Best times to catch ARA freight at Java Center?

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

Hey all,

I'm going to be heading up to the A&A to shoot the freight to Java Center for an upcoming article but unfortunately I'm limited on the days I can go. I will be there June 25, 26 & 26. Which day(s) would be my best bet for heading to the A&A shops and catching something moving? I do plan on calling ahead of time to save a little bit of hassle since I also want to check out Niagara Falls at some point. Any help or even an educated guess would be greatly appreciated.

-Andrew Blaszczyk

[howie729]

Andrew, From what I have seen is freight has been moved (at least the last two weeks) on Fridays. As I was heading down to town on friday I saw the headlight of #112 just before Java Center crossing heading north at about 10 am.

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

Thanks for the heads up! I plan on checking to see if they are running both Wednesday and Friday mornings with more emphasis on Friday.

Can anyone estimate a good time to get to the shops to watch them begin their day? I recall seeing or hearing 'call time' is 7AM, that true?

[thebigham]

7am would be a good time to give them a call.

[tjflynn]

Is Friday still a freight day for the A&A? I've got this Friday off, and thought it'd be a good time to pop down to follow the train to North Java, something I've been meaning to do for the past 30 years.

[jgallaway81]

Assuming things haven't changed to much in the last couple years, freights are Mon, Wed & Friday with 7am on duty being standard, you might catch them as early as 6:45 some mornings.

Sometimes, depending onf freight loads, they will stage the outbound freight on the wye in Arcade so they can just couple up, pump up and go. Otherwise its first to the IC to pickup the cars and then out to NJ.

George seems to be fairly easy going on the railfan press, it couldn't hurt to call the station and talk to him to see what the current up to date times are.

[tjflynn]

Thanks for the info - ended up being called for an extra yard job, so I couldn't make it down for the Friday run. Monday, April 13 is now looking like the best bet - I'll call George ahead of time.

[jgallaway81]

Tim, CN?

I have to stage my A&A fanning around working for NS.

[tjflynn]

Tim, CN?

Ah,the joys of juggling the spareboard and railfanning. No, after several years of the CP spareboard, I now teach school during the week and spend my weekends and holidays working for RailLink (SOR) out of Hamilton and Nanticoke (or running trains on Port Stanley Terminal). We (SOR) seem to be busier than we should be, what with the economy and all. Still pulling 130 car trains on the Hagersville sub, and moving a few hundred cars a day overall.

As for the A&A, it's still a magical place, if not quite the same as I discovered in the 1970s. Cab rides with Manley (and his many Manley-isms) are sorely missed. He sure did like the Cuban cigars that used to follow us down to Arcade. Maybe we should start a Memories of Manley thread.

Right now, I'd like to hurry down and catch the 'tonners on freight and let my 7-year-old son treasure the memory before someone decides a Geep or SW (or heaven forbid, a truck) can better do the job.

[thebigham]

I caught them at Java Center around 12:30pm on a Monday:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?order= ... +Attica+RR