Saratoga & North Creek (S&NC) Discussion

[tahawus84]

from the photographer:
Well snc is not hauling coal they are storing it on the sidings at Thurman, White sand, Corinth, river side, Kings, and at Saratoga station temporarily for CP.

[griffs20soccer]

Tahawus84,
Where are the White Sand and Kings sidings located? I'm familiar with the others, but not those two. Even though they aren't "hauling" coal, the storage of the cars will generate revenue. Is that correct?

[tahawus84]

I don't know where the sidings are. I was just posting what the photographer said the cars were being used for. I really didn't think the line had all that many sidings

[CP4743]

Whites Sand is an active siding in South Corinth. It is between the Rt 9n grade crossing and the Mosher Road grade crossing. It is a stub ended siding, not a passing track. Kings would be at the 2nd Rt 9n overpass where the station and caboose display is. I am not sure if that switch is actually still in service or not. That would also be a stub ended siding.

John

[griffs20soccer]

Interesting letter from S&NC in support of NSR purchase of the southern portion of the D&N contingent on the "Paper Barrier" being removed that prevents SN&C and NSR direct interchange in the Saratoga Yard. What is of special interest are the supporting statements form Justin, Barton's and other potential freight costumers. I would be interested in the thoughts of some the more knowledgeable posters.

http://www.stb.dot.gov/filings/all.nsf/ ... 237566.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On another note it appears S&NC is generating some revenue by storing loaded coal cars for a CP costumer. They are going to be there for a couple of months

[thebigham]

RP.Net has some great pics of a BL2 moving stone loads last Fall:

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos. ... %20Railway" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Adirondacker]

...They are also I am sure looking at future growth ie the old IP site.

Just my opinion which is highly colored: Corinth will turn anything down.

Corinth had at least two moderately viable proposals for the the International Paper site and turned them down. Also there was a fire that destroyed a few buildings in the heart of "downtown" Corinth. The owner had some very nice, context sensitive proposals. Which, if I remember correctly were altered to meet Corinth's concerns. Corinth turned them down and now there's a big empty lot in the heart of downtown. It's just my opinion but Corinth has too many BANANAs - Build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything or CAVEs, Citizens against virtually everything. Or both.


Trains came through Hadley on Wednesday the 11th, I forgot to check the time when I got near a clock, it was in the afternoon, Thursday the 12th around 2:30 in the afternoon and Friday the 13th around 12:30 in the afternoon.

[griffs20soccer]

I found this video on YouTube of S&NC pulling hoppers full of coal north out of Saratoga Yard. S&NC is generating a little revenue storing coal for a cement plant until the spring. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06TAQ69fZi0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

Great video!

How long was that backup move?

[tahawus84]

All the times I had been up to tahawus I never thought I would actually see another train up there again let alone a train pulled by a BL2.

Anyone know what happend to the old plow and flat car that were up there? Maybe now that the rails are live the plow can be saved?

[RussNelson]

Don't know about the flat, but my understanding is that the plow is privately owned.

[BR&P]

On another note it appears S&NC is generating some revenue by storing loaded coal cars for a CP costumer.

S&NC is generating a little revenue storing coal for a cement plant until the spring.

On the 12th and the 14th, you tell us something which was already discussed on the 8th. It's helpful to at least skim previous posts to see if the info has already been covered.

It can be quite a scramble for a small railroad when a storage opportunity comes along. Usually a small line struggles to keep the main line up to snuff, and there is no sense in fixing up some dormant weed-grown spur to a factory that is no longer there (or whatever). Then somebody wants to park some cars, and there can be a lot of "do we dare put cars in THAT track?" And sometimes the stored cars upset neighbors who assumed that because freight cars have not been seen there for 10 years, they never would again.

[griffs20soccer]

BR&P,
On the 8th I was asking a question, on the 12th I still wasn't sure if what I had read was reliable and was looking to have someone to confirm it. Finally by the 14th I had read from a couple independent sources about the car storage and felt I could now state it with some degree of confidence. Over the years I lurked on this forum I got the impression that rumors were not looked favorably upon. I was hoping some of the more knowledgeable posters could shine some light on the accuracy of the statement early on. I hope this explains my numerous posts on the same topic, I won't make the same mistake twice.

[BR&P]

Well, before you asked your question on the 8th, Tahawus84 made a flat-out statement: "from the photographer: Well snc is not hauling coal they are storing it on the sidings at Thurman, White sand, Corinth, river side, Kings, and at Saratoga station temporarily for CP." Pretty specific and apparently no doubt. After you read it from a couple other sources, you then twice told us what Tahawus84 already had said. My point was there didn't seem to be any question about the accuracy of the first post and while you may have wanted more confirmation it seemed plain to me. I'm not losing any sleep about it.

As for your question about making money, such arrangements are private deals negotiated between the railroad(s) and the party needing storage, but USUALLY they involve both a transportation charge for the move itself, plus a per-day or per-week fee for as long as the cars stay on line. It's really a good deal for the railroad, as they can take some unused siding or branch, and get money from an asset that was essentially useless. It's even a good deal for railfans, giving an opportunity to see cars on some track that would otherwise be weed-covered. Not to mention the added photo ops for the movement of the storage cars in or out.

[traingeek8223]

Field report from a road trip yesterday (was supposed to be a chase but the Railroad's schedule changed, much to the dismay of a few passengers at Saratoga and Hadley):

Coal filled hopper cars stored on sidings at Saratoga, South Corinth, Corinth and Riverside (one). DL&W painted E8s, work flat car and privately owned Columbus & Greenville Observation (SNC 15) have been moved to the siding at Riverside. Both ALCO Switchers stored back to back on the turntable at North Creek. D&H RS36 5019 has been moved out of the woods but is still on the south-west stub siding with the Florida Rail Adventures coach and the cupola caboose (un-numbered). BOTH BL2s are stored on the turntable lead (with two passenger cars between them). Number 56 is now nearly fully painted (see link to photo album). No sign of the B39-8; safe to assume it is in the engine house. A long string of hopper cars for tailings shipping are stored on Ordway siding (with the third, never used set of Bi-Level coaches) and most have been re-stenciled with new "IPEX" reporting marks. There are no cars on the Kings, Thurman or Barton (North Creek) sidings. I have been told that a few passenger cars are being stored on the Stillwater siding. The railroad has done a considerable amount of snow clearing with the ballast regulator, pushing the banks way back, but only as far as North Creek.

A few pics can be found here: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... ?id=107883

As for the flat and Plow at Tahawus: The plow is privately owned and the owner does not have the money to move it to his home (near North Hudson). It is currently stored (precariously) on the north leg of wye at the mine. It is in fair condition (from being stored indoors for years) but the Adirondack winters are starting to take their toll. The flat should still be sitting on one of the un-used yard tracks near-by. I believe it was/is owned by the mine.