Diamond crossings in NY

While looking at some photos of the diamond crossing in Palmer Mass, it occured to me that I have NEVER seen a diamond crossing anywhere in NY state!
I know there used to be some in western NY, which are gone now.
lets make a list of former, and still existing diamonds.

Here are the former diamond crossings I know of.

1. P&L junction, Caledonia - BR&P and LV.
2. Mount Morris - DL&W and PRR
3. Sodus - NYC and PRR (this diamond might be in place, but not active)
4. Genesee Junction - Rochester - PRR & NYC.
5. Mortimer junction, Rochester, Erie/NYC
(was there a LV diamond at Mortimer too?)

The majority of junctions between 2 railroads simply use switches, no diamonds..or one railroad passes over the other on a bridge.
diamonds were not terribly common in central & western NY it seems.

but there are a few junctions in unsure of.
were there diamonds, junctions with switches (but no diamonds) or did the railroads cross over each other? (bridges) at the following locations:

G&W junction, Caledonia. I know it was at-grade, but I dont know if there was a diamond. G&W and Erie.

LV/NYC Hojack, Sterling, south of Fair Haven

DL&W/BR&P, (now R&S) south of Leroy

Erie/Erie crossing at Attica

Erie/DL&W at Alexander, south of Batavia

Phelps junctions.
NYC/PRR
NYC/LV

Was there ever a diamond at Avon?

Erie/PRR Rochester branch at Canawagus

Akron Junction, east of Buffalo, NYC/NYC.

Falconer Junction (Jamestown) NYC/Erie

Riverside Junction - near Salamanca, Erie/BR&P. (still an active junction?)

anyone have any active diamonds in NY?
and former junctions too..
thanks!
Scot

Just a few off the top of my head:

Charlotte wye NYC

PRR/BR&P (B&O) on Chili Ave bridge Rochester

Industrial siding lead to Genesee Feldspar near top of Charlotte Dock trestle (BR&P/B&O)

NYC Charlotte Branch, Otis yard

Several diamonds in the GFR

I believe all the above are now gone.

Re your questions,

BR&P/PRR at riverside Jct - yes
PRR/NYC Phelps Jct - yes
DL&W/BR&P at DL&W Jct (south of Leroy) no, DLW went over BR&P on a bridge.

There are countless more but I worked last night and not fully awake yet.

There's an active diamond in Olean.

Upon-a-diamonds include DV in Falconer.

The smart ass answer would be that at one time they were probably all diamond crossings before increased speeds, traffic, and, thus, grade seperations. Additions, off the top of my head (modern times,i.e. 1940's-80's): D&H and DL&W in BInghamotn, LV and DL&W Cortland, Erie and DL&W Owego, Erie and PRR Olean, LV and LV Freeville, O&W and D&H Sidney, the list is probably as endless as the futility in trying to remember! I have a diagram book of the Erie and DL&W diamond at Chemung from 1890! Today there is still a diamond in use in Binghamton as trains using the east leg of the wye (track 5 or the D&H north) have to cross the S.T. (former Erie) main line right on the Court St. bridge. LI has a few extant as does METRONorth and the NYC subway system. There are probably several hundred instance still around and thousands more to be remembered! And I am only talking New York State!!!

Scot – Interesting question! I’m curious to read others’ responses – especially regarding currently active diamonds.

My comments:

1 – There was actually a pair diamonds at P&L Jct where the BR&P crossed the double tracked LV. They lasted right thru the LV’s last day. The racket generated by B&O movements over the two diamonds in succession was amazing. Similarly the noise of an LV train at speed over the B&O was a wonder to behold!

2 – Several hundred yards west at G&W Jct, the G&W crossed the Peanut (NYC) on a skewed (maybe 75 deg??) diamond just north of NY 5. On the other side of Route 5 another skewed diamond carried the G&W over the Erie. Both were easily visible from the road. (Aside: I recall an odd, illuminated (two red lights) tilting board signal governing G&W movement into the junction. Anyone remember this signal or have a photo?)

