Railroad Forums 

  • Abandoning the former BR&P through Orchard Park

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #392054  by Railroaded
 
The Ferro Abrasives Plant on Willett Rd used to have a siding but then I heard they pulled it out, but I'm not sure so 84 Lumber might be the last one.

-B in B

 #392094  by MarkT
 
Railroaded wrote:They run an engine or two with the lumber cars about once a month (or so). They usually come during the late morning/early afternoon, and it seems to be a Tuesday thing but not always. It seems like you would have to know someone to find out exactly when they run, since I've only seen them once in 15 years of waiting to take pics of trains on that line. Very tough to predict, very frustrating.

-B in B
Last fall on a Sunday morning we were tailgating at a Bills game on California Road by SW Blvd. A light engine switcher came through headed to OP. I was surprised to see that then
 #392289  by AbandonedRailroader
 
Thanks for the info Railroaded. I think we have a better chance at winning the lottery than getting these pics/vid.

According to maps.live.com the siding at Ferro is still in place but unsure of use or date photo was taken. New ballast was placed south of 84 Lumber tho i think this is only to service any activity at the Orchard Park depot, which by the way has been nicely restored. Alittle further south in West Falls is a big chunk of Industrial Zoned land next to the line is for sale which could get rail service but doubt it, although the track to here is still in great shape.

As i drove down Rt. 240 in Colden today, while at work, I noticed a soon-to-be major washout just north of Burr Rd. The track is an inch away from a 50 foot cliff and the sides of the ties are clearly visible for about a 100 foot stretch. Im sure this is one of many. Unfortunatly it looks like B&P will get what they wanted.


B&P grain train sitting at Jewett Holmwood Rd. in OP (2004-05ish)
http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/5374/ ... 600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/4845/ ... 600Q85.jpg

 #392516  by Railroaded
 
And to think that just before I was old enough to venture out on my own with a camera, Chessie was running everything, right up to dubble stacks on that line.

-B in B

 #392998  by Otto Vondrak
 
I don't know where Ferro Abrasives is... are you guys talking about Electro-Abrasives? My roommate's dad is a manager there and as far as I know, they still get carloads of garnets inbound.

-otto-

 #393297  by MP366
 
pablo wrote:Tippy, yes. (snip)We've been saying this to you for ages now. There will be nothing more on that line. I'm not sure what else you need to hear to understand this.

David Becker

I know it's far fetched to ever expect traffic on the Buffalo to Ashford line, but remember they said the same thing about Wellsville to Hornell...

 #393314  by Railroaded
 
Electro Abrasives. That must be the new name. It used to be Ferro. It's changed hands a few times, so I lost track. Maybe some day, if you run into that guy you can ask him when they bring those cars down there. When I was dating my wife in the early 90's she lived one street from that plant and for 8 yrs I always took my camera with me when I'd go to see her, but I was only able to catch a train on that line once and because I was in such a hurry to shoot, it came out blurry. At that time they ran their main line stuff mostly at night, and the locals would come bombing through that neighboorhood so fast that you'de have to fly down the street to catch them. The B&P line is the most frustrating thing of all my rail photo taking ambitions ever.

-B in B

 #393324  by Otto Vondrak
 
From Electro Abrasives: "Electro still gets 9-railcars a year from Hennipin, Illinois. That's all the furnace plant out there will give us. That's about 1,000 tons/year. I have to buy the other 2,000-tons overseas, since there are no other plants in the US or Canada."

So that's nine opportunities you have for a train going down to Electro. Well, really 18 times, since they have to come and pick up the empty car when they're done. The problem with Electro is the supplier- if they were able to supply more material domenstically, that would increase to 27 carloads (potentially).

Electro turns the stuff into industrial abrasives.

-otto-

 #394236  by lvrr325
 
9 carloads a year? I can see why B&P would just as soon abandon the line. They sure can't make much money off that.

 #394486  by Otto Vondrak
 
Yup. A lumber yard, Electro Abrasives, and the pipe dream of serving Rich Stadium keep those rails in place. For now.

-otto-

 #397715  by Railroaded
 
My wife spotted a pair of B&P switchers sitting on the Milestrip Rd. bridge on the late morning/early afternoon of the 9th of April. I then saw the same pair with one empty lumber car heading North from 84 Lumber in OP at 3:00 PM on the 11th.

-No idea what pattern this establishes, if any, but there's a start.

-B in B

 #397816  by TB Diamond
 
Should 84 Lumber and Electro Abrasives have shipping or traffic managers they would be the ones to contact about inbound loads and when empties were ready for pickup, it would seem.
 #398783  by jaash5
 
First of all, do not jump all over Tippy for being an optimist. I have sepnt many years of my life in the same boat that he is in, using your heart to grasp onto any minute chance of hope.
Now, there are causes for optimisim. New York state is taking a stand against the abandonment of any rail lines. They want every avaliable line left in to stimulate business growth in the area. If the B&P refuses to upgrade the line, There is an investor group that has been woking under the radar for a few years now, albeit the process is taking a while, and they have been in contact with the state. Also, the B&P has not pursued their petition to abandone because if something should happen to the trackage rights then they will need their line back, I have heard from a few of their employees on how abandoning the line from Machias to Silver Springs has already cause them more than a few headaches. With all of this, I can see the line coming back to life someday, whether it being the WNYP, or B7P or a new shortline such as the ones that operate the Erie south of Buffalo (Buffalo Souther, NY&LE). Have faith, the state wants the line is just as bad as the rest of us do.
 #398832  by JoeCollege
 
jaash5 wrote:New York state is taking a stand against the abandonment of any rail lines. They want every avaliable line left in to stimulate business growth in the area.
Simply not true. NYS does as little as possible to protect or promote business growth.

NYSW is currently seeking to abandon most of their Utica branch. This would deny Chenango County of service and probably is what cost us an ethanol plant and what cost us a plant that went instead to Cortland.

Maybe in Western NY the state is involved, but in Central NY it isn't the case at all.
 #398838  by jaash5
 
JoeCollege wrote:
jaash5 wrote:New York state is taking a stand against the abandonment of any rail lines. They want every avaliable line left in to stimulate business growth in the area.
Simply not true. NYS does as little as possible to protect or promote business growth.

NYSW is currently seeking to abandon most of their Utica branch.
.
NYSW is "seeking" just as the B&P is with their line.......doesn't mean the state will allow it
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