there are 3 main shortlines along the southern tier..
the biggest and bestest for Alcos being the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville..
its a bit north of route 17 (I still cant accept I86! it will always be route 17 to me!)
they have alcos in 3 locations,
In jamestown on the WNY&P, a few centuries there..
and their only 6-axle century is based there..
on the Bath & Hammondsport in Cohocton,
(Alco S1's and the stored MLW636 and C-636's)
a few miles further north is the main LAL yard in Lakeville..
you can stop into the office there and sign a release, then walk around to take photos..not much is out in the open on weekends though..
The LAL is the "holy grail" of Alcos in the north east!
S2, RS1, many centuries..
If you go up to Lakeville, you should also head over the "Rochester & Genesee Valley railroad museum" in Industry.
they have an operating RS3m, RS1, and S4,
all in beautiful condition.
Next is the Wellsboro & Corning and Tioga Central in wellsboro, PA.
On route 15 south of Gang Mills.
They have the D&H bicentennial RS3m, a few Alco S-series switchers and a few RS-1's..
engines can be found in 2 locations..the main base for the passenger excursions north of Wellsboro, and the yard of the W&C in Wellsboro proper. there was a RS1 stored there last time I was down there..
then the "other" tioga central in Owego..(now called the Tioga Scenic? the 2 lines are, or were, related..)
they have some MLW RS's there..not sure what they have anymore..
the Owego & Hartford frieght line also runs out of Owego..as far as I know, they just use an EMD switcher..
im nto sure if there are any operating Alcos in Owego anymore..
Owego is the least interesting location IMO..
I dont really know when these lines will be running though!
if you want to get up into the Buffalo area you also have the New York, Lake Erie & western..they have a few centuries and the FPA's..
Buffalo Southern also has several Alcos.
If you are heading further east into the Catskills, the Delaware & Ulster railride in Arkville NY has a gorgeous D&H RS36, and 2 S4's..
so those are your main Alco hotspots along the 'tier..or close to it..
Buffalo
Jamestown
Cohocton
Lakeville
Industry
Wellsboro (PA)
Owego
Arkville
Scot