Southern Tier - West of Binghamton

[poppyl]

Here's one for you folks. Why would an Ithaca coal come up out of Harrisburg to Binghamton and then a Binghamton crew takes it to Elmira this morning run around the train to head east into Sayre. But that crew outlawed and the H12 crew which will have worked six 12s took to Sayre to yet run around it again to go to Ithaca? That's what I call a double run around. No WNYP. Could it have loaded on CSX in WV?

I can see four possible scenarios for why the drag came via Binghamton. IMO, the least likely is CSX out of WV to NS at Hagerstown or Baltimore. Not a normal situation but the load may have been redirected from a regular CSX customer. Second scenario is the load originated in western VA, southern WVA, or Kentucky and came on NS via Roanoke, Front Royal, Hagerstown and Enola. Since most of this coal normally is for export through Norfolk this seems somewhat unlikely. Third scenario is PA coal originally sceduled through Enola to a regular NS customer but redirected. The fourth scenario is that NS wanted to see the impact of routing a shipment to Cayuga Lake by another route not involving the WNYP.

To me, the fourth scenario makes sense if NS is looking at traffic options involving Binghamton (witness the crew hiring, for example).

The apparent confusion may have been the result of the Binghamton crew not being qualified for the Ithaca Secondary which would lead me to believe that the drag was an extraordinary redirected load. Otherwise I would assume that NS would have positioned a qualified crew in Binghamton to make the transit to Cayuga Lake.

Do you know if this was the Somerset unit train or what mine the coal came from?

Poppyl

[K4Pacific]

That explains it. Obviously the switch at Waverly wasn't popped by the dispatcher. Interesting. But the relieving crew I talked this said 526 came out of Harrisburg. I'm sure they assumed. Anyway thanks.

[thannon]

That explains it. Obviously the switch at Waverly wasn't popped by the dispatcher. Interesting. But the relieving crew I talked this said 526 came out of Harrisburg. I'm sure they assumed. Anyway thanks.

526 crew wasn't thrilled; 22k crew didn't sound it either....

526 finally headed up the Ithaca at 1340.

Now - what's the 60R/61R that ran yesterday and today?

[malfunctjct]

Now - what's the 60R/61R that ran yesterday and today?

Welded rail trains. Loaded rail train headed north on the D&H today. I would ASSUME its for Pan Am....

[thannon]

Now - what's the 60R/61R that ran yesterday and today?

Welded rail trains. Loaded rail train headed north on the D&H today. I would ASSUME its for Pan Am....

I wonder - it came back (or had a west bound twin) Saturday night... couldn't have made it that far, nor unloaded that quickly could it?

[ANDY117]

The 526 came up the D&H back on the 18th I believe. It had 3 NS D9-40CWs leading, with a pair of CP ES44ACs pushing. At least I think this is the same train. It was a unit Somerset train, which was supposedly going to AES Westover, which is wrong because they have no way to unload it. So I'm guessing it just sat in Binghamton. It was there Thursday night on DL&W 4 when I went over around 9. It was loaded by RJ Corman down in PA somewhere.

[thannon]

Single track project nearing completion, with MOW doing the connections at Waverly this morning. Should be functional soon.

-edit 14:09:

Track two severed at MP250.8 this morning, signals lit and testing between Owego and Waverly underway along the entire stretch.

Some photos:
http://than357.weebly.com/24oct10.html

[poppyl]

The 526 came up the D&H back on the 18th I believe. It had 3 NS D9-40CWs leading, with a pair of CP ES44ACs pushing. At least I think this is the same train. It was a unit Somerset train, which was supposedly going to AES Westover, which is wrong because they have no way to unload it. So I'm guessing it just sat in Binghamton. It was there Thursday night on DL&W 4 when I went over around 9. It was loaded by RJ Corman down in PA somewhere.

Or the fifth scenario -- it was just plain misdirected. The tell is the Somerset hoppers -- the unit consist regularly runs up the WNYP and over to Cayuga Lake.

Poppyl

[K4Pacific]

Thank you for the single track update thannon. I have family, football, food. I'd appreciate any other updates too.

[K4Pacific]

RBBB Circus Train over the ST Line Tuesday. Cleveland to Wilkes Barre. Interesting move with new single track section.

[thannon]

Thank you for the single track update thannon. I have family, football, food. I'd appreciate any other updates too.

