Diamonds on the DL&W and Erie

Here are some more:

BX Crossing of the S&U and D&H at Binghamton

I don't recall the name of it, but the diamond of the S&U passenger main crossing the ERIE near QD... maybe it was QD ?

The NYC-Westshore - DL&W at South Utica

THE O&W - DL&W at Utica
The DL&W / Erie Rochester Line west of Painted Post

I have read or heard that originally there was a diamond at Avon where the Corning-Attica line crossed the Rochester-Mt. Morris line. The present day crossover between the main and the siding is located at the point of switch for the abandoned line to Attica, which in turn was apparently where the diamond once was.

Remember that these were originally two separate railroads.

WDB

Very interesting! Thanks Bill.

Charles

wdburt1 wrote:I have read or heard that originally there was a diamond at Avon where the Corning-Attica line crossed the Rochester-Mt. Morris line. The present day crossover between the main and the siding is located at the point of switch for the abandoned line to Attica, which in turn was apparently where the diamond once was.

Remember that these were originally two separate railroads.

WDB

Where do I begin? There are so many diamonds pictured in the Erie Lackawanna In Color series

1. C&WI (EL's gateway into Chicago shared with N&W, GTW, L&N and MoPac) crossed the Rock Island main and an N&W branch at Pullman Jct in Chicago.

2. There was a very complicated SET of diamonds involving EL, C&O, EJ&E, GTW and NYC/PC in Griffith, IN.

3. Newton, IN- EL crossed PC (ex-PPR Vandalia line) at grade

4. Bolivar, IN- EL crossed the Big Four at grade. It was an interchange point, too.

More to follow...

5. Ohio City,OH- EL intersected N&W (NKP) and PC (NYC/Cincinnati northern) at grade.

6. Lima, OH- BY interlocking, where EL crossed both N&W and B&O

7. Marion, OH- EL crossed N&W (ex-PRR Sandusky branch) and C&O separately at grade.

8. Dayton, OH- EL had a pair of diamonds with B&O here, too.

9. Mansfield, OH- EL had diamonds crossing both the B&O andPC(ex-Pennsy) Fort Wayne line

10. Sterling, OH- a quartet of EL/B&O diamonds, as both RRs were double tracked.

11. Akron, OH- more EL/B&O diamonds!

12. Cleveland,OH- C&P Crossing (quadruple EL/PC diamonds)

13. DeForest Junction, OH- yet another EL/B&O (Painesville Branch) crossing.

More tomorrow!

Golah, NY: Erie Rochester branch x'ed the NYC East Peanut (Canandaigua branch).

That very complicated group of diamonds Matt mentioned was in Griffith IN where they crossed the EJ&E, NYC(MC), GTW,and C&O.

Also, there was a interlocking in North Judson, IN where the EL crossed the PRR,and C&O.

Another location that comes to mind is Hammond, IN where the joint Erie/Monon track crossed the IHB and NKP in the middle of a road crossing.

Cactus Jack wrote:Here are some more:

BX Crossing of the S&U and D&H at Binghamton

I don't recall the name of it, but the diamond of the S&U passenger main crossing the ERIE near QD... maybe it was QD ?

The NYC-Westshore - DL&W at South Utica

THE O&W - DL&W at Utica
The DL&W / Erie Rochester Line west of Painted Post

Diamonds on Erie/DL were at BD; DL/DH was BX; both in Binghamton.

Has anyone mentioned the CNJ/DL near Lake Jct.?

DL&W/LV in Elmira NY - gone
Erie/NYC in Corning NY - gone
DL&W/Erie Painted Post NY (Wayland branch) - gone

PRRGuy wrote:That very complicated group of diamonds Matt mentioned was in Griffith IN where they crossed the EJ&E, NYC(MC), GTW,and C&O.

Thank you! I don't know why I forgot the city of Griffith, but I went back and fixed it.

More diamonds:

A. EL's SK (ex-Erie) yard in Buffalo

B. B&SW and NKP/PRR in Blasdell, NY (still exists)

C. Erie and PRR in Corry, PA (still there???)

Diamonds always seem rough to ride over, and there is always a slow speed requirement for them. It seems that it is rougher than the ride over a frog of a switch (which is only on one side of the car traversing it).

On a diamond where there are gaps from one rail to the one crossing it, there is a 90 degree or some other angle point that the wheels of cars and locos must cross over. Did these meeting points ever wear down and have to be replaced?

[
On a diamond where there are gaps from one rail to the one crossing it, there is a 90 degree or some other angle point that the wheels of cars and locos must cross over. Did these meeting points ever wear down and have to be replaced?[/quote]

ALL THE TIME>

That's what I figured. That is some pretty intense physics at play at the gap and hit point on the opposite side.

The last diamond I ever examined was decades ago. It was the DL&W/L&NE at Augusta. I don't remember looking at that detail, however.

What I did find was an yellow lens on the ground on the L&NE side. That treasure is in a prominent site in our home now. I also have the cover shade that was about ten feet away in the weeds. Shame we can't find nuggets like these anymore. I also have the Neshanic station sign from the east side of the station. I got that about a year after the station was closed and it was hanging on one nail (circa 1957). When you look at it from a certain angle you can see "East 122nd St." in the original paint. CNJ must have bought things like that at a garage sale.

Matt Langworthy wrote:

PRRGuy wrote:C. Erie and PRR in Corry, PA (still there???)

Yes, it's still there—it's called MS and signaled for both lines.

How did you guys overlook the 4 track crossover
on the old mainline in Batavia ??

chnaus