New York Railroads©

Edited by Tom Trencansky, Dryden, NY
publicity@newyorkrailroads.com
www.newyorkrailroads.com
E-News35  October 24, 2011 

         Yellow Jackets, a new painting by artist Robert Frascella.

Hello Friends and Railfans:

You've reached the OLD news site for New York Railroads and effective November 23, 2011, it is now located at www.newyorkrailroads.com/news

Old news below, this page will all be deleted soon.

Great New York Model Train Show [Syracuse NY - New York State Fairgrounds, November 5 & 6]  The Central New York Chapter, NRHS offers one of the best train shows in the East every November.  The show has it all, everything from model train displays in all gauges to modeling clinics to videos to an excellent selection of sales vendors selling models, collectibles, clothing, books, DVD's and much, much more.  110,000 square feet of activity!  Food and refreshments are available.  Visit their web to learn more:   www.cnynrhs.org.  While on their web, check out all of the other projects that the Central New York Chapter NRHS maintains; monthly programs, frequent excursions, local historical publications [see below], extensive railroad library and more.  November 16 program will be on New York Railroads.  In addition, the chapter maintains all of the railroad equipment located at the NYS Fairgrounds, and museums at the former New York Central Station [NYC] in Martisco [Marcellus] and New York Ontario & Western Depot [NYO&W] at Central Square, NY.  Their website is one of the very best of any rail organizations in New York State.  Consider joining this dynamic organization.

Meet the artist!  Robert Frascella of Old Depot Gallery will have a collection of paintings and prints for sale. [see painting above]

Devastation!  The Catskill Mountain Railroad was extremely hard hit by the recent storms and the entire yard area around the Phoenicia NY depot appears to be a disaster area with rail ripped up and equipment ruined.  In some places the track is under tons of stone and debris.  Volunteers have been working hard for years to complete this railroad restoration and it seems that nature has been hitting them hard.  Consider sending a donation, or, make sure to take in one of the excursions noted in the schedule below. www.catskillmtrailroad.com

American Locomotive Company [ALCO] has a long and storied history as a locomotive builder in New York State at Schenectady, NY.  The company's locomotives are still hard at work in many locations across New York State, the country and the world.  Thirty, forty and even fifty year-old Alco locomotives continue to work many railroads in New York, Pennsylvania and beyond.  The publication ALCO NOTES is produced John Mech of Albany, NY and does a tremendous job in documenting the company's locomotives.  Produced six times per year, the November issue features a wealth of Alco information on several NY operations; Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad in Olean NY [feature includes full roster of equipment], historical views of the Allied Chemical industrial railroad that operated within eyesight of the NYS Fairgrounds [continued next issue] and a major feature on the 2000 horsepower Alco Century 420 locomotives that operated in both freight and passenger service on the Long Island Railroad in the New York City metropolitan area.  The ALL-color publication is produced electronically [PDF format] and delivered by email for $15/year [6 issues] or $35/year printed via US Mail. Subscription is January-November.   Mailing address is ALCO NOTES, John Mech, 424 Sand Creek Road, Apt 301, Albany, NY 12205.  For more information: www.newyorkrailroads.com/alconotes.

2011 Canadian Pacific [D&H] Holiday Train Schedule has been released by Canadian Pacific Railroad and will operate similar to past years departing the Scranton [PA] train yard at Steamtown.  Excellent opportunity to visit Steamtown [www.nps.gov/stea] to ride their operating steam locomotive as well as take a leisurely excursion on the restored Electric City trolley line [www.ectma.org].  Trolleys depart 10:30am, noon, 1:30pm and 3pm.  What an afternoon - steam train, CP holiday train and trolley ride. 
New York schedule as follows:  November 26 [Saturday 5pm]  - train will be located at Steamtown in Scranton PA and after ceremony will travel to Binghamton, NY for ceremony at the Conklin Yard at 9pm.  November 27 [Sunday] train will depart Binghamton northbound on the original D&H line with stops in Oneonta at Gas Avenue 1:20pm, Cobleskill Fire Department on Main Street 3:45pm, Delanson at Main Street Crossing 5:30pm, Schenectady at Maxon Road Crossing 7pm and Saratoga Springs Amtrak Station at 9:05pm.

