NS across upstate NY and northern PA

Matt L · February 12, 2010, 10:33:38 PM

The B&H services the Almstom facility in Kanona (NY), so it interchanges passenger cars with NS. On this trip, the B&H picked up 4 passenger cars from NS:

Photo taken by me Monday 8/24/2009 in Campbell, NY. When I resume this series, we'll take a look at my final visit to NS for 2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 06:36:26 PM

My next trip to see NS in 2009 was in September. Although I did attempt a chase on December 26th, I saw no moving trains that day, so these photos from the greater Buffalo area represent my final NS chase for 2009.

After a quick check on a connecting shortline (the Buffalo Southern) which didn't operate day, I decided to check out Bison Yard. I definitely got a sense of deja vu when I was up on the Harlem Road bridge. The sky was cloudy and there was some brief rain... just like my previous visit to Bsion Yard in may.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2010 in Cheektowaga, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 06:41:10 PM

This high nose GP38-2 was switching the yard and preparing a local for departure. Number 5113 is a long way from her original home on the Southern Railway!

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 in Cheektowaga, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 06:46:27 PM

A bird's eye of #5113 as she led the local under the Harlem Road Bridge in Cheektowaga. To clear up some previous confusion about the location- Harlem Road sits right on the town line. Thus, shots on the east side of the bridge (like this one) are in Cheektowaga... and shots on the west side of the bridge (like the next one) are in Sloan.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 in Cheektowaga, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 06:48:10 PM

Number 5113 leading a short local west of Harlem Road in Sloan, NY:

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:00:46 PM

I never saw #5113 again on that trip to the Buffalo area. After a failed attempt to find that local, I gave up and settled dow near Buffalo Creek Junction in Blasdell. This was a major interchange point between the B&O (BR&P), Erie, NKP, NYC and Pennsy sixty years ago. CSX, the Buffalo Southern, the Buffalo & Pittsburgh and NS were using the junction last year. Here we see a low nose GP38-2, #5640, returning after dropping another local at the Ford plant in Hamburg... which is just a few miles away.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:01:53 PM

Number 5640 is crossing Lake Avene in Blasdell, NY.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:04:33 PM

Number 5640 rounds the bend, heading into Buffalo Creek Junction. The other track in the diamond is the Buffalo Southern's mainline, an ex-Erie/EL branchline spun off by Conrail in 1981.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:14:48 PM

The Norfolk Southern line in Blasdell is the ex-NKP mainline that runs from Buffalo to Chicago. It is connected via "Cadillac Curve" to Bison Yard and the Southern Tier Mainline, so the former NKP sees alot action in Blasdell. This mixed freight showed up about 20 minutes after I saw #5640.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:17:40 PM

Note the ex-CR unit in dress blue with a patched nose.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 in Blasdell, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:22:18 PM

The mixed freight had alot of covered hoppers. Some of them had GNWR markings, so I assumed they were headed for the Rochester & Southern interchange in Silver Springs, NY.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 at Lake Avenue in Blasdell, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:24:52 PM

The train activity paused for a little while and I got a quick lunch. This westbound freight rounded the curve not long after I finished.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:25:46 PM

Crossing Lake Avenue in Blasdell, NY:

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:31:23 PM

The final train of the day showed up just minutes before I planned to leave.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 in Blasdell, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:34:32 PM

NS does run some intermodal traffic into the Buffalo area, owing to the facilities at Bison Yard as well as the new partnership with Pan Am Railway in New England.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 in Blasdell, NY.

Matt L · February 21, 2010, 07:37:41 PM

The last car disappeared around the curve... ending both my chase for the day and successful NS chases for 2009.

Photo taken by me Friday 9/18/2009 in Blasdell, NY. I hope everyone has enjoyed my NS pictures from 2009. I have already had a pair of chases in 2010 and I will share those in a new thread soon.