NS across upstate NY and northern PA

[Matt L]

Although Norfolk Southern's most active traffic artery in the Northeast is the former Pennsy mainline, it continues to operate portions of the former EL and LV. The subject of this thread will be my chases of NS on those lines. I will also incorporate interchanges with local shortlines and activity on the old NKP mainline if the opportunity arises.

Speaking  of shortlines, I will begin with the Bath & Hammondsport RR. Here we see the the B&H local WACH-78 coming off the NS wye at Painted Post, NY:



Picture taken by me Friday 1/30/2009. 

 

[Matt L]

The car sitting on the  tracks was nuisance! It took several blasts from the horn of B&H #423 (an ex-EL C424m) and some prodding from the employees at the Dresser Rand plant to get the car's owner to move it.



Photo taken by me  Friday 1/30/2009 in Painted Post, NY.   

[Matt L]

Here we see the westbound Bath & Hammondsport local clearing the gates at the Dresser Rand plant, which is the point where the B&H takes ownership of the line:



Photo taken by me  Friday 1/30/2009 in Painted Post, NY.  The owner of  the car seen in the previous 2 pictures cleared out in a huff. Apparently he didn't realize who really had the right-of-way!

[Matt L]

Here is one final shot of the B&H passing a cherry picker that hoistd a worker servicing the windows at the Dresser Rand plant.  The tail end of the 9 car consist (2 covered hoppers and 7 tankers) is still on NS turf, though we can't quite see it.



Photo taken by me  Friday 1/30/2009 in Painted Post, NY.   

[Matt L]

The rest of the B&H chase reallydidn't involve NS, so it won't be included in this thread. After I broke off the chase of the B&H about 25 minutes later, I headed east to Sayre... the home of a yard beloved by Lehigh Valley fans.

The Lehigh Railway is supposed to be taking over operations on the former LV between Sayre and Mehoopany, there was no sign of that shortline while I was in Sayre. Nor did the local residents know anything about it- not even a woman whose had an uncle (supposedly) working for NS.

No worries, though! I spied a former CR SD40-2 idling in the yard near the old LV station:



Photo taken by me  Friday 1/30/2009.   

[Matt L]

Although the sun was almost behind me in the previous shot, there were alot of obstructions on the west side of the ex-LV yard. It was hard to get a good shot of the old EMD without trespassing on NS property (which I don't recommend) so I drov over to the east side of the yard. Thankfully, clouds kept the sun from ruining pictures like this one:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA.

[Matt L]

The old LehighValley RR station is a local landmark and a great subject to photograph:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA.   

[Matt L]

After a while,  a crew entered the SD40-2 and backed her up a short distance.



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA. Notice the LV caboose in the  background.   

[Matt L]

Some of the empty space here belies the fact this was once a much bigger and busier yard:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA.

[Matt L]

The old LV station is a local museum, but it was closed that day. The number onthe station indicates the year it was built.



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA.

[Matt L]

Looking south at the LV mainline, which is much quieter than it was during the days of my youth... back in the 1970s!



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA. 

[Matt L]

Looking down at the old the LV mainline from a bridge near the station:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Sayre, PA. 

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009. I will hopefully resume this tour over the weekend.  Enjoy!!!

[ssmith1627]

Thanks for sharing those.   I love the old station.

The guy who parked that car there must've thought those tracks were never used.   I drive across tracks all the time.  But I sure don't park on them.  Sheesh.

Steve

[Matt L]

Thanks for sharing those.   I love the old station.

It's one of my favorite stations. The Lehigh Valley was a class act from start to finish.

The guy who parked that car there must've thought those tracks were never used.   I drive across tracks all the time.  But I sure don't park on them.  Sheesh.

Funny thing is... the inbound B&H run arrived about half an hour (at most) before the driver parked his car on the tracks. The B&H engines ran light to retrieve 9 cars from NS:   



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009. Not sure why he did it but I agree it's something that should NEVER happen.   
   

[Matt L]

Getting back on track (tee hee), we will continue with switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009. What a cold day to be a crewman riding a tank car!   

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.

[Matt L]

Switching at Sayre, PA:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.