Strates Circus Train Status in New York

One of my FB friends has posted pics of the Strates train going through Blasdell and Hamburg this afternoon. it looks like Buffalo Southern RS11 #5010 and RS18 #1847 were the power for this train. The coaches came first and the BSOR crew apparently went back for the trailers in the afternoon.

K4Pacific wrote:In the still of the night it wound its way west into the welcoming arms of the South Buffalo this morning. Maybe next year; and our CSX brethren can snag it on the very busy mainline.

Didn't CSX refuse to move part of the train last year?

The train is all in and unloaded as of last night. CSX refused the older style roller bearings that were under some of the coaches two years ago. They wouldn't move them, so the coaches went via NS and FingerLakes to Syracuse. Last year Strates purchased 4 stainless steel cars that were on the Batten Kill and are traveling with them this year. All sealed roller bearings, so no complaints that we know of....

^Thanks for the update!

Having been the lead in car at the Historical Society's NYS Fairgrounds RR display. The former JE Strates heavyweight Observation car, loaded on a flat car, it's 3 axle trucks secured on a 2nd flat, a couple months ago, has finally departed Syracuse on 1/8/13 on CSX Q381-08. Q381 terminates in Willard, Ohio. So I expect the cars to be assigned to another train, to further them along their way. It was actually a little bittersweet for me to have it behind my engines. Thinking, this was the 1st time in decades it has seen track speed, and I'll most likely never see it again. Just an FYI post. Sorry, I was unable to post any sooner. I wasn't aware that it was assigned to my train untill going on duty Tuesday afternoon.

It will be back. It's on a 25 year lease and is slated for a Amtrak rebuild. Look for it to fly by on Amtrak as the "Pullman Palm Lane" The car that replaced it is neat in it's own way. It is cool to see the Strates car moving at all after 40 years in the same spot. I was the one to pull it from the spot it was in and spot the two E-8's as well as the car and it was fun to see all those cars move like the train was making just another run.

JJ-

So roadster, it was your train that I saw.. I was parking in the snow next to trackside near pixley rd.

I didn't expect to see that! it was quite surprise for me..

Yes, if anything this is good for the car, rather than sitting and rotting slowly away it gets a full rebuild and people can actually ride in it. Plus, by shaking up that display that hasn't changed much itself in as long as I can remember, maybe more people will go through it next year.

Yes, that was me.
Thanks for the info. JJ. I was under the belief that it was headed for excursion/dinner train service on a midwest carrier. I'll keep that in mind next year. Also, when and how are you going to get that replacement in position?

The car will be on the SLRG for rebuild and shake downs but Amtrak after that. We planned to have the Office car in the fair grounds by now but no such luck. My understanding is we are going to pull the car into the fair with the 45 ton ge from the steel mill. Then we will do some work to it before putting it in the place of the Strates car on the end of the train. As for when? It was planned for Dec 27th but the ship sailed and the engine and track was not ready in time so now it looks like March sometime.

JJ-

The Man wrote:The car will be on the SLRG for rebuild and shake downs but Amtrak after that. We planned to have the Office car in the fair grounds by now but no such luck. My understanding is we are going to pull the car into the fair with the 45 ton ge from the steel mill. Then we will do some work to it before putting it in the place of the Strates car on the end of the train. As for when? It was planned for Dec 27th but the ship sailed and the engine and track was not ready in time so now it looks like March sometime.

JJ-

what is the status of that 45 tonner at the Crucible Steel mill? I heard that the unit was isolated in a shed some place on the property and that all the track with in the mill had been removed?

What you heard wasn't correct. They wouldn't be able to switch with it on the Fair lead if there was no track to reach it.

lvrr325 wrote:What you heard wasn't correct. They wouldn't be able to switch with it on the Fair lead if there was no track to reach it.

so there is still track with in the mill and that 45 tonner is still in use then??

Look's like there's still track to me.
http://binged.it/YCtuFY

Wow still a lot of track in there and a lot a gons too for a place that no longer had any rail left. Could not see the engine though it could be hidden in a building. But they are still getting rail service.