3 – In the town of Rush, the Peanut apparently crossed the Erie at Genesee Valley Jct (now Golah) at grade, judging from the abandoned grading in the area today.

4 – There were several diamonds at Mortimer (Henrietta) where the double tracked Westshore crossed the Erie and the LV. They were visible from Brighton Henrietta TL Road.

5 – The DL&W crossed the BR&P on a plate girder bridge – was never a diamond there! The abandoned bridge was still standing when I last visited the area about 15 years ago.

6 – Similarly the Erie Attica branch crossed over the PRR at Canawaugus on a short wooden trestle - the stone abutments are still clearly evident either side of the Greenway Trail. Never a diamond there either.

7– Wonder if there were ever one or more diamonds in “downtown” LeRoy where the BR&P, Erie and NYC sorted themselves out before heading toward Salamanca and Batavia. Would like to see a track diagram from back in the day for the area. Anyone?

...FB

Add PRR/DL&W diamond at Mt. Morris.

Yes, NYC/Erie at Golah was a diamond.

Erie/DL&W in Mt. Morris was a diamond.

Charles

Long ago there was a diamond in Mayville, NY, where the Jamestown, Westfield, and Northwestern crossed the Pennsylvania Railroad. I believe, but I would have to check to refresh my memory, that the JW pre-dated the Pennsy as a line. The former trolley line actually had to install a diamond to get it to work, and there was quite a bit of animosity as the JW tried to build the diamond. The Pennsy even derailed a locomotive on purpose at the desired location, and the whole deal ended up in court.

The JW maintained a Tower there for some time and ran their north end dispatching out of there. The line itself ceased use in 1950 with a Northbound that terminated at Westfield, though there was likey a lite move south to Jamestown where the enginehouse was for the 70 tonners. No clue when the diamond was removed, though the Pennsy line lasted into the 70's with PC.

Dave Becker

If we're talking about all of New York State, let's not forget Voorheesville, where the D&H Albany Main crossed the NYC Selkirk Branch... that diamond was lifted in 1999? 2000?

There used to be a diamond where the NYC Harlem Division's Lake Mahopac Branch crossed the Putnam Division at Lake Mahopac.

When the Oak Point Link first opened to bring CSX and CP/D&H traffic from the Oak Point Yard to a new connection with MN's Hudson Line, I think there was a diamond at High Bridge where the Oak Point Link crossed a MN yard lead track at grade. With the rebuilding of High Bridge and construction of a new facility, I think the diamond was eliminated around 2002/2003? Probably the shortest life span for a diamond crossing in modern times.

As BR&P noted above, countless industrial areas had diamonds to accomodate switchbacks and tight sidings... (I know you can still find a diamond in the weeds behind the Regional Market in Henrietta)... and the GFR was a maze of diamonds and switchbacks. Were you only referring to mainline connections?

-otto-

Buffalo Southern & NS have an active diamond at Lake Avenue in Blasdell

Darn it. Forgot the one in Blasdell.

Dave Becker

wow! lots of replies in a short time!
very cool..
ok, the updated list:

