My 3 day weekend in upstate NY

Matt L · June 13, 2011, 06:57:18 PM

I have to say, the consist looked pretty impressive for a local... and I didn't even have a car count yet. I'd get that number further north, because at this point I was heading back to the Saturn to kick the chase into high gear.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Corning, NY. I hope to resume this series tomorrow. Enjoy!!!

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:21:58 PM

Let's resume the series from where I left off. Just north of the Baker Street Yard, the Corning Secondary begins to rise. In fact, it has an average grade of 0.85% between North Corning and Dundee, with a ruling grade of 1.0%. Six axle power is a must for H06.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in North Corning, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:25:04 PM

This looks like a flat valley floor, but H06 is grinding its way up the grade here. I could hear the Dash 9s straining to accelerate, even though they were about mile away.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Hornby, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:28:44 PM

Up to this point, the horn(s) of the lead Dash 9 had been silent, because there are no grade crossings on he Corning Secondary between the wye at Corning and Post Creek. Even private crossings are rare here.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Hornby, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:34:15 PM

H06 finally encountered a couple of grade crossings in Post Creek, so the horn blasts helped me keep tabs on the train's progress. I had plenty of time to set-up by the time H06 approached the State Route 414 bridge.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Post Creek, NY. Note the different number boards on the nose of NS #8440.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:35:47 PM

Those Dash 9s were really working hard as they trudged up hill.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Post Creek, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:39:30 PM

The consist looked very impressive- the GEs seen in the last shot had already passed under Route 414, but the majority of the train had yet to cross under the bridge

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Post Creek, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:41:17 PM

H06 passes through a wooded area in the Finger Lakes region.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Beaver Dams, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:42:35 PM

H06 approaches the Cooley Road crossing around 7:00 PM.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Beaver Dams, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:54:34 PM

The tail end of H06 heading up the grade on the Corning Secondary.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Beaver Dams, NY.

Matt L · June 14, 2011, 07:57:17 PM

After H06 cleared Beaver Dams, I drove ahead to Watkins Glen for a brief "pit stop" which included fluids for my Saturn and myself. After that, I drove head to Himrod. This town has been a railroad junction for well over a hundred years.

NS and the Finger Lakes Railway form a large X on a map, right in the heart of the Finger Lakes. To visualize, NS's Corning Secondary (the ex-NYC Corning Branch) forms the lower left and upper right legs of the X. The Finger Lakes Railway (ex-Pennsy Elmira Branch) forms the lower right and upper left legs of the X. The two lines meet at Himrod. FGLK maintains a small yard there but H06 does not stop in Himrod. Instead, H06 will make its drop at the main FGLK yard in Geneva, with FGLK utilizing trackage rights between Geneva and Himrod to reach its ex-PRR line... which is isolated from the rest of the FGLK system.

This hopper was in the yard, but I have no idea where it was headed (if anywhere).

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Himrod, NY. When I resume this series, we'll take a look at something I'd never seen before.

butch · June 15, 2011, 08:20:31 AM

Matt, It looks like you had a great time. Thanks for the pix.

Matt L · June 15, 2011, 07:06:24 PM

Quote from: butch on June 15, 2011, 08:20:31 AMMatt, It looks like you had a great time. Thanks for the pix.

You're welcome, Butch. I was really enjoying myself that evening.

Resuming where I left off, H06 came through the junction late in the day.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Himrod, NY.

Matt L · June 15, 2011, 07:09:09 PM

Last year, I attempted a chase of H06 which was cut short by rain and darkness. My luck was much better this year, with H06 hitting the Route 14 crossing at sunset.

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Himrod, NY.

Matt L · June 15, 2011, 07:10:05 PM

Added bonus: N&W hoppers in the consist!

Photo taken by me Sunday 6/5/2011 in Himrod, NY.

Matt L · June 15, 2011, 07:14:30 PM

After H06 cleared the Route 14 crossing, I could hear the brakes squealing as H06 headed downhill on a 1.1% grade between Himrod and Dresden. North of there, the Corning Secondary flatted out and runs along the shore of Seneca Lake most of the way to the city of Geneva. This was the first time I saw a train on this line... ever.