Eastern Railroad Discussion > My First Post in Sometime

Hello TO members, It has been quite sometime since I have posted. So why the delay in posting ? Projects around the house and personal things etc. and my how time flies when you have things to do. 

The last two days here in western PA were real nice so we ( my wife ) got out to do some rail fanning close to home. So for us that means the W&LE as the Westland Branch leading to the Mark West yard ( Marcellus Gas ) is about 3.5 miles from my house. I have covered the area pretty well. But the area where the Westland Branch crosses Route 50 offered an opportunity as the place where A-1 Landscaping was is now a vacant lot. I thought I could get a few pictures from this location. We were in luck as a train was getting ready to leave the yard with a load of full tank cars. The train usually leaves in early to late afternoon and if the sun is out your options for decent pictures is limited. 

1,2 & 3.
Bear with me on the first 3 pictures as I was rusty and was hoping to get all four locomotives but did not have a wide enough lens.
The W&LE 643 with #6312, #6350, #3067 & #6986 up front is headed to Rook yard with 54 tank cars loaded at the Mark West yard in Westland. If you look very close at the bottom of the yellow RR crossing ( Photo #1 ) sign you may see a little white square sign. That is Mile 1 of the Westland Branch. This is 1 mile from the switch at "George" where the branch connects to the W&LE main. 

More pictures.......

 

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4. W&LE # 6383 brings up the rear of WE 643. After entering the main at "George" #6383 will lead the train east to Rook yard in Carnegie, PA.

5. Here is the Control Switch at "George" #6355 is on the main facing east. In the foreground is the Westland Branch 

6. Proof that N&W once ran here. The bridge spans route 50 in the small village of Woodrow, PA.


More pictures........

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Always good to see your pics John. The Westland move is fun to railfan - especially if you bike along on the adjacent trail. Seeing big six axle locomotives roam the former domain of the diminutive Montour SW9’s is quite a unique experience in our corner of the world.

7. WE212 approaches MP 82 headed east with an axle count of 284 as per the DED at Avella, PA. Mostly tank cars, some gondolas & a few covered hoppers. Today it will meet a crew from Rook at Hickory siding. Then the train will continue on to Rook yard in Carnegie, PA. In the background are some homes on the eastern edge of Avella, PA.

8. The WE 212 crossing over Route 50 headed east to Hickory, PA.

9. W&LE #110, 200 & 251head east at MP 82 near Avella, PA. 

Thanks for looking,
John Breitigan
Washington, PA.

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10. One more picture.
W&LE #110, 200 & 251 head east towards Hickory siding. They will wait for the WE 643 from Rook and work with them to deliver empty tank cars to Mark West in Westland.

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Good to see you back, Love the country up there !

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Glad to see that you are out and ahout.  Nice coverage of this line.

Photo ten is my favorite. You caught the train in a good location with an interesting background.
Bob

John what great variety you have up that way!!  Although you may not have posted any photos you have always replied to posts by others!!
Thanks for a look through the lens up your way!  And how nice that the bride goes out track side with you!!!
NSSpike

 
 

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

I have a grand daughter about done with pharmacy school at Pitt so we have been making trips out to Pittsburgh for 5 years and really enjoy the railroading around there. It is much different than the flat lands of central Illinois. The W&LE is especially interesting, 

Thanks for the great shots.

Bruce Stikkers
St Joseph, IL

Thanks for posting these pictures, John.  Good to see main line railroading in SW PA. 

The W&LE certainly has a lot of paint schemes in play right now.

Shhh! don't say that too loud, G&W will buy them and paint the engines orange.
Go

Nice shotsm, love the paint scheme variety.

Out 

Nice bunch of shots and great sound in the video.  You are very fortunate to catch so many standard cab units out working.
Brian Stevens

In the first photo the lead unit in EMD paint - 6312 - is an ex-Milwaukee Road SD40-2.  I think it was the former Locotrol unit 28.  Nice catch and nice pics all around.