Railfanning Syracuse New York

Railfanning Syracuse NY on a cool November day.

CSX's Chicago Line (Mohawk Subdivision) is always busy. Usually the trains run in bunches. Amtrak trains competing with CSX freights for track between Albany and Buffalo. Syracuse is stuck right in the middle of this. The track where these trains run wasn't originally New York Central. These were of their competitor, the New York, West Shore & Buffalo RR. The Pennsylvania RR. saw this line as a great addition to their empire to invade NYC territory. In 1885, through an agreement with the Pennsylvania, the NYC bought the West Shore and merged it into it's own network. In many sections, the West Shore ran on a straighter path than the New York Central, and was thus used for through freight. Hence the route around Syracuse NY. The original NYC mainline went through downtown Syracuse on Erie Blvd. The West Shore went by the north side near Mattydale. Today, all trains use the old West Shore route and the original NYC mainline through downtown is just a stub branch called the Peat St lead.

From New York Central to Penn Central to Conrail to CSX, this line has changed hands. An essential route between New England/New York and connections west to Chicago. With CSX Q,L,B,K trains running daily and Amtraks Empire Service/Lake Shore Limited filling in the gaps, CSX's Chicago line will be a very busy rail line for years to come.

For two hours, I sat at the Amtrak station and caught these trains on video. It was very cold with the windchill but very much worth it. At time stamp 12:38, I caught an original Reading 40' boxcar, very much rusted though, in work train service. The "READING" name very clearly evident when seen straight on the side panels.

Special thanks to staff at Amtrak for allowing this railfan from Canada to have permission to watch these trains on his visit to the area. It completed my trip!

ConrailSD70MAC


Mile QC 291.4 CSX Mohawk Subdivision

November 8 2010

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[daveandtracymurphy]

you have to get up early to catch the canadian national trains in syracuse

[ConrailSD70MAC]

@daveandtracymurphy - that's going to change. CSX is doing much work on the Northern New York route which will raise speed limits and change the times Q620-621 pass through CP-291.

[CuseRecorder]

Great Video!. Too bad i didn't go to the station that day!

[ConrailSD70MAC]

@CuseRecorder - and thanks very much!

[MP335Productions]

this early winter me and my cousin got asked to leave?????????????

[ConrailSD70MAC]

@HaloCE14 - The West Shore is inbetween Fairport and Churchville. It was built by the Pennsylvania RR to compete with the rival New York Central in the 1800's from New York City to Buffalo. After a deal was made, much of the old West Shore from Buffalo to New York City was under NYC control. Later abandoned in pieces. The West Shore line, Selkirk yard and area, and the River Line from south of Albany on the west side of the Hudson River to New Jersey is all that is left of this unique RR.

[ConrailSD70MAC]

@HaloCE14 - yes. Kept as a bypass around Rochester.

[saintangerinc]

ive got hours and hours of footage at the old station and at this station from around 1998 to about 2001 problem is i dont have anything to post it onto youtube because its on vhs

[ConrailSD70MAC]

@CuseRecorder - I was there for two hours before returning home to Canada. I was lucky that it was as busy as it was. Some days you could be waiting for hours with no trains in sight.

[ConrailSD70MAC]

@EasternOntarioTracks - thanks Russ!