Railfanning around Erie

I am thinking of taking a trip to PA this August and was wondering what kind of shots you can get of the GE plant mainly the test units and inback of the shops, GE testing units, and the interchanges with NS and CSX? is there a schedule that GE has for testing?

thanks

Steven McKay

Franklin Ave. Bridge is a good place to see the GE interchange for both CSX and NS. CSX is right underneath the bridge, and you will see NS if you look east from the bridge. I've seen close up shots of locos sitting on the NS interchange, but not sure behind which business exactly the photogs. accessed that area.

To see GE testing, (From Franklin Ave.) travel east on RT20 to the town of Harborcreek. Just before the WalMart, there is a small municle park on your left that consists of a few benches and flowers.

Not sure you can actually get shots of the back of the GE plant.

Other places of interest:

Lake Shore Railway Historical Society-farther east on RT 20. Once in North East, make a right onto Robinson St., and take that to the end. Museum right in front of you. CSX and NS both well visible from here, plus knowledgable company if you are looking for some. (Check your PMs)

Also from the museum, travel a few miles farther east on US20 to Bort Rd. There is an old 84 Lumber at the intersection. CSX goes underneath, and NS has a grade crossing about 50' away. If you get to the I-90 interchange, you only missed it by a few 100 yds.

There's a lot of other good places too, but these are my favorite/routine spots.

If you use ascanner:
161.250 NS road and disp
160.860 CSX road
161.340 CSX NH disp
160.590 East Erie Commercial (GE)
161.100 " " "

thank you for the information, how often does the EEC bring engines from the plant to the CSX and NS?

Not sure. I've only seen them testing once, and saw a set out at the NS interchange last time I was at Franklin Ave. My brother and I were at the museum and heard CSX disp. telling one of the WBs that they had a pick up at GE. I wasn't familiar with Franklin Ave. at that time, so we tried to get a look from the west end of the CSX yard from an overhead bridge (don't remember what street now). No luck there, so we went farther west toward the airport and just missed I think it was a 6 unit UP pick up. NS had a train going between us. We got to see the string through the NS train. I'd guess that a weekday would be a good day for the testing.

Can anyone else help out?

I know I'm probably a bit late for Steven's trip, but I thought I'd chime in with a little extra info just in case.

There is also a road parallel to the end of GE's test track, PA Route 955. I don't know if you camped out on it if the State Police would hassle you or not for being pulled over on the berm, but I can tell you that several months ago I was on the south side of the tracks on US Route 20 and I looked over to see a few exotic looking export engines on the test track with several people on the ground in a photo line photographing them. They had a very different looking wide cab on them and there was some kind of oriental writing on the hoods. I sometimes luck out on my drives past that area and see neat export power testing. However, I've never been in the right place at the right time to see any KCS units testing. If memory serves me correctly KCS recently had several new units painted in a throwback red, black and yellow Southern Belle scheme. I would have liked to have seen them on the test track.

Two other things about the test track: It is multi-gauge to just west of the Wallbridge Road grade crossing, and the entire track is electrified with an overhead wire. I don't know if there are third rails (either over or under running) or not on the very first part of the line.

well i stopped by there on the 17th not much going on but some of the test egnines were sitting out by franklin st i think it is and some Export NRS units were on flats waiting to head out 2 BNSF gevos were waiting pick-up as well as 2 CSX units. There was a IAIS unit sitting back in the plant not sure what number along with 2010 and a lot of CP gevos. drove around the plant and a P42 i think it was was in EEC's shop and GE 4400 5000 and 6000 were back by the shops. will have some pictures up in the next few days.