Agnes: The Flood That Destroyed the Penn Central

From June 21 through June 24 1972, Tropical Storm Agnes stalled over the Susquehanna Basin dumping up to 18 inches of rain. The flooding that resulted devastated the Penn Central Railroad.

[@fldon2306]

Thanks for the vid! Was in the NC Outer Banks when Agnes hit; evacuated Ocracoke Island on one of the last ferries out. Fam had to drive home in storm moving up coast, and it rained for days in MD. News reported devastation in PA.

[@Arturobrito0502]

If im not mistaken a steam engine got caught in the mess, that engine which is numbered 89 from the canadian national, was in a yard when a flood happened causing the engine and a few cars in the yard were trapped, it was towed out and it continioud its journey and its now at strasburg PA.

[@bobkruleski7630]

Nicely done. I learned a few things after watching this video tonight that I never knew. I was only 10 years old at the time of Agnes but can still remember the damage it caused around my town of Dauphin, PA and the Elysburg, PA area.

[@johncamp2567]

A fascinating story; excellent research and use of original sources.

[@BMTLines]

Thank You!!

[@tommythomason6187]

The storm wiped away some of Erie Lackawanna's mainline and other tracks. I don't think they ever rebuilt some of their main tracks there. It hurt them, as it did Penn Central and EL, too, filed for bankruptcy.

[@b3j8]

Yep, before Agnes, the EL was more or less holding it's own and was not included in the USRA's initial planning of what would become Conrail. But the Hurricane cost the EL well over 10 million in damage and lost revenue forcing the Railroad to be thrown into the Conrail pot. Sad it had to end that way.

[@johnbarnett7092]

@@b3j8 Penn Central in bankruptcy was able to get government backed loans to reconstruct, so they had a plan in place, but the EL was solvent and needed 12 Million to rebuild. They ask the government to back their loans, Penn Central saw this as an opportunity to end competition and thus the loans were denied, forcing the EL into bankruptcy, and to a lesser extent the LV and RDG.

[@b3j8]

@@johnbarnett7092 Agreed. Tho I doubt the EL could really have made it alone, loans or not. They may have lasted long enough to end up a part of CSX or even the stillborne MARC-EL plan. I knew several Erie guys. No better Railroaders out there! Put the lazy ass PC guys to shame. And I knew some of them too.

[@dknowles60]

@@b3j8 that is for sure, how many day notice did Pc have to move looomotives. the El may be lost 4 loco motives. almost all of El damage was along the canstro riverEl did not loss that many box cars. the Guys on the ex NYC side worked a lot harder.

[@russellgxy2905]

Ohhhh so this was the hurricane that pretty much killed the EL

[@leehuff2330]

As bad as it was, it would have been even worse had it not been for Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny. The dam prevented flooding along the lower Allegheny and upper Ohio which would have likely damaged both the Fort Wayne line which connects to Chicago and the Cleveland line which was a MAJOR route for iron ore from the docks to the mills around Pittsburgh at the time. It's not very likely that Conway would have been damaged since it sits on a bluff above the river, but it would have been isolated.

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

Great job of bringing the story back to life and especially making note of the alert crew that didn't like what was looking unsafe. Learning from such History prevents repeat bad things. 👍 I'm Dutch and my family are War surviving people. Not just Milatary Wars but with the North Sea and floods especially the 1950's. Since we said Enough is Enough. Build it better.. No cutting corners.

[@BAS19.6]

It wiped out the former northern central line near me.would have had some awesome railfaning locations if this didn’t happen

[@paulhare662]

I was 13 when Agnes came thru. I loved it. It washed out US Rt.1 north of Baltimore near where I lived. I could safely bicycle on major highways.

[@rearspeaker6364]

the Patapsco river grew 5 times as large then.

[@imfunniguy3744]

You deserve more subscribers

[@BMTLines]

Thank you.. I have been a bit quiet lately. Unfortunately my day job (accounting) takes priority. I will resume posting videos in April

[@lamper2]

It destroyed my town and most around me in Wilkes-Barre Pa June 23 1972

[@fmnut]

Excellent documentary. Just one quibble, locals pronounce it "Shucks", not "Shocks".

[@BMTLines]

Thank you for the correction :)

[@chrisbarr1359]

Excellent 👍

[@BMTLines]

Thank you!

[@tobygoodguy4032]

Agnes accelerated the de-industrialization of the Northeast. 🤠

[@jimgriffin9924]

Wilkes-BARRY.... That's how it's pronounced. NOT Wilkes_BAR

[@BMTLines]

Thank you !

[@coolruehle]

Global warming, only we thought we were headed for an ice age.