Southern Tier - East of Binghamton

Haha. Why stop there? Lets bring 21M over!

K4. Malfunction jct, others, please let us all on the east end when the trains will be when you find out about them

I took the picture from my phone while traveling home from work yesterday. (eyes on the road and taking a chance at a lucky picture) it was the first freight movement I've noticed moving west out of Suffern since the washouts. Unfortunately I do not have any other train information.
Bob

Usually it is H07 that made that run from Croxton to Campbell Hall and return. After the storm, it turned into H8K with a round trip to Suffern. This particular test train ran with an H08 crew (usually a Suffern based local). I don't know what the symbol will be when regular service returns. Hope this helps.

SecaucusJunction wrote:Usually it is H07 that made that run from Croxton to Campbell Hall and return. After the storm, it turned into H8K with a round trip to Suffern. This particular test train ran with an H08 crew (usually a Suffern based local). I don't know what the symbol will be when regular service returns. Hope this helps.

Yes, I'm sure your drooling at the fact that the H07 is now back on its designated route!!!

The H07 symbol is dead at this point.....Long live the H8K..........

When is Mechancsville going to open up? I see no evidence of NS investing in the east end.
If they were to do some heavy work(welded rail, new signals, etc) like they did west of BD last year, then we may have trains coming. Ties and ballast are not going to produce 2 trains. Sorry guys

As far as I know, the entire signal system underwent a multi-million dollar upgrade within the past few years. Why would they need to upgrade it again this year? 2 trains could have been run on the railroad without all this track work. No matter what people think, CWR is not a necessity for a railroad to run through trains.

SecaucusJunction wrote:As far as I know, the entire signal system underwent a multi-million dollar upgrade within the past few years. Why would they need to upgrade it again this year? 2 trains could have been run on the railroad without all this track work. No matter what people think, CWR is not a necessity for a railroad to run through trains.

Yeah, I know of a many NS lines in the south that don't have welded rail, which sees through freights, and even some Amtrak trains.!! Why this line has to be CWR for through freights is beyond me!

Welded Rail is far from a neccessity on main lines. Yes Welded Rail is smoother to run on, requires "less" overall Maintenance/inspection, etc., but well maintained jointed rail is just as good.

Take a look at the CP Sunbury Subdivision. Canadian Pacific still has a few 1-2 mile long segments of jointed rail that they run 12-14 trains a day over at 40mph with no troubles at all. Not to mention large segments of that same line are TWC (Track Warrant Controlled) Dark Territory with signals only at the CPF's (Control Points). If they can do it with little to no trouble, NS can run 2-4 trains a day over the Southern Tier- East of Bing just as things are now with absolutely NO problem. The trains are coming for sure, as I understand it NS 12/13T are a darn near gaurantee for that routing. Anything other then that is just speculation at this time.

The fact that tie and ballast work is occuring just solidifies the fact that trains are coming sooner then later to the Southern Tier. The biggest obstacle at this point would be getting crews qualified. I'm not really sure whether or not this has started as of yet, but once they do start qualifying it should only be 3-5 months until they are ready to go.

Finally from what I have been told, Mechanicville is progressing VERY rapidly and should be ready for the 1st Quarter or Early 2nd Quarter of next year. CP/PAS are currently (right now) in the process of switching over the old main at CPF 467 to the new double iron main at CPF 468 which includes the runners for the new yard. That is a big step in getting things operational up there. From what I have seen from pictures, most of the rail and grading work is done and paving looks to be nearly complete. Other then some touch up work and installation of the cranes, offices, etc. it should be open in no time at all.

I hope this helps!

Jim Cerulli
cprsunburysub yahoo group Owner/Moderator

Ok, well I take back welded rail. Maybe good stick rail is good for a few trains.
What traffic is definitely coming over to the tier? No crews are being qualified and none have started as of 11/22/11. 3-5 months takes us well into 2012. I went back and read this thread and it seems this rumor has been around over a year now? And with no concrete evidence of crews being qualified, its still a rumor. Until that happens I wouldn't hold my breath

Tie work continues. tie replacement from MP-147-2 to 126.0 done As of today tie train unloading more ties from 126.0 to 117.9
SU-99 dropped off 3 more car loads of ties last night at Lackawaxen. 33 loads of ties so far and more to come.Photos on ([email protected]) see attachments
Steve a k a Chief

So if I'm remembering correctly, between last year and this year, we're at about 75 car loads of ties and counting. How much more could they actually be doing?? Remember, CWR is a new thing. For years and decades plenty of railroads ran many fast trains over stick rail, most of them in faster times than today! Even up to the past few years, Metro North was running plenty of passenger trains east of Port Jervis at 79mph over stick rail.

Whether or not you believe that NS trains are coming, the section between Binghamton and Port Jervis is probably in the best shape it's been in since earlier Conrail days.

southern tier=fools gold

railedprograms wrote:southern tier=fools gold

Fools gold?

Okay, how are you figuring that?

Can you please give us an educated reason for that statement?

Charlie