100 Car Freight On Utica Line!!! 10/31/08

[airman00]

Did any of the alco s-2's ever run on that line? (like #206) That would've been cool to see them chugging down the street!

[uticajack]

As far as I know, the S-2's never ventured this far north into Utica. They were kept close to their home in NJ.
Jack

[lvrr325]

Not to nitpick, but the DL&W line into Utica was always a branch line; DL&W's mainline ran from the metro New York City area to Scranton, Binghamton, Elmira, Dansville and eventually Buffalo. The primariy DL&W yard though was what is currently NYS&W's yard, requiring virtually all trains called there to venture down the street trackage.

As for the S2s, by the time the NYS&W purchased the DL&W north of Binghamton, I don't think any of these or the RS1s were in service, or if they were they would be kept close to home in Little Ferry (it's possible 1 or 2 RS1s lasted into the mid-1980s). I seem to recall reading that this unit was cosmetically restored and towed places to display in the mid-1980s - seems like it hasn't run in a very long time. I'd have to dig out issues of Jersey Central Lines or early Railpace to confirm dates and just what did still run when the D&O purchased the NYS&W.

I don't believe any of the 539 powered Alcos lasted very long on the DO system, probably the FJ&G units lasted longest. Their early preference was for used RS2/3s and when 251-powered Alcos got cheap and plentiful Rich purchased those as well.

[Trainmanal4243]

the S2 #206 was in Utica at least once and was on display at one of the U&MV NRHS train shows at Union Station. i Have pictures of it being towed up Paris Hill with a Main Central GP38 pulling. Both the FJ&G S2 came thru Utica, one of them worked on the CNY before the Susquehanna took over from CR. The RS-1 were in the north also. The 238 was on the C&CV for the last of the freight operations on that line. The 252 worked out of Utica during the days of the NYSW control of the D&H. it worked on the CNY stone loading operations and was the power for the last train to run to Richfield Springs after which the branch was embargoed to West Winfield. The 238 and 252 were used a trade in credit for the new B40-8s.