Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS Woodvale Yard

It's located in Johnstown, PA.  What kind of activity goes on there?  Any locals?  How about thru trains setting off and grabbing cars?

There's not a whole lot of activity these days. The yard is mainly used to store empty hoppers bound for the South Fork branch, or loads which have come off. There is an occaisional gypsum train which operates from the power plant at Huff, near New Florence, PA, which can get stuck in there. Same goes for MoW trains and equipment, it's not unusual to find that type of stuff in there. C52 is the local which does most of the work in the yard, mainly at night these days, coming out of Altoona. They will mainly work out of Cambria Yard, which is the interchange point between NS and the Conemaugh and Black Lick, now Lehigh Valley Rail Management Johnstown (LVJR). Cambria is located on the railroad south side of Woodvale, under the Maple Ave (PA 271) bridge. The Black Lick will recieve loads of wire and salt from NS primarily, but they'll also occaisionally get cars going to and from storage. The only customer directly served by NS is the Tribune-Democrat newspaper warehouse, which gets a car about once a month. It is located on the opposite side of Maple Ave. from Woodvale Yard. 

For historical purposes, when 10A and 11A both ran, they would often set off and pick up cars in Woodvale. A South Fork crew would then often shuffle cars to the Black Lick, as well as an oil dealer in Seward, PA. C52 would make a pickup and set off as well for cars bound for Cresson. That's been the better part of a decade in the rearview at this point though.

Here are some pictures of the yard, and Cambria as well. 

1. An overview of Cambria and the east end of Woodvale Yard. The train is westbound 35A and the headend has just cleared CP C and is about even with the east end of Woodvale Yard. The gray bridge in the center is Maple Ave. (PA 271). The yard in the foreground is Cambria. The empty concrete on the right is the former location of the Bethlehem (Johnstown America) car shops. C Tower was located behind the larger span of the bridge against the hill.

2. Eastbound drag 590 coming around the west end of Woodvale Yard where a train load of empties sit as well as a couple of scrap gons. This view is looking west in the morning from the Woodvale bridge, which crosses over the center of the yard. 

3. Turning around and looking east off the same bridge at westbound grain train 51K. This shot is from 2009 and there is a set off from at the east end of the yard, as well as an empty gypsum train. The coil car will be bound for Cresson, the tank car to Seward and the gons will most likely go to the Black Lick.

Hope this helps.

Scooter

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A couple more shots from the around the yard.

4. 2009 shot of 10A making a set off in the yard from the Woodvale Bridge. These are the rear end helpers which have tied on to the train while the headend handles the set off.

5. 23M westbound with another empty train staged in the yard. The lead to Cambria yard comes off next to the yard office just to the right of the signal at CP C.

6. Conemaugh and Black Lick 104 has just dropped a pair of scrap gons in Cambria Yard. The brick building at left just above the MOW gons, is the Tribune-Democrat newsprint warehouse.

Scooter

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What a thorough, concise, and well-written answer, supported by nice, clear, well-lit photos. Nice job, Scooter.
Hopefully the OP'r acknowledges your effort. But if not, I will.
/Ted

Thanks, loads.  I imagine with the war on coal, things in the area aren't as busy as they used to be.

I really like your first picture, it is so full  of interesting things. A summer shot for comparison would be great.

This was mostly steel business at one time. Some coal of course. Not much of either left there now.
Go

Thanks for the pics...