the inside and Cal-Scale trainphone antennas and nose lift rings installed on the outside.
At the opposite end of the enginehouse, class FS10 switcher (Fairbanks-Morse H10-44) awaits the call to run industrial switching job IND-1.
In this series of photos we see eastbound train CWM-28 early in the operating session as it runs from Conway Yard staging to Annville. Here the train rounds Horseshoe Curve on the way to Summit.
Here is a closer view of CWM-28 on the Curve. Luckily, the engineer assigned to the train in this session is also a railfan with camera in hand!
The doubleheaded Alco RS-1's (PRR class AS10am, Atlas models) on CWM-28 have passed through Summit and are shown on the P&W's Signature Trestle.
Here the train is stopped at the Lebanon West Approach Signal awaiting clearance to proceed into Lebanon.
The last photo in the series has CWM-28 on the Main in Lebanon making a meet with westbound train PC-5. The next stop is Annville Yard!
The engineer of westbound train EC-11 has a steady hand on the throttle as he slowly departs the town of Lebanon.
Passenger train 13 is stopping at Annville station as the engineer watches intently.
Late in an operating session, train AC-25 (westbound from Annville Yard to Conway Yard staging) passes the Leighsom Pipe Co., a large brick factory building in Lebanon.
Also late in the session, the crew of train AF-44 plans their switching moves at the Altoona Brewing Co. in the town of Franklin.
Another late session movement is empty coal hopper train AP-30 which runs eastbound from Annville Yard to the coal mines on the Petersburg Branch (in staging). The Branch is assumed to be very hilly, thus AP-30 rates a pair of L1s 2-8-2 locomotives.
In a different operating session, trains CWM-28 and PC-5 make a meet at Lebanon.
Here is some multiple train action with a 2-10-0 Decapod on coal train ES-37 and a set of Fairbanks-Morse Erie-Builts (PRR class FF20) on train AC-25. Both movements are headed westbound. The P&W's three times around the room mainline design is evident here. The first time around, westbound trains come up the double-track hill on the right. The second time around, trains are where AC-25 is shown, while ES-37 is on the third and final lap of the main layout room and is headed for Pittsburgh staging.
Eastbound train 14 eases to a stop at the Lebanon passenger station behind a pair of massive Baldwin BP60 Centipedes.
Train AC-25 passes westbound through Summit on the way to Conway Yard staging.
The mine run ES-37 is shown waiting "in the hole" (on the siding) at Lebanon.	>
Here is ES-37 from the opposite end. One more trip around the basement will bring the train to the Furnace Hill Coal Company breaker. Note that the signal in front of the locomotive shows three horizontal lights, a "stop" indication.
The "stop" indication was there because a doubleheaded loaded coal drag is headed eastbound into town. Operators on the Pennsylvania & Western must pay attention to the signals!