NS kept small monitoring crews along the line through the night. Part of crew returning to wherever they're from, while the rest tidy up Mon.

DIdn't see much else - I had grandkids, pumpkins, and a nap....

[wurlitzer153]

Hi, I'm a new member from Ohio, but have been enjoying the Southern Tier discussions here for some time. I live on the NKP east of Cleveland so activities on this line often affect my area. (I see 310, 309, 205, 206, 22K, and 23K regularly)

RBBB Circus Train over the ST Line Tuesday. Cleveland to Wilkes Barre. Interesting move with new single track section.

Any idea if and when it will be heading east over the NKP? I will be in downtown Cleveland Monday morning, so I'll see if it's still there.

[conrailsharedassets]

Hi, I'm a new member from Ohio, but have been enjoying the Southern Tier discussions here for some time. I live on the NKP east of Cleveland so activities on this line often affect my area. (I see 310, 309, 205, 206, 22K, and 23K regularly)

Welcome to the group!

RBBB Circus Train over the ST Line Tuesday. Cleveland to Wilkes Barre. Interesting move with new single track section.

Any idea if and when it will be heading east over the NKP? I will be in downtown Cleveland Monday morning, so I'll see if it's still there.

Unfortunately for you, the routing as I understand it is CSX Chicago Line from Cleavland to Buffalo, NS Southern Tier from Buffalo to Binghamton and CP Sunbury Sub from Binghamton to Wilkes Barre. Which means it will likely not travel on the NKP from Cleavland. The RBBB moves are always subject to route changes, so for all I know it may run the NKP but is looking highly unlikely at this point in time.

Jim

[conrailsharedassets]

The 526 came up the D&H back on the 18th I believe. It had 3 NS D9-40CWs leading, with a pair of CP ES44ACs pushing. At least I think this is the same train. It was a unit Somerset train, which was supposedly going to AES Westover, which is wrong because they have no way to unload it. So I'm guessing it just sat in Binghamton. It was there Thursday night on DL&W 4 when I went over around 9. It was loaded by RJ Corman down in PA somewhere.

Or the fifth scenario -- it was just plain misdirected. The tell is the Somerset hoppers -- the unit consist regularly runs up the WNYP and over to Cayuga Lake.

Poppyl

Train came up the CP Sunbury Sub last Sunday with 97 cars (13,017 tons). Had 3 NS C40-9W's up front and a CP ES44AC and CP AC4400 pushing on the back. From what I understand this wasn't a mis-route at all but rather a necessary move and subsequent test. It was necessary because as I understand it the routing the trains take to access the WNY&P and the WNY&P cannot handle a 13,000 + ton coal train.

From what I was told by some CP employees I know, it also subsequently turned into test to see how smoothly running these trains on the D&H routing would work. They informed me that both CP and NS were more than thrilled with the outcome and that more coal drags will likely be running the routing of Sundays train in the future. Additionally I have heard grumblings that NS is less than pleased with the WNY&P routing and looking for alternative's. With more crews being hired to work south on the Buffalo Line and on the D&H, it sounds to me like we may see a route change in the future for New England and New York Bound Coal trains. Of course this is just speculation/hearsay from others.

Jim

[wurlitzer153]

Hi, I'm a new member from Ohio, but have been enjoying the Southern Tier discussions here for some time. I live on the NKP east of Cleveland so activities on this line often affect my area. (I see 310, 309, 205, 206, 22K, and 23K regularly)

Welcome to the group!

RBBB Circus Train over the ST Line Tuesday. Cleveland to Wilkes Barre. Interesting move with new single track section.

Any idea if and when it will be heading east over the NKP? I will be in downtown Cleveland Monday morning, so I'll see if it's still there.

Unfortunately for you, the routing as I understand it is CSX Chicago Line from Cleavland to Buffalo, NS Southern Tier from Buffalo to Binghamton and CP Sunbury Sub from Binghamton to Wilkes Barre. Which means it will likely not travel on the NKP from Cleavland. The RBBB moves are always subject to route changes, so for all I know it may run the NKP but is looking highly unlikely at this point in time.

Jim

The CSX routing makes more sense, as the train parks on the old Water Level, so it's a straight shot on CSX. It's a long way around to get onto the NKP, I believe it'd have to go all the way out to Rockport yard. As of 9:30 this morning the train was still parked along the lakeshore. Will check again in a little bit.