CSX-Oak Point/Fremont

After MNR gives P+W the OK to run.

CSX island bound a few minutes ago, lead by 4 sd-40-2's.

P&W hasn't run at all this last week.

For perspective, CSX was running down the hudson line very soon after MN got the tracks cleared after Hurricane Sandy. I'd imagine dsny/wm has a bit more political pull to keep the trash moving.

Ima assume that MNR gave P&W the ok to run due to the first CHFP coming into town.....

P&W going over hell gate right now.

So far as I know this is their first run down here since the accident. The train that was at Oak Point didn't go back to CT until last friday.

How does everyone here get their info on when (this train left).......(this yard), etc. You guys listen to scanners for radio traffic or something?

I usually see the trains from my home...but DogBert gets to it first! His reporting is also better.

Well thats interesting, I know Dogbert lives close to the tracks but how do you know a train is about to arrive? You guys just look out your window cause apparently I live a few blocks away to look out my window lol, so I have to walk over to the tracks.

Heh - I'm just plain too close to the tracks (on the same block as the viaduct). I can usually hear CSX from 3 or 4 blocks away, P&W less since they go faster. I've lived around here a good 10+ years.

Years ago at night I'd be able to hear CP coming in early morning hours all the way from the bronx. It's just plain so much quieter at those hours.

I tried a scanner once from down at astoria park - on a good day you can pick up Oak Point. I forget the channel exactly - 161.090? something like that. It's a little hard to keep track of what they're doing. '101 ready to go' was the only notice.

CSX's morning run back to oak point has practically run like clockwork during the week lately. They go by just before my alarm at 7:30.

Speaking of, P&W's leaving right now. 6:47pm.

DogBert:

With the Posillico asphalt plant in Farmingdale now receiving aggregate by rail, have you noticed that the P&W trains are longer?
Posillico always has a cut or two of Tilcon cars or GATX 3-bay hoppers recently. There always seem to be about 12-15 cars in their sidings.
Past by the plant this morning and the GATX cars were unloaded with the Tilcons due up next.
Thanks for your great updates.

A few things:
1. The P&W stone trains look pretty consistent, at about 80 cars 3x week each direction, and more than last year.
2. Business for merchandise freight looks down at Oak Point Yard. Plenty of garbage and refuse more than compensates. See photos below.
3. also, of about 8 engines in the yard, only one was ultra-low emissions. What happened to the other 3?
4. I was on an unusual early morning bike ride...saw the switcher getting ready to spot cars, otherwise pretty quiet. Watching switchers makes baseball look like a high-action sport

Great pics of the yard, nice to see whats going on up there lol. Dogbert, now I understand why im missing these trains, you only live a few train stations away from me so let me explain.
Y102- I waited from 7:30-8:00am and a bit longer....you said train came at around 7:20, so musta crossed my place around 7:15
P&W FPCH- I waited from 5:30pm to 6:30pm and left, u said train came around 6:47, so musta crossed my place around 6:40pm

No wonder......LOL, i've waited for nothing.On a good note, I saw the tail end of Y102 on saturday around 2pm coming home from taking my SATs.

Makes sense, it's probably 10-15 minutes for a train btw where I am and you are.

What ccutler said: around 80 cars 3x a week - a few years ago it was maybe 40-60, 2x a week. Bear in mind CP had some of the stone traffic for 2-3 years.

As for csx and the low emission units - I think they generally use only two of them at oak point, i believe for going over to hunts point market. I don't go by their often, but I don't think I've ever seen 4 of those low emissions engines there. Frankly I don't know what they'd do with them. I believe they use 6 axles when switching harlem river due to the grade & long cuts of trash cars.

Just to keep things interesting:
CSX inbound extra to fresh pond this morning around 11:30 over hell gate. 2 SD-40-2's, 2 gp-38-2's (one in the new boxcar paintjob), and around 60 empty MSW cars, plus 5 or 6 empty C&D cars up front. This extra usually only moves MSW cars on the random day or two per month it runs.

The usual turn ran earlier this morning with 4 SDs.

Ah i see, so PW comes 3X each direction....what are the days in general? Monday, wednesday and friday? And should I beleive that Y102 now comes between 7-7:30am instead of 7:30-8:00am?

P&W is usually 3 times a week. They left tonight a bit on the late side, 8pm at hell gate.

csx is usually sometime between 7:30 and 8, though there's variation. today I think it was closer to 9am over hell gate heading back to the bronx. it was pouring rain, so that usually slows things down.