In the 2018 Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor calendar there is this picture ( submitted by Tom Kredo of Rochester) of this RR bridge over the Erie Canal in Pittsford. Nice Shot. What RR is this? thanks Mark
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What ROW is this in Pittsford ( Rochester)
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Moderator: Otto Vondrak
West Shore, looking west from the Heritage Trail.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0937447 ... a=!3m1!1e3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0937447 ... a=!3m1!1e3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
thanks, So looks active? If so who runs it now?
It is the CSX West Shore Subdivision now. It serves as a bypass around Rochester.
That is a nice photo. There is a sad story related to some fatalities on that bridge back about 20 years ago now. A couple of high-school kids were on that bridge when they should have been elsewhere. It did not end well, RIP young folks.
That ROW was originally (1870's) the New York West Shore and Buffalo (NYWS&B) (New York City along the West Shore of the Hudson River to Buffalo). Then it was purchased (1885) by the NYC&HRRR in a interesting deal that stopped cutthroat competition between the PRR and the NYC. The PRR purchased the NYWS&B to compete with the NYC (1880). The NYC started building a railroad across the southern part of Pennsylvania (The South Pennsylvania RR) to compete with the PRR. JP Morgan got the "CEO's" of the PRR and the NYC on his yacht on the Hudson RIver and would not let them leave until they agreed to stop stupid cutthroat competition.
The NYC&HRRR bought the NYWS&B railroad from the PRR, the PRR bought the unfinished South Pennsylvania RR from the NYC&HRRR. The NYC got the better part of the deal. Ironically when the Pennsylvania Turnpike was constructed (1940's) they actually finished and used some of the original South Pennsylvania RR tunnels from the 1880's construction.
So the whole history is (approx) 1870's built by the NYWS&B, 1880's bought by the PRR, 1885 bought from the PRR by the NYCRR, then PennCentral to Conrail to CSX (current owner/operator). It has been known locally as the "West Shore", or the "West Shore Bypass" for a very long time. And the "West Shore" part of the name refers to the West Shore of the Hudson River, about 200 miles away.
That ROW was originally (1870's) the New York West Shore and Buffalo (NYWS&B) (New York City along the West Shore of the Hudson River to Buffalo). Then it was purchased (1885) by the NYC&HRRR in a interesting deal that stopped cutthroat competition between the PRR and the NYC. The PRR purchased the NYWS&B to compete with the NYC (1880). The NYC started building a railroad across the southern part of Pennsylvania (The South Pennsylvania RR) to compete with the PRR. JP Morgan got the "CEO's" of the PRR and the NYC on his yacht on the Hudson RIver and would not let them leave until they agreed to stop stupid cutthroat competition.
The NYC&HRRR bought the NYWS&B railroad from the PRR, the PRR bought the unfinished South Pennsylvania RR from the NYC&HRRR. The NYC got the better part of the deal. Ironically when the Pennsylvania Turnpike was constructed (1940's) they actually finished and used some of the original South Pennsylvania RR tunnels from the 1880's construction.
So the whole history is (approx) 1870's built by the NYWS&B, 1880's bought by the PRR, 1885 bought from the PRR by the NYCRR, then PennCentral to Conrail to CSX (current owner/operator). It has been known locally as the "West Shore", or the "West Shore Bypass" for a very long time. And the "West Shore" part of the name refers to the West Shore of the Hudson River, about 200 miles away.
Fireman43 wrote:thanks, So looks active? If so who runs it now?
Mr. Fireman, I direct your attention to this map showing the location of CSX lines in operation around Rochester, including the scene you asked about on the "West Shore Branch" at Pittsford. The map is a few years out of date (note the 716 area code), but for the most part remains accurate enough for our discussion. Enjoy!
http://www.rochester-railfan.net/images ... tShore.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-otto-
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Moderator: New York State Railfan :: New York Central :: Toy Trains
NYW&B Fan Site :: A Magazine I Read Often :: A Museum I Volunteer At
Moderator: New York State Railfan :: New York Central :: Toy Trains
NYW&B Fan Site :: A Magazine I Read Often :: A Museum I Volunteer At
Thank you to all for the " BIG PICTURE".....
Mark
Mark
Just a few feet to the right, in the parking lot where the CSX (old NYCRR) spans with an other bridge, behind the DelMonte spa, is the old NYC Auburn road. This trail will take you behind the stores across from Pittsford plaza, and pretty much all the way up to Highland Ave, mostly on dirt.
Ok, just one funny West Shore story;
Dad was running some general freight eastbound on the WS around Rochester. At that time (1980's) the WS did not have CTC and the dispatcher could not tell were a train was.
The dispatcher called Dad on the radio and said "Were are you ? I want you to back your train in at Genesee Junction so I can let an Auto Rack go by you". Dad replied; "hang on a minute".... Then after a short delay Dad asked the dispatcher to repeat the message; "were are you ?" to which Dad replied; "I just passed Genesee Junction, I did not hear what you said, can you repeat the instructions"
Of course by then it was too late to "back the train in at Genesee Junction" so the dispatcher had to let Dad continue until Fairport where the dispatcher let the Auto Rack pass Dad's train.
