Railroad Forums 

  • Utica Branch Discussion Thread

  • Discussion related to New York, Susquehanna & Western operations past and present. Also includes some discussion related to Deleware Otsego owned and operated shortlines. Official web site can be found here: NYSW.COM.
Discussion related to New York, Susquehanna & Western operations past and present. Also includes some discussion related to Deleware Otsego owned and operated shortlines. Official web site can be found here: NYSW.COM.

Moderators: GOLDEN-ARM, NJ Vike

 #1589856  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: 3040 was OOS in New Hartford from Jan 10-12th. The GP40's woes continued, however, as it broke down again yesterday (Jan 19) in New Hartford and it was still there this morning. Here's a photo

On the night of January 18th, however, 3040 seemed in fine form as it headed back to Utica light from Sangerfield:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7MyHv2uDak
Attachments:
IMG-9766 (2).JPG
IMG-9766 (2).JPG (834.77 KiB) Viewed 4095 times
 #1590470  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: 3040 broke down in Sangerfield on Jan 20th and was there until the 25th. On that day, help arrived in the form of CSX 2651, a GP38-2. No. 2651 came up from NJ on SU99, then came east from Syracuse on CSX. It was put to work right away, heading to New Hartford to switch Oneida Warehouse and then to SANG to rescue 3040 and bring back empties.

Here's a video showing highlights of 2651's first day on the Utica branch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjTNNqQpoHI

A few screenshots:
Attachments:
New 10 (2).JPG
New 10 (2).JPG (147.83 KiB) Viewed 3978 times
New 9 (3).JPG
New 9 (3).JPG (106.83 KiB) Viewed 3978 times
New 1 (2).JPG
New 1 (2).JPG (148.44 KiB) Viewed 3978 times
 #1596632  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: A Holland "TrackSTAR" inspection vehicle ran southbound out of Utica on April 26th. I don't know how far they traveled but my guess would be just to Sangerfield. Traffic levels are slowly rising this spring with 3618 being pressed into service to help power bigger-than-usual trains up Paris Hill to Sangerfield. Yesterday, 15 cars went south powered by CSX leaser 6980 and Susquehanna 3618, an SD45-2.

I caught them on their return to Utica on Schuyler Street and in the yard.

Here's the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EceuI-gKVWU
Attachments:
Follow 1 (2).JPG
Follow 1 (2).JPG (138.63 KiB) Viewed 3065 times
 #1605285  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: Work on the bridge over NYS Rt 12 was recently completed. I do not know how long the work took, however. Business continues to be steady at New Hartford's Oneida Warehouse. CSX 2514 remains on the branch, possibly as protect power for 3040 which has been back in service for several weeks.

This video features UT-1 northbound on Utica's Schuyler Street about 1/2 hour before sundown on August 23rd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBdAfLE_jTk
Attachments:
Rainy Schuyler (2).JPG
Rainy Schuyler (2).JPG (139.94 KiB) Viewed 2548 times
 #1607379  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes:

Looks like another big tie replacement project will be underway soon, both on the industrials & Utica Main to Sangerfield. I've observed many florescent orange circles on the tracks along Utica's Arterial and in S Utica as well. A bunch of new ties has also been placed along the industrials across ConMed in S Utica.

This video features a NB UT-1 on Utica's Schuyler Street yesterday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbvgBT8v8qc
Attachments:
Room 1 (2).JPG
Room 1 (2).JPG (122.99 KiB) Viewed 2314 times
 #1608169  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: A major tie replacement project between Utica-Sangerfield, including Utica-area industrial tracks, is scheduled to begin next week. Dozens of tie bundles each containing 25 ties have been placed trackside. Tartaglia Railroad Services has the contract.

This video features a northbound run on Schuyler Street the late afternoon of Oct 10th; of particular interest is the close call at the intersection of Schuyler/Court:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THY2rj4BWVw
Attachments:
Schuyler 001 (2).JPG
Schuyler 001 (2).JPG (123.66 KiB) Viewed 2174 times
 #1612802  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: Trips to Sangerfield have decreased since my last update, sometimes only once per week. My guess is that this was probably due to the big track project. So far this week, they've made the trip just once, on Monday. The power was NYSW 3040 and a CSX leaser, 2514. Activity on the industrials, however, has pretty much been 5 days per week M-F. A friend who used to work for the railroad told me he couldn't believe how many cars he recently saw in Sangerfield; perhaps there's a backlog due to the infrequent trip to SANG.

The track project finished a month or so ago.

