Daily schedules for Rochester-area short lines

Hey All,

I have some spare time and I want to get out and do some non-mainline foaming. Can anyone tell me what certain days and times are normally good for visiting these short lines??

1) Falls Road Railroad:
Last I knew this was a normally Monday & Thursday operation...

2) Finger Lakes Railway
In addition, can anyone comment on when trains go to Canandaigua, Shortsville, Auburn, etc?

3) Genesee & Wyoming

4) Ontario Central

5) Ontario Midland

6) Rochester & Southern

7) Livonia, Avon & Lakeville

8) Depew, Lancaster & Western


That's all I can think of for now....thanks in advance to all!
Charlie

Hi Charlie,

For the OMID, LAL, and ONCT... best bet is to call their offices and see if they are running a train. If you explain you are a harmless rail buff, you should get the info you need (sometimes the folks on the OMID are a little dicey about giving out that information... but they have been victims of vandalism lately, so I dont blame them). Their number is in the Rochester phone book under "railroads." Sign a release in the office at Sodus to put them at ease.

LAL usually runs a road train to Henrietta M, W, F... depends on supply and demand at the corn syrup plant. Phone number is on their web site: www.lalrr.com. You can sign a release at Lakeville and visit the shops and see Alcos...

ONCT runs as needed, but usually meets the FGLK turn. Call the railroad and see if they are indeed running a train. phone number is on web site: www.onctrr.com. Sign a release at Victor office if you can.

GNWR *is* RSR now... but I dont know a thing about their operations. Five years in Rochester and all I ever saw was idle engines at Brooks Ave. I think most of the road trains run at night, though I have caught locals working in Rochester during the day... and you might see stuff down at Caledonia during the day too... photo releases are no longer available at Brooks Ave yard office, but that shouldnt stop you from taking pictures out on the line.

That's all for now.

-otto-

Thanks guys!

Can anyone confirm in the Falls Road is still on a Monday and Thursday schedule and does anyone knoe when the DL&W runs in Batavia?

Falls Road and DLWR are both managed from the Batavia offices. You may just want to call them. Try this page for contact info:

http://24.169.115.143/rochesterrailf/dlwr.htm

-otto-

FGLK, how often does the Watkins Penn Yan turn actually run to Penn Yan? I've never gotten a chance to see a train on those tracks, but I know that it happens, from this forum of course, but also because the cars at the mill change.

I don't think they have been to Bellona since they started runnning again in th late 1990'2 I don't think those track were ever rehabbed. Please correct me if I am misinformed.

Thanks,
Brooks

The Falls Road is still on Mondays and Thursdays.

Nothing runs to Bellona Station anymore, there were trees growing through the tracks at Bellona Station last I was there. The line is intact from there back to Penn Yan though, so I imagine they could re-activate it with a hefty amount of trackwork and rehab. I did hear "rumors" a couple of years ago that, like the line to the depot, they might use that line for storage. But to my knowledge, nothing has ever come of that.

On another note, NS comes into Geneva between 7 and 10 as mentioned, and they usually turn right around and head for home. Its 9:30 right now, and I just heard them coming into the yard. Likely within an hour, they'll be headed back to Corning.

Ontario Central "usually" will run out to Shortsville Junction the same days as FGLK. I say usually because I have heard of them running on weekends and late night in the middle of the week. For whats its worth, last week they had their switcher out instead of the usual Alco. Also was some trackwork going on at the west end of the former LV yard in Manchester.

Charlie,
As for the DL&W, I know they worked tuesday and thursday afternoons atleast, and go to Batavia Yard to PU the interchanged cars from the CSX Roch. local after they head off the Batavia Agway, (Now owned by Cargill). Unsure of other operation times.
Good Luck, have fun.

What line between Bellona and Dresden?

I don't think there is anything left of the line that ran from Penn Yan to Dresden, that was torn up quite a while ago. In the Keuka Lake Outlet, there's still ties on the bridge right in Penn Yan, but otherwise, its now a trail.

I think you mean the line north of Penn Yan, which is in place through Bellona Station, but out of service.

FGLK Map

http://www.bluemoon.net/~racer/flmap-02.htm