Buffalo 3/20/2010

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:28:56 PM

I took a trip out to the Buffalo area two weeks ago... and had alot of fun chasing both CSX and NS. I caught up with NS at Harlem Road in Cheektowaga. When I arrived, a crew was switching in Bison Yard:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:31:29 PM

There were four locomotives switching this consist in Bison Yard:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Cheektowaga, NY.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:34:20 PM

The yard was mostly quiet for the next few hours, as we can see here:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Cheektowaga, NY.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:38:02 PM

This eastbound mixed freight arrived around 4 PM:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 at Bison Yard.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:43:32 PM

The crew in the 4 locomotive consist was ready to go after the eastbound train cleared the western end of the yard. The ditch lights were blinking and they were ready to leave!

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Cheektowaga, NY.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:48:12 PM

Unfortunately, some of the switches were set against the outgoing train... so the conductor came out to investigate.

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Cheektowaga, NY. The train didn't move, so I took the opportunity to have a dinner break.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:50:40 PM

After dinner, I drove to the Seneca Street bridge... just in time to see this eastbound intermodal rounding the curve:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:53:33 PM

After a while, a rather familiar train came out of Bison yard and rounded the curve to get on the former NKP mainline:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 09:55:28 PM

Yes, it's the same train seen at Bison yard earlier in the afternnon... and they finally received clearance to head west on NS:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Matt L · April 02, 2010, 10:02:12 PM

The motive power has passed under Seneca Street and is leading the train out of Buffalo:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY. I will resume this series in a few days.

ssmith1627 · April 05, 2010, 12:06:06 AM

I like all the detail of your trip along with the photos. That adds a lot to the person looking through them. Nice spot to catch trains coming out of the yard. Gotta love that !

Steve

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:25:41 PM

Thanks, Steve. I appreciate the aptience of anyone who was waiting for more pics in the series. I forgot to resume it!

Anyway, let's continue with a look at Seneca Street. Here we see a local coming off NS, entering the wye that leads to the CSX Chicago Line.

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:28:29 PM

I could hear the squeal of brakes in the distance... and the NS local came to a halt

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:33:08 PM

I suspected the NS local had stopped to let a CSX train pass. Sure enough, a local came rumbling around the curve on the CSX Chicago Line.

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:35:07 PM

The CN power on the CSX local was a nice treat!

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY at the Seneca Street bridge.

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:37:04 PM

After the local passed on CSX, the NS local remained motionless. Another CSX freight rounded the curve a short time after the CSX local passed.

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY at the Seneca Street bridge.

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:41:57 PM

This second CSX train was a symbol freight:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY at the Seneca Street bridge.

Matt L · April 15, 2010, 08:46:00 PM

As the end of the CSX symbol frieght cleared, the NS local slowly edged off the wye and onto the Chicago line:

Photo taken by me Saturday 3/20/2010 in Buffalo, NY at the Seneca Street bridge. With the sun about to set, I decided to end the chase and head out for my evening engagement. I hope everyone has enjoyed these photos.

redside20 · April 16, 2010, 09:42:33 PM

Nice pics...i am from Bellevue Ohio originally and that familiar looking NS train might've been 309. How busy is the EX NKP line up to Buffalo and what traffic do they give away or get from. trains that come from there to Bellevue are 145, 309 for westbounds and 14T, 310 for the eastbounds

Matt L · April 23, 2010, 09:36:27 PM

Quote from: redside20 on April 16, 2010, 09:42:33 PM
Nice pics...i am from Bellevue Ohio originally and that familiar looking NS train might've been 309. How busy is the EX NKP line up to Buffalo and what traffic do they give away or get from. trains that come from there to Bellevue are 145, 309 for westbounds and 14T, 310 for the eastbounds

Thanks! As for train symbols... I know 22K and 23k run between Chicago and Ayers, MA. 205 and 206 also run between Chicago and Ayers, MA. 14J and 15J run between Bison and Elkhart, IN. 14M and 15M operate between Bsion and Conway.

I've also heard that 309 and 310 (Bellevue-Gang Mills, NY) were dropped last year... but may resume soon due to greatly increased interchange traffic with the Wellsboro & Corning RR at Gang Mills. All I have is hearsay, so any confirmation would be appreciated.

What is 14T?