Eastern Railroad Discussion > Then and Now: The view from Chenango St Bridge Binghamton

EL yard in Binghamton and D&H Liberty St yard behind EL switcher in May '71 as EL freight with high and wide load stops to change crews.

v. 

NS 23K stopped on Buffalo track waiting for NS 287 to depart west from QD on main one on 10/23/16.

A lot of things have changed here in forty five years as daily train count is reduced to 25% of what EL/D&H/LV used to operate here pre-Conrail. But at least there are still important trains running through here. And amazingly one can still see an EL painted SD45-2 rebuild in operation today on NS, although not in Binghamton.

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Another before from 1974 when they were replacing the original bridge. Note the steel beam on the left. I believe I've posted this before, but it fits the topic. That red Chevy wagon belonged to the late J.J. Young, Jr. May 5, 1974.

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Very nice camparison.
JB

I haven't been there in decades, but isn't your EL train on the Lackawanna main, with the currently used Erie tracks behind the freight house?

Re: the Chevy -- I thought JJY didn't drive?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/16 12:14 by CPR_4000.

CPR_4000 Wrote:
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> I haven't been there in decades, but isn't your EL
> train on the Lackawanna main, with the currently
> used Erie tracks behind the freight house?
>
> Re: the Chevy -- I thought JJY didn't drive?
Yes the 3614 & co are on the DLW side of the station  The Erie ran on the north side and you can see the DH frieght house in all three shots at extreme left.  I also read in Richard Allen's MS book that JJY didn't drive as well, but I also have seen that wagon noted as his in other photos.    Nice comparison while as noted traffic is lighter than pre CR days it is interesting to note that in relative terms Binghamton rail routes have survived amazingly well consider the lighter density and the everpresent marginablity of the lines over the years.  Clearly that questionable existance has waned in recent years since the NS takeover of the DH south.  But the Erie side east will it ever see a revival past the few NYSW trains, guess we should be thankful its still there in any regard.   

D&H scene

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Neat to see the JC214 milepost in both shots!

Jon

pal77 Wrote:
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But the Erie side east will it ever
> see a revival past the few NYSW trains, guess we
> should be thankful its still there in any
> regard.   

A few years ago, when NS was looking for public money to upgrade the Portageville bridge, they were talking about making the Southern Tier a main freight route into North Jersey. Haven't heard any more about that, but maybe they'll start talking about it again when the bridge is finished. How is that project coming along, BTW?

Dont think that will ever happen.

DOUGIE Wrote:
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> Dont think that will ever happen.

I wouldn't be so sure. A friend, then a career NS executive-told me the only thing keeping the Southern Tier from being a mainline east to New Jersey was the old Portageville Bridge.  Now that a new one is in the works, it will be interesting to see what NS does.  Take back the former Erie east of Binghamton from NYSW (it's just a lease)?  Turn trains over to the NYSW at Bingo?  Time will tell.

Art House

Rebuilding the Erie main line over Gulf Summit and down the Delaware Division will be an expensive process.  Very expensive.  Even in Erie days of two tracks, it wasn't exactly a speedway . CNY struggles to get the 200 miles (Bingo to Little Ferry) done in one shift.  Some sections are down to 15-20 mph slow orders, and have been for years.

What I suspect NS will do is use the Buffalo to Binghamton leg of the Tier as the upgraded speedway to New England.  There's an enormous amount of truck traffic on I-90 which could become competitive over a 400 - 500 mile run.  And still a lot of pipe and proppant traffic for the Marcellus gas fields.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Rebuilding the Erie main line over Gulf Summit and
> down the Delaware Division will be an expensive
> process.  Very expensive.  Even in Erie days of
> two tracks, it wasn't exactly a speedway . CNY
> struggles to get the 200 miles (Bingo to Little
> Ferry) done in one shift.  Some sections are down
> to 15-20 mph slow orders, and have been for
> years.
>
> What I suspect NS will do is use the Buffalo to
> Binghamton leg of the Tier as the upgraded
> speedway to New England.  There's an enormous
> amount of truck traffic on I-90 which could become
> competitive over a 400 - 500 mile run.  And still
> a lot of pipe and proppant traffic for the
> Marcellus gas fields.
Truck traffic on I-90 In Mass. is ridiculous....and with the closing of Beacon Park Yard it is only worse now between Worcester and Boston!!!!!

bluesboyst Wrote:
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>(snip)
>>There's an enormous
> > amount of truck traffic on I-90 which could
> become
> > competitive over a 400 - 500 mile run.  And
> still
> > a lot of pipe and proppant traffic for the
> > Marcellus gas fields.
> Truck traffic on I-90 In Mass. is
> ridiculous....and with the closing of Beacon Park
> Yard it is only worse now between Worcester and
> Boston!!!!!

Yes, absolutely!

NS is making extremely good use of its regional intermodal centers. Places like Greencastle and Bethlehem PA where intermodal moves to truck for the last 50-75 miles.  Like a big circle.  Eliminating the loose car railroading over the last segment.

I could see NS using the Binghamton Speedway (Buffalo to Binghamton to Greenfield / Fitchburg area) as a intermodal beach head in New England.  Fitchburg is relatively close to freeways, etc.