Post-Yuletide chasing, including a Heritage unit

[Matt L]

I was already planning to be trackside during my Christmas vacation when I got some good news: the Wabash unit was tied down in Bison Yard on Christmas Eve. It seemed possible that #1070 could lead 13T after NS's Christmas break. I headed out to the Southern Tier mainline... and wondered if any trains would running after all. NS had MOW crews at West Cameron:



My initial guess proved to be correct when I heard the distant hum of EMD power at Canisteo. Eastbound 13T came into view with the Wabash unit leading.






Now the chase was on! For those of you have heard #1070, she has a very distinctive horn... which echoed through the Canisteo River valley. This location is Adrian:



13T heading eastward at Rathbone, NY:






After a brief stop for some water, I caught up to 13T at Gang Mills. The tail end of the train can be seen in the middle of the yard.



The Wabash unit (and a couple of SD70ms) were switching at the east end of the yard in Gang Mills:



After 13T left the yard, I intercepted it one more time in Chemung:






All photos in this post were taken by me Thursday 12/26/2013 in central New York. All rights reserved.

[Matt L]

The next day included a chase of the Bath & Hammondsport RR. This location is the County Route 333 crossing in Campbell:







The B&H local proceeded east to Painted Post, where they interchanged with NS:



The swap at Painted Post included light engine moves by both RRs:







NS local H77 picks up the tank cars left by the B&H at Painted Post and is running next to Chemung Street:







The B&H local comes off the NS wye and heads west through Painted Post, with an RS18u and C424m for power:











After the B&H left, I also caught NS mixed freight 12T heading westbound through Erwin. This location is the State Route 417 overpass.







All photos in this post were taken by me Friday 12/27/2013 in Steuben County, NY. All rights are reserved.

[Matt L]

The third and final day of chasing started at the yard in Gang Mills. I was looking down from the State Route 417 overpass:



NS/CP eastbound mixed freight 38T rumbled through Rathbone around the middle of the day:






The crew end engines of 12T assemble a train at Gang Mills in the afternoon:



All photos in this post were taken by me Saturday 12/28/2013 in Steuben County, NY. All rights are reserved.

A special thanks goes out to the crew of the B&H for their friendliness and professionalism. It's nice to see RS18u #416 is working out well for them.

Although I wasn't in a good position to photograph it, 38T did stop to switch at Gang Mills. I'd heard rumors of 38T (and westbound counterpart 39T) working at Gang Mills, and this trip was my first visual confirmation.

[NSMoWandS]

Nice! All in all... looks like a couple of good days! DE Dan

[dschlegel]

I love that shot at Adrian! Looked like a few nice days of fanning!
PA Dan

[Matt L]

Thank you, gents. The Wabash unit was my first chase of a heritage unit. I shot the Erie unit parked in Sayre last January, and saw the IT unit fly by (without a camera) on CSX's Chicago Line last March. Heritage units often come through NY at night or when I'm working, so it was nice to finally bag one leading a train.