Finger Lakes Railway (FGLK) Discussion

lvrr325 wrote:I'm not even going to dignify this one by quoting stuff from just a few posts up the page plus info from the link I posted, just read the page again, it's getting tiring when people can't even follow the discussion through six or eight posts.

You might want to have the Doc lighten up the dosage on those Sour pills, they're working a little too well! No hard feelings, I'll still let you buy me a rum and coke after the RIT show!

While the engine may have sat a while "for air trouble", that does not necessarily mean there are major problems with it. Shipping dead engines SHOULD be simple but it's amazing how often someone forgets how to deal with configuring the controls. Also, if the engine has the MR lines MU'd to the train's power, the MR's are filled that way. But if it's shipped as a boxcar, it can take a very long time to charge. Many ( all?) locos have a choke which limits the rate of charging of the main reservoir when done through the brake pipe. It's very common for a crew to tie onto a train consist with a dead unit, wait a short time, then do an air test. "Hey - the brakes won't set up on the engine! Must be something wrong, set it out." The only thing "wrong" is they didn't wait long enough to charge the dead loco enough for the brakes to work.

I'm not saying that is or is not the problem in this case. But having dealt with just that scenario many times in the past, it's the first possibility that comes to mind.

And while you were commenting about the delay at Cumberland to "fix stuff", I thought you were commenting on the discussion about the unit going through to Selkirk rather than being set off at Dewitt.

This discussion could end now since the unit is now in Solvay on FGLK tracks. How you ask? I saw some pictures of it on Facebook. Looks good on with snow in the picture and a old CR B23-7 (FGLK 1943). The unit will be waiting for the GS2 train to come and pick it up. Q377 was in Syracuse and drop of the engine late last night, the Syracuse local then took the engine and cars to FGLK early this morning.


-Scott

So is there a second SD coming? One unit seem kind of odd.

FLGK still had the other SD they leased.

seems like there is all sorts of Hype about this SD38 being on the FGLK and no one is out chasing it across the system?? all I can say is wow.

scharnhorst wrote:seems like there is all sorts of Hype about this SD38 being on the FGLK and no one is out chasing it across the system?? all I can say is wow.

Ever since you left, postings on the FGLK thread are down about 50%! Nobody has stepped up to fill your shoes yet.

Put in your application at Stillwater Central yet?

BR&P wrote:

scharnhorst wrote:seems like there is all sorts of Hype about this SD38 being on the FGLK and no one is out chasing it across the system?? all I can say is wow.

Ever since you left, postings on the FGLK thread are down about 50%! Nobody has stepped up to fill your shoes yet.

Put in your application at Stillwater Central yet?

na I'm no longer doing anything with railroad jobs. Had my stint years ago and called it t that. I've mostly Been doing some on sight work with the Oklahoma State Operation lifesaver Program for the city of Tulsa and BNSF. In general we work as security during the ball games basically were there to guide people from walking down the ROW and to use the crossings and to also pull people off the trains if one should stop. I Got my self engaged over the summer and it's been a complicated process waiting for immigration to do something to get my fenciee here.

Well, congrats on the engagement, and good luck dealing with the .gov! As you know we are not allowed to stray from railroad topics so I won't go into my thoughts on that .gov stuff but I hope that works out for you. Tulsa is a nice place, actually bought a car from Doc's Corvettes there back in 2008 and drove it all the way home to NY. In 2007, the state published an "Oklahoma Centennial State Railroad Map" which shows all the lines in the state in different colors, and also has a little icon for every town which has some sort of railroad display - a museum, an old depot, or rolling stock in the town square for example. I have mine framed and on my wall. You might keep an eye out for one if you are interested.

And to keep this from getting purged by the forum police, FGLK as you know is part owned by Farmrail. You are at one end of Stillwater Central in the Tulsa area, and Snyder, near the far end, is an interchange with Farmrail or technically Grainbelt which is essentially the same thing. It was interesting to encounter the 1702 out there still in FGLK colors. The pseudo NYC color scheme looked a bit out of place rolling by endless acres of wheat fields! But since it came from there before it came to Geneva I guess it was back home.

Merry Christmas!

BR&P wrote:Well, congrats on the engagement, and good luck dealing with the .gov! As you know we are not allowed to stray from railroad topics so I won't go into my thoughts on that .gov stuff but I hope that works out for you. Tulsa is a nice place, actually bought a car from Doc's Corvettes there back in 2008 and drove it all the way home to NY. In 2007, the state published an "Oklahoma Centennial State Railroad Map" which shows all the lines in the state in different colors, and also has a little icon for every town which has some sort of railroad display - a museum, an old depot, or rolling stock in the town square for example. I have mine framed and on my wall. You might keep an eye out for one if you are interested.

And to keep this from getting purged by the forum police, FGLK as you know is part owned by Farmrail. You are at one end of Stillwater Central in the Tulsa area, and Snyder, near the far end, is an interchange with Farmrail or technically Grainbelt which is essentially the same thing. It was interesting to encounter the 1702 out there still in FGLK colors. The pseudo NYC color scheme looked a bit out of place rolling by endless acres of wheat fields! But since it came from there before it came to Geneva I guess it was back home.

Merry Christmas!

South Kansas and Oklahoma (SKOL) and Stillwater Central (SLWC) are both WATCO owned (reporting mark WAMX) SKOL is not railfan friendly where as SLWC is. SLWC has interchange in Sapulpa, OK with trackage rights on BNSF to the SKOL line in North Tulsa where the SKOL, UP, and Sand Springs RR interchanges are near Elgin street all the SLWC dose is run an empty Train made up of covered hoppers to be loaded with lime stone between Owasso, OK and the Port of Catoosa / Verdigris, OK area on the SKOL. The train then departs and heads West to OK City to be emptied. I have yet to see any Grain Belt, Farmrail, or FGLK equipment show up in Cherokee Yard I do see a lot of Texas Oklahoma & Eastern cars which do pop up on Finger Lakes. NOKL cars are an every day sight as well.

