NS across upstate NY and northern 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]

As I saw the old CR SD40-2 heading down the track towards the small cut of cars on the other side of the station, I realized the crew was about to take the train out of the yard. But where would it go? We will see when I resume this series again. 



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

[Matt L]

Picking up where I last left off, I figured the SD40-2 was running around the consist at the south end of the former LehighValley yard to take it somewhere. Gang Mills seemed a logical choice, based on the tank cars to be moved. The yard in Elmira was another possibility. Either way, it was time to head west. I drove to Wellsburg, NY. I barely even had time to set up when my hunch was rewarded:



Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009.   

[Matt L]

Sure enough, it the same SD40-2 headed west, running long hood forward.




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

[Matt L]

This crossing in Wellsburg has been a favorite location to see trains since my youth. It was the bustling Erie Lackawanna mainline back then. I am glad to see NS has been rehabilitating the ROW. 




Photo taken by me Friday 1/30/2009 in Wellsburg, NY.  For those who don't know, the NS local used an old connecting track to run from the LV yard in Sayre to the EL main in Waverly, NY.

[Matt L]

One final shot of the same local from Sayre, taken from crossing at State Route 427:




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

[Matt L]

About 30 minutes after the local passed, this symbol freight roared through the Route 427 crossing:




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

[Matt L]

This train was monstrous- I figure it was about 150 cars long. Thus three widecabs were the head end power:




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

[Matt L]

At least half of this train consisted of auto racks:




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

[Matt L]

There was also some  general (mixed) freight tacked on the rear of the train:




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

[Matt L]

The tail end of  the symbol freight heading east, rapidly moving away from the Route 427 crossing:




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

[Matt L]

I saw no fruther trains on the 30th. The following day I headed to CP Cass in Hornell. An important junction back in the Erie/EL eras, this is where the Buffalo Extension split from the mainline. With the Western New York & Pennsylvania RR (a shortline affiliated with the Bath & Hammondsport)  rehabilitating the former Erie/EL mainline west of Hornell a few years back, CP Cass is a true junction again.  Here is an eastbound symbol freight coming off the Buffalo Extension:




Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY.

[Matt L]

The symbol freight running next to Buffalo Street as it approaches CP Cass:




Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY.

[ssmith1627]

Love the shot of the ex-CR loco running LHF.   That is awesome.   I didn't realize they could even do that.  Shows how little I know about the cab of a locomotive.  But I thought they had to be set up to run one way or the other.

Great catch !

Steve

[Matt L]

Love the shot of the ex-CR loco running LHF.   That is awesome.   I didn't realize they could even do that.  Shows how little I know about the cab of a locomotive.  But I thought they had to be set up to run one way or the other.

In most cases, the control stand (throttle, gauges, etc.) is set up because one direction will be preferred. In the case of this SD40-2, it is short hoot forward. However, that doesn't mean an loco can't run backward. I have been in the cab of an SW9 and a GP38-2 when they have been run backwards. The engineer merely swivels his/her seat and looks in the other direction It is something of a pain as the engineer must hold the throttle at an awkward angle and occasionally glance backward at the gauges.

In rare cases, locomotives have been built with dual control stands for ease of bi-directional running. This included some u33Cs that N&W financed for the Erie Lackawanna during the Dereco years.   

Getting back to the SD40-2, I found it odd that it had no ditch lights at the end of the long hood. I'm guessing it had only recently been transferred to local service, as "rear" ditch lights would not be necessary when the EMD was part of an MU lash-up.   

[Matt L]

Let's continue my recent trip to CP Cass. I could hear the brakes squealing even as that train passed by:



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY.

[Matt L]

The locomotives came to rest right before the Cass Street crossing which gives the junction its name:



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY. 

[Matt L]

Notice the snow caked up on the third locomotive- clearly a byproduct of those lake  effect snows which so frequently hit Bison Yard in the winter months.



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY.   

[Matt L]

I was able to run ahead while the train was stopped (briefly).  Thus I was able to catch it crossing Cass Street:



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY. 

[Matt L]

Heading toward Taylor Street crossing:



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY. 

[Matt L]

Crossing Taylor Street:



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY. 

[Matt L]

As the train headed off towards points east, I took one final look back at it as I retreated to the warmth of my car:



Photo taken by me Saturday 1/31/2009 in Hornell, NY.