Looking for photos of Charlotte - 1970s-1980s

I took a number of Polaroid photos of freight cars in the 1970s for ideas for model railroad rolling stock. I posted them in an album too. Most of the photos were taken in Charlotte and at the Latta Road crossing of the B&O Belt Line (Greece Lumber).
http://rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThu ... ?id=126060

Great pictures! Looks like the 1970s era around Charlotte saw a large variety of cars. Coal hoppers from everywhere, reefers probably for harvest along the old RW&O, and tank cars for who-knows-what. And the Alcos. My God, the Alcos! Maybe PennCentral is the right RR to model. The Conrail era seems to be just coal.

Anyone know what are the piles north of the RW&O at the Port? Salt maybe?

turntable01 wrote:I took a number of Polaroid photos of freight cars in the 1970s for ideas for model railroad rolling stock. I posted them in an album too. Most of the photos were taken in Charlotte and at the Latta Road crossing of the B&O Belt Line (Greece Lumber).
http://rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThu ... ?id=126060

Thank you, Bob!!! I will sleep better now. Your photo: further confirms the subject matter in the second: Here's the link: http://chris9411.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=4548984" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, those piles are salt. It was brought in by lake boats for use by the city of Rochester.

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPictur ... id=4886469" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This photo was taken on the B&O interchange track at the very end of their line. The apartment complex behind the cars is Greenleaf Meadows. I lived there for a few years, well after the B&O was pulled up but while the bridge for it over the Lake Ontario Parkway was still in place.

You were too late, George! I used to live in Spanish Gardens, on the south side of the West Yard. They were brand new and we could have our choice of units. I took second floor, on the north side, where I could look right out the window or go out on the balcony, and watch the CTA coming back from Model City, and the State Street lugging coal west for Russell. Of course that was all normal, routine stuff, so why bother taking any pictures?

BR&P wrote:You were too late, George! I used to live in Spanish Gardens, on the south side of the West Yard. They were brand new and we could have our choice of units. I took second floor, on the north side, where I could look right out the window or go out on the balcony, and watch the CTA coming back from Model City, and the State Street lugging coal west for Russell. Of course that was all normal, routine stuff, so why bother taking any pictures?

Did you bargain for a rent discount because facing the tracks was noisy, not scenic, and undesirable?

pumpers wrote:

BR&P wrote:You were too late, George! I used to live in Spanish Gardens, on the south side of the West Yard. They were brand new and we could have our choice of units. I took second floor, on the north side, where I could look right out the window or go out on the balcony, and watch the CTA coming back from Model City, and the State Street lugging coal west for Russell. Of course that was all normal, routine stuff, so why bother taking any pictures?

Did you bargain for a rent discount because facing the tracks was noisy, not scenic, and undesirable?

...or free buckets to collect the foam?

BR&P wrote:The actual mill was long gone by this time, I think I heard at one time what kind of mill it was but have forgotten.

Yates Dock was a predecessor of Charlotte Dock, and was located farther north on the west side of the river. No point in trying to repeat everything, do a search on the forum for "Yates Dock". It was discussed at length in the CSX Charlotte Runner thread and in another thread from last spring when a few of us walked the remains of the old grades.

I think the mill may have been the feldspar operation, I could be wrong. When the leaves are down it's easy to see old building foundations for businesses along there, back in the woods.

No, the Mill track was for something on the NYC, farther downstream from the feldspar operation. Track names often hang on for years or even decades after the original customer or purpose was gone. That seems to have been the case here. Maybe the historical society at Charlotte has some old map showing what used to be there.

BR&P wrote:No, the Mill track was for something on the NYC, farther downstream from the feldspar operation. Track names often hang on for years or even decades after the original customer or purpose was gone. That seems to have been the case here. Maybe the historical society at Charlotte has some old map showing what used to be there.

I was afraid I was off, thanks for the clarification. Having walked those trails and poked around on some old maps, I can picture the chunk of land you're describing, now. Now would NYC have to back freight cars into there?

Barnard Crossing wrote:

BR&P wrote: I was afraid I was off, thanks for the clarification. Having walked those trails and poked around on some old maps, I can picture the chunk of land you're describing, now. Now would NYC have to back freight cars into there?

The Mill was the easternmost track in the South Yard - closest to the river. Going south down the lead there were turnouts to the right for 2, 3, 4. Going straight past 4, the lead became 5. Then there was a turnout to the left for the Mill. I just don't recall how far south the Mill extended but the end was somewhere around where Petten Street crossed the tracks, maybe farther south.