Eastern Railroad Discussion > Return to D&H Land - Part 2

I'll try and get the rest of this trip posted now.

1. We catch the same consist that went south yesterday on the 265. Binghamton turned the power north and other units continued the train westbound. So here on May 16, 2023 we have NS 6953, 9599 and CSX 703 heading Train 264 towards Mechanicville passing Schenevus Lake north of Oneonta, NY on this nice morning. Luck prevailed and we got another daytime train !!

2. Sliding down the hill through Central Bridge, NY in dynamics. There is a bridge inspection crew here waiting time to continue their inspection with the snooper truck of the Schoharie Creek truss bridges just east of here.

3. We catch the 264 again starting over the Mohawk River Bridge just outside of Schenectady. When they get to the other side they will be entering Mohawk Yard. Scenes like this will soon disappear as I believe this train will take the B&A (CSX) east from Voorheesville using a portion of the old Albany Main. When we crossed over the Albany Main north of Delanson there was quite a big production gang working, and CWR laid on both sides of the right of way.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/23 13:13 by train1275.

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4. Another view of the 264 crossing the historic Mohawk River and about to enter Mohawk Yard. He'll go straight through and we'll ........

5. .... catch him at Waite Road, Clifton Park. Here he comes and we have the old B&M in the foreground looking towards Rotterdam Jct., NY. Pretty crappy looking jointed rail. From here to Mechanicville is the NS, Pan AM (now CSX) and CP Rail.

6. The going away shot at Waite Road.

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7. After watching him by Waite Road we decided to do lunch at our favorite lunch spot, Powers Pub over on Route 9. It is located in a circa 1786 farm house and has excellent food. It was a good choice and allowed us to catch 264 again crossing the Hudson River bridge east of Mechanicville which was the old B&M. The crew will cross the brdige and tie down at Ferry Street on the east side where a Pan Am (CSX) crew will take over for the trip east. Those are the Adirondack Mountains in the background.

8. Then up to the very historic Saratoga National Battlefield site just up the road for a side trip.

9. The next day (May 17, 2023) we are back in the area checking out Schenectady and find Amtrak Train 63 westbound over the Amtrak's Mohawk River Bridge (former NYC RR). Amtrak 86 leads the train as seen down at the park adjacent to the historic Schenectady Stockade District.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/23 13:17 by train1275.

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10.  Just up the hill from the little park where we shot the Amtrak 63 on the river bridge is the Schenectady Stockade Historic District. A wonderful and deeply historic part of town with houses built in the early 1700's, and some before. Word is these historic gems will be moved "out of harm's way" as this is a flood plain. Well they are still here and some have been for 350 years. More than likely it will fall to riverfront development, which certainly would never flood. While it is still all here it is a nice walk back towards the Amtrak station and lunch at Clinton's Ditch.

11. After lunch we checked out Mohawk Yard. A 30T was sitting there dead and with no call for hours. The signage has already been changed from CP to CPKC. Then off to the Mohawk Valley along the CSX (ex-NYC RR) and it was DEAD ..... gave up and left the area.

12. In the meantime admiring the iconic GE sign in Schenectady.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/23 12:59 by train1275.

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13. On the evening of May 17, 2023 after coming down from Schenectady and having dinner in Oneonta, we catch the 16R coming north from Binghamton. When we lived here this train always seemed to follow the twilight, arriving about the time the last twilight was playing out. If it was December, then it came about 4:25pm, if it was June it was about 8:40pm. It felt like old times as the last of twilight was fading that here it comes approaching Pony Farm overpass and about to enter Oneonta with NS 6942, 4268 and 4369.

14. Last shot before visiting with family and heading back to Ohio is another Train 265 with our old friends NS 6953, 9599 and CSX 703 doing another turn. This is Sidney, NY on May 18, 2023 and we are looking up towards the location of the depot and freighthouse by Main Street. The NYO&W crossed the D&H in the background here too by Union Street crossing. D&H trains have not had to worry about the O&W since 1957. In an unusual agreement the D&H manned "GX" tower here at the crossing even though the D&H (Albany & Susquehanna) was the senior road. It had to do with an early 1900's joint new depot facility agreement.

Thanks for riding with us.

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I didn’t realize how much I missed your D&H land posts till today. Thanks for grabbing these while visiting from Ohio!

Dan

Posted from iPhone

dschlegel Wrote:
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> I didn’t realize how much I missed your D&H land
> posts till today. Thanks for grabbing these while
> visiting from Ohio!
>
> Dan
>
> Posted from iPhone

I second Dan's motion. I really enjoyed the photos!

Good to see your old haunts! Lots of interesting posts. I'm guessing that oddly ballasted stick rail is a yard lead? Really strange how it morphs into what appears to be string rail with Pandrol clips!
Gonut

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> Good to see your old haunts! Lots of interesting
> posts. I'm guessing that oddly ballasted stick
> rail is a yard lead? Really strange how it morphs
> into what appears to be string rail with Pandrol
> clips!
> Gonut

No, the stick rail is the former B&M main line to Rotterdam Junction several miles out and across the Mohawk River. It blends into CWR as it joins the CP Rail for the joint track to Mechanicville.

Thanks for the pics...

Great series!

Great pics.  I always like seeing the SD60E's