Eastern Railroad Discussion > Best Kept Secret

The CSX in New Castle, Pa. has been humming day and night with action. The photo access on the east end has sweet lighting in the AM. Usually, there are one or two trains waiting for crews sitting there. Afternoons are best spent west of the yard.
The place has yielded tons of leasers and all kinds of CSX/foreign road power. The flow in and out is very heavy and there are some scenic stretches where the mainline west from Pa. crosses into Ohio for action shots.
I know there are folks who live close by and provide better directions/specifics, but I urge anyone in driving distance to take a trip there. Also, if anyone who lives nearby would like to hook up for a day, let me know. The place is ever interesting!!

Heres a pair of leasers caught last week.

Andy(I'll probably catch hell from the locals)

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Andy,
You will be plesed to know that a site dedicated to the New Castle Sub is only days away with maps and lots of photos including many from RAD during the B&O and Chessie era.
Photo spots and tips are also included.
A running list of trains that traverse this sub are also detailed along with the CPL list that still survives.
Now you know why we call her "Sweet Lady New Castle" :)

There is something about those SD45's that just makes them look tough.

Yes, New Castle is a GREAT place to get whatever you want and it is pretty busy but now theres a huge NO TRESSPASSING sign at the North entrance. But no fear, there is a road that comes up along the North end to get great shots. (Shot 1)
A little west is the Amtrak connection and crossings, the CPLs make for great photos and its right behind the BVJC where they keep a few engines. Heres a meet between WB and EB Autos with CPLS included. (Shot 2)
But heres one for you Andy (do you shot here), to me, its the best place to see ALL the action and it isnt that bad of a place to take photos. Why its Beaver Falls and its only 30 miles east of New Castle and about 15 minutes from Conway.
Heres a rather unique shot between Amtrak and CSX.(Shot 3)
Matt Sell

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Back in the late 80s/early 90s, the Youngstown/New Castle corridor was a great place to see CSX and P&LE side-by-side.



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Eastbound 4-some of GP40-2s passes the P&LE Gateway Yard (to my left, down the embankment)



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A southbound P&LE ducks under the Gateway Yard hump as it departs the "flat switch' portion of the yard. Note the setting sun glinting off the tops of the GP38s. By now, the hump is closed. Note the shanty and spotlight next to the junction (thats the DT P&LE main lower right), which sheds some light on the excessively "Manual" operation the P&LE had.



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The westbound R-135 (they were "R"s back then, not "Q"s) with Sea-Land stacks is westbound at New Castle with 3 GP40-2s and 2 B36-7s. The now single-track P&LE is to the right.



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At the same spot where 6060 was bagged, a southbound Conrail XWB empty NYSEG hopper train to West Brownsville passes on the P&LE. Earlier this same day, I spotted this same train running westbound on the ex-Erie Meadville Line. These empties ran the EL from upstate NY westbound to Hubbard OH, where they jumped on the P&LE to return to the Mon region. Note the recently lifted southbound P&LE main.

I saw a CEFX unit leading a UP train between Dallas and Fort Worth in Grand Prairie late Mother's Day evening, around 7 p.m...as usual, I was caught without a camera..I think the CEFX units are great look'n...

The B&P comes into NC on a regular basis,and one can see anything on their roster.From a bridge just east of the yard we have a "zig-zag" coal train departing for Butler on Dec 9th,1990,and yes,a few of these GP's still run.Yes indeed Andy,it's a great place!RAD

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