I got to ride with my Dad (NYCRR loco engineer) on the "Medina Turn" out of Niagara Falls in the early 70's. Worked East switching all the cold storage places between NF and Medina. Lots of work at Lockport for "Harrison Radiator", the radiator plant, later known as "GM Thermal Systems" (Thermal Systems sounds much more high tech than "radiator plant"). Still had a caboose on the hind end for the switching crew to ride in.
Remember getting big 5 gallon metal cans of cherries in syrup that the folks at the cold storage places would give to the RR crews as a reward for spotting a few cars just as they wanted them.
In the 60's / early 70's the Falls Road was still an important high speed line. Remember Auto-racks and Flexivans (NYCRR version of TOFC) racing by at 60 mph...