No activity for days. OK, everyone, where is this location, shot in 1998 on the old four track mainline? The building on the right ahead of the train was once a depot. More clues later.
My first impulse is somewhere on the Hudson, possibly just south of Poughkeepsie. I think I've seen the station and the white "shed" beside the CR loco in a photo within the past year .... probably wrong though Hank [ 22 June 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
Hank, thanks for responding. I guess in my recollections of riding the NYC, it really was difficult to tell where you were. All of the little towns looked alike, and there was always a river in view. I said I'd give more hints. This is in the Mohawk Valley, Not the Hudson Valley.
Watash, when I took that in 1999, not '98 as I said originally, NS and CSX were splitting up Conrail, so the power mixes back there were real interesting. Now, remember I said it was on the old (former would be a better word) four-track mainline. Ithaca doesn't qualify. It's about 100 miles from Ithaca.
If it's near Gulf curve, it is Little Falls, NY. It's where the first J-1e Hudson, #5315, was destroyed in the wreck in 1940. (It's a good thing you gave me a clue...the location has changed somewhat since the photo was taken...)
Tom, you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of the NYC mainline. Yes, that's Little Falls, the place of my birth and existence on this earth for 21 years. It is sad to see how it looks now. That depot seems to have settled lower, or else the RR has put some serious ballast on the tracks since 1961. My dad used to meet all the locals that stopped at LF and load and unload the REAX cars. I grew up on that loading dock. Miss dad a lot.
Jim I was going to say Little Falls,not that I have ever been there but since I know that is where you are from, that would be a logical location for you to put up. Ron
Hank, Watash, Ron and Tom, I'm going to see if this works. When I first received this file it was gigantic in physical and byte size. I shrunk it physically, and we'll see what happens. I have written an account of the track rerouting of the Gulf Curve and it's in the hands of Railfan mag but I doubt if they will publish it. This shot shows both the old and the new. You can't see that today as the old is all overgrown.
Interesting post! I have been to the area several times, and it looks nothing like I imagined. It is difficult to get the Mohawk River in a picture anymore...too many adult trees along the bank. A very interesting area, however, especially to a NYC fan!
I can make out the highway up on the slope aways, sorta white line. Then it looks like a railline might curve around that big white building, left center, then go down grade making a right hand curve along a slope then continuing off to the upper right. (See the cut through the tree line?) It looks like they must have been constructing the sweeping curve of double track when this was tgaken, because I see a train with a white plume of steam in the lower left corner of this pjoto. It looks like the train is on the "old road" single track line that goes to the sharp curve where the Hudson wrecked, then off to the right. The double track curve is sweepingly large to allow full bore traffic when finished, but all the earth work is still fresh here.
Watash, good eyes. That road is NY State route 5 and is actually cut through rock there. The white building--that's actually a road (whole different set of stories, as route 5 bent sharply there. Lots of trucks wrecked at the bottom of the hill.) Both sets of mainline tracks have four each, and yes, there is a single track, where the steam engine is--the Little Falls and Dolgeville RR spur. That is now gone. This photo was taken in 1947 right after the new route was opened. The Mohawk River was re-routed as part of this project, as well. It was an awesome thing to watch.
Well I just returned from standing on the same bridge where I shot the photo that opened this thread, unfortunately for my mom's funeral. It's OK, she is much better off now. While there in Little Falls, I heard lots of complaints from people staying in the local (only) motel, Best Western, that if you stayed on the track side, you wouldn't get any sleep due to all the train traffic. My room was on the track side, and what a dream for railfans. Saw a leased FURX diesel and a UP unit there in CSX territory. CSX does run a lot of night trains through there and it is difficult to rest, but hey, go rent a second floor room and get some great pictures on the former NEW YORK CENTRAL mainline.
Fitz, My condolences on the loss of your mother. Hope this last trip did not ruin any memories of this area for you. Best, Tom Gerbracht
Tom, on the contrary, it just restored my faith in good old fashioned upstate NYer's like most of my family. They were so helpful and supportive in our time of grief, as were old friends. The only negative thoughts were stirred by the two missing mainline tracks.
