Author Topic: Southern Tier Mainline in winter  (Read 2107 times)

Offline Matt L

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Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« on: February 24, 2016, 08:22:23 PM »
I had planned this trip for earlier in the month, but it was delayed once by a gig (photographing a local band) and a second time by very bad driving conditions... even by NY standards. The weather and my schedule finally let me get out to the Southern Tier Mainline last weekend.

NS 309 can arrive in Linden rather early. On this occasion, the train passed MP 387/Molasses Hill Road shortly after 8 AM:






The rails fell silent for a couple of hours, and then NS 36T passed MP 389/Spring Road in Alexander:



I chased NS 36T for a few miles and intercepted it again at the Vernal Road overpass in Dale:







The linden Mill is a former Erie RR/EL customer that sits next to the tracks at Linden Road in Bethany. The recent bad weather hasn't  been kind to the old building:



Finally, NS 28N passed through the Silver Road corssing in Bethany during the early afternoon:







For a complete look at the day's sightings, please visit:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/Feb%202016/220%20NS

All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Saturday 2/20/2016 in western New York.

 





 


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: Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« Reply #1 on: February 29, 2016, 07:29:27 PM »
One week later, I was back out at Attica Hill again. NS 28N crawling up the grade at Spring Road/MP 389:







A few hour later, NS 36T was eastbound at Dry Bridge Road/MP 388:







A slide show of both trains:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/Feb%202016/227%20Alexander%20NY

All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Saturday 2/27/2016 in Alexander, 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: Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2016, 08:15:00 PM »
Round #3 happened this past weekend. NS 309 made its usual morning appearance at MP 387/Molasses Hill Road in linden:







The tracks fell quiet for a few hours. I took the opportunity to scout a spot in Attica, and chose East Main Street Road. This old Erie RR/ EL milepost is a relic of a bygone era:



East Main Street Road crossing sits at the base of Attica Hill, which has a 1% grade. NS 36T came charging eastbound through Attica around mid-day. I could hear the engines accelerating for the climb:



And the chase was on! I intercepted NS 36T again 11 miles to the east- next to Dale Road in the Town of Dale:








A slide show featuring both trains:

http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/Mar%202016/0306%20NS

All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Sunday 3/6/2016 in western New York.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2016, 07:46:56 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: Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2016, 07:54:11 PM »
I squeezed in one more trip last weekend. Unfortunately, I missed NS 309 by a matter of minutes. I could hear the train going down Attica Hill when I got to Linden, and later heard the engineer talking with the dispatcher as it passed thru Attica. The 30 mph speed limit made a westward chase impossible. 

Therefore, I sat at MP 389 and waited for the next train. NS 36T arrived a couple hours later oni ts eastward journey.



Note the CP unit trailing behind the NS locos:



Normally, 36T is just a manifest freight... but this run had some double stacks, as well.



One final unsual aspect to the train- NS usally puts the auto racks at the from t of 36T. This run had them at the end of the train.



All photos in this post were taken by me Saturday 3/12/2016 at Spring Road in Alexander, NY. I wasn't able to stay as long as I normally do, so 36T was my sole sighting for NS that day. I left early to attend the annual dinner held by the Rochester & Genesee Valley RR Museum (which was quite good).   
 
Got questions? I can help you with the Erie Lackawanna (including predecessors), Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson and the shortlines of upstate NY.

Offline dschlegel

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Re: Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2016, 08:21:15 AM »
Great photos, and beautiful country up there!

Offline Matt L

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Re: Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2016, 08:13:19 PM »
Thank you! The Southern Tier Mainline is a combination of 2 routes- the Erie RR/EL Buffalo Division from Buffalo to Hornell and (except for a short bypass on the ex-DL&W near Corning) the former Erie RR/EL mainline east of Hornell. The Erie RR often got favorable comparisons to western RRs back in the day because it meandered through rural areas for the most part. I agree with that assessment. People tend to think of NY as an urban state, but I can testify to many quiet, open spaces out in the country. The "Tier" is a great place relax with a good book between trains.   
« Last Edit: March 24, 2016, 08:02:10 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 dschlegel

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Re: Southern Tier Mainline in winter
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2016, 09:54:07 PM »
I have some friends that I've made over the years from way upstate NY, most don't like to associate themselves with the stigma associated with the NYC metro area and quickly proclaim their conservative politics.

I often compare it to how PA is incredibly rural and the people are mostly common sense types, but we're bracketed by the goofs in Philly and Pittsburgh!
Dan

 

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