This may be repetitive for some; but I just received it and found it to be a wealth of information. There’s more than just the one file. You can scroll to the top a find much more.
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Very cool article thanks for posting great read.
Thanks for the info - lot's of interesting reading to do!
-Greg
This is great, thanks for the post! I was visiting Horseshoe Curve (along with the United 93 memorial) a couple of weeks ago, and while there I tried to imagine the nearly incomprehensible amount of traffic of materials, personnel, and equipment during the war effort. It must have been a scene to behold, and of course it was of inestimable value--German saboteurs were even dispatched to our mainland to try and blow it up.
The "Angel of the Resurrection" statue at 30th Street Station never--and I mean never--fails to move me deeply, and I always pause before it when I'm there out of respect for the fallen. My Dad was both a WWII vet (a coxswain in the Navy) and a PRR employee, so I suppose there might be a deeper connection for me than some, but it sure is powerful nonetheless. The building alone is worthy of a destination visit.
A truly great find, pennsyfan!
The Pennsylvania Railroad didn't adapt the slogan The Standard Railroad of the World in 1916 for nothing. It more than earned the title from it's beginning to the bitter end. It is missed and mourned by many Pennsy fans worldwide to this day!
Adding to Tuscan Jim's reply, Walker Hancock's bronze sculpture Angel of the Resurrection* on display in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, is one of the most beautiful and impressive sculptures ever created by man in my opinion. It's shown in all it's glory in the 1985 released motion picture Witness which starred Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, and Lukas Haas. Filmed on location in Philadelphia, Strasburg, and around Lancaster County, even Amtrak makes a "guest" appearance!
*The sculpture, unvailed in 1952, is in rememberance of the Pennsylvania Railroad employees who gave their lives in WWII. See Wikipedia for the story behind it.
Thanks so much for sharing with OGR members!
Joe
Tuscan Jim:
My reaction the times I have passed through 30th Street and paused before the “Angel of the Resurrection” is much the same as yours. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve walked away each time with my hanky in my hand to dry my eyes.
Curt
Neither am I.
@pennsyfan posted:This may be repetitive for some; but I just received it and found it to be a wealth of information. There’s more than just the one file. You can scroll to the top a find much more.
Thank you very much for sharing this Bob.
I know things in 2020 have been so consuming to the people in this age , but to look at these photos and info from those PRR WWII articles , I was drawn into what must have been an incredible historic journey that age of people must have been overwhelmed with. 🤤 ...............and came through with flying colors.🇺🇸
Very interesting and informative. Great pics too! Thank you for posting!
A marvelous celebration of a great railroad and American institution. The PRR was viewed for decades as a"widow's portfolio" staple, as the dividend was so reliable. But, as I contemplate this narrative and photos, I feel a twinge of emotional pain thinking of how much has been lost and the crummy condition of today's "infrastructure".
Forgive me for sounding cynical, but it's a good thing that the PRR didn't erect that beautiful monument in New York Penn Station, or we wouldn't have it to inspire us today. It would have been dumped in the Jersey swamp along the tracks.
Does anyone know where to find plans for that prr converted boxcar to troop car? It appears to be an x31.
Great article. I really enjoyed the history. Although it's not train related, I live on a small island off of Portland Maine that underwent extensive "renovations" for the war effort. There are still a few huge bunkers that held large guns and many old concrete foundations of the buildings that housed soldiers during the war.
Portland Maine was actually one of the ports that was responsible for many of the Liberty ships that wee built very quickly for the war effort too.
https://www.mainememory.net/si...Preble%2C%20Lott%20M.
https://sphistory.pastperfecto...building+Corporation
Bob,
Thanks so much for posting and sharing this fabulous article!
Due to family PRR connections and later wartime work shipping goods from Pittsburgh to New Orleans (on Dravo boats) up and down the Mississippi, I was especially interested in the hints the article provided about moving goods as well as soldiers at the other end of the state.
I also spent a little time reading up on Mr. Hancock's amazing statue and found myself tearing up as well.
Thanks again for the fascinating and informative post. I forwarded it to the soldier in the family.
