General Electric Dan Patch Electric Locomotive

General Electric Erie Works and Dan Patch Electric Train postcard courtesy of Jim Peters.

The sprawling GE Transportation Systems Erie Works campus is shown in the top picture on this postcard. GE is bordered by Franklin Avenue, East Lake Road, Water Street and the Conrail railroad tracks on the south.

The center photo shows a gas electric motor car made by General Electric for the Dan Patch Electric Lines, run by the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester & Dubuque Electric Traction Company.

The bottom photo, billed as the Largest Electric Locomotive in the World, shows the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company locomotive No. 10203. This 3,000 volt engine was GE locomotive No. 5028. Go train spotting for more C.M. & St. P engines in General Electric promotional photographs.

Want more historical facts and photos of Erie, PA? Check Old Time Erie

Ripping Up the Railroad Tracks in Erie

Old Time Erie illustration by A. Hintenach.

Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7th, 1941. This is one event that our nation will never forget. Although far less tragic, few people are aware of an event that happened on December 7th, 1853 that put Erie, PA in the national spotlight. This is the story of the Gauge War.

"There had been haggling between the citizens and transfer men. Two changes of cargo between Erie and the New York line became unbearable…trackage was ripped up at Erie and Harborcreek on dark nights, to be stubbornly replaced the next day. Tempers flared. Action was demanded. 

Enraged citizens dropped their work and rushed to the public square at the summons of the court house bell…the old brass cannon, readied for an alert, careened up State Street until it stuck in a mud hole…and stuck. Helmeted figures with ropes and cables pushed on to the North East and Erie Railroad bridge on State Street. Armed with clubs, small arms, rotten eggs and terrific determination they stormed their objective, secured their ropes and cables…

Down came the bridge. Not a shot was fired and casualties from rocks, rotten eggs and clubs were few. The guerrilla warfare between the North East and Erie Railroad transfer men and the citizenry started thus and continued for over six months to end in a fanfare of flying debris. The 'Railroad War' passed into the musty archives of Erieana. And all because this connecting link between Ohio and New York was too wide between tracks to run through trains." -Landmarks of Old Erieland by Security-Peoples Trust Co.

Learn more forgotten facts about the history of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie

Bessemer Railroad 12th and Sassafras Erie, PA

Bessemer Railroad on West 12th Street in Erie, PA. Photo ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

The old Bessemer Railroad building stood on the south side of West 12th Street near Sassafras Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Times Publishing Company currently occupies this site. If you drive behind the Times building, you can still see a pair of tracks that lead to the south side of the building, where giant rolls of newsprint were delivered by rail car when the paper was printed in Erie, PA. The Times bought this property around 1968.

This shot was taken just off of Twelfth Street looking east. The Commerce Building is visible on the left side of this photo, with the radio tower on top of the building. The WSEE-TV tower, at 1220 Peach Street, is visible near the right side of the picture. About 90% of what you see in this photo has been demolished.

Erie Mayor Charles B. Williamson succeeded in having the railroad tracks ripped out for about a four-block stretch in this area on West 12th Street.

Enjoy more fun facts about the history of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie