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  • Erie photo location

  • 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

 #1451317  by nydepot
 
Supposed to be NY. Dated 1960 and nothing else. It's taken from an engine cab that appears to have a bug shield on the nose, which leads me to believe it's a DL&W cab unit.

Any ideas? Thanks.
002904.jpg
 #1451329  by BR&P
 
Looks more like a reflection of something inside to me. And if it was summer 1960, that would be before the Erie-DLW merger.

FWIW.
 #1451331  by nydepot
 
Weren't they running trains on combined Erie track by then? Like around Corning-Elmira or something.

Also, DL&W E8s had those translucent bug shields on them. They were rectangular.
 #1451364  by TB Diamond
 
The DL&W began operating over the Erie Binghamton-Gibson on August 15, 1959.

The official date of the DL&W/Erie merger was October 17, 1960.

Reference is THE DELAWARE, LACKAWANNA & WESTERN RAILROAD IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Thomas Townsend Taber and Thomas Townsend Taber III.
 #1451388  by BR&P
 
lvrr325 wrote:Certainly looks like it could be around Big Flats.
A lot changes in 55+ years but maybe you could use aerial photo maps to look for that farm at the right. Based on sun angle I'd guess the pic is taken from a westbound so the farm would be in the northwest quadrant. It's a toss-up - the farm might be there with some of the buildings as reference, or it could be condos and apartments by now.
 #1451398  by Matt Langworthy
 
lvrr325 wrote:Certainly looks like it could be around Big Flats.
That's a distinct possibility. It could also be Ashland, which has a long straight section of track in farmland.

BR&P wrote:A lot changes in 55+ years but maybe you could use aerial photo maps to look for that farm at the right. Based on sun angle I'd guess the pic is taken from a westbound so the farm would be in the northwest quadrant. It's a toss-up - the farm might be there with some of the buildings as reference, or it could be condos and apartments by now.
I am thinking the train was eastbound, because I recall the telegraph poles being on the north side of the EL mainline east of Hornell back in the day. Also, the sun is usually on the south side of the tracks (except at sunrise and sunset in warmer months).
 #1451405  by BR&P
 
BR&P wrote: Based on sun angle I'd guess the pic is taken from a westbound so the farm would be in the northwest quadrant.
I am thinking the train was eastbound, because I recall the telegraph poles being on the north side of the EL mainline east of Hornell back in the day. Also, the sun is usually on the south side of the tracks (except at sunrise and sunset in warmer months).
I guess your compass works differently than mine, Matt. If the telegraph poles are on the north, and they are on the right side of the pic, that makes the train westbound. And yes, the sun IS on the south side of the tracks. Image
 #1451407  by Matt Langworthy
 
I am referring to the approaching train (with the Erie unit leading).
 #1451409  by JoeS
 
I don't see any hills in the background so I have a hard time believing this is in western NY. I looked at the double track segment through Alden but the poles are on the wrong side (assuming the picture is looking westbound) and the Buffalo line had been single-tracked by then.

I would guess Ohio or Indiana, maybe PA? It doesn't "feel" WNY to me.
 #1451410  by BR&P
 
Matt Langworthy wrote:I am referring to the approaching train (with the Erie unit leading).
I said the photo was taken from a westbound, you say "I am thinking the train was eastbound...." which seems to contradict my post, as you did not say you were talking about the OTHER train.

I think you have been peeking at my wife's book about how to confuse your husband. She's great at getting me all confused, without her actually being flat out wrong! Image
 #1451415  by Matt Langworthy
 
JoeS wrote:I don't see any hills in the background so I have a hard time believing this is in western NY. I looked at the double track segment through Alden but the poles are on the wrong side (assuming the picture is looking westbound) and the Buffalo line had been single-tracked by then.

I would guess Ohio or Indiana, maybe PA? It doesn't "feel" WNY to me.
Having photographed NS at Ashland just about a month ago, I can tell you a shot like the one shown above is entirely possible if the photographer doesn't pan out too far. The valley floor is fairly wide there. It is been longer since I've shot in Big Flats, but I'm pretty sure similar conditions would exist there. There also seems to be a bit of haze in the background, which might obscure low hills in the distance.

As an Elmira native, I can tell you that area is not western NY. Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Twin Tiers all describe the region well but neither Chemung County (which includes both Big Flats and Ashland) nor Steuben County were referred to as western NY when I lived there. There has been a push in recent years to include everything west of Rt 14 as western NY, but I don't agree with it. I agree with the map makers who generally use the Genesee River as the dividing line.
Last edited by Matt Langworthy on Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
 #1451416  by Matt Langworthy
 
BR&P wrote:
Matt Langworthy wrote:I am referring to the approaching train (with the Erie unit leading).
I said the photo was taken from a westbound, you say "I am thinking the train was eastbound...." which seems to contradict my post, as you did not say you were talking about the OTHER train.

I think you have been peeking at my wife's book about how to confuse your husband. She's great at getting me all confused, without her actually being flat out wrong! Image
Sorry, I should have been more specific.
 #1451443  by charlie6017
 
JoeS wrote:Where exactly is Ashland?
Halfway between Catskill and Oneonta........on the opposite side of the state. 😵

Charlie