ack aw anna ▁l inger ed ▁in ▁bank rupt cy ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁n ort he astern ▁rail ro ads ▁had ▁also ▁gone ▁bank rupt , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Congress ▁en act ed ▁legisl ation ▁creating ▁Con ra il , ▁a ▁quasi - g overn ment al ▁corpor ation ▁with ▁authority ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁the ▁bank rupt ▁roads , ▁improve ▁them , ▁abandon ▁un prof itable ▁branches ▁and ▁main ▁lines , ▁and ▁make ▁fre ight ▁traffic ▁prof itable ▁again . ▁Con ra il ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁Er ie - L ack aw anna ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁rail ro ads ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁Con ra il ▁renamed ▁the ▁C & M V ▁track , ▁calling ▁the ▁old ▁First ▁Sub div ision ▁the ▁" R and all ▁Second ary " ▁and ▁the ▁old ▁Second ▁Sub div ision ▁the ▁" Fre edom ▁Second ary ". ▁ ▁Ch anges ▁under ▁Con ra il ▁Con ra il ▁abandoned ▁the ▁ ▁Lis bon ▁Branch ▁immediately ▁after ▁taking ▁over ▁the ▁Er ie - L ack aw anna . ▁Con ra il ▁then ▁ended ▁Cleveland - to - You ng st own ▁comm uter ▁service ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁Con ra il ▁began ▁trim ming ▁its ▁fre ight ▁service ▁on ▁the ▁old ▁C & M V ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁The ▁rail road ▁began ▁moving ▁fre