I have yet to see any Grain Belt, Farmrail, or FGLK equipment show up in Cherokee Yard I do see a lot of Texas Oklahoma & Eastern cars which do pop up on Finger Lakes.

As far as I know there is not much traffic interchanged between Farmrail and SLWC. BNSF comes into Snyder to deliver to and from Framrail (Grainbelt) and the last 5 miles or so of that is over Stillwater Central. And there is a rock quarry maybe 6 miles west of Snyder and Grainbelt has trackage rights over SLWC and BNSF to get there. So it is possible the 1702, in FGLK colors, may have operated over those 2 roads if it was part of a rock train consist.

But at the other end of Stillwater Central where you are I doubt there is much Farmrail stuff, either power OR cars.

BR&P wrote:

I have yet to see any Grain Belt, Farmrail, or FGLK equipment show up in Cherokee Yard I do see a lot of Texas Oklahoma & Eastern cars which do pop up on Finger Lakes.

As far as I know there is not much traffic interchanged between Farmrail and SLWC. BNSF comes into Snyder to deliver to and from Framrail (Grainbelt) and the last 5 miles or so of that is over Stillwater Central. And there is a rock quarry maybe 6 miles west of Snyder and Grainbelt has trackage rights over SLWC and BNSF to get there. So it is possible the 1702, in FGLK colors, may have operated over those 2 roads if it was part of a rock train consist.

But at the other end of Stillwater Central where you are I doubt there is much Farmrail stuff, either power OR cars.

Things will get interesting out here now that the Eastern Flyer Deal which is operated by Iowa Pacific has now been secured on SLWC. SLWC is now going to run all freight trains on scheduled time tables in the afternoon's so that they can have as many as 2 - 8 passenger trains operating on there line between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and up to Bartlesville. The Equipment is painted up in the old IC Brown and Orange passenger colors and the trains will be powered by E and F units. The cost of tickets are going to run just under $20.00 a ticket to ride the whole route from what we have been told by the people who are in charge of this project and many of the local towns and villages are either restoring or are going to rebuild some sort of train station by the tracks. None of this is being funded with federal or tax money it's all state reserves and donations. Once this project kicks off there are plans to build car and locomotive car shops to service the equipment so that is dose not have to be dragged to Boulder, CO to be worked on.

scharnhorst wrote:SLWC is now going to run all freight trains on scheduled time tables in the afternoon's so that they can have as many as 2 - 8 passenger trains operating on there line between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and up to Bartlesville.

Do you means the trains are adhering to a schedule, or that the railroad will now be governed by timetable & train order operation? I would assume the former, as timetable & train order operation is all but extinct now -- I don't even know of any freight railroads still using it. SLWC is a GCOR railroad, and I'm not sure GCOR would even allow for timetable & train order operation.

As for 3303, a friend says it's been in & around the shop quite a bit recently, so maybe it's having some teething issues preventing it from hitting the road. I guess it's the west-facing unit, so it may also not be running back west until after dark when it is on the road. The same friend also mentioned something about 3301 coming soon? Or maybe he meant B23-7 #2301? IDK...

Speaking of GCOR, what ever became of the talk about 4 years back that FGLK was going to GCOR?

terms-d wrote:

scharnhorst wrote:SLWC is now going to run all freight trains on scheduled time tables in the afternoon's so that they can have as many as 2 - 8 passenger trains operating on there line between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and up to Bartlesville.

Do you means the trains are adhering to a schedule, or that the railroad will now be governed by timetable & train order operation? I would assume the former, as timetable & train order operation is all but extinct now -- I don't even know of any freight railroads still using it. SLWC is a GCOR railroad, and I'm not sure GCOR would even allow for timetable & train order operation.

As for 3303, a friend says it's been in & around the shop quite a bit recently, so maybe it's having some teething issues preventing it from hitting the road. I guess it's the west-facing unit, so it may also not be running back west until after dark when it is on the road. The same friend also mentioned something about 3301 coming soon? Or maybe he meant B23-7 #2301? IDK...

The SLWC will be putting all of there freight trains on a Scheduled departure times this means the Oil Train's, Stone trains, and Locals. Being they don't have a lot of high priority stuff to move out side of an oil train or stone train between OKC and Tulsa the rest of the lines under SLWC are run on only when there called to move a car to a customer. All this has to do with Oklahoma's Easter Flyer project which is operated by Iowa Pacific in partnership with SLWC. The guarantee is that all passenger trains will arrive on time to there destination with a +/- 15 minuet delay figured in with out any interference of a freight train or local occupying the same block. They want to make sure that the passenger train has all priority's over the freights which will have to take the sidings along the route. A lot of this will be taking shape this coming year as the track is bumped from 10 and 30 mph slow orders to 50mph track speeds.

Got 2ed hand info from a friend who is the Asst. Fire chief who spoke to a Local FGLK Crew member that Finger Lakes is realigning the mainline and Yard in Auburn, NY between Cottage St and North Street the New Main will be next to the old Main which ties into the Passing siding and Nucor. The current Stub siding that Finger Lakes had reinstalled a few years back to store Gondolas on will become part of the New Main while the Old Main becomes a yard track / Switching Lead for Nucor and the New Team Track that was added this past Summer. More info will follow as I learn about the project.