The Empire Link

Matt L · March 08, 2012, 08:06:14 PM

Of all the places I railfan, no other place makes me as hungry watching trains as Avon does. Why is that? The Livonia, Avon & Lakeville RR's excellent service attracted Barilla Pasta 5 years ago. The vicinity of the plant smells like a giant bowl of noodles. Yum!!!

Here we see the LA&L Alcos getting ready to pull a string of empty hoppers out of Barilla's facility.

Photo taken by me Mon 6/13/2011 in the Village of Avon, NY.

Matt L · March 08, 2012, 08:12:35 PM

In addition to Barilla, the LA&L also services King Kole Bean, Kraft's Kool Whip plant and a couple other customers in Avon. When the switching chores are done, the crew reassembles the local and heads out.

Photo taken by me Friday 12/16/2011 in the Village of Avon, NY.

Matt L · March 08, 2012, 08:14:31 PM

The LA&L local heads southbound on the old Erie. The main yard is a few miles away in Lakeville, which I'll share when I resume this series.

Photo taken by me Friday 12/16/2011 in the Village of Avon, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:41:27 PM

As promised, here is a look at the main yard and engine shops of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville RR. This is located on what was a minor branchline back in the Erie era. The management of the LA&L deserves alot of credit for not only keeping local business shipping by rail but actually growing it substantially. The LA&L is busy enough to warrant a yard switcher at this location. Switching duties are often handled by Alco S2 #72.

Photo taken by me Fri 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:45:21 PM

Several ex-Green Bay & Western C424ms are in storage next to the engine house. They were originally C424s built for EL and the Pennsy circa 1963, and subsequently rebuilt by GE for the Delaware & Hudson RR in 1980.

Photo taken by me Fri 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:47:13 PM

It's upstate NY, so there is a big wedge snow plow on hand for tough winter weather.

Photo taken by me Fri 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:48:22 PM

The LA&L also has a transfer caboose in the yard.

Photo taken by me Fri 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:52:35 PM

There were also locomotives getting some TLC in the shop. This was the first occasion where I saw WNYP #432.

Photo taken by me Friday 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:54:23 PM

C425 #428 was there, as well... but she still had her old number at the time.

Photo taken by me Friday 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:56:12 PM

While I was there, #425 and #420 returned light after shuffling cars in Avon.

Photo taken by me Friday 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY.

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:58:03 PM

The big Centuries back into the engine house. Their work was done for the weekend.

Photo taken by me Friday 4/25/2008 in Lakeville, NY. In my next installment, we'll take a look at a sister shortline of the LA&L.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 07:38:00 PM

In 1996, the LA&L won a bid from the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency to operate the Bath & Hammondsport RR. The B&H began as a 9 mile shortline between its namesake towns in 1875. Its operations expanded to include the western end of the former EL Wayland Branch in April, 1976. The B&H expanded again in 2001 by leasing the Bath Secondary (eastern end of the Wayland Branch) from Norfolk Southern.

Because most of the original B&H was embargoed in mid 1990s, the B&H built a new engine house on the old Wayland Branch. After the 2001 expansion, the LA&L sent big Alco Centuries down to the B&H.

Photo taken by me Thursday 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 07:48:28 PM

Like the LA&L, the B&H works on locomotives for the WNYP. During one of my visits, B&H engineer Randy Brewer got this C424 running.

Photo taken by me Thursday 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 07:51:02 PM

One of the B&H's C424ms was idling outside the emgine house, as well. This Century is a former EL unit, so she is on home rails.

Photo taken by me Thursday 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 07:58:22 PM

A small fleet of MLW 636s were also in the yard. The B&H would eventually restore most of them for the WNYP, as well.

Photo taken by me Thu 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 08:02:13 PM

Engineer Randy Brewer and Conductor Warren Edsall took a couple of Centuries on a test run that day.

Photo taken by me Thu 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 08:02:42 PM

This is a side view of one of the M636s in the B&H yard. I really do have to get down to the WNYP and see the M636s in action.

Photo taken by me Thu 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 13, 2012, 08:05:45 PM

One of the C424s being tested was later moved to a siding. Both this unit and #4223 are on the WNYP now.

Photo taken by me Thu 8/23/2007 in Cohocton, NY. When I resume this series, we'll take a look at the longest serving locomotives on the B&H.

steveiez · March 13, 2012, 10:24:19 PM

I love that part of PA and NY STATE! Use too haul feed in that area.

Matt L · March 14, 2012, 07:34:45 PM

Quote from: steveiez on March 13, 2012, 10:24:19 PM
I love that part of PA and NY STATE! Use too haul feed in that area.

I grew up in the Southern Tier of upstate NY so I know what you mean. My early years were spent in Elmira... and then my family to moved Hammondsport in the spring of 1976. Although I saw the former EL (and LV) less frequently, I got to see RRing in a very close and personal way... courtesy of the Bath & Hammondsport RR. The shortline had just Alco S1s for power back in the day. They are still owned by the RR now, making #4 and #5 the longest serving locomotives on the B&H.

Here is #4 sitting on a siding, on a beautiful summer day.

Photo taken by me Friday 7/6/2007 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 14, 2012, 07:39:24 PM

The original mainline of the B&H has been silent since its main customer (Taylor Winery) shut down in 1995.

Back in happier days, B&H #5 enters the waterfront yard at the northern end of the line. The man who owned the B&H at the time was the late Stan Clark (RIP). He was restoring several coaches for an excursion service that began operating a couple years later.

Photo taken by me Monday 5/20/1991 in the Village of Hammondsport, NY.

Matt L · March 14, 2012, 07:42:57 PM

Even though though these old shots aren't as good as my more recent endeavors, I'm glad I took them. This portion of the B&H was abandoned in 1997 and the rails were removed recently.

Photo taken by me Monday 5/20/1991 in the Village of Hammondsport, NY.

Matt L · March 14, 2012, 07:47:28 PM

B&H #5 enters the engine house, which still stands today. It may become part of a proposed waterfront park.

The Alcos S1s were acquired during the summer of 1970. Number 4 is ex-NKP/N&W, while #5 is ex-NYC/PC.

Photo taken by me Monday 5/20/1991 in the Village of Hammondsport, NY. We'll return to the modern version of the B&H when I resume this series.

Matt L · March 15, 2012, 07:23:17 PM

I've posted some pictures of the modern Bath & Hammondsport RR over in the trip sharing subforum, because the B&H does interchange with NS at Painted Post, NY. However, there is at least one B&H chase which I haven't shared yet because I didn't see the B&H local (WACH-1) interchange with Norfolk Southern that day.

The trip started on a frosty fall morning at the B&H engine house. A pair of former EL C424ms were warming up outside of the engine house.

Photo taken by me Fri 10/28/2011 in Cohocton, NY.

Matt L · March 15, 2012, 07:24:59 PM

There had been snowfall in parts of the Finger Lakes that night, as evidenced by an employee's truck. However, the pavement in the Southern Tier was dry.

Photo taken by me Fri 10/28/2011 in Cohocton, NY.