D&H 7312 Spotted - Scranton

I was out for a run the other night and was running across a bridge across the CP main in Clarks Summit. I heard a train coming around the bend so I waited for it and sure enough Delaware & Hudson 7312 was leading two CP units on a rather long train (1/3 boxcars 2/3 intermodal).

I've never seen a real D&H unit before this. I've been trying to do some research and I'm not finding too much other than it's not too uncommon on this line, especially up in NY. Can anybody fill me in on the history of the line and other info on the locomotive? Are there others in D&H paint?

The line is the old Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad mainline to Binghamton, NY.

#7312 is one of three "Canadian Pacific Heritage Locomotives" in D&H paint. The others being #7303 & #7304. #7312 is always around Steamtown during Events. I think the NRHS Convention is in town soon so #7312 might be on display. It's also seen during the parks "Railfest" events.

#7312 is an ex. Lehigh Valley GP38-2 (#325?). D&H bought some from the LV.

I believe the LV units came to the D&H with the formation of Conrail in 1976. At that time D&H obtained extensive trackage rights over Conrail line to continue some form of competition.

The DL&W line between Binghamton and Scranton was purchased by the D&H around 1980 to replace their line under Starucca Viaduct in Lanesboro, PA over Ararat Mountain and down through Carbondale. The DL&W had better grades than the D&H line and at the time Conrail was willing to sell it to the D&H.

Two D&H painted engines are supposed to power a trip at the upcoming NRHS Convention at Steamtown next week. I believe the trip is running from Steamtown to Sunbury...but don't hold me to that.

Plate F wrote: I've never seen a real D&H unit before this.

you probably have! but just dont know it!
quite a few D&H units are still running around..but few are still in D&H paint though..

All twelve of the LV GP38-2's and all twelve of the LV Alco C420's were transferred to the D&H on 4-1-76 upon the formation of Conrail..(also Twenty former Reading GP39-2's)
D&H was also given trackage rights over the Southern tier main from Binghamton-Buffalo at this time..so all the new units helped with this new route/traffic...all the locomotives, and the traffic rights, were a "condition" of the formation of Conrail, in an attempt to preserve competition.

The LV Alco C420's operated with the D&H until 1988, when they were all sold off..
the LV GP38-2's remained with the D&H until 1991, when they were transferred to CP, where 10 of the twelve remain today.
(two have been wrecked/scrapped)


CP 7312 is:

NEE LV 325
to D&H 7325
to Guilford 231
to D&H 7312
to CP 7312

http://www.frontiernet.net/~scottychaos ... tives.html

http://www.bridge-line.org/blhs/dhdieselroster.html

Scot

The Delaware & Hudson originally connected Montreal with Albany, Oneonta, Binghamton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It remained solvent despite the collapse of other northeastern roads in the 1970s.

To provide token competiton for Conrail, the D&H was given trackage rights:

Binghamton to Buffalo via ex-EL
Scranton to Oak Island via ex-LV
Sunbury to Potomac Yard via ex-PC/Enola PA
At that time they were basically given the former PRR from Wilkes-Barre to Sunbury, as part of their route to Potomac Yard. I'd have to get out a map to be 100% sure of the routing, but the road basically doubled or tripled in size overnight.

As part of that expansion they recieved the above-noted locomotives, plus cabooses and freight cars sourced from various Conrail predecessors - cabooses from EL, RDG and LV, RDG box cars, and other equipment.

In 1982 they purchased the former DL&W from Binghamton to Scranton/W-B as the grades were more favorable over their own Penn Division and it allowed elimination/consolidation of Oneonta and Binghamton yards into the former EL East Binghamton yard. IIRC trains from the north had to run around to enter the Penn Division but I could be wrong there. Conrail was trying to abandon the former DL&W at the time.

Guilford bought the D&H in 1983, and it went bankrupt in 1988. The NYS&W was made operator during the bankruptcy, Walter Rich with a lot of help from CSX. CP Rail was awarded the road by the bankruptcy court in 1992. After the Conrail split, CP made deals with NS allowing them to give up the trackage rights, particularly those to Buffalo, replaced by haulage rights.


Of the power the D&H got in 1976, the C420s were sold off as a group in 1987, most going to the Arkansas & Missouri, but at least one is with GVT.

The GP39-2s: Don't confuse those D&H bought new with the former Reading units. The D&H units Guilford transferred to the B&M before selling all to Union Pacific, of all roads. The Reading units went to CSX, I believe in repayment for the heavy use of CSX power to move D&H trains between 1988 and 1992. Some ran into the late 90s still in Reading paint. It appears CSX has retired some, others may still be in service.

The ex-LV GP38-2s, as noted 10 remain, those not in lightining stripe are in some form of CP red. Until CP repainted the 7308, it ran in a D&H blue-dip paint so weathered most of the blue was gone, revealing near complete Lehigh Valley paint underneath.

The RDG GP39-2's had been financed by the Chessie System at the time they were attempting to gain control of the RDG and CNJ. About the same time a group of B&O SD-40's were transferred to the CNJ. When the lease expired on the GP39's they reverted to Chessie's successor, CSX. The SD-40's would ride out CR until the split. Something similar happened when CSX financed the DASH 8-40B's for the NYSW in their bid to gain the D&H. When CP won the D&H the GE's reverted to CSX.

I had thought that C&O gave up on the Reading when they dumped their 40% of the stock around 1967? The B&O/C&O control is obvious before that - Reading's first paint scheme is the same as B&O in different colors, and the GP30-35s got C&O compatible numbers early on.

But it makes sense someone else financed that order of locomotives.

The CNJ SD40s actually started to leave before the split, one is on the NECR, one went to EMD (and I think to I&M Rail Link from there), three were rebuilt to 6900s, and I've forgotten what happened to the rest.

The Chessie System had a vested interest in the RDG/CNJ as their link into the Northeast; Chessie System needed to protect its lifeline. The GP39-2’s and SD-40’s had been preceded by EMD F-7’s, Baldwin and FM switchers from the B&O. As we entered the 1970’s no one knew how the Northeast railroad scene would change. The Regional Rail Reorganization (3R) Act of 1973 changed everything. Signed into law on January 2, 1974 and upheld by the Supreme Court on December 16, 1974 the rest of the railroads took a step back and waited to see what would happen. It reminds me of the line by Bob Uecker on how to catch a knuckleball, “wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up out of the dirt.” ConRail did not stop rolling until 1999 when it was properly broken up by CSX/NS; Chessie System’s successor finally got back its link to the Northeast.