State Fair

Went to the fair the other day and the GG1 is now painted as Amtrak with the bloody nose scheme. Also saw a train with 2 CP units and was what looked like an ethanol train, is this the normal power for this train?

shortly after that ethanol train rolled by there was an Amtrak followed by a general fright with a BNSF Unit with 2 NS Locos tailing on an east bound.

CSX has a policy of whatever power is available when a train is scheduled to depart, will be sent out as needed. Whomever it belongs to.

I went to the Fair a few days ago, in large part to see the GG-1. They did a nice job with the Amtrak paint job, but I must admit that I was disappointed not to see the PRR scheme (it was originally the giant keystone variation, right?).

On the opposite (entry) side of the fairgrounds is a single track that seems pretty well maintained. Am I right in assuming that it is CSX-owned also? Is it used with any regularity?

Last (slightly off-topic) question: what is the massive factory building that runs along one end of the fairgrounds (must be the southeast corner)? My kids and I were interested by it, but I didn't get a chance to look more closely.

The track you mentioned is the Baldwinsville secondary or thats what it used to be called I think..Im sure they still service the big Budwiser plant there.

The big building next to the fairgrounds is a steel plant..

And did you notice on the GG1 that the numbers they applied are a 3 digit number while the number boards has a 4 digit number.

judgesmails wrote:On the opposite (entry) side of the fairgrounds is a single track that seems pretty well maintained. Am I right in assuming that it is CSX-owned also? Is it used with any regularity?
Last (slightly off-topic) question: what is the massive factory building that runs along one end of the fairgrounds (must be the southeast corner)? My kids and I were interested by it, but I didn't get a chance to look more closely.

As previously mentioned, the track is/was the Baldwinsville Secondary, CSX-owned north to Fulton where it has one occasional revenue customer, Birds Eye Foods. From the Birds-Eye plant north, the track is OOS and impassable, owned by NRG. NRG owns the Oswego Steam Station and retains the track in the event they ever needed to resurrect oil tank trains to fuel the power plant. Most of the crossings north of Birds-Eye (starting at Phillips Street in Fulton) have been paved over by the city and by Oswego County. Crossing lights, etc. remain in place, however.

The plant on the SE corner of the fairgrounds is Crucible Specialty Metals, which is in bankruptcy at this point. They manufactured a lot of parts for the auto industry and are one part of the collateral damage from the implosion of that industry since last summer.

Now a shameless plug for a worthy cause: Crucible Specialty Metals allows the local Red Cross chapter to use its employee parking lot diagonally across from the Main Gate at the Fairgrounds as a fundraiser during the 12 day run of the fair. If you plan to attend the fair, look for the parking lot and pay the extra $5 to park there. ALL of the proceeds go directly to the local Red Cross chapter.

Clarification: the track running along the Eastside of the Fairgrounds is the CSX Fairgrounds Sub., from CP 293 to CP Salt, (MP 2) which is just north of the Rt 695/690 interchange. From CP Salt North to Fulton is the Baldwinsville Sub.. Birdseye, Fulton now receives car at the Stiles facility North of John Glenn Blvd. The local B796 services the Budweiser plant at Radisson, NY near Baldwinsville, NY. Occassionally, making a trip to Dewitt yard twice a week to exchange cars or B776 from Dewitt runs up to drop cars 2 x a week as needed. While the Fair is in session, there is a curfew on running trains on the Fairgrounds Sub. between 6am and 12am.

roadster wrote:While the Fair is in session, there is a curfew on running trains on the Fairgrounds Sub. between 6am and 12am.

That's good and make sense... When did the curfew started? back in early 2000, I did saw CSX went through few times (once each time I went to there - one time the local went through in AM and then back to home in PM. but I cant be certainly 100% sure if I remember right)

sd80mac wrote:

roadster wrote:While the Fair is in session, there is a curfew on running trains on the Fairgrounds Sub. between 6am and 12am.

That's good and make sense... When did the curfew started? back in early 2000, I did saw CSX went through few times (once each time I went to there - one time the local went through in AM and then back to home in PM. but I cant be certainly 100% sure if I remember right)

It seems like I remember them doing the same thing they made a run up early in the morning around 8 or 9a.m. and appear sometime late around 11p.m. that night?

Besides the local hitting Birds Eye they also have Glens Falls Lehigh Portland Cement (Former Blue O Cement) that they also service as needed off of Willis Ave as well.

Pretty sure I heard one go by during Fair hours one of the days I was out there, in the evening.

They haven't gone north of Baldwinsville in a couple years, I was lucky enough to ride that section about 10 years ago though and chase an oil train before that.

After seeing the GG1 I have to think that paint scheme won't last as long as the others - you can see every scar in the whale's hide where that body's been patched and scraped and rust repaired, with the silver paint - marks that were a lot less obvious in black or tuscan. Other than that it looks great -

[quote="lvrr325"]

They haven't gone north of Baldwinsville in a couple years, I was lucky enough to ride that section about 10 years ago though and chase an oil train before that.


CSX spotted a car at the Birds eye fulton plant last week. the car is still there now.

roadster wrote:CSX has a policy of whatever power is available when a train is scheduled to depart, will be sent out as needed. Whomever it belongs to.

Remind me never to leave my steam engine in your CSX yard!!

I've been waiting for the Thomas the Tank engine to head for Lockport again and end up leading a CSX local on it's way up for the past 3 years. lol

roadster wrote:I've been waiting for the Thomas the Tank engine to head for Lockport again and end up leading a CSX local on it's way up for the past 3 years. lol

That would be classic - and even better if it was unannounced - imagine the amazement of fans young and old....