Railroad Heritage Association to host first ever ‘Sheet and Tube Day’

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – There was a time when railroading was a major part of the Youngstown area’s economy and now a group of people is working to preserve its history.

The Mahoning Valley Railroad Heritage Association will host the first “Youngstown Sheet and Tube Day” Saturday at its museum on Poland Avenue in Youngstown to show off their collection.

The feature piece will be Sheet and Tube’s Slag Car Number 17 which the museum obtained at the Poland Avenue location last year.

The association also has the first diesel engine ever bought by Sheet and Tube in the 1940’s.

“It was sitting up at Brier Hill and sat there for many years and was donated to us,” said Carl Jacobson, the president of the association.

There are also 15 other cars at the railroad museum lined up on three sets of track.

“We had to build all the track that is here. So that has been a very large task,” Jacobson said.

Also part of the museum is a steel ladle car from Valley Mold in Hubbard and a yellow P&LE caboose.

But the event won’t be all about trains. A few of the association’s members once worked in the mill.

“They have a lot of Youngstown Sheet and Tube memorabilia and our museum has collected Youngstown Sheet and Tube memorabilia. Some of it has been donated over the years,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson says he hopes the community will be interested in the event showcasing the memorabilia from the area’s largest employer decades ago.

The association is asking for a $2 donation to attend.

Sheet and Tube Day goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Poland Avenue at the former Republic Steel parking lot.

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