LA&L, WNYP, B&H Train Movements 2008

Saw the westbound NS empty coal train sitting at the old Erie freighthouse in Salamanca, last Friday, Aug. 15. Was powered by a single GE Dash 9. It appeared that it may have been waiting for an eastbound train, because it was idling and the headlights were on. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera or time to wait and see what was going to happen next. Also, the Olean Yard has an interesting mix of power as has been mentioned in other threads. Alco's, SD-45 and SD-40's, and whatever NS sends through on the coal trains. A while back the eastbound loaded coal train had 3 units on front including a BNSF, NS, and former Conrail engine, all GE's if I remember correctly. Happy fanning, and stay off the tracks.

Allegheny

On Tues Sept 02 while coming home from work at about 5:30 PM I saw the 425 leading the 418 SB coming across East River RD. followed by 34 tanks and hoppers.
A great catch for me. I think the gang were running late because they didn't spend a lot of time in Avon village when they got here.

NS Coal Drag heading west bound just passed threw andover at 9:30pm. consist of 2 NS Dash 9-40CW's and 1 ex conrail Dash 9-40CW.... go git him!!!!!!!!!!!

9/8/08 LAL Northbound into Avon just after 9am this morning, sounded like a fairly good sized train, unable to get a visual. Unable to chase today due to post tramatic stress syndrom from the Buffalo Bills win, yesterday!

Well Greg,
Guess I shoulda hung a hard right and dragged you out train chasing---that would have taken care of the post traumatic stress!
Anyways, pictures speak for themselves as to where all the engines were placed when I got to Lakeville. 418/425 with about 25 cars, picked up 4 more in Avon. And at the Genesee river bridge, CSX was inspecting the bridge while CSX MOW were doing some welding by GJ.

http://picasaweb.google.com/alsorailfan/LAL090808#

Enjoy the smoke!

chris

Poor 418 - looks like it's still in need of new injectors or other tuning. The Mahle pistons don't help, they have a tendency to soup up, but it's unlikely those will get changed out. At least it's in service again - good to see it earning its keep.

Excellent Mosquito Control, Thank you LAL. Maybe we should deem #418 "The West Nile Exterminator"

NS Unknown heading towards hornell at 7:30's my scanner was just saying that dispatch still hasent notified Southern Tier about them arriving.

NS Unknow's engine's came back threw andover at 9:30 hopefully going back to get another load of coal =)

Light day for the LA&L Crew... The Road Train arrived in Henrietta somewhere around 11:10 or so, headed to Mathews and Fields after lunch and picked up one Centerbeam Flatcar, and coupled up to the train to make up 20 cars, then passed an EB stack train right at East River Road, then into GJ. Went up to Brooks Ave and dropped off a few cars, returned light to GJ, and proceeded back to Avon with only 5 cars. In Avon, they dropped off 3 cars, and went home.

Caught the Northbound DFT yesterday 9-15. It passed Sterling Run at about 630PM. Leading Northbound was WNY&P ALCO #636, with the 2nd unit being HLCX 6320. It had a very short consist of about 10-12 cars. No coal hoppers, possibly a few sand gondolas, a reefer or 2, and one or 2 scrap style gondolas. I really don't remember as I was rushed. I thought I had heard the HLCX call "northbound" at around 5, so I hurried up and left the house. Made it to the crossing about 5 mins later and hung around for awhile. It wasn't until about 625 that I heard a low rumble coming up the track, horns followed, and so did i. Thank god I had my motor cycle, or else i would have missed it AGAIN! I believe the cars interchanged lastnight were from the B&P RR, because I heard chatter on 160.290 (the old A&E, now assigned to B&P I believe) mentioning something about "Driftwood", and "DFT". Unless the WNY&P crew were running the wrong channel for a minute, the frequency commonly used by the WNy&P on the Buffalo Line is NS frequency 161.070. Bt come to think of it, I DID also hear BPRR Dispatcher "M.E.D" talking to that train as well, so i must be right.

So In summary, WNY&P DFT-15 last night interchanges cars with B&P RR @ North Driftwood sometime that evening. Visual of DFT-15 was at 630 @ the crossing in Sterling Run. and CONFIRMED sighting of Alco #636 on DFT last night.

Caught the DFT headed out of Olean today around 1130A with three EMD lease units and one covered hopper. So much for Olean being an ALCO bastion today. The only ALCO in town was the red #431 sitting under the sand tower, with a passenger car, caboose and another leased EMD. I then caught the NS Geo train near Salamanca around 1300 with two EMDs. A former Conrail unit was leading. Where the heck have all the ALCOs gone????? Any new on the two that were headed for Gang Mills on Wed???

Passenger Car and Caboose?? Catch any marking on those?

chris

9/19/08 before 9am, northbound LAL into Avon, NY unseen but heard. Maybe an express trip to Rochester.

Action on Monday, September 22, 2008

LAL 418 and 425 with ten cars northbound at Conesus Junction at 8:22 am today. By Paper Mill Road at 8:32 am and finally crossed River Road at 8:49 am. No work in Avon norhtbound. I paced the train at 40 mph north of Avon. I noticed that there a couple of high-side gons in the train and also two more were sitting at the end of track in Lakeville. Are these being used for garbage or construction debris? If so, when did this start? 72 was the yard engine and also made a trip to the grain elevator, whose name escapes me (not Howells), on the Livonia stub. 432 was up on jacks while work was being performed on the trucks. The springs have arrived! 420 sat outside on track 3(?) with MOW equipment and from what I was told requires significant work before returning to service. I got the impression that "significant" meant a lot of work time-wise. So you should see 418 on the LAL trains for a while although I expect that 432 will be in the consist as soon as the trucks are ready.

B&H 422 and LAL 423 had 66, yes 66, cars northbound out of Painted Post today at approximately 3:45 pm. All but one were LPG cars. By Coopers Plains at 4:00 pm. They had 21 cars on the southbound trip, if I counted correctly.

It was a beautiful day to photograph trains in central New York today.

Sandy