Mamaroneck Marval Freight Siding

Mike failed to mention that lighting for last night's Mamaroneck shoot was courtesy Subaru and Jeep. ;-)

The train pulling out of Mamaroneck and heading back up to the mainline was surprisingly quiet- it almost sounded like a subway train pulling out- little flange squeal, and the cars pulled out real quiet-like.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:Mike failed to mention that lighting for last night's Mamaroneck shoot was courtesy Subaru and Jeep.

Indeed - sorry about that Otto. Otto is a Mad B@stard too - dragged himself out at nearly 11pm to witness the shunting operations in Mamaroneck, and helped illuminate the Geep with his Jeep... I drive the Scooby Doo (WRX:-)

Mike

I've been traveling around that area for the last 20 years or so, and only once have I seen operations there. It was wild to see the loco cross the rd. like that. Very simplistic crossing, almost can't see the tracks.

Did you guys take a look at the Fenimore crossing that night? Whomever did the repaving got a fire amount of asphalt in the groove for the flange. Would the railroad have taken a look at that after the paiving was done to insure safe usage?

I've been wanting to see this for a while now but haven't made the out and out effort. Sounds like it is often done on Monday nights? Hopefully I'll be able to catch it sometime.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what freights, and with what regularity, would run north on the New Haven Line? I ask specifically in regard to a freight (had to have been at least 15 cars) I saw around midnight sometime in the spring.

As a side, I am rather new to the freight side of all this- I've only paid attention to the MTA and MN over the last 7 or so years.

Fishtale,

The only two freights I know of on the New Haven are:

The CSX local, which runs as far as Mamaroneck (I believe there was another company (timber) up in CT which they used to serve, but their sidings are closed for works at present, not sure when/if they will reopen).

The P&W stone train, which runs 2-3 nights a week from New Haven to Long Island. Generally runs West at night, passing Mamaroneck around 11pm perhaps, and back East the following day, 10am - 1pm. But it doesn't run over the winter - seldom or never after Thanksgiving, until the following spring. There's a thread about it, with photos:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=30338


You'll also see MN geeps on work trains, hauling ballast cars etc.

That's about it for the New Haven, AFAIK. Any more to add to the list, anyone?

Mike

Thanks for the info abaduck...interesting stuff. I have seen the P&W Stone heading east at around 11am many times. Didn't know what train it was before now though. I only got into freights recently now that I am back from some time in the midwest. Out there it was the only show in town, but they don't realize how lucky they are! I could walk 15 minutes from my apartment to an abandoned platform and watch 6 tracks of freight go by at any time of day

Well CSX switched the Marval sidings between 11pm and midnight last night (Tues. 21/11/06) - a couple of pics:


Paused crossing Fenimore Rd:


(Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n 640ASA 15secs f8.0)




And waiting to head out on the New Haven line:


(Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n 640ASA 20secs f8.0)


Yes, there were two locomotives! Shot some video too, may post it later.

Mike

Great shots man, are you using a tripod?

Also, they always have two locomotives, no?

Oh yes, I used a tripod. They weren't hanging about so very little time to take photos - those are the only two good ones I got. If you like them, the high-resolution versions are at:


http://www.corestore.org/CSX750_211106_1.jpg

and

http://www.corestore.org/CSX750_211106_2.jpg


As threatened, here are the videos. Right-click and 'save as'. They're HDTV, and some of them are very big - up to 400MB - so spare my server and your broadband, only download them if you *really* want to see CSX switching Mamaroneck!

http://www.corestore.org/csxgates211106.mpg - 1min, 185MB. Coming through the gates into the sidings, under the Rockland Ave. overbridge. One of the guys on the crew recognised me - you can hear him yell 'Abaduck?' as they go past! Fame, or notoriety?

http://www.corestore.org/csxempties211106.mpg - 1min 20secs, 250MB. Pulling the empties out of the Marval sidings, across Fenimore Rd.

http://www.corestore.org/csxtrain211106.mpg - 1 min 30secs, 260MB. Putting the train back together, coupling the locos up.

http://www.corestore.org/csxfull211106.mpg - 3mins, 440MB. Stopping traffic on Fenimore Rd. and shoving the full cars into Marval - last step before heading out on the mainline.

A couple of short ones to finish off:

http://www.corestore.org/csxlarchmont211106.mpg - 15secs, 40MB. Got ahead of them at Larchmont, shot video of them going past there.

http://www.corestore.org/wwlarchmont211106.mpg - 20secs, 52MB. CSX had to wait about 15 mins before the switch was unlocked so they could head out - reason was waterworld was coming through, so I shot that at Larchmont - FL9s, 2016 & 2026 - whilst waiting for the CSX. Mike had a busy evening!

Enjoy.

Mike

Well, those photos were certainly HI RES!! Haha, excellent though, thanks Mike.

Damn! A 13.5 megapixel Digital Camera and an HD Camcorder. Can I play with your toys, abaduck?

mncommuter wrote:Damn! A 13.5 megapixel Digital Camera and an HD Camcorder. Can I play with your toys, abaduck?

NO

Some people... he'll be after my WRX and my wife next...

Unless 'he' is 'she' of course...

But I'll let you know if my Secret Plot to buy an F-unit ever comes to anything... you can come play with that!

Mike

Haha, very good very good.

Maybe you can buy a little piece of the spur to store your 400,000 lb locomotive!!!

Just in case it wasn't made completely clear - the job is LB-750 - which work out of Croton West Yard - NOT Oak Point.

PS - hold on to the shots of the 2813 - I am told it blew its turbo AGAIN - second time since coming to croton (in Sept. It may not return - but who knows - that all just speculative rumors for now.....

--JSW

amazing work guys!! many years ago i recall covered hoppers for Marval being left on the end of the spur by the ROW for a few days, but that's the closest i've ever come to seeing this spot switched. after Strauss in Port Chester stopped getting service about 10 years back, i think this is one of the few freight customers left in westchester and almost certainly the longest spur still in use!!

i had heard that at one point in the past 10 years, there was an attempt at serving a different customer on one of these two long spur tracks. does anyone have any information on that? it is a pretty well arranged industrial area, which is a rarity in westchester for sure!