Hi, Tuesday, September 12 was our second all Alco day and our first on the Western New York & Pennsylvania. We had hoped for a Driftwood train but it was not to be. However all was not lost.
As the railroad will not let railfans on the property it is impossible to go into the office in Olean, NY and ask for a lineup of the day's activities. The the best practice is to arrive outside the yard near the engine terminal about 8 AM, park along the road, watch what is going on and listen to the scanner. While we waited we took photos of the locomotives in the engine terminal.
Shortly after our arrival at the engine terminal a crew boarded Alco C-430 number 431 and they trundled off into the yard trailing six axle units 636 and 637. After picking up three cars they left town running as the Farmers Valley Turn. Note there is an Alco C-424 directly behind the 431. The train is on the connection between the former Erie and the former Pennsy.
Some other fans we ran into speculated the six axle power would be dropped at Eldred, PA, just across the state line, for fueling. Apparently fuel taxes are lower in Pennsylvania.
When the power for the Farmers Valley Turn left the engine terminal it uncovered another six axle, this one obtained from the Arkansas & Missouri (above and two below).
The locomotive switching cars was a former Delaware & Hudson RS-3 which the D&H had rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen in 1974/1975 into an RSM and painted into a bi-centennial scheme.
Soon another crew reported, pulled the remaining six axles from the engine terminal, sandwiched the former A&M unit between the two remaining former Cartier units and headed east to Cuba, NY. They are shown crossing the diamond with the Pennsy's former Buffalo line (above and below).
Our next location was a grade crossing just west of Cuba (above and below). The yellow in the photos was Golden Rod which was in full bloom all over the area.
In Cuba the lead east end locomotive was detached and picked up two cars leaving the former A&M locomotive clear of obstruction (above two below).
The two cars were then coupled onto the former A&M unit for the trip back to Olean.
A few blocks east of the diamond the railroad crosses Olean Creek.
In Olean the power was rearranged into a three unit set and took a train west to the Buffalo & Pittsburgh interchange in Salamanca. We caught the train at Vandalia (above and below), and
Carrollton, NY.
After dropping off the cars for the B&P and picking up its inbound cars the turn passed the former Baltimore & Ohio depot on its way back to Olean.
The view off the US 209 bridge included a field full of Golden Rod. Thanks for looking.
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