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12/25/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Tom Beckett
Dates:1/1/1980 - 10/6/2017
Album Info:The Southern Tier Line, the former EL between Port Jervis and Buffalo, was an easy line to chase. It had good road access for most of the route, and train speeds were moderate. It was possible to follow a train for several hundred miles, and I sometimes did. This album records some of those chases. I lived in Endicott, about 7 miles west of Binghamton, for 18 years, though I also spent a lot of time there prior to moving upstate from NY City in 1988. It was a good place to watch trains.
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Getting started
Title:  Getting started
Description:  I dont recall now if I was on a day off, or this was just after work. I had regular hours, but they differed every day. This was taken on a Tuesday, so its likely it was my day off. We start close to home, on the tangent near MP 232 between Campville and Owego, with the red face of a SOO SD leading 167 west into the sun.
Photo Date:  9/23/2003  Upload Date: 10/13/2017 4:06:59 AM
Location:  Campville, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 6615(SD40-2) CP 5647(SD40-2) SOO 745(SD40) CP 5948(SD40-2)
Views:  420   Comments: 2
Long jump
Title:  Long jump
Description:  After getting the 167 at Campville, I jumped down to Smithboro, about 13 miles, taking NY 17 to exit 62, since there was no way I was beating him through Owego. I didnt want to risk getting scooped at Tioga Center, so I ran down to the west end of Smithboro, where the tracks come up to the road.
Photo Date:  9/23/2003  Upload Date: 10/13/2017 4:10:04 AM
Location:  Smithboro, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SOO 6615(SD40-2) CP 5647(SD40-2) CP 5948(SD40-2) SOO 745(SD40)
Views:  575   Comments: 2
Wide view
Title:  Wide view
Description:  The next jump was an easy one. I just had to step on it. This is the view from NY 17C near the Tioga transfer station at MP 249 between Barton and Waverly. It was a good "grab and go" spot. The third unit is a classic, one of SOO's original SD 40's.
Photo Date:  9/23/2003  Upload Date: 10/13/2017 4:16:23 AM
Location:  Barton, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 6615(SD40-2) CP 5647(SD40-2) CP 5948(SD40-2) SOO 745(SD40)
Views:  533   Comments: 2
East side
Title:  East side
Description:  If a train was going fast enough, or I got stuck behind some slowpoke-its amazing the number of people who drive like they just dont care if they ever get where theyre going-I usually could not beat a train to downtown Waverly with its model railroad like buildings. So I had to go with other options. In this case, I grabbed the shot from about where the Tier crossed over the Ithaca Secondary, the former LV main. A SOO unit heading into the sun with a big train(99 freight, and 56 stack platforms) looks good in the late afternoon
Photo Date:  9/23/2003  Upload Date: 10/13/2017 4:23:48 AM
Location:  Waverly, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 6615(SD40-2) CP 5647(SD40-2) CP 5978(SD40-2) SOO 745(SD40)
Views:  536   Comments: 2
Through the fence
Title:  Through the fence
Description:  Im on the Lester Av overpass, shooting through the chain link as 167 gets its 116 cars underway out of Binghamton, passing some old E-J buildings as it enters Johnson City. They're gone now, a Wal Mart standing in their place. Ill follow him to Elmira.
Photo Date:  10/7/2003  Upload Date: 11/1/2017 4:30:18 AM
Location:  Johnson City, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  CP 6041(SD40-2) CP 6077(SD40-2) CP 5970(SD40-2) CP 5668(SD40-2) CP 5730(SD40-2) CP 5642(SD40-2)
Views:  765   Comments: 2
Passing OG
Title:  Passing OG
Description:  Train 167 rolls past McMaster St, where the DLW Ithaca Branch crossed the Erie, at OG tower, now long removed, as the DLW line came out in 1965, though the connection from the Lackawanna main across the river had been moved here in the consolidation of facilities in 1959. The DLW line also crossed the Lehigh Valley(todays Owego & Harford) just north of here. This part of Owego was a busy place 65 years ago.
