Unit coal train in Geneva 9/10/11

Maybe a BNSF detour around the wildfires!

What is the 80+ car train? Auto racks? Double stacks? Amtrak?

ROFL!

Well the topic at hand as noted by the title of the thread is Unit Coal train in Geneva 9/10/11....So now I wonder as well...could it have been 3 NS units on a caol train? damn, some people.... The train kept going too, so, it definately went East.

Now I am confused since K4 informed us that it would be heading to Binghamton which I assumed meant back down the Secondary. I was going to comment that I didn't see how the drag was heading south on the Secondary this AM as called for since southbound HO6 was parked just north of Dundee until at least 10 AM, probably waiting for a new crew.

Oh well, at least the drag is moving in the general direction of New Hampshire.

Poppyl

Well, K4pacific on the previous page states the NS crew was supposed to bring the train to Binghamton, and it was not going east on FGLK. So either the NS crew got lost and took the wrong track, or there's some sort of mutiny and they're going where they darn well feel like it. Maybe they defected and asked for asylum on FGLK!

Maybe you should call the FGLK dispatcher and ask if they know there's an errant coal train lost on their line!

Here's an idea, though it may be far fetched: Coal train goes east on FGLK, down NYSW to Binghamton with an NS Crew and pilots. Power runs around train in Binghamton (not too hard to do), and heads back northeast on the newly opened D&H. Sounds feasible, and with railroading, anything can happen. Just look at the Amtrak special that detoured two weeks ago.

Kevin M.

Interesting....

If HO-6 was parked north of Dundee, then I wonder what came or went from Geneva last night about 10pm. Finger Lakes sometimes operates late, but sure didn't sound like their train.

I only go by crew calls folks. Let it rest. Might have abolished at the Gang Mills yard office for something else of priority.

HO6 last night only had two cars northbound last night.

My cousin called and said he was held at the route 5 crossing in Auburn while a long coal train went East. He didn't see the head end, nor does he care about trains, so that is my only update.

Thanks for your info on this, K4, I appreciate it. Certainly was a mystery to see that train in Geneva. I assume that HO-6 tonight might have a little more behind it?

Of note, there were some great exampled of old rolling stock on that train, in particular several old "FRISCO" hoppers easily showing their heritage, as well as a couple of untouched Conrail cars.

So the coal train is on the lam, headed east after all. Auburn? Isn't that halfway to Syracuse? Hope the yard goat got out of the way! Bet if this had been accurately predicted railfans would have been chasing it by auto, boat and helicopter!

Don't have to post. I calls them as I receives them. LOL. Accuracy in railroading? Let me know. Poor NS Trainmater today.

CPSD40-2 wrote:Interesting....

If HO-6 was parked north of Dundee, then I wonder what came or went from Geneva last night about 10pm. Finger Lakes sometimes operates late, but sure didn't sound like their train.

You had it correct to begin with. HO6 got a "late" start last night -- went through Dundee northbound around nine pm rather than the "usual" seven pm time. It was parked southbound (headed to Gang Mills) just north of Dundee (next to the R.K. Howell gravel pit) this am. I'd estimate ten to fifteen cars in tow. That seems to be a location where crews occasionaly expire -- short of the Dundee signals; past the Shannon's Corners crossing; over the top of the Dresden-Dundee grade; and readily accessible from the gravel pit road.

I don't know how many crews NS has certified for the Secondary but maybe not more than three. So this morning we had one crew expired with its consist sitting on the main; one tied up with the coal drag in Geneva; and the third perhaps hadn't come on yet or was tied up elsewhere. That may have forced the trainmaster's hand to send the drag up the FGLK to minimize any more lost time in getting the cargo to Bow. I'm still not sure why, if the crew on HO6 was about to expire, they didn't take one of the sidings in Dresden to leave the main open for the drag coming south, but in any event, it's all academic now.

K4, we still love you!!

Poppyl

CSX Called a Dewitt short pool crew for an X332-12, on duty at 1545 this afternoon. I can only assume that this was the coal train off the Solvay Hill/Finger Lakes Railway. Crew taking train E Bd toward Selkirk for exchange at Rotterdam Junc..

NS unit coal train pasted thru Union Sta, Utica, NY at 21:02 eastbound on track one as i was unloading a Adirondack Scenic Dinner Train. Some Frisco cars in Consist. some talk with CSX disp. as to were to change crews with PAR at Rotterdam Jct, because of flooded roads.

Conductor Al Gorney