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Previous month: 11.07 || Index || 01.08: Next month

Images: These pictures are not censored for quality. What one person considers a bad or useless picture may be exactly what someone else is looking for. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Videos: These videos are very big, which is why railfanning videos are so rare on line. As long as Windows Media Player says "Connecting" it is working, even it if appears to be taking a very long time. It says "Connecting" until it has finished downloading the video. Please be patient. If you are unable to play these videos with Windows Media player, a problem which exists with some versions of Media Player and (sometimes) with Internet Explorer versions lower than 6, I strongly recommend the use of Quicktime if it is available. If you are using Linux, mplayer needs to be told that the videos have a bit depth of 16 (-bpp 16) to work.

Filenames refer to location, date (dd.mm.yy), and camera-assigned four digit id number.

Top photos from December, 2007

Brattleboro_28.12.07_9681.jpg 213 Cambridge_05.12.07_8753.jpg 141 Rome_21.12.07_9058.jpg 103 Utica_21.12.07_9174.jpg 96 Utica_21.12.07_9093.jpg 96 Brattleboro_28.12.07_9642.jpg 84 Chester_24.12.07_9478.jpg 77 Utica_21.12.07_9165.jpg 75 St_Albans_29.12.07_9742.jpg 73 Lockport_19.12.07_8786.jpg 68

December 1st, 2007After a lazy morning and lunch we headed down to Guelph Junction to see what we could see, getting CP #159, #138, #255, #427, #249/525 combined, #424, and #254.
Guelph_Junction_01.12.07_8552.jpg 54 Flamborough_01.12.07_8574.jpg 29 Guelph_Junction_01.12.07_8532.jpg 28 Flamborough_01.12.07_8575.jpg 27
Flamborough, Ontario(map) This is a community at the top of the Hamilton sub between Waterdown and Guelph Junction. It is technically part of Hamilton, as a result of the amalgamations.
64 images 3 videos Marks: ARMN CEFX CITX CP DME DMM IBT IMCX MILW PLCX SOO STLH TTGX UELX
Index
Guelph Junction, Ontario(map) Technically Campbellville, Guelph Junction is the junction of the Guelph Junction Railway -- currently serviced by OSR -- the CP Hamilton sub, and the CP Galt sub. It is between Milton and Galt on the CP Galt sub.
51 images 3 videos Marks: ARMN CMHX CP CR CRDX DTTX ETTX GATX LBR LVRC MMA NRLX SOO UTLX
Index
December 5th, 2007I went to Guelph Junction to get CP's Holiday Train, only to find that it was not posing anywhere publically shootable but hiding out on the inaccessible west leg of the wye. After shooting it leaving, I got gas and meandered over to Galt to shoot it posed on the bridge after its show at the station. I had a grand plan: I would take a video of it entering the bridge, swap cameras on the tripod, take long exposures, swap cameras, take a video of it exiting the bridge. Only one flaw in my plan: it did not stop for the antiicipated 5 minutes, but only for around 20 seconds -- just long enough for me to swap tripod mount screws. My desperate, unfocused, failed shots of the tail end of the train as it disappeared have been left to allow you to share in my frustration at that moment.
Cambridge_05.12.07_8753.jpg 141 Guelph_Junction_05.12.07_8734.jpg 58 Guelph_Junction_05.12.07_8744.jpg 38 Guelph_Junction_05.12.07_8736.jpg 32
Cambridge, Ontario(map) Cambridge is the home of Babcock and Wilcox, Toyota, the CP Waterloo sub, the CP Galt sub, the CN ex-Fergus sub and a lot of trains.
7 images 1 videos Marks:
Index
Guelph Junction, Ontario(map) Technically Campbellville, Guelph Junction is the junction of the Guelph Junction Railway -- currently serviced by OSR -- the CP Hamilton sub, and the CP Galt sub. It is between Milton and Galt on the CP Galt sub.
45 images 1 videos Marks: CP OSRX SHPX
Index
December 19th, 2007We left home around 10 am, almost immediately finding a CP train with an NREX unit at Puslinch on our way by on highway 6. After crossing into the US, we followed the Falls Road railway from Lockport to Brockport, ending up in Rochester.
Lockport_19.12.07_8786.jpg 68 Lockport_19.12.07_8778.jpg 53 Lockport_19.12.07_8779.jpg 38 Puslinch_19.12.07_8774.jpg 25
Knowlesville, New YorkKnowlesville is along the Falls Road between Medina and Albion a few miles to the west of Rochester.
16 images 1 videos Marks: BN DLWR
Index
Lockport, New YorkLockport is the junction of the CSX and the Falls Road just to the east of Buffalo.
