Utica Branch Discussion Thread

[fredrick]

thank you for the informantion.

[fredrick]

does any body know when railroad or nysw going to fix the tracks south of sheburne?

[charlie6017]

There are no current plans to fix this line at this time.......read through this thread, there is much discussion on this matter.

Charlie

[fredrick]

does the railroad or nysw test the railroad crossing gates south of sheburne ? it won't hurt railroad nysw test these crossing gates.even if line is not in service.

[Noel Weaver]

does the railroad or nysw test the railroad crossing gates south of sheburne ? it won't hurt railroad nysw test these crossing gates.even if line is not in service.

YES It will hurt the railroad, testing costs money for the employee to travel to the location to conduct the tests and with the line not in use there is no need to do so.
Noel Weaver

[fredrick]

i kind of guess they didn;t test cross gates. because line was not use . thanks '

[Alek9997]

They still test all of them as far South as Sherburne, even though the trains only go to Sangerfield at this point. I saw them testing the relay down in Poolville about a month ago, on Wiley Road.

~Alek

[fredrick]

i don;t know noting much about railroads. i think may be railroad or nysw will not fix the line south of sheburne. i know it cost money. if the railroad end up not fix fixing the line south of sheburne. i hate to say it.i think maybe railroad should remove the rails? i hope not it does not happen. some rail fans might be mad at me. but it the truth.

[charlie6017]

Fredrick,

Like I mentioned previously, if you would take some time and look through this entire thread, you would better understand why the rails are still there. I know it's a long thread, because we have been adding to it for 5 years, but if you read it, you will understand what is going on here and then you'll be able to add productively to the conversation.

Thanks!
Charlie

[fredrick]

Fredrick,

Like I mentioned previously, if you would take some time and look through this entire thread, you would better understand why the rails are still there. I know it's a long thread, because we have been adding to it for 5 years, but if you read it, you will understand what is going on here and then you'll be able to add productively to the conversation.

Thanks!
Charlie

i took time to read the whole thing i understand what going here. i just hate seeing the rails not being use. you might agree with me? or not on is issued. thanks.

[fredrick]

hopefully their out side chance. that the south end utica branch. will be open again?

[RSD15]

hopefully their out side chance. that the south end utica branch. will be open again?

Well there is always a chance. That's the reason to leave the tracks in place,that maybe they will be needed again someday.
Can't say for sure but with all the back ups on the D&H/CP seems the NS could use an alternate route to New England.

Have a look at this pic, its Chenango Forks on the Syracuse side in 1982. The tracks are out of service and as luck would have it haven't been
torn out. If the tracks had been removed I don't think we would see trains at Chenango Forks today.

http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad26 ... 9-82-1.jpg

Charles

[Cactus Jack]

RSD15, thanks for that pic of the Syracuse side in '82. I was just thinking about that the other day after crossing the tracks at Chenango Forks and seeing all the recent tie and surface work. It more resembled how the Utica side looks today. Overgrown with brush, some crossings paved over and at least one washout that I recall at Itaska. The only traffic between Binghamton and Chenango Forks was the Norwich based Conrail local.

In March '82 Conrail ran a work train picking up various rail, OTM and other "stuff" and it had an SD40-2. It was briefly parked in the clear on the Syracuse side trackage in the shadow of Route 12 overpass and at that time I figured it would be the last train on that part of the railroad (Chenango Forks to Whitney Point) as things were in sad shape. I think they still went to Whitney Point from Homer to serve an Agway and that was "end of track". Later when NYSW took over in April 1982 they restored Chenango Forks to Whitney Point but for a while the north end up Onativia way was all rust and neglect being out of service. Now as we know the whole thing is back in service and looking pretty good, and FAR better than the photo posted, and for those who never saw it ... yes, it looked all as bad as the photo suggests. I am also reminded that Route 12 was an overpass not a crossing in those days and the TCS signal system from Binghamton to the Forks was active until August, 1979.

[Alek9997]

A few days ago, I noticed a small washout next to the Loomis Road Crossing, just South of Sangerfield. It was fresh and must have been about 15-20 feet long, with the tracks stretching across it it midair. Well, I went by there again today and there are fresh bulldozer marks and new fill underneath the tracks where the washout was.

Nice to see repairs being done even if the line below Sangerfield is inactive right now.

[fredrick]

hopefully we might see trains run to sheburne and maybe norwich?