Photo Date:  10/7/2003  Upload Date: 10/30/2017 3:54:49 AM
Location:  Owego, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 6041(SD40-2) CP 6077(SD40-2) CP 5970(SD40-2) CP 5668(SD40-2) CP 5730(SD40-2) CP 5642(SD40-2) CP 6041(SD40-2) CP 6077(SD40-2) CP 5970(SD40-2) CP 5668(SD40-2) CP 5642(SD40-2)
Views:  707   Comments: 1
Red streak
Title:  Red streak
Description:  167s six units make a long red streak as the train approaches the curve down the long tangent west of Smithboro.
Photo Date:  10/7/2003  Upload Date: 10/30/2017 4:07:59 AM
Location:  Smithboro, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 6041(SD40-2) CP 6077(SD40-2) CP 5730(SD40-2) CP 5970(SD40-2) CP 5668(SD40-2) CP 5642(SD40-2)
Views:  719   Comments: 2
Big power on the Chemung
Title:  Big power on the Chemung
Description:  A 167 with lots of power rolls across the Chemung river with 116 cars in tow. All SD40 consists were not uncommon in this time period, though six units was more than typical.
Photo Date:  10/7/2003  Upload Date: 2/24/2013 2:46:26 AM
Location:  Elmira, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Bridge,Action
Locomotives:  CP 6041(SD40-2) CP 6077(SD40-2) CP 5730(SD40-2) CP 5970(SD40-2) CP 5668(SD40-2) CP 5642(SD40-2)
Views:  889   Comments: 5
On our way
Title:  On our way
Description:  CPs trains used NS symbols west of Binghamton after they gave up the trackage rights inherited from the D&H following Conrail startup. This is 39T, which ran as a haulage train from Binghamton to Buffalo, approaching the curve at MP 220 along the rocks. Its an easy spot to get in and out of. The chase is on!!
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 4:54:28 AM
Location:  Endwell, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 9682(AC44CW) CP 8578(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW)
Views:  523   Comments: 2
In the corn
Title:  In the corn
Description:  I skipped my usual shots in the Owego area, opting for a shot I liked and saw many times, but didnt always have a train to shoot in that scene. Today, the light was going to be right, so I jumped on toward Tioga Center to get this shot of 39T rolling past a field of standing corn, seen from NY 17C. Its a great afternoon shot after the corn goes brown, and I made the most of it.
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 5:00:04 AM
Location:  Tioga Center, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 9682(AC44CW) CP 8578(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW)
Views:  461   Comments: 1
Head on
Title:  Head on
Description:  Theres a long tangent coming out of Smithboro, ending in a curve as the tracks come up to the road. Its an easy shot to get, right from the shoulder of NY 17C, which is what Ive done here as the train comes straight at me.
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 5:03:37 AM
Location:  Smithboro, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 9682(AC44CW) CP 8578(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW)
Views:  494   Comments: 1
Back side of town
Title:  Back side of town
Description:  Waverly was one of my favorite spots. You had to hustle to get here from Smithboro or Barton, since you had only two lane NY 17C to work with. From Tioga Center, it was a little easier, as you could use NY 17/I 86 for a fast run to Waverly. The shot here has this magnificent backdrop of old buildings, and would make a great model railroad project. 39T passes the model set as it moves onto single track.
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 5:13:07 AM
Location:  Waverly, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Signal,Action
Locomotives:  CP 9682(AC44CW) CP 8578(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW)
Views:  492   Comments: 1
Great curve
Title:  Great curve
Description:  Five miles west of Waverly is this shot at Chemung. It is also an easy catch, since it is on the NY 427 overpass immediately off the NY 17 off ramp. The bonus here is that you have the option of getting back on the highway and bolting for Elmira, or you can flip around and take NY 427 west for a couple of possible shots en route to Wellsburg, though youll miss any shot at Elmira by doing so.