9 images No videos Marks: CN CRYX DLWR
Index
Medina, New YorkMedina is along the Falls Road about half way between Buffalo and Rochester.
1 images No videos Marks:
Index
North Chili, New YorkNorth Chili is a suburb of Rochester to the southwest along the CSX.
7 images 1 videos Marks: CSXT
Index
Puslinch, Ontario(map) This community straddles highway 401 from West of Guelph Junction to Killean on the CP Galt sub.
10 images 1 videos Marks: ACFX CP LW NREX SOO
Index
December 20th, 2007We started out from our hotel in Henrieta outside Rochester at the crack of dawn, heading up to Lakeville to see if we could find the LAL working. At that hour there was little sign of life and pretty soon we heard a Rochester Southern train leaving Rochester, so we headed down to Caledonia to get ahead of it, where we waited a fair time for it. It came with 4 units and 70-odd empties around 9:30 after which we headed back to Lakeville. We heard switching as we got closer, and then it abruptly stopped. Hoping for an LAL train to be leaving we headed for a crossing just out of town and sat for a while, eventually going back into town and just missing a switcher... twice. We sat for a while near the yard eventually figuring out the crew had gone for lunch and shot the lone unit parked mostly inaccessibly from a street in town. From there we headed to the Ontario Central in Victor, where we found no signs of life and proceeded eastword to Phelps and north to Newark in the hopes of getting the Ontario Midland. There was little sign of life there either and the tracks looked like we had missed them earlier in the day. We headed a bit east to Lyons to get a late lunch and then a bit further east to Clyde where we waited for CSX to make up for our lackluster shortline performance, but all we got was 2 Amtrak and a UPS train before hearing Finger Lakes arrive at Lyons. We tore back to Lyons hoping to get them there, with the sun coming out for the first time in days as we went, disappearing again as we arrived. We followed the Lyons runner up to Geneva trying to get ahead of the FGLK train we knew was around, beating it to the yard at Geneva in last light. Damn these short days.
Geneva_20.12.07_8912.jpg 35 Caledonia_20.12.07_8832.jpg 32 Caledonia_20.12.07_8817.jpg 30 Geneva_20.12.07_8921.jpg 27
Caledonia, New YorkCaledonia is the junction of the Genesee and Wyoming and the Genesee and Wyoming-owned Rochester Southern a few miles south-west of Rochester, New York.
29 images 1 videos Marks: AEX ANGX BPRR DMM GNWR GWIX RMGX RSR
Index
Clyde, New YorkClyde is just to the east of Lyons on the CSX about half way between Rochester and Syracuse, New York.
40 images 3 videos Marks: AMTK CSXT DTTX TTRX
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Geneva, New YorkGeneva is the home of the Finger Lakes Railway, due south of Lyons.
32 images 2 videos Marks: CSXT FGLK MET SP
Index
Lakeville, New YorkLakeville is the home of the Livonia, Avon, and Lakeville, which runs from Lakeville to Rochester.
6 images No videos Marks: LAL UTLX
Index
December 21st, 2007We started out in Oneida and headed straight for Reber Rd outside Rome in the community of Stanwix, New York to watch CSX trains while waiting for the daily run of the Mohawk, Adirondack, and Northern. It came after a couple of hours and we spent a few minutes chasing it in Rome after spending a lot more minutes trying to find it again. After that we returned briefly to Reber Rd., found the tracks dead, and proceeded to Utica. We went to see the NYSW dead line but found it completely obstructed by a long cut of high gons. We went back to the Amtrak station and shot a considerable rush, punctuated by the return of the MWHA with its lone C424 and 5 cars.
Rome_21.12.07_9058.jpg 103 Utica_21.12.07_9174.jpg 96 Utica_21.12.07_9093.jpg 96 Utica_21.12.07_9165.jpg 75
Rome, New YorkRome is between Oneida and Utica on the CSX. Its industrial tracks are serviced by the Mohawk, Adirondack, and Northern.
32 images 1 videos Marks: MHWA
Index
Stanwix, New YorkStanwix is the home of Reber Rd, a decent spot to sit and watch the CSX line between Utica and Rome. The Mohawk, Adirondack, and Northern runs over the CSX from Utica to Rome by this point.
133 images 10 videos Marks: ACFX ADMX AMTK APHX ARMN ATW BNSF CP CRGX CSXT DTTX EEC FCCM HS KNOX MHWA NCLX NRLX SOO SP SSW TTAX TTEX UP WLO
Index
Utica, New York(map) Utica is the home of the New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railway shops, a scenic railway, the CSX, and at least one more shortline operator, situated about an hour West of Albany.
