Thursday, March 28, 2024

GN 135 View

Photographer and date unknown.

Note the steam era facilities still standing in the background.



Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Sugar Beet Fun

Story by Paul H. Renico.

Back in the early 70s, I worked for the Burlington Northern.  I started out as a Corporate Management Trainee and was assigned to the Portland (Oregon) Division.  As part of my training, I was assigned to various supervisors who would take me out in the field where they had work and show me what was happening.  It was very interesting work for me. 

One day, I accompanied three gentlemen from the Engineering Dept. on a field trip to Connell, Washington. Running thru the small town was a branch line the junctioned off the old NP line from Spokane to Pasco.  The branch ran almost due North where it junctioned with the ex-GN main line from Spokane to Seattle.  The northern 1/2 of the line was out of service and in the abandonment process.  Our purpose was to determine if the line could be retained for a proposed unit train that would run to Seattle from an unknown origin.  

The Engineering Department men had a combined seniority of about 120 years so, being low seniority, I was appointed as gopher and driver.  We drove into Connell and they told me to stop and get them each a coffee.  It was in the Spring of '72 and the weather was a little cool but comfortable.  

I stopped the car in front of the depot, opened the door, stepped out and closed the door. Just then, I started retching. My stomach was tied in a knot and I almost threw up.  I looked back at the car and there were the 3 guys all all laughing at me. What a set-up The culprit was the sugar beets that were left on the ground over the winter.  If you have ever smelled rotting sugar beets, you know what I am talking about. Terrible.... Needless to say, those guys did not get their coffee that morning. 

After the fiasco in front of the Connell depot with the sugar beets and after my stomach decided to stop heaving, we drove to the nearest grade crossing and hopped on the rails as the car was equipped as a hi-rail vehicle. 

We headed north out of town for a little way and came to a barbed wire gate across the right-of-way. It appeared that a local rancher had decided (on his own) to use railroad property for grazing. I stopped the car and opened the gate. I then drove the car thru the gate and stopped again. I got out of the car and closed the gate. There was a creek paralleling the right of way on the East side. I looked at the creek for a few seconds and then looked on the other side of the creek. There was the rancher in his truck with a carbine hanging in his back window. He must have been on the look-out for varmints, not us because I closed his gate. 

We drove North for a while and came across a huge rock in the middle of the rails. I got out of the car and decided that I would try to move it. Even using the tire iron (yah, I know - big deal) the rock would not move. With all 4 of us tugging, we managed to get the rock over the rail and it rolled down toward the creek. Off we go again. 

We drove about 1000' felt a bump, and the familiar clickity-clack stopped. Snd so did we. All 4 of us got out and checked out what happened. Well, what happened was that someone "borrowed" the rails. One of the engineers commented that those rails mail great corner posts for pasture fences. We ended up driving a quite a ways on the ties and re-railed the hi-rail until we were just before the junction with the main line. What a trip. Needless to say, the engineers did not recommend that the line be taken off the abandonment list and be put back in operation. I left the company in 1976 and never did check on the status of the Connell line again.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

More NP 317 Photos

Photos courtesy of Thomas Joseph.

Northern Pacific 317 tied down in the NYSW yard in downtown Syracuse 3/5.



Photos courtesy of Darrel Rathbun.

Great chase of the Syracuse Turn on Monday (3/4).  NP/KLIX 317 was put on the bottom of the train so looked like a Pusher for the going away photos.  Sunny and 70 in early March, I'll take it!



Photo by Peter Bellisario.

Northern Pacific KLIX 317 unit at the NYS&W Cortland Terminal this morning 3/3/24.

 

Photo by Joe O'Mara.

Currently sitting at the Cortland Office attached to 4066 & 4064. March 2, 2024. 13:57 hrs.

Photo by Scott Crotwell.

GP 9, KLIX 317 in Cortland on the afternoon of 3/2/24.




Photos by Steve Weiss.

Creative Commuting...
After my SU-99 set out the 3012 last night at Shohola, it was fun seeing it be used to pick up the "Northern Pacific" GP-9 at Lackawaxen and chasing it to Tusten bridge.








Monday, March 25, 2024

NP 317 Is Coming To Inland Northwest Rail Museum

Atta boy to Derreck Klarr for saving at least 2 engines, that I know of. 

Courtesy of  River Rail Photo/Marc Glucksman.

On Friday, February 28, 2020, the sad ending of the New York & Greenwood Lake Railway and the Erie Railroad Dundee Spur occurred with little fanfare. NYGL 1267 (GP9, ex-GN 718) and NYGL 1268 (GP9, ex-NP 317) highlighted the 'funeral train' moves by trackmobile and the equipment was pulled out of the Passaic, NJ yard where it sat for an extended period and moved closer the the severed interchange with the national network. Plans are in place for the rails to be re-connected to remove the equipment from the area. Rumors abound about the destinations of the equipment, but this is known for sure: the end of local freight service in downtown Passaic, NJ has come after a slow fade to a sudden stop.

NYGL 1267 (GP9, ex-GN 718) and NYGL 1268 (GP9, ex-NP 317) sit before the moves begin on Friday, February 28, 2020 in Passaic, NJ.


NYGL 1267 (GP9, ex-GN 718) and NYGL 1268 (GP9, ex-NP 317) sit with the former Hillyard Chemicals building in the background on Friday, February 28, 2020.

 

NYGL 1267 (GP9, ex-GN 718) and NYGL 1268 (GP9, ex-NP 317) sit before the moves begin on Friday, February 28, 2020 in Passaic, NJ.

 
 
 
Some tracks had to be literally dug out by hand on Friday, February 28, 2020 at the NYGL. GP9s 1267 and 1268 are about to be removed.
 
 
 
 Both GP9s bracket ex-LIRR P72 2939 (Pullman) have on Friday, February 28, 2020 at the NYGL Yard in Passaic, NJ.



NYGL 1268 (GP9, ex-NP 317) and ex-LIRR P72 2939 (Pullman) have exited the facility and are ready for departure on Friday, February 28, 2020.
 
 
NYGL 1268 (GP9, ex-NP 317) and ex-LIRR P72 2939 (Pullman) have exited the facility and are ready for departure on Friday, February 28, 2020.


A wide angle view shows former LIRR 616 FA1 on the NYGL on South Street on Friday, February 28, 2020.


NYGL 1267 (GP9, ex-GN 718) is ready to go from the NYGL on Friday, February 28, 2020 with the former Hillyard Chemicals building in the background.


The whole line of equipment has been moved out of the NYGL facility on Friday, February 28, 2020 and will be preapred for movement off of the premises.

 Mr. Klarr announced on February 1, 2021:

"I would like to share this release from Operation Toy Train. As mentioned in the article, my company, KLIX, has acquired two locomotives from them. One being former Northern Pacific GP9 #317 and the other an ex-SP&S Alco FA1. We are in discussions with the Inland Northwest Rail Museum in Reardon, WA to get them both there for preservation and eventual cosmetic restoration back to their historic schemes."





Here is where Mr. Klarr takes on the project. "This is how she looked when we arrived in Honesdale, PA back in July 2021."

On March 7, 2024, Mr. Klarr announced:

"Northern Pacific 317 UPDATE: not sure if there's any members out along the CSX in Ohio or Indiana, but NP (KLIX) #317 is currently traveling along that route today, heading toward Chicago. It'll then be interchanged to BNSF to continue its journey home to the Inland Northwest Rail Museum. Hopefully BNSF will route it along the former NP route! (I'll provide updates when I find out more)."


 

On the move towards Chicago, where is stuck for the moment.