Southern Tier - West of Binghamton

[SST]

Yesterday I went looking for a specific repair shop near Elma. Couldn't find the place. Back and forth on Seneca St. Finally found it. Afterwards, I worked my way back to Erie St. I turned left onto Erie and Surprise, the signal at Pavement was green. Perfect timing. So I pulled over at the corner of Pavement and Erie and about 1 minute later NS comes from behind me. It's funny, if I hadn't gotten "lost" looking for the repair shop, it would have effected my timing and I would have missed the train. It was a hell of a ride! hahaha

This picture is facing west towards Buffalo at Erie and Pavement.

[Matt Langworthy]

Since we discussed Stanley Roberts Rd/Ashland in another thread, NS local H12 stopped near there briefly on Friday 11/27 due to a minor salt leak from a hopper. The leak was stopped and the spill cleaned up in less than an hour. This location is also known as MP 263.

[SST]

I forgot to mention that on the passing train in the picture above, a new FRED unit was attached. This unit is a significant improvement over the previous ones. Much brighter and more defining. It will stick out in poor visibility more than the older version.

[Matt Langworthy]

From a trusted source- the Tier has 2 new train symbols.

NS 14Z Conway (OD 3 am/depart 5 am) - Buffalo (depart 7:45 pm) - Elmira - Binghamton (New Train)

NS 149 Binghamton (10am) - Gang Mills - Buffalo - Bellevue (extension)

NS 149 is scheduled to begin today,

[johnpbarlow]

I read on a NS Southern Tier FB page that symbol 149 was added so that Bellevue bound cars would travel in a separate train from 309, whose destination is Elkhart (I think 309 used to drop Bellevues at Conneaut for a Bellevue-bound train to pick-up). So 14Z and 149 should replace W10 and W09 extra symbols if I understand correctly.

[SALSDP35]

From a trusted source- the Tier has 2 new train symbols.

NS 14Z Conway (OD 3 am/depart 5 am) - Buffalo (depart 7:45 pm) - Elmira - Binghamton (New Train)

I wonder how NS will route these in the long run. Trains coming up the Youngstown line must head west on the NKP at Ashtabula with a "run around move" to get the power on the east end.

Before the WNY&P was opened, NS used the Meadville line to get to the B&LE at Greenville and then used the Erie Branch to Wallace Jct. I wonder if this business, along with any remaining coal business would be enough to consider reopening this short segment of trackage rights?

[Matt Langworthy]

I read on a NS Southern Tier FB page that symbol 149 was added so that Bellevue bound cars would travel in a separate train from 309, whose destination is Elkhart (I think 309 used to drop Bellevues at Conneaut for a Bellevue-bound train to pick-up). So 14Z and 149 should replace W10 and W09 extra symbols if I understand correctly.

Thanks. I predicted W10 would eventually get its own symbol once it became a regularly scheduled train (as opposed to an extra section of 310). This change is similar to 14T (now 28N) getting a symbol a few years back after running as I06 and I2K for a few months.

[Matt Langworthy]

I wonder how NS will route these in the long run. Trains coming up the Youngstown line must head west on the NKP at Ashtabula with a "run around move" to get the power on the east end.

That's how 14M and 524 operate now. Likewise, the power for 15M and 525 must run around their respective trains on the ex-NKP before heading south on the Youngstown Line. The run arounds do tie up the Lake Erie District (NKP) for a short time.

Before the WNY&P was opened, NS used the Meadville line to get to the B&LE at Greenville and then used the Erie Branch to Wallace Jct. I wonder if this business, along with any remaining coal business would be enough to consider reopening this short segment of trackage rights?

I suppose it would be possible if NS decides they no longer need the Youngstown Line.

[SALSDP35]

I am sure that these trains will run on the Youngtown line for now. My statement was speculation/thinking out loud given that NS previously found the process excessively time consuming. While the Youngstown Line has very little traffic, the NKP is seeing increases. Will this be cause to revisit the B&LE alternative? Time will tell.

[Matt Langworthy]

As it turns out, the new symbols are not being implemented at this time. Norfolk Southern is still trying to sort traffic in and out of Binghamton. Both W10 and W09 will remain in use for now.

[SALSDP35]

Still, the traffic is here. Some days there are 3 - 310 variations.

[SALSDP35]

NS ran a 25K on Sunday or Monday. Mechanicville to Chicago 47Th street. Some Ayer's. Mostly loads and was all JB Hunt and EMP's.

Not sure if this will be regular or just what the story is. NS also ran a 23K and an I3K the same day.

[Matt Langworthy]

That is interesting news about 25K. NS has also been running extra sections of 36T and 37T on the Tier and the D&H in recent months.

[nysw136]

25K used to run on the Tier out of NJ for a while, right after the CR split. Then it got moved to the Penn Line and was abolished due to changing traffic.

[ANDY117]

NS ran a 25K on Sunday or Monday. Mechanicville to Chicago 47Th street. Some Ayer's. Mostly loads and was all JB Hunt and EMP's.

Not sure if this will be regular or just what the story is. NS also ran a 23K and an I3K the same day.

The answer is in the second paragraph. They ran out of 23K variations, so they used a dormant symbol to cover the train.