119 images 6 videos Marks: ADCX AMTK BO BRAN CNIS CSXT CVC DTTX FEC GATX GPLX MHWA NATX NS NYC TTGX UTCX UTLX
Index
December 22nd, 2007Matt came down from New Jersey to meet us in Amsterdam. We shot several CSX and Amtrak trains there before heading down to Rotterdam Junction to see if Guilford was around. It wasn't, and we headed south to Delanson on the D&H to see what was happening there. On arrival we found a small Kia high-centred on an uncleared road and proceeded to spend the next few minutes using our winter gear and Matt's tow hook to remove the vehicle. Much to the entertainment of all concerned, Matt's Pt Cruiser saved the day. We then shot DH 931 - a CN run-through train with NS power - and NS 169 meeting before heading off to an unpronounceable town a few miles away to try and track down a mysterious new shortline that appeared at Delanson six days earlier.
Voorheesville_22.12.07_9322.jpg 50 Amsterdam_22.12.07_9262.jpg 47 Voorheesville_22.12.07_9344.jpg 39 Voorheesville_22.12.07_9323.jpg 36
Amsterdam, New YorkAmsterdam is on the outskirts of the Albany area to the west where the CSX and Amtrak lines fork to enter the state capital region.
73 images 6 videos Marks: AMTK AOK BNSF CN CSXT DTTX KCS TTAX TTRX
Index
Delanson, New YorkDelanson is on the Delaware and Hudson a few miles to the south-west of Albany. It's also the junction point for an obscure new shortline.
31 images 2 videos Marks: BCOL BNSF DTTX GPLX NS SOU TTAX TTEX WCCL
Index
Voorheesville, New YorkVoorheesville is the other end of a short line on the old Delaware and Hudson Albany line where it junctions with the CSX. It's also the site of a large food terminal and is close to CSX Selkirk yard.
42 images 3 videos Marks: AOCX BNSF BO CIRR CNA CSXT ESIX FGLK GATX GFSX ICG JOGX NHRX NKCR PPGX PROX TKEN UP WCTR
Index
December 23rd, 2007We started out in Glens Falls, New York with an eye toward getting the Batten Kill railroad in Greenwich, NY on the off-chance they'd be outside the barn. As we got ready to go we realised it was a silly idea and headed straight for Whitehall, NY. On our way we picked up an EOT and tore off to the next grade crossing where we just missed 3 NS units running southbound light power on the D&H. After a brief southward chase we realised we would not get ahead of them and returned on our original track to Whitehall. A few minutes later VRS Rutland DS indicated that the Whitehall job had already left Whitehall back for Rutland so we skipped Whitehall and went straight for Rutland, catching the Whitehall job returning to Rutland with 5 units and 42 loads. After a quick crew change and switch, they took off with 4 units and 37 loads for Bellows Falls and we returned to Whitehall to see what the D&H had to offer. Eventually the northbound Adirondack came, then 931 came -- the same one we shot over a day earlier not 100 miles away in Delanson -- followed shortly by the southbound Adirondack. We got 931 going through the station after meeting the Amtrak and then returned to Rutland taking a few hasty long exposures of AMTK 716 getting ready to head south before calling it a night at a relative's house in town.
Whitehall_23.12.07_9430.jpg 57 Whitehall_23.12.07_9413.jpg 35 Whitehall_23.12.07_9421.jpg 24 Whitehall_23.12.07_9438.jpg 22
Rutland, Vermont(map) Called Vermont's rail hub by the Vermont Rail System, this city on the New York border is not a fantastic railfanning spot, though not for a lack of good trains. The main drag through town offers few good locations and the yard, found at the East end of a stretch of track common to 4 VRS lines is not very accessible. Outside of the city there are many nice locations but with only a couple of trains per day, understanding the cryptic clearances is critical. Rutland is not really near anything in Vermont, but is along the Western boarder of the state about an hour North of Massachusetts.
45 images 2 videos Marks: AMTK CLP CLSX GATX GMRC VTR WRSX
Index
Whitehall, New YorkWhitehall is the junction point of the CLP, a Vermont Rail System railway, and the Delaware and Hundson, now CP, just across the VT/NY border from Rutland.
