Amtrak on Buffalo Belt Line?

nessman wrote: I call Bravo Sierra on this one. We're talking about a handful of Amtrak trains each day and they're willing to abolish freight on this line to protect the passenger train schedules?

There not "willing" to do anything, this is how it's been for years now. It actually makes a lot of sense, all freight going to Kenmore/Niagara Falls/Somerset/Lockport goes via the double track belt line, so what makes you think anything is being "abolished" here??

I guess the railfans just know better. I asked my last 2 engineers on the last two trains I was on and both agreed that CSX keeps freight off the Niagara Branch to protect Amtrak service. I guess if the railfans have the answers, can you explain to me why you don't see any freight trains on the branch?? I'd like to know, because I guess all the official info I'm getting is "Bravo Sierra"

From Chicago St. where the Avenue RT connects with the Niagara branch just before the Amtrak station to CP-7 I believe that there are no sidings and with the height restriction at the Main St. tunnel, it makes no sense for any freight service on that section of track.
The sidings that Railroaded wrote about is before the Avenue RT.
And to throw this in. If CSX has an agreement not to run freight up the Niagara Branch, the branch runs from CP-437 to where it connects with the CN & CP Railroads beyond the Niagara Yard. The branch see freights coming off the Belt at CP- 8 to head to either the falls or to the Kenmore Yard. Plus at CP-7 is the other lead from the Belt and connection to the CN.

To be specific, no freight runs between where the line crossing International Bridge at Black Rock ties in and where the Compromise Branch branches off. I believe there is an agreement in effect, and why bother using that stretch when the Belt Line is a perfectly good line that works out better for most moves anyhow? Most moves go either to/from Frontier Yard via the Bailey Ave. entrance, or on to the Bison Runner to Bison Yard - something that would require running around the train if done via the stretch of Niagara Branch in question. Long story short, the system works fine as it is right now.

One other thought is that this stretch of the Niagara Branch goes right through downtown Buffalo, a city which has expressed much negativity about CSX trains running through their city limits. This was part of the reason the old Buffalo Creek was incorporated as the main line through the Buffalo area, as opposed to what is now the Compromise Branch (which used to be the New York Central main, and has an extremely sharp curve right by Exchange St. [and a speed restriction to accompany it]). The Belt Line pretty much avoids the heart of downtown Buffalo.