Print Page - What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011

Title: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 06:52:27 PM

In a ritual I've repeated for the past 5 years, I took some vacation time lin late August to A. celebrate my mother's birthday and B. chase trains.

Day #1 trackside was a trip to a former Lehigh Valley RR yard, which is now used by NS and the Lehigh Railway- a relatively new shortline that leases NS tracks in northern PA. The yard has been busy with natural gas drilling traffic over the past few years, so it has been getting some TLC.

(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2FAug%25202011%2FDSC02564.jpg&hash=2e638d8203e0f613f39e6e02076b7d6500b377c9)

Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Sayre, PA.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 06:54:37 PM

A few hundred feet up the tracks, it looked like some ballast had been recently dropped off for the track gang.

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Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Sayre, PA.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 06:56:32 PM

Unfortunately, the yard was very quiet... neither the Lehigh Railway nor NS local H88 made an appearance that day.

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Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Sayre, PA.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 06:58:25 PM

The only thing that moved in the ex-LV yard was this NS MOW truck.

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Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Sayre, PA. The time was shortly after the earthquake that occurred that day. I thought the wind was shaking my car... but I discovered the truth when I got to my mother's home that evening and watched the news!

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:01:10 PM

Indeed, my only train sighting that day was on the Southern Tier Mainline... just "over the border" from Sayre. 38T rumbled through in the afternoon, with this elderly Soo unit leading.

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Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Waverly, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:02:06 PM

38T also had a pair of leased EMD units in the power mix, including an SD45.

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Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Waverly, NY. Being an EL fan, it was nice to see an SD45 here for the first time in at least 20 years.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:04:33 PM

The tail end of 38T- this was the end of train watching for the day, as well.

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Photo taken by me Tuesday 8/23/2011 in Waverly, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:10:28 PM

The next day was better. Following a tour of the Owego & Hartford (which I'll cover at another time), I intercepted the NS OCS near the old depot.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Owego, NY. BTW, the OCS suffered an engine fire (#4275?) in Binghamton... but the excursion managed to stay on time.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:12:10 PM

The OCS passes under signals which NS installed just a few years ago to replace vintage Erie semaphores.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Owego, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:14:23 PM

I liked the end of the observation(?) car in the OCS- there must have a great view of tracks for anyone fortunate to ride it.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Owego, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:16:02 PM

The OCS passes through a small yard in the town where my mother grew up.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Waverly, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:18:18 PM

Keeping good time, the OCS passed CP Gibson shortly before 3 PM.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Corning, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:20:22 PM

The brakes squealed as the OCS slowed for the approach to the yard at Gang Mills (a couple miles away).

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Corning, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:24:32 PM

Meanwhile, this wide cab was idling in the yard. According to a trusted source, this locomotive would depart with northbound H06 a short time after the OCS passed.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Gang Mills, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:25:38 PM

NS had alot of power on display at the yard, including 5 locomotives near the east end.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Gang Mills, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:27:16 PM

Among the Geeps, I found this high nose GP38-2. NS has brought a couple of them to upstate NY in recent years.

(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2FAug%25202011%2FDSC02672.jpg&hash=ffd293dbeb44f52262b4d5881475e9328718fa18)

Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Gang Mills, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:31:09 PM

At the west end of the yard, a pair of low nose GP38-2s was assembling another train.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Gang Mills, NY. This a busy place. NS services at least 5 shortlines, local industries and the gas drillers from the Gang Mills yard.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:33:05 PM

Resuming the OCS chase, I caught the train at CP Erwin.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Erwin, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:36:16 PM

The OCS passed through CP Cass shortly before 4:30 PM.

(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2FAug%25202011%2FDSC02688.jpg&hash=82f010c7d6a78b9e25c5df0f0943f5a66c71cf0d)

Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:37:33 PM

The F units lead the OCS up the former Erie/EL Buffalo Extension.

(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2FAug%25202011%2FDSC02689.jpg&hash=912a2521af16eab62f2380da5961c52685638d97)

Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:38:38 PM

The OCS consist passes through CP Cass.

(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2FAug%25202011%2FDSC02690.jpg&hash=c48ad1f1af1a5b5e13237cfe9d4214db3b3a5a2d)

Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:40:35 PM

As the tail end of the OCS cleared West Street, I received credible reports of at least 2 NS freights in the area... so I chose to end the OCS chase here.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:43:32 PM

Sure enough, westbound 23K arrived at CP Cass about 40 minutes after the OCS.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:45:27 PM

23K had been trailing the OCS for much of the day and this continued as the train headed up the Buffalo Extension.

(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2FAug%25202011%2FDSC02702.jpg&hash=49d338586f554e8368fd6bd6a2ea311da9701059)

Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:46:35 PM

Roughly 2/3 of 23K seemed to be auto racks.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:47:17 PM

The final 1/3 of 23K was a mix of COFC and TOFC.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:48:51 PM

23K clears West Street.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:50:41 PM

A little over an hour after 23K departed, 13T rumbled into town.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:52:24 PM

13T often stops at Gang Mills, so the covered hoppers in the consist may have been dropped off there.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 07:54:14 PM

As 13T headed eastward, I chose to end the chase for the day.

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Photo taken by me Wednesday 8/24/2011 in Hornell, NY. I hope everyone has enjoyed the pictures. It truly was fun to take them!

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: thpbears on August 29, 2011, 09:03:15 PM

Nice shots

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 30, 2011, 07:06:50 PM

Quote from: thpbears on August 29, 2011, 09:03:15 PM
Nice shots

Thanx! I wish I could've caught the OCS at the majestic Portageville Viaduct... but it was impossible to get there in time from CP Cass. Oh well, it was a fun chase day anyway.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Ed Fury on August 31, 2011, 06:34:03 PM

Some of those locations look like they would have great fall colors and make for some really good shots.

Title: Re: What I did on my Summer Vacation 2011
Post by: Matt L on August 31, 2011, 08:03:56 PM

Quote from: Ed Fury on August 31, 2011, 06:34:03 PM
Some of those locations look like they would have great fall colors and make for some really good shots.

Oh yeah, I'm itching to get shots from the pedestrian bridge at CP Gibson in Corning in October.

JREB.org

Photo and Video => Trip Reports and Photo Sharing => Topic started by: Matt L on August 29, 2011, 06:52:27 PM