Saratoga & North Creek (S&NC) Discussion - 2012

This has been posted before, but does anyone know the actual heritage of ex-UHRR 101, the bay window caboose?

It's reported as ex-NYC, but NYC cars have a ton of different details, even if you account for a car that's had the windows modernized. The big thing is NYC and PC bay window cars had riveted sides, this one is welded. It even has different details from a Conrail N21 bay window, although it's close.

In fact, what it's closest to from what I can see is the Walthers HO kit, if you build it with the same style bays. I don't know what, or if, it's based off any specific prototype with details added to change it to be closer to other roads.

Ok, I went to the guy on cabooses, Roger Kirkpatrick. UHRR 101 ex PC/CR 24548, built 1971, class N12, pictures of it in Conrail paint online show all the details match up. Hebner's site has a spot for a pic showing this car wrecked in 1976 but the pic isn't available, so it possibly was rebuilt at that point.

So where is the SNCR rebuilding the former Lackawanna E - 8s? Also is the Arizona Eastern E-8 coming back to home rails or has the engine been
sold to another carrier or party? Seems to be operating strictly in the midwest of late!

ladder2 wrote:Also is the Arizona Eastern E-8 coming back to home rails or has the engine been sold to another carrier or party? Seems to be operating strictly in the midwest of late!

Iowa Pacific owns and operates many short lines around the country, so that E8 could end up on any of their operations. The Arizona Eastern was one of those operations until they sold to the Genesee & Wyoming group of railroads in September 2011. The sale is probably why the former AZER E8 became available, as the passenger excursions on the AZER are not part of GWI's business.

-otto-

ladder2 wrote:So where is the SNCR rebuilding the former Lackawanna E - 8s?

Technically they are not Lackawanna E-8's..they never belonged to the DL&W.
they are both originally PRR.

Scot

The Arizona Eastern E8 is being used on various excursions being operated by parent company Iowa and PAcific This year. Ran a trip from chicago to Indianapolis last month, This month its running 3 trains out of chicago, this weekend actually, and this spring its running a 2000+ mile excursion in the midwest and southwest. http://www.highirontravel.com/schedule.html

Over in the MARC & VRE board (commuter railroads into Washington DC) someone noted that old MARC commuter coaches are now in service on the Saratoga & North Creek. Can anyone here confirm this? any photos? Thanks
http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=73151

Has there been any influx of any type of freight or even MOW equipment?

jcepler1 wrote:Over in the MARC & VRE board (commuter railroads into Washington DC) someone noted that old MARC commuter coaches are now in service on the Saratoga & North Creek. Can anyone here confirm this? any photos? Thanks
http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=73151

Six former MARC commuter cars of PRR heritage arrived on SNC during Fall 2011. These cars now carry SLRG reporting marks and include SLRG 132, 133, 145 and 146. These cars were converted from 21 roomette sleepers (carried PRR “Inn” series names) to commuter cars by the PRR. They served on PC and then NJT or SEMTA before being rebuilt by and used on MARC. They carry the former MARC numbers. Some of these cars were used on the Polar Express and one is currently in service on the snow train.

John Sesonske

Mem160 wrote:Has there been any influx of any type of freight or even MOW equipment?

No freight equipment yet unless it was very recent. In 2011 MOW was being handled by Riegel. They used to run the line but historically track MOW is what their business is based on and Iowa Pacific has them doing the work. Makes sense since they are based out of Selkirk NY and know the line well.

John Sesonske

Any clearing of the line north to tahawus yet?

You mean besides clearing the rock slide? Not that anybody has reported, and I won't be regularly traveling that part of the Hudson until spring.

If I recall correctly, those ex-MARC/PRR "Inn" cars had windows spaced for sleepers, not high-density coach configuration. When PC converted them, money was short and scenic views for commuters were low priority. That said, scenic views for SNC riders are high priority - is this a problem? Are there still a lot of seats with poor window alignment?

Speaking of cars where in the world is SNC going to use all those cars? You have the ex LIRR bi levels, 2 soon to be 3 domes, 4 cars from the ill fated Florida Fun Train, the MARC cars,plus the coaches from Mid-America Railcar Leasing! Add to that the locomotives: the 2 E8A from CNY NHRS, another BL-2 and a second B39-8E. This is going to be a very interesting operation come the summer months.

ladder2 wrote:Speaking of cars where in the world is SNC going to use all those cars? You have the ex LIRR bi levels, 2 soon to be 3 domes, 4 cars from the ill fated Florida Fun Train, the MARC cars,plus the coaches from Mid-America Railcar Leasing! Add to that the locomotives: the 2 E8A from CNY NHRS, another BL-2 and a second B39-8E. This is going to be a very interesting operation come the summer months.

I knew about the second BL2, although i havent seen it arrive yet, but this is the first im hearing about a second B39-8E, perhaps the more historic locomotives will wind up on the passenger opperations while the Dash-8s move over to a potential frieght operation?