Railfanning around Binghamton

johnpbarlow wrote:As usual, excellent photos. Question: any idea what the hopper cars on the ex-LV track are all about? 35 years ago they could have been coal loads headed toward Cornell U's steam plant at E. Ithaca...

Cars are probably for Wietsman's for scrap metal loading. Something else is also being transloaded up in that area, too. About 2 or 3 miles north.

I was referring that off all the units in this picture- that was the only 'fresh' paint. Everything NS touches turns black- only saw one NS unit out of the eleven locomotives that morning, and four were either UP or ex-UP. This one was the cleanest of the bunch.

As to it not being a SD70...aww they all look alike.


Tom H>

sd80mac wrote:
The picture shows that it is NOT BRAND NEW.

ken

In the first pic- Is that the MLW RS18 that O&H has? I've seen it before. Where in Owego were you? i haven't been out there in AGES. I've been meaning to go out there, but have NO idea what times the trains run. how often does 82A run? I saw it once at Price Chopper, wiht 2 NS D940CW's. and a D8-40CW.

It isn't the OHRR's, but a privately owned unit, but yes it is there still. I was in the lot on the north side of the tracks (across from the OH 'yard').

The 82A is rare, with the powder basin coal still being experimental if I remember right- it'll only run as needed.

Night time is still the prime time for trains on this stretch of the Tier. Other periods with some traffic are dawn and dusk. Nothing tied to a schedule as far as figurable.

Tom H>

Got the Numbers? PM them to me! im trying to hammer these down for better reports!

henry6 wrote:

johnpbarlow wrote:As usual, excellent photos. Question: any idea what the hopper cars on the ex-LV track are all about? 35 years ago they could have been coal loads headed toward Cornell U's steam plant at E. Ithaca...

Cars are probably for Wietsman's for scrap metal loading. Something else is also being transloaded up in that area, too. About 2 or 3 miles north.

Odd- but I wondered the same. Old coal hoppers and a couple tub gons. These were empty as far as I could tell.
http://www.geocities.com/than_357/oh_owegoNY_041005.jpg

Tom H>

Throw in another view from today (Thursday):

http://home.stny.rr.com/thannon/owegoNY_041405.jpg

Tom H>

The O&H RS-18 is ex-CP and was modified from high to low hood by CP.

I got a ride in the cab of that RS-18 once and had a great conversation with the engineer.

Ladies and gentlemen, i give to you, the what's update...

i had the thought of bringing along a camera since in the past i've regretted NOT bringing one, anyways it won't be used.

First pass

Various NS in the Yard, 2 CN units on the point of a train, CP entering Conklin. Various NYSW power. The reason this is so Vague is Becuse it's opening night for the B-Mets, and you can't see ANYTHING because the lights shine in your car window.

2nd pass.

This was about 10 mins. ago, so for those of you N. of Bingo, GET TO THE TRACKS! There is a NYSW with ALL MLW 636 power on it. 3 of em! here they are in order
41
78
47

41 has ditch lights, so it is leadiing. and they are causing quite the smokestorm. Anyways, i MIGHT go back out this weekend. MAYBE.

-Andy

We went out again Yesterday, because my dad saw a couple of Strange Locomotives. They were a GP38 in Maroon and Blue, like the old CP colors, and a GP40 in the same except it was Maroon paintin the Ex. CP colors. The GP38 was numbered 3668, and the GP40 was numbered 40. There were 3 CN units up front. In order they are from point:

C44-9W 2636
SD75I 5780
SD75I 5718
then the 2 mystery locomotives. I believe this was NS 11T.

Another CN was coming off the wye, with 3 CN units, in order from point:

C44-9W 2598
SD75I 5772
C44-9W 2659 in the www.cn.ca paint scheme
in the shops area was the O&W NW2, 2062 was drilling and NYSW 3040, a GP 40 was out front.
NS 9641 was on a track near the NS office, and NS 8931 was lashed up with another GE and a Horsehead EMD.

We're heading out Owegoish later this afternoon...

I saw that same train as I was parked on Tompkins St bridge waiting for the light at Court St. Didnt get a real good view but they looked like Bangor & Aroostook engines. Geez, all this great weather and I havent been trackside yet! From what Im reading here, Im missing alot of good stuff. Maybe I'll head out tomorrow and check things out.