Lehigh Valley Caboose, help save it at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum!!  LV 95100 is at a junk yard and will be scrapped if funds for securing it are not collected ASAP.  The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum was established in 1971 when the depot at Industry (Rush, NY) was purchased from the Erie Lackawanna for the purpose of restoration and eventual transformation into a museum. Along with partner New York Museum of Transportation, we operate a shared two mile long demonstration railroad where visitors can experience our historic collections.  LV 95100 in service:  LV95100   The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum (www.rgvrrm.org) is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational group, and donations to the museum are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please help us save and restore this significant piece of regional railroading history! Any support in any form is appreciated (We would be happy to furnish more details about the caboose and our restoration/operation plans to interested donors upon request).  Go to their website and click on "support" to make a donation.

New and recent publications on New York State railroads

Trackside Binghamton 1960-1976 by Richard J. Allen, Sr.  The wonderful confluence of railroading in Binghamton – EL, LV and D&H railroads are examined before the coming of Conrail. The book features hundreds of color photographs along New York’s Southern Tier from the perspective of an avid railfan as well as employee of the Delaware & Hudson. $59.95 + postage.  www.morningsunbooks.com  

                                           Central New York Chapter NRHS Publications: 
 Railroads in the Streets of Syracuse – NEW Fourth Edition Commemorates the 75^th anniversary of the end of the street running (1936), depicting the era when steam trains competed with automobiles and pedestrians for rights-of-way in downtown Syracuse, NY.  Includes many historic photographs never before published.  Softcover, 8 ½” x 11”.  50 pages.  $7.50
The Syracuse, Binghamton, and New York Railroad 150 Years of the Lackawanna Route in Central New York – This is the 150-year story of the Syracuse, Binghamton and New York Railroad, from its Delaware, Lackawanna and Western heritage to being part of the modern-day New York, Susquehanna and Western.  In pictures and text,  you’ll relive the SB&NY history, as well as that of the connecting Syracuse and Oswego Railroad.  Softcover, 8 ½” x 11”.  58 pages.  $7.50
Short Lines of Central New York – For the first time together in one book, the history of two Central New York shortlines – the Marcellus and Otisco Lake and theSkaneateles Short Line Railroads.  Scores of photos – Employee Lists – Rosters of locomotives – Boats owned by the railroads.  Softcover, 8 ½” x 11”.  46 pages.  $9.95
Railroad Stations of Central New York – This collection of drawings and paintings by architect Robert Coye includes beautifully detailed depictions and brief histories of many of Central New York Classic railroad stations.  Nine different Syracuse stations are shown, along with 10 more in surrounding communities.  Softcover, 11” x 8 ½”.  16 pages.  $6.50
Shipping instructions:  US shipping:  $2.50 for 1-3 books; $4.00 for 4-5 books; contact us for rates over 5 books.  Sorry, no international shipping available.  New York residents add 8% sales tax.  Info from CNY NRHS Chapter, www.cnynrhs.org 

Adirondack Scenic Railroad by Tom Trencansky, NEW book, all-color, 120 pages, hardcover with over 200 photographs.  Book is a photographic journey of the Adirondack Scenic with selected photographs that depict current operations, special events, equipment, scenery, and most important of all, the staff and volunteers that have helped develop this restoration.  Some special moments are depicted in the book including a series of aerial photographs of a very special train on September 18^th, 2000.  Two Adirondack Scenic diesels and a seven-car train departed Thendara and delivered the first passenger equipment to Lake Placid.  It was the first and only through-train to carry passengers through the central Adirondacks since the early 1980’s when the line was used to carry passengers to the Olympic games. This book is unique.  It is published via a printing service and will not be available in large numbers.  Each copy is printed, essentially individually and this publication will always be limited.  The book can be easily ordered online by going to www.blurb.com, find the bookstore option, then type in the search option for the book under “Adirondack Scenic Railroad”.  Price is $59.95.  It is not available through dealers.  For more information, feel free to contact Tom Trencansky, email publicity@newyorkrailroads.com