A rare NYC unit still working on home rails

[Matt L]

Last week, I paid a visit to the Falls Road, a GVT owned shortline that operates in the countryside between Buffalo and Rochester. Like other GVT shortlines, the FRRR is Alco powered. The line rosters an ex-N&W RS11 and a very rare Alco product- RS32 #2035. Of 35 RS32s built, just 5 still exist. What makes this RS32 even more special is her heritage. She was built as New York Central #8035 in 1961. She received her current number 2035 in 1966 (due to the pending PC merger) and has worn it ever since- thru Penn Central, early Conrail, a couple of interim shortlines and now GVT.  

The day began at the Falls Road RR's main yard in Lockport, NY:



Number 2035 leads a short local past the ex-NYC depot in Medina, NY:



The RS32 heads out of the yard at Brockport, NY after servicing a customer or two.



It should also be noted that #2035 often spent much of her time under NYC and PC ownership in upstate NY after being bumped from mainline service in the mid 1960s. GVT brought her home when they reassigned her to the Falls Road back in the mid '00s. (FRRR is part of the old medium density Falls Branch of the NYC.) Number 2035 is leading the local westbound at Knowlesville, NY.



The old NYC gal leads the train back into the yard at Lockport, NY after a fun chase day.



All photos in this post were taken by me Friday 7/19/2013 in upstate NY. All rights are reserved. To view the rest of my day with the Falls Road RR, please visit my album:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/library/2013/July%202013/0719%20Falls%20Road?sort=2&page=1

Enjoy!    

[AFT2101]

Nice pictures!

[Matt L]

Thank you! I plan to share more photos of locomotives owned by Conrail predecessors as time permits. 

[NSMoWandS]

Nice shots! They must wash that thing regularly! LOL! DE Dan.

[dschlegel]

Cool shots!

I've seen this loco once on a Portland turn out of Scranton on the DL. I was in Stroudsburg for work and got done early so decided to drive down 611 instead of 33.

By pure luck I ended up pacing the train from just south of Stroudsburg to the interchange near Slateford and then hung around to watch the shifting.

As I recall the exhaust on this unit sounded awesome with a really sharp crack when the throttle was advanced, made my hair stand up for sure.

PA Dan

[Matt L]

Thanx, guys. Yes, #2035 spent some time on GVT's D-L operation before she came home to NY. The RS32 still has a sharp bark when the throttle advances, and the deep blaaat of the horn is pretty distinctive, too.