My Dad knew that the max authorized speed was the same for all trains on the WS, so delaying his train and the Auto Rack so the Auto Rack could "be in front" and travel at the same speed as Dad's train made no sense... Sure you can pass me, but you can't go any faster so why bother ???
Who said dispatchers know everything....
Cheers, Kevin.
Dad was running some general freight eastbound on the WS around Rochester. At that time (1980's) the WS did not have CTC and the dispatcher could not tell were a train was.
The dispatcher called Dad on the radio and said "Were are you ? I want you to back your train in at Genesee Junction so I can let an Auto Rack go by you". Dad replied; "hang on a minute".... Then after a short delay Dad asked the dispatcher to repeat the message; "were are you ?" to which Dad replied; "I just passed Genesee Junction, I did not hear what you said, can you repeat the instructions"
Of course by then it was too late to "back the train in at Genesee Junction" so the dispatcher had to let Dad continue until Fairport where the dispatcher let the Auto Rack pass Dad's train.
My Dad knew that the max authorized speed was the same for all trains on the WS, so delaying his train and the Auto Rack so the Auto Rack could "be in front" and travel at the same speed as Dad's train made no sense... Sure you can pass me, but you can't go any faster so why bother ???
Who said dispatchers know everything....
Cheers, Kevin.
"Selective hearing" - I could tell a few of those stories myself! 
He was in a great spot, two road crossings one after another so he could claim he was blowing for them and could not hear the radio well!
He was in a great spot, two road crossings one after another so he could claim he was blowing for them and could not hear the radio well!
Dad was a NYCRR qualified locomotive engineer (steam loco's freight and passenger). 49 years on the road, no fatalities, and got the trains over the road safely. A different breed, flew 50 combat missions in a P-51 against the German Luftwaffe, after that running a train was "easy"....
Last edited by NYCRRson on Fri Feb 16, 2018 10:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
NYCRRson wrote:Dad was a NYCRR steam locomotive qualified locomotive engineer (freight and passenger). 49 years on the road, no fatalities, and got the trains over the road safely. A different breed, flew 50 combat missions in a P-51 against the German Luftwaffe, after that running a train was "easy"....Great story and thanks for sharing that about your Dad. That was a better time in railroading, and frankly was a better time in basically everything.
Charlie
~Charlie Ricker
NYCRRson wrote:Dad was a NYCRR qualified locomotive engineer (steam loco's freight and passenger). 49 years on the road, no fatalities, and got the trains over the road safely. A different breed, flew 50 combat missions in a P-51 against the German Luftwaffe, after that running a train was "easy"....What was his home terminal? What did he work, Buffalo-Dewitt?
Dad hired out in Buffalo NY, 12/12/1941 as a fireman. Worked Lines East, Buffalo to Dewitt. Was qualified as an Engineer (Steam locomotive Freight and Passenger) in 1953. Then bounced back and forth from fireman to engineer (regular jobs and extra list) during the 50's/60's. He worked Amtrak (Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, etc) as a Conrail employee, then when Amtrak hired their own engine crews he went back to his Conrail seniority rights and ran TV7-TV9 Buffalo to Selkirk until he retired in 89.
Worked the Buffalo to Corning NY run for a while, was sleeping in a motel just across the street from the the Corning Glass Museum when the Agnes Flooding came in and they evacuated the motel in the middle of the night. They took the railroad crews up to the engine house on higher ground. Back then there were no cell phones so we did not know what was going on for 3 or 4 days until he called home from the engine terminal at Frontier Yard.
One of his early stories was when he arrived at Buffalo Central Terminal as a fireman for a passenger train (powered by a steam locomotive). The engineer told him to go back to the baggage car and ask them if they "had enough steam for their fish", Dad thought it was a prank (hazing the new guy) but he went along with it and walked back to the baggage car. He banged on the door and asked them if they "had enough steam for their fish", the door slid open to reveal big tanks filled with live fish that were warmed by the live steam in the train line. The folks inside said; "yeah we have plenty of steam for our fish...."
Turns out the NYCRR actually had a couple of baggage cars equipped with steam heated tanks that were used to transport live fish to New York City for the winter holidays...
Worked the Buffalo to Corning NY run for a while, was sleeping in a motel just across the street from the the Corning Glass Museum when the Agnes Flooding came in and they evacuated the motel in the middle of the night. They took the railroad crews up to the engine house on higher ground. Back then there were no cell phones so we did not know what was going on for 3 or 4 days until he called home from the engine terminal at Frontier Yard.
One of his early stories was when he arrived at Buffalo Central Terminal as a fireman for a passenger train (powered by a steam locomotive). The engineer told him to go back to the baggage car and ask them if they "had enough steam for their fish", Dad thought it was a prank (hazing the new guy) but he went along with it and walked back to the baggage car. He banged on the door and asked them if they "had enough steam for their fish", the door slid open to reveal big tanks filled with live fish that were warmed by the live steam in the train line. The folks inside said; "yeah we have plenty of steam for our fish...."
Turns out the NYCRR actually had a couple of baggage cars equipped with steam heated tanks that were used to transport live fish to New York City for the winter holidays...