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 5:17:22 AM
Location:  Chemung, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 8578(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW) CP 9682(AC44CW)
Views:  498   Comments: 1
Wide open
Title:  Wide open
Description:  The are here is called Big Flats, which, while its not the wide open spaces of Kansas, is a good sized open space for the region, a place not known for level ground. At one time, there were two double track lines here, the Erie, on which we see 39T, and the Lackawanna, beyond the train, and now completely obliterated. Since 1992, there has been but a single track here. View is from the NY 352 overpass.
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 5:21:23 AM
Location:  Big Flats, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 9682(AC44CW) CP 8578(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW)
Views:  451   Comments: 1
Old mill
Title:  Old mill
Description:  Another favorite spot, though I didnt do it often as it was 80 miles from my house and you have to have the right lighting to make it work, was from the NY 417 overpass east of Addison. The elevated view made for a good look at the train, as well as a rustic looking barn and a former Agway mill in the distance. Todays three GEs on 39T were a novelty, especially since there were three "golden rodents" on this train. Though the GEs were becoming more and more common, it was unusual to see more than two together. There were still a lot of SD 40-2s around, and they showed up on almost every train.
Photo Date:  2/1/2005  Upload Date: 10/6/2017 5:29:56 AM
Location:  Addison, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  CP 9682(AC44CW) CP 9804(AC44CW)
Views:  454   Comments: 1
Chasing east for a change
Title:  Chasing east for a change
Description:  I noted in the comments on the main part of this album that I tended to chase westbound from the Binghamton area. Sometimes things worked the other direction. I had just shot an eastbound CP train, and heard on the radio H 88 was following, so I went back to Owego to wait for him. This was the surprise at Hiawatha Rd-a pair of BNSF GEs leading 39 cars for NYSW and CP at Binghamton-in the sun, yet.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/24/2018 3:23:59 AM
Location:  Owego, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  351   Comments: 0
Big curve
Title:  Big curve
Description:  H 88 heads around the big curve at MP 230 just west of Campville, deep in the Susquehanna valley.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/23/2018 5:40:18 AM
Location:  Campville, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  367   Comments: 0
Under the connector
Title:  Under the connector
Description:  H 88 rolls under the Apalachin-Campville connector, built to ease traffic congestion through Endicott. It made a good spot for taking train photos.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/23/2018 5:42:19 AM
Location:  Campville, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  404   Comments: 0
Its automatic
Title:  Its automatic
Description:  Though not for this train. H 88 passes the automatic on track 1 at MP 222 along North St in Endicott. The Erie station was just west of here, at Nanticoke Av.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/23/2018 5:45:16 AM
Location:  Endicott, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Signal,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  342   Comments: 0
Rolling into town
Title:  Rolling into town
Description:  H 88 completes its eastbound journey, crossing the Chenango River as it enters Binghamton at QD with its 39 cars. It will drop its train here, and pick up cars to go back to Gang Mills.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/23/2018 5:35:32 AM
Location:  Binghamton, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  404   Comments: 0
Cluttered
Title:  Cluttered
Description:  The scene here is filled with urban clutter, showing that not all railroading is done in wonderfully scenic locations. H 88 gets underway from Binghamton behind a pair of BNSF units, crossing State St on the old Erie steel viaduct leading to the Chenango River bridge. The famous Kingsley Building is the backdrop for the action.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/23/2018 5:32:56 AM
Location:  Binghamton, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Bridge,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  394   Comments: 0
Heading back
Title:  Heading back
Description:  H 88 has completed its swap, dropping its cars for CP and NYSW, and now has its pick up and is headed back to Gang Mills behind todays pair of BNSF GEs.
Photo Date:  3/27/2006  Upload Date: 5/23/2018 5:24:06 AM
Location:  Binghamton, NY
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Bridge,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  337   Comments: 0


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