Something, Something, Trains

6/10/2016 A work train with Herzog ballast cars is headed South out of Rouses Pt. with leased SD40-2 power of interesting heritage crossing the Leggett Rd.

We are well into June at this point and my railfanning has taken something of a slump. Nothing in particular, just time, and when the trains have been running. I don't know when the big tie work is supposed to start, however we were given a real treat a few days ago when a Herzog ballast train came through. It was Saturday June 10.

On June 10, 2016 a Southbound manifest freight meets the Herzog ballast train in Rouses Pt. NY at 10:40 am

It was a a day when there was a Southbound 930, and they were waiting in Rouses Pt. The ballast train was working up from Plattsburgh and ended up parking just across from Leggett Rd. It was neat since we got to see the 930 take off, then the work train ran the power around so they could go South. Word is the cars are destined to head over to Vermont to get refilled with ballast.

A Southbound Canadian Pacific 650 ethanol train passes the historic Delaware & Hudson station in Plattsburgh, NY at 9:30 pm on June 7, 2016

A few days earlier on the 7th had a nice opportunity to have a local rail fan get together. Some friends came back to town to visit and it was an excuse to have some of us local train buffs hang out. After a nice dinner in town at Mickey's, for track side dining. Then to hang out for a little by the historic 1886 Delaware & Hudson train station for a lovely evening. We were rewarded by the end of the night at about 9:30 pm when a Southbound CP 650 ethanol train rumbled by our merry band.

In other news Trains magazine from Kalmbach Publishing gave some nice coverage of the plight of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, and the greedy trail group that has been coveting the railroad right of way. It was a nice article, with coverage of the dastardly acts by the city of Kingston and Ulster county against the Catskill Mountain Railroad.
It is a sad state that the rails to trails conservancy, that started with such lofty goals, has become a childish, predatory monster, seeking out historic and preservation railroads as easy marks. This decision on the CMRR and the Adirondack Scenic will have potential long term ramifications when it comes to any preservation or short line railroad that operates on any government owned track.

I did enjoy getting to point out that on the Kalmbach map they got he railroad wrong, they show the line connecting the former Chateaugauy branch going from Lake Placid to Westport, which is completely wrong. It should break off from North or Saranac Lake, and circle North to come in near Plattsburgh. A little criticism I had of the article was that all the Adirondack Scenic pictures were of trains operating on the South end, which is currently not in danger of being lost.

Anyway the  added exposure is nice, hopefully it will reach a wider audience as to what has been going on in New York.

June 6, 2016 and a Northbound NS/CN manifest freight 931 passes through the Canadian Pacific defect detector at MP 173.3 in Beekmantown, NY.