Trackside bars in NY state?

Otto Vondrak wrote:
Matt Langworthy wrote:
Otto Vondrak wrote:
Charlotte Station itself was in the process of being converted into a restaurant last I heard... but you could get pretty bored waiting for a train to go by...

That hasn't happened yet but Schooner's is across the street from the tracks in Charlotte.

You'll still be waiting a looooong time for a train to show up!

Not necessarily, Otto. The spur into the paper company on Boxart street is trailing... which is fine when the local comes up the line to drop off a string of boxcars. Would CSX then perform a long shove back to Kodak Park? Nope. I live in Irondequoit and I still hear horns from northern Charlotte, so I can only assume that CSX uses the siding up there to run the engines around the train for the return trip. Therefore, it is possible to see a train at Schooner's... if one knows which day(s) the local will run up to the northern end of the Charlotte Runner.

Not quite so fast Matthew..... A couple of years back, I stumbled upon and chased the Charlotte runner and they used the hack for the trip back. See:
http://picasaweb.google.com/alsorailfan ... otteRunner# Especially the last few pictures.
Chris

Grand Central Bar & Restruant, old Erie Lackwanna Station, Owego, New York

Manzari's Bar & Resturant on East Miller St in Elmira Ny. It also has an ex NH..CR.. now painted PRR cabbose. But not much action in Elmira.

Missyg24 wrote:Manzari's Bar & Resturant on East Miller St in Elmira Ny. It also has an ex NH..CR.. now painted PRR cabbose. But not much action in Elmira.

True, activity on the line is lower now than when I lived in Elmira during the final years of EL (1969-'76) but at least there are still roughly 10-20 trains per day passing through the city. Considering what happened to alot of the Penn Central and Lehigh Valley tracks in the area, the Southern Tier Mainline fared much better.

I never knew about Manzari's. I guess I'll have to check it out when I head to Elmira for Easter...

I don't remember if I could get a beer with my stromboli but The Original Italian Grill in Sayre is a former depot. Outstanding food.
Also in Palmyra on Rt. 21 is a pub (Canal View I think it was called) just north of the tracks. Might be just out of view though.

Not so much a bar but they probably served liquor.....The lakeview Smorgasboard (There's an old term, everything is a buffet these days). We went there in the early sixties as family, my Grandfather would take me outside after dinner to watch trains while he had a cigar. I was only 2 or 3 so I have very little memory but NYC was 4 tracks and busy, PRR and NKP still had double track on the other side of the restraunt. I left WNY long ago, I hear the lakeview is long gone too. The WNYRHS guys would go to a bar next to the Gowanda NY&LE station years ago when their collection was in Gowanda. No idea if the place exists any more. West End Hotel in Hamburg....anotehr place near the tracks and another place WNYRHS guys would go have a few pops after a work session. Will never forget the day former Mayor Jimmy Griffin showed up there already loaded for a few drinks, it was the same day he got kicked off Brian KAyle's show live on TV.

If you're after FGLK action, McGhan's 'nearly famouse pub' in Victor, NY would be a fine location.

expensivelawnmower wrote:If you're after FGLK action, McGhan's 'nearly famouse pub' in Victor, NY would be a fine location.

McGhan's is close but it has a couple of limitations- there are no windows in the bar that face the tracks and the view from the parking lot is limited.

The Yankee Clipper on Rt. 96 between Clifton Springs and Phelps.

Arsenal St. Watertown: Crazy Legs Saloon and Clueless are opposite each other.

Shoutout to Wanakah Grille off Pleasant Ave in Hamburg next to CSX and NS.

The West End Hotel ( now West End Inn) in Hamburg NY by the Buffalo Southern R X R is still going with good Wings and cold beer. The Wanakah Grill on Pleasant Ave in Lake View by the CSX & NS is closed and For Sale.

I know Pomodoro was mentioned earlier on this topic but we dined there after work last night. It was still light outside. The bar is in close view of the CSX mainline (just east of the Goodman St. yard) and while we enjoyed a drink with another couple at the bar, a fast westbound freight flew by. Loved it! During dinner at least two more freights went by. Of course, I chose to sit so that I was facing the tracks! The food is very good. Pomodoro has a website if you want more info.

Russo's in Amsterdam, NY

Great food...cold beer and LOTS of rail activity.

Amsterdam has become my favorite railfan hangout recently (though I am usually on the bridge/overpass or at the riverside park) but I will check this bar out when I am there again. That way, I can "refuel" without missing anything!