Tomlinson Run Railroad
@Arthur P. Bloom posted:Forgive me for sounding cynical, but it's a good thing that the PRR didn't erect that beautiful monument in New York Penn Station, or we wouldn't have it to inspire us today. It would have been dumped in the Jersey swamp along the tracks.
Yeah, it's even difficult to just imagine such a horrible thing...
WOW! Thank-you for sharing this article.
Bob, I've seen that piece and it is well done. Thanks for sharing it again.
If you love history and the PRR, I would recommend joining the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society. They come out with a quarterly magazine, The Keystone. It is one of the best historical society magazines that I have ever seen and I have belonged to many over the years. Having said that, I've had several articles I was lucky enough to get printed in The Keystone, over the last few years including this cover story about the Pennsy and related to WWII from Winter 2015:
Tom
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@mark s posted:But, as I contemplate this narrative and photos, I feel a twinge of emotional pain thinking of how much has been lost and the crummy condition of today's "infrastructure".
When Tom Brokaw called the men and women of this era the "Greatest Generation", truer words were never spoken.
Simon
@Arthur P. Bloom posted:Forgive me for sounding cynical, but it's a good thing that the PRR didn't erect that beautiful monument in New York Penn Station, or we wouldn't have it to inspire us today. It would have been dumped in the Jersey swamp along the tracks.
I don't think you are being cynical at all! I agree that we might not have it today if it was at Penn Station NY; however let's not forget that the PRR saved most of the stone eagles from the top of the exterior (now in various places), some of the sculptures of Night and Day that flanked each exterior clocks (various places), and the statue of Alexander Cassatt (now at RRMPA). Given this, it would have probably been re-located.
And all this talk about the Moynihan Hall prompted me to re-read some history of Penn Station, which in turn has led to the website of the "Rebuild Penn Station" project, which on its face seems Quixotic, but perhaps they can pull it off.
They say they they can do it for $3 Billion or so. If I win the Lottery, I'm in for a million.
I think this was the first I ever heard of the proposal to actually rebuild on the original Penn Station site. I think I heard the expected cost is $2.54 billion or $4 billion ...but on the other hand, that is right in line with the cost of the PATH/Oculus Station at Ground Zero.
The show went on to have someone talk about Grand Central and the several reincarnations that has been built...so why not rebuild Penn Station?
If anyone lives in the New York Metro area watch for the local PBS station's covering this on the show MetroFocus.
https://www.rebuildpennstation.org/ seems like it is on ch 21 tomorrow 7pm (can't tell if it is the same subject).
Tom
@PRR8976 posted:I think this was the first I ever heard of the proposal to actually rebuild on the original Penn Station site. I think I heard the expected cost is $2.54 billion or $4 billion ...but on the other hand, that is right in line with the cost of the PATH/Oculus Station at Ground Zero.
The show went on to have someone talk about Grand Central and the several reincarnations that has been built...so why not rebuild Penn Station?
If anyone lives in the New York Metro area watch for the local PBS station's covering this on the show MetroFocus.
https://www.rebuildpennstation.org/ seems like it is on ch 21 tomorrow 7pm (can't tell if it is the same subject).
Tom
For everyone here interested in the original Penn Station, I highly recommend this book:
Conquering Gotham: Building Penn Station and It's Tunnels By Jill Jonnes
It is a great documentation and covers the development of the project, the politics involved with building at the time in NY city, and the engineering marvel that was the design and build of the tunnels. The book also covers the series of events leading to the demolition of the old station.
One interesting statistic (not sure if it's true) among all the other superlatives:
Grand Central Terminal in its entirety would have fit inside the Penn Station waiting room.
@Prr7688 posted:For everyone here interested in the original Penn Station, I highly recommend this book:
Conquering Gotham: Building Penn Station and It's Tunnels By Jill Jonnes
It is a great documentation and covers the development of the project, the politics involved with building at the time in NY city, and the engineering marvel that was the design and build of the tunnels. The book also covers the series of events leading to the demolition of the old station.
I just finished reading it last month (bought it years ago, but kept putting it off). Fascinating story about what it took to build Penn Station and the tunnels.
Stuart