45 images 4 videos Marks: AMTK BCOL CNA DH GATX GPLX NS WCCL
Index
December 24th, 2007We left my cousin's house in Rutland after a lazy breakfast toward Brattleboro, our destination. We heard GMRC 263 and locomotive 801 that sounded like different trains. We weren't sure until we found 263 with 801 leading fairly far east in Chester, where we waited for them on finding rusty rails. A large cloud bank was rolling in rather suspensefully on this first day of sunlight on our trip. The train took a while to arrive in Chester - we overestimated how far ahead of it we were - and when it did come, it stopped just short of the shot I wanted for the crew to buy lunch in town. After a few minutes delay and some mercy from the clouds, we got our shot and then b-lined it to Brattleboro for our own lunch and seasonal family reunion.
Chester_24.12.07_9478.jpg 77 Chester_24.12.07_9477.jpg 68 Chester_24.12.07_9496.jpg 58 Chester_24.12.07_9490.jpg 30
Chester, VermontChester is on the Green Mountain Railway line between Rutland and Bellows Falls.
37 images 1 videos Marks: CLSX GMRC SHPX SLC SP VTR
Index
Rutland, Vermont(map) Called Vermont's rail hub by the Vermont Rail System, this city on the New York border is not a fantastic railfanning spot, though not for a lack of good trains. The main drag through town offers few good locations and the yard, found at the East end of a stretch of track common to 4 VRS lines is not very accessible. Outside of the city there are many nice locations but with only a couple of trains per day, understanding the cryptic clearances is critical. Rutland is not really near anything in Vermont, but is along the Western boarder of the state about an hour North of Massachusetts.
3 images No videos Marks: AMTK
Index
December 27th, 2007On the 26th I woke to the sound of a whistle as a train left Brattleboro. This time I woke up at dawn and turned my scanner on, almost immediately hearing NECR 323 and 324 converging on Brattleboro. We headed down to the yard and shot both, then chased 324 the three miles to the first crossing south of town by the detector at Vernon before returning for breakfast. My lunch later was interrupted by the sound of Pan Am WJED entering Brattleboro and so I went down to the yard to watch it and the Vermonter head south.
Vernon_27.12.07_9579.jpg 41 Brattleboro_27.12.07_9546.jpg 36 Vernon_27.12.07_9585.jpg 29 Brattleboro_27.12.07_9592.jpg 23
Brattleboro, Vermont(map) This town is on the New England Central Railway track near the New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont borders.
79 images 4 videos Marks: AMGX AMTK AOK BRIX CEFX CN CRLE DWC GCCX GSCX KCS MDW MEC NECR RMPX TSRD
Index
Vernon, Vermont(map) Vernon is directly on the border with Northfield, Mass and has the NECR Palmer sub and its detector at mile 116.
24 images 1 videos Marks: CEFX CN GNWR GSCX IC
Index
December 28th, 2007I went down to Brattleboro yard to see the morning 323/324 meet again. 323 arrived on queue but 324 was nowhere to be seen and we soon found out the meet would be taking place in Putney. Hours later I heard 324 arrive in town -- with 323's power. I went down to the yard to see it come in and found it with 5 units, including GEXR 3843! Then two local railfans showed up at my perch on Riverside Rd and told me that 324's train had come apart in Putney and they'd be going back for it. I went to the Amtrak station to wait for them to head back north for the second half of their train and was immediately blocked in by passengers for the southbound Amtrak. I waited at the platform whether I liked it or not for the southbound Vermonter and the northbound power move with my old friend Barney leading.
Brattleboro_28.12.07_9681.jpg 213 Brattleboro_28.12.07_9642.jpg 84 Brattleboro_28.12.07_9703.jpg 33 Brattleboro_28.12.07_9682.jpg 28
Brattleboro, Vermont(map) This town is on the New England Central Railway track near the New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont borders.
73 images 3 videos Marks: AMTK CEFX CNA GEXR GSCX IFRX MDW MMA MWCX NECR NW RMGX TSRD
Index
December 29th, 2007We left Brattleboro for my parents' place in the Laurentians, stopping only at St. Albans to see CN 323 with 8814-8840, my first of the CN 88xxs. Weather was miserable and rainy all the way up, so we did not stop to see NECR 323/324 meeting in Brattleboro, VRS 307 coming into Burlington, or the three trains queued up at Rouses Point on the D&H. Next time.
St_Albans_29.12.07_9742.jpg 73 St_Albans_29.12.07_9749.jpg 53 St_Albans_29.12.07_9748.jpg 37 St_Albans_29.12.07_9739.jpg 34
St. Albans, Vermont(map) CN and NECR (New England Central Railway) meet at St. Albans. Amtrak's Vermonter originates here at 06:35 and returns at 20:45. There is a large yard in the town and the station is sufficiently well lit for readable night shots without a tripod or flash in the winter.
20 images 1 videos Marks: CN GSWR NECR RMPX
Index

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