Here's a video from yesterday showing the local (i.e., non-SANG) run:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXAIv6nMWjs
Attachments:
Utica 003.PNG
Utica 003.PNG (1.4 MiB) Viewed 1695 times
Utica 005 (2).PNG
Utica 005 (2).PNG (936.59 KiB) Viewed 1695 times
 #1613114  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: For a short time, the Utica job had the symbol CL-X instead of UT-1. This was due to the fact that the Susquehanna was using Cortland-based extra board crew for Utica trains. However, at least two trainmen are based out of Utica once again so use of the UT-1 designation has resumed. At least two huge piles of old ties removed during the recent track project are lineside: one by the Oneida Street crossing in Washington Mills and the other in Clayville just south of the Lower Main Street crossing.

The first run of 2023 occurred on Monday, Jan 2nd. NYS&W No. 3040 and CSX leaser 2514 powered a seven-car train to Sangerfield.

Highlights here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6n1b-X6vYc
Attachments:
Paris Hill 001.PNG
Paris Hill 001.PNG (1.32 MiB) Viewed 1562 times
Paris Hill 002.PNG
Paris Hill 002.PNG (1.34 MiB) Viewed 1562 times
Paris Hill 003.PNG
Paris Hill 003.PNG (1.2 MiB) Viewed 1562 times
 #1613980  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: Daily activity M-F continues on the Utica-area industrials with the biggest customer, by far, being Oneida Warehouse along Campion Road, New Hartford. It is not unusual for crews to make two trips there per day. Runs to Sangerfield continue to occur just 1-2 times per week.

This video features a look at a CSX interchange train departing the Susquehanna's Utica yard on January 18th:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVhC2QxVaZg

Also included is some mainline CSX activity with some MA&N action thrown in for good measure,
Attachments:
Yard 001 (2).PNG
Yard 001 (2).PNG (611.34 KiB) Viewed 1382 times
Busy 001 (2).PNG
Busy 001 (2).PNG (641.15 KiB) Viewed 1382 times
 #1614219  by johnpbarlow
 
Interesting video of CSX picking up NYS&W interchange. How often does this occur? Is all CSX-NYS&W inbound/outbound interchange at Utica routed through Selkirk Yard? Does whatever (if any) NYS&W haulage to/from Syracuse there is pass through Selkirk? Thanks.
 #1614454  by NaDspr
 
1) CSX generally delivers and picks up cars at the NYS&W every other day, or at least that is the plan. Of course, this is always subject to change any time.
2) Not all cars destined to the NYS&W go thru Selkirk Yard. That depends on the car trip routing. However, if they do go thru Selkirk, they would be put onto a westbound train to drop the NYS&W cars at DeWitt Yard, then put onto an eastbound train for delivery to the NYS&W at Utica, since the interchange is an eastbound move off Tk 2.
3) All cars picked up from the NYS&W at Utica by CSX go to Selkirk yard and get re-classified for their next destination.
 #1614590  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: There were two runs to Sangerfield this week, on Wednesday & Friday. Wednesday's run (highlights in the video below) featured 3040 running light south but returning to Utica with 9 cars. On Friday, both 3040 and CSX 2514 were used. I didn't see the southbound run but saw them return with two cars late afternoon. Daily activity continued on the Utica-area industrials. Not much snow here so far this winter but we did get a few decent snowstorms this past week. Not enough accumulation for the plow to be used, however.

This video includes scenes from Jan 25th, both on the New Hartford industrial (ex-NYO&W) and on the Utica Main (Schuyler Street, Clayville and Greens Crossing, Paris, site of a boiler explosion in 1898 on a southbound passenger train which killed the engineer & fireman)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVO8GOw5orI
Attachments:
Susq 001.PNG
Susq 001.PNG (1.03 MiB) Viewed 1086 times
Susq 002 (2).PNG
Susq 002 (2).PNG (864.81 KiB) Viewed 1086 times
Susq 004.PNG
Susq 004.PNG (1.01 MiB) Viewed 1086 times
 #1617236  by ut-1
 
Utica Notes: Not much change from the last update. CSX 2514 remains on the branch. The CSX leaser teamed-up with 3040 on Feb 28th on a run to Sangerfield. Seems like the crew has gone on duty a bit earlier of late with the move out of the yard often being made before 9 am. Looks like the Susquehanna is getting ready for some more trackwork here this year as another large tie pile is accumulating along Utica's Water Street, the location of the yard.

This video contains scenes from UT-1's Feb 28th run:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJud8QkBk0
Attachments:
Snowy NYSW 002.PNG
Snowy NYSW 002.PNG (989.7 KiB) Viewed 696 times
Snowy NYSW 003.PNG
Snowy NYSW 003.PNG (963.86 KiB) Viewed 696 times
  • 1
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92