What is the story behind this photo?

[Luther Brefo]

What is the story behind this image?

[scottychaos]

I have seen that photo before..and I still dont fully understand it!

Its obviously Bath, NY.

The BNSF units are easy to explain..its simply run-through power on a NS (or Conrail) train running up the line before LAL/B&H took it over from NS in 2001..

The real mystery (to me) is why B&H #4 is attached to front of the BNSF units! I cant think of any explanation for that..

Scot

[thebigham]

The B&H did some kind of start up work on these units. They were shipped to the B&H for testing before they were sent to the BNSF.

I have some great slides of these BNSF engines on the B&H.

[pablo]

As there is no place to "run-through" with the line being cut north/west of Wayland, that's not possible.

I believe Chris has the right idea, and I have heard that before...but I don't remember what that would be.

Dave Becker

[scottychaos]

As there is no place to "run-through" with the line being cut north/west of Wayland, that's not possible.



Dave Becker

Dave,
"Run through power" is a common term meaning "locomotives belonging to one railroad "running through" on another."

the fact that the B&H dead-ends in Wayland is irrelevant..I didnt mean the BNSF power was supposed to "run through" on that particular bit of track!

"Run through power" means the same thing "foreign power"..
not referring to any one specific bit of trackage.

Scot

[RS-3]

No "run-through" (no need for run-through power, for 4-5 cars?). B&H did break-in work on both UP and BNSF's new SD70s at the time.

RS

[pablo]

My comment still stands, and RS-3's hlpe solidifies my point: not only would there be no reason for the B&H to (ever) lease SD70's.

6 axle power is not prohibited on the B&H, obviously, since the Cartier's were stored there. However, you won't find them used unless they are being broken in, as the various 6 axles on the WNYP have been.

The 4 is on it because either a. the railroad had to switch the TTA plant on the line and needed to get into tight curvature, b. the various LAL units weren't in place yet, or c. all of the above. I think it's B.

I'm aware of run thoughs, and all of that. I sincerely doubt the good folks at BNSF were paying back horsepower hours to the B&H for that long term lease of the 5 those two years in Seattle in the late 90's.

Dave Becker

[blabey]

EMD paid B&H to do shakedown testing on the locomotives prior to delivery to BNSF. They were run back and forth at low speed between Cohocton and Bath with a B&H crew and EMD technicians on board. Generally, the locomotives ran in pairs with one unit providing power and the other a "load". The WNYP has done similar shakedown test runs on Alstom-built power for NJ Transit.

[Luther Brefo]

Thank you all for the information leading to the whole truth behind this photo! A picture is literally worth a thousand words!

[Tadman]

Aw, cmon you guys! That B&H Alco is for cab signals - didn't you hear anything running on B&H has to have a variant of ASCECS for speeds over 79 mph? It's called SCMODS, and it was designed by two brothers named Elwood and Jake.

(just a little sarcasm to lighten a monday morning... there is no SCMODS)

[pablo]

Glad someone else has a sense of humor here.

Self.
Contained.
Municipal.
Offender.
Data.
System.

"S#%t."
"What?"
"BNSF Units."
"No."
"Yep."
"S#%t."

Dave Becker

[bwparker1]

Aw, cmon you guys! That B&H Alco is for cab signals - didn't you hear anything running on B&H has to have a variant of ASCECS for speeds over 79 mph? It's called SCMODS, and it was designed by two brothers named Elwood and Jake.

(just a little sarcasm to lighten a monday morning... there is no SCMODS)

This was the best post I have seen in at least a year. Nice work Tad.

[railwatcher]

1. scmods

"state county municipal offender data system", the on-board system used by the rollers (AKA: cops) in the original Blue Brothers. this utility told the cops to "arrest driver, impound vehicle" and thus initiated the multi-state car chase that wrecked the most cars in movie history.

Elwood :" i hope they (the cops) don't have scmods."

Jake: "What's SCMODS?"


Very Good Gentlemen!

[mainetrain]

a little scuba inbreeding going on

[Luther Brefo]

Okay...

I think we've exhausted this one a bit. Thank you once again to those who responded with answers pertaining to the question at hand. To the rest of you...well...thank you as well.