Former diamonds, now gone
1. P&L junction, Caledonia - BR&P/LV. (double diamond-LV)
2. Mount Morris - DL&W/PRR (double diamond -DL&W)
3. Sodus - NYC/PRR (this diamond might be in place, but not active)
4. Genesee Junction - Rochester - PRR & NYC. (double diamond-NYC)
5. Mortimer junction, Rochester, Erie/NYC (double diamond - NYC)
6. Mortimer junction, Rochester, LV/NYC (double diamond - NYC)
7. Charlotte (Rochester) NYC/NYC
8. Chili ave Bridge, Rochester, PRR/BR&P
9. Charlotte dock, Rochester, BR&P/BR&P
10. NYC Charlotte branch, Otis yard, NYC/NYC
11. Riverside junction-(Salamanca) - double crossing- PRR crossed BR&P and Erie
12. Phelps junction - PRR/NYC
13. Binghamton - D&H/DL&W
14. Cortland - LV/DL&W
15. Owego - DL&W/Erie
16. Freeville - LV/LV
17. Sidney - D&H/O&W
18. Chemung - Erie/DL&W (4 way diamond?? two 2-track mainlines)
19. G&W junction - Caledonia - G&W/Erie
20. G&W junction - Caledonia - G&W/NYC
21. Genesee Valley Junction -Rush - Erie/PRR
22. Leroy - NYC/Erie
23. Mayville - JW&NW/PRR
24. Voorheesville - D&H/NYC
25. Lake Mahopac - NYC/NYC
26. Oak Point Yard - short lived diamond.


several diamonds were at Genesee Falls RR, Rochester, industrial trackage. none remain.

regional market, Rochester (Henrietta) a dimond still there, not in use.

Diamonds still in use:

1. Binghamton - D&H/Erie (now CP/NS)
2. Olean - Erie/PRR (now WNYP/NS)? (is that right?)
3. Blasdell (Buffalo) originally ? and ?, now BSOR/NS.



here is Charlotte, 1912:
http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NY

and Leroy, 1951
http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NY

looks like a NYC/Erie diamond in Leroy.
and the BR&P had to cross the Erie and NYC somewhere between Caledonia and Leroy..diamonds or switches?

thanks guys!
keep 'em coming!
Scot

According to the LV marketing folks, their entire system was one big "black diamond". Har har har.

First, some corrections:

11. Riverside junction-(Salamanca) - double crossing- PRR crossed BR&P and Erie
(Nope, the PRR didn't cross the Erie there. Did cross BR&P at grade; BR&P crossed the Erie via through-truss bridge at Carrollton)


18. Chemung - Erie/DL&W (4 way diamond?? two 2-track mainlines)
(I believe this was an overpass, possibly DL&W jumped over the Erie)

Erie/DL&W at Alexander, south of Batavia : DL&W overpass

Also:

-FW Tower, Buffalo (PRR/ERIE?)

-EL-2 and EL-3 interlockings - Erie Niagara Falls Branch crossed the NYC Peanut/LV in Tonawanda, and the NYC Lockport branch in North Tonawanda (not sure which was EL-2 and EL-3)

I think there was a diamond crossing in North Tonawanda of the Erie and NYC Lockport branches also.

-Erie Dock line crossing of NYC Niagara Branch, N. Tonawanda

-Erwins Crossing, near Corning - DL&W main crossed Erie Rochester branch

-Another Binghamton one, DL&W crossed Erie main at BD tower

-Machias Jct., PRR/BR&P

JoeS wrote:First, some corrections:

11. Riverside junction-(Salamanca) - double crossing- PRR crossed BR&P and Erie
(Nope, the PRR didn't cross the Erie there. Did cross BR&P at grade; BR&P crossed the Erie via through-truss bridge at Carrollton)

Joe, I based that on this map:

1900 - http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NY

it appears the BR&P and The Erie ran parallel south-east out of Salamanca, and the PRR crossed them both at the same place.

JoeS wrote:18. Chemung - Erie/DL&W (4 way diamond?? two 2-track mainlines)
(I believe this was an overpass, possibly DL&W jumped over the Erie)

I always thought that was an overpass too..
today route 17 passes over the Erie, so I always thought the DL&W passed over the Erie as well..
but Henry says he has a diagram showing a crossing,
and this map:
1902 - http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NY

1954 - http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NY

also seems to show an at-grade crossing, not a bridge.
both railroads are on the river flats in that area..one does not appear to be above the other.

Scot

Scott,

#21 was not a diamond.

Add Mt. Morris - DL&W/Erie (DL&W double track)