Author Topic: Ending summer on a good note  (Read 3444 times)

Offline Matt L

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Ending summer on a good note
« on: September 25, 2014, 08:10:42 PM »
In what seems to be a tradition for me now, I headed off to greater Buffalo last Friday... to get a "few" more shots before summer ended.

The morning began at Tifft Street. GP38-2 #5667 was the power for local H42 at Buffalo Creek Junction.







The hopper was dropped in Buffalo Southern's yard, apparently for use as a spacer car.



Returning from BSOR:



MOW crew checks a switch:



Local H42 departs the yard for a trip to Hamburg:







The Buffalo & Pittsburgh also sent out their local, which was powered by an SW1500 and a Geep I hadn't seen before. GP9 #626 has apparently replaced GP9 #886 (which went to the Wellsboro & Corning RR).



All photos in this post were taken by me Friday 9/19/2014 in Buffalo, NY.

 






Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2014, 08:20:16 PM »
What's this? Amtrak power on NS? Why yes it is! A trio of Amtrak units rattled across GB diamond (ex-NKP/Erie, now NS/BSOR) early in the afternoon.



They were pulling the AAPRCO special from Chicago to Portland (ME). Here are the highlights of the varnish on the train:























For the entire train, as well as NS 23K, NS 287 and an eastbound CSX tank train with a trailing NS unit, please visit my slide show:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2014/Sept%202014/0919%20Blasdell%20NY

All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Friday 9/19/2014 in Blasdell, NY.  


« Last Edit: September 30, 2014, 08:18:24 PM by Matt L »
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2014, 08:25:41 PM »
In the interest of saving time and bandwidth, here are 3 more slide shows from the same afternoon:

CSX and NS at Tifft Street in Buffalo:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2014/Sept%202014/0919%20PM1%20Tifft%20St

NS local H41 switching at SK Yard in Buffalo:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2014/Sept%202014/0919%20PM2%20SK%20Yard

NS Bison Yard at Cheektowoga, including a light engine move on the former DL&W main:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2014/Sept%202014/0919%20PM3%20Bison%20Yard

All photos in the links were taken by me Friday 9/19/2014 in Erie County, NY. 
 
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2014, 08:34:48 PM »
After dinner, I caught a late afternoon run by the Buffalo Southern at the US Route 62 crossing. This one was a pleasant surprise, since Patrick and his crew don't usually run this late. The time was shortly before 5 PM







NS was active over at the Bayview Road crossing, including eastbound auto rack freight 14T:











Eastbound NS intermodal 206 at the same location:











Alll photos in this post were taken by me Friday 9/19/2014 in Hamburg, NY.  
« Last Edit: September 30, 2014, 08:19:42 PM by Matt L »
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2014, 08:40:04 PM »
A good trip to greater Buffalo is usually capped by a sunset at Lake Erie. The weather definitely cooperated, just like it did all day long.



Photo taken by me Friday 9/19/2014 in Athol Springs, NY. 
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline leroy

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2014, 07:08:34 AM »
Matt... Thanks for takin the time to post pictures from "up north".... It's somethin us hillbillies dont see very often... I really like the "lake picture"... When i go toward the Great Lakes, the first thing ive got to do is to look at the lake; i just cant help it... One of my favorite places is Ashtabulah if we go toward Cleveland...

While im thinkin; am i imagining things, or is the sun lower and the shadows longer than we are used to seein down here...?   We're gettin 12 hours (...-...) of daylight here (... vernal equinox...)... Are your days shortened more or am i imagining things...?

leroy
leroy

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2014, 07:52:47 PM »
You're welcome. Leroy. To answer your question- the days are about 12 hours long for us Yankees, too. The sun is lower in the sky up here in the North, regardless of the season.

I grew up in the Finger Lakes region of upstate NY and as a result, I am attracted to any large body of water that isn't a swamp. Athol Springs is a special  place because it is the best of both worlds- a little over mile from the Bayvew Road crossing. I could enjoy the sunset and hear a couple of trains (probably CSX) rumble through the area.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2014, 09:40:25 AM by Matt L »
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Offline leroy

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2014, 08:29:33 PM »
Thanks Matt... I'm a bit slow... Northern latitudes equal lower sun...  Is the trackage there at the Bayview Road crossing the old NYC or Erie.... .

Leroy


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leroy

Offline Bill Richardson

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2014, 09:25:11 PM »
What model engine is that green and yellow Buffalo Southern?

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2014, 09:35:29 PM »
Thanks Matt... I'm a bit slow... Northern latitudes equal lower sun...  Is the trackage there at the Bayview Road crossing the old NYC or Erie.... .

Leroy

In the case of NS, the answer is neither. Their ROW at Bayview Road is the old Nickel Plate mainline. With that being said, CSX does operate the former NYC mainline at Bayview Road- 3 tracks wide! The old Erie branch that comes south out of Buffalo Creek Junction swings east after GB diamond and misses Bayview Road completely. It is owned by Erie County between Buffalo and Gowanda, with Buffalo Southern as the designated operator for the past 32 years.   

If you have some time to kill, looking at this area with Bing maps is fun. 
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2014, 09:42:00 PM »
What model engine is that green and yellow Buffalo Southern?

Number 1847 is an RS18u. The RS18 design is the Canadian cousin of the Alco RS11, built by MLW under license. They are very sturdy engines- #1847 seems to be the primary power on BSOR these days. The Bath & Hammondsport RR has been using their "new" RS18u quite heavily as well, after purchasing one about 18-20 months ago.  


P.S.  The "u" designation refers to the locomotives being upgraded from 1800 to 2000 HP.   
« Last Edit: September 26, 2014, 09:45:25 PM by Matt L »
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline NSMoWandS

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #11 on: September 27, 2014, 09:59:57 PM »
As always Matt... great pictures!!! Glad you caught the AAPRCO special! And, except for the B&P... it looks like a one unit wonder day! LOL! DE Dan

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #12 on: September 28, 2014, 07:38:09 PM »
Thanx, Dan. The single unit on 206 was a surprise to me because (unlike the other single unit trains) it went east of Buffalo. The Southern Tier Mainline has a 1% grade at Attica Hill. I'm guessing NS added power at Bison Yard. Attica Hill required pushers back in the day, but 8000 HP is usually enough to handle the grade now. With 3 engines, the AAPRCO special probably flew up the hill.  8)
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Offline dschlegel

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #13 on: October 02, 2014, 07:03:11 PM »
I always enjoy your photos, it looks like you had a great day. That Alco must be fun to see and hear.
PA Dan

Offline Matt L

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2014, 07:47:59 PM »
Thanx, Dan! BSOR's Alco/MLW fleet is a treat. In addition to the RS18u, they also have the last surviving D&H RS11, a high nose ex-LIRR C420, an ex-CP C424, several S2s (including the last operating LV S2) and a rare S3. BSOR has a Whitcomb, too. 
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Offline Bill Richardson

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Re: Ending summer on a good note
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2014, 09:19:34 PM »
Thanks Matt for the info on #1847.

 

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