For Silver Springs/Portageville, you'd better get there before sunrise. Between about 6 and 9, you'll get a good 4-5 trains, then it dies right down. You'll have H2R going Buffalo to Silver Springs and return (they leave Buffalo around Noon), and then 310 in the afternoon, and that'll be it. If you're not willing to get up early (or not willing to chase them), you're gonna have a very long (and very boring) day. Keep the scanner on 161.070 and listen for 'em.
For specific trains, you'll likely catch 12T (Allentown, PA - Buffalo, NY), 13T (Buffalo, NY - Allentown, PA), 309 (Gang Mills, NY - Bellevue, OH), and 38T (Binghamton, NY - Buffalo, NY) in the morning. 310 (Bellevue, OH - Gang Mills, NY) and H2R (Buffalo - Silver Springs & return) run in the afternoon, with 39T (Buffalo, NY - Binghamton, NY), 205 (Boston, MA - Chicago, IL), and 206 (Chicago, IL - Boston, MA) running primarily at night. 205/206 are IM trains, with 38T and 39T being CP trains that virtually always have CP power on the point.
Up on that specific stretch, you won't see any unit salt trains (they haven't run in about 2 years now, so don't count on them) or coal trains (once in a blue moon they'll run one this way, but it'll be the WNY&P if anything, and even then your chances aren't the best for catching one when you happen to be in town).
The best strategy, I've found, is to get out nice and early and start around Attica. You'll usually get several EBs coming, so shoot them as they come at you, then pick one to chase. It's pretty easy to beat them to Rock Glen or Silver Springs (just be sure you know what roads to take beforehand!). After that, you might be able to beat them somewhere on the other side of Portageville (Swains for instance), but I usually head back West and sit on CSX around Corfu. I'll keep the radio on, and when I hear 310 or H2R departing CP-BROADWAY around Noon or a little later, it's time to get back to Attica to repeat! If you just want to sit in one spot, I'd simply get out there early and catch the fleet in the morning, then head elsewhere...otherwise, you'll probably end up waiting 6 hours for a train (and no, that's not an understatement). Hope this helps a bit!