That's what i thought- The had small initials on the sides, which even with my good vision couldn't read! We ight go over there as well to check and see if they're still here.

ANDY117 wrote: They were a GP38 in Maroon and Blue, like the old CP colors, and a GP40 in the same except it was Maroon paintin the Ex. CP colors. The GP38 was numbered 3668, and the GP40 was numbered 40. ..

this might be them:

"Canadian American Railroad Company
This eastern shortline appeared in the 7/97 issue of the ORER, although no cars were listed until 10/98. Reporting mark transferred to Bangor and Aroostook 4/2001."

it looks like "Canadian American" railroad is simply a small division of CP.

http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df10162000.shtml
search for "CDAC"

I cant tell if Canadian American is still an actual railroad, or if it has simply been absorbed into CP and no longer exists as a subsidary.
but its definately a part of CP.
it runs/ran in Maine and Vermont area.

Andy,
is this the GP40 #40 you saw?
http://image06.webshots.com/6/7/56/90/1 ... gPE_ph.jpg

the GP38 might be a helm unit,
couldnt find a photo.
Scot

Railfanning Binghamton in the late 1980's -- there was always a crowd at BD. I recall many times when the action was nonstop. Highlight would be a D&H northbound. We'd jump in our cars and chase it all the way to Nineveh, where there would be a southbound we'd chase back to Bingo.

Jim Wahl was the D&H yardmaster. You could visit with him in the tower and hear endless stories about his days on the NYO&W. Plenty of salty language, too, as he barked at the crews over the radio and out the tower window.

Alcos all over the place on D&H and Susie Q, and a nice mix of power on Conrail.

The party sort of ended when CP took over. That young cop they had was really tough. Better to stay away from the tracks and yards.

Scotty- Got some sort of error message. Anyways, i give to you the ups and downs of railfanning.

We went over to Binghamton, from the Highway, you could see things were piling up in Bingo yard. 3 trains were waiting to go east. SU-99 (?) was waiting to go to NJ. Heres the power in order from the point:

NYSW 3016 SD40T-2
NYSW 3618 SD45
NYSW 3010 SD40T-2
NYSW 3014 SD40T-2
NYSW 3012 SD40T-2

These were behind T'Zers Strip club fyi...hmm...wonder where the crew was i am

That CN train with the 3 locomotives coming off the wye was there, in the place of the other.
Power in order from point:
CN 2598 C44-9W
CN 5772 SD75I
CN 2659 C44-9W

After seeing this, i noticed NS 205 was pulling out (i used to call this 167, which is the D&H symbol for 39T) I said " screw Chenango Street, follow 205"! we went under the bridge, and there was a BNSF H2 D9-44CW number 4994, and a NS D9-40CW 9266. 9641 was still there, but 8931 had seperated from the other 2 locomotives, and onto another cut of cars.
NNYSW 2062 was still drilling, and i didn't notice what all there was.
ON TO 2242!
We went west, in front of 205 to explore the area around 2242. I went down the road, took 4 shots, went up the road to the lot, an we walkked around there. I had to explain to my dad what a Flange Greaser does and we noticed a spur in the distance, i took a shot of 2242 down the tracks, turned around to lok at the spur. Turn around again, and 2231 had turned on! So we waited about 5 minutes before we heard a rumble, as 2 NS Dash 9's trundle around the curve. i started snapping pictures, and got 2 shots of the point of 205. the locomotives are in order from the point:
NS 9628 D9-40CW
NS 9805 D9-40CW

We went out to Owego, chasing 205 all the way, and got stuck behind some geezer in a CRV. who proceeded to stop on the crossing as 205 came into view. we passed them after they found their accelerator, and set up at the "yard" in Owego. we heard the gates clanging, and the arms on one literally fell into place, as i prepare to get a picture, nothing happens. So I said D*** CAMERA!!! and my dad looked at me, shook his head and watched 205 speed up. i waved to the engineer, who waved back and blew the horn. I am officially deaf, but i frankly don't care! The O&H SW600 is numbered 1216, and the CP RS18 is numbered 1850. The Tioga Scnic Locomotive is numbered 40.

That's all tonight, i might just go over to 2242 tomorrow, and snap some pictures by jumping the guardrail, and hikin down.