New York Susquehanna & Western (NYSW) 3632 - EMD SD45

Marc Grinter photo

NYS&W SD45 #3632 on point of DHNTV-9 at QD, Binghamton, NY

MEBU behind six NYSW units passes the Agway plant just east of Waverly, nose into the setting sun.

A half dozen yellow and black units roll west with a 73 car MEBU, about to pass under NY 427. NYSW must have been expecting a couple of stacks to show up in Buffalo, and was sending power west.

Power from NYSW, NS, CSX, and even New Jersey short line Rahway Valley is at the East Binghamton engine house. Ten years earlier, if you told someone you would see this set up, theyd be checking your meds.

ABBU, grain empties from the Port of Albany, get a move on passing QD at the old Erie station site behind a set of yellowjackets.

Six NYSW units lead what looks like a KL 1, but was called MEBU on the radio. There were probably not enough cars to run the trains separately-the car count was 73 on this train-so they were combined, saving a crew start. We see the train near the Tioga County transfer station, about where the LV Auburn Branch ducked under the EL. Two of the original four B40's are on this train.

There were several industries east of downtown Waverly. The siding in the foreground goes to a place that makes brake parts for cars. There was a pet food plant, the other this big Agway feel mill. Both were Conrail customers, and MEBU will not be stopping to set off any of its 115 cars.

Well, in a moment. The semaphores response once a train hit the circuit was sometimes not immediate. It was fun to watch them drop.

The trees in the northeast throw off a lot of water in the warm weather, making for a haze that hangs over the region most of the summer. MEBU comes around the curve at Chemung looking good, but the hills in the background are almost in a gof.

This field next to NY 17C at the foot of the overpass changed condition periodically. At one point, there had been an aggregate plant here-see photos in various Morning Sun books on the EL-but by the time I arrived in 1988, there were no structures on the parcel. It did get dug up from time to time. This was one of those times, and we see a 64 car BUME rolling past on its way east.

NY 10 seen from across the river in Oakland. We get a good view of the viaduct and the surrounding area in this wide view.

MEBU rolls south through Bevier St as it makes its way to QD and the Tier.

One of my favorite shots on the Delaware Division was an eastbound coming off the big bridge at Hancock. NY 10 heads east in screaming sun on a winter day.

NY 10 rolls east along the Delaware River, with NY 17 on the opposite side of the train. This is one of the reasons this line was so easy to chase.

NY 10 rolls east across the West Branch of the Delaware just west of Deposit, seen from the NY 17 overpass. I dont recommend stopping here, but it is a pretty shot.

NY 10 rolls through BD after its crew change, making a run for Gulf Summit and the Delaware Valley.

As opposed to chasing trains. MEBU is at the south end of Bevier St on the Buffalo Runner, and will head out to QD and the Tier. At right, RPPY rolls down the Binghamton Runner, and will take the crossing at BD to enter East Binghamton. It also has an NYSW B 40 leading.

MEBU has left East Binghamton, and is now passing the NYSW shop downtown as BH 1 works with a trio of 4 motors.

The east side of Waverly has some notable features. Note how wide the tracks are here. There was a center siding here during Erie and EL days, which was removed by Conrail, but the tracks were never straightened. At left is a pet food plant, which would remain a Conrail customer for several more years. We see PLMT, a coal train for Mt Tom Mass, rolling past with four yellowjackets.

A four unit set of NYSW 45s has an eastbound PLMT, symbolled RC 1, for ReCrew, a dogcatch crew that relieved the outlawed crew from Buffalo, rolling through Waverly past the classic buildings that serve as a backdrop here. The semaphore has dropped to stop now that the train is several hundred feet past the signal.

MEBU rolls through the S curve at Sanitaria Springs, showing off its five yellowjackets. As good as this was, the real prize was in Binghamton on BUOI-an MKT SD40-2.

MEBU with five NYSW yellowjackets crosses Wylie Creek as seen from NY 235.

MEBU crosses Moottown Rd and the north end of Dyes siding as it rolls downhill toward Binghamton.

BUME rolls north at Phelps St with one of the new B 40s leading a pair of SD 45s.

ABBU was an empty grain train from the Port of Albany that ran as needed. As such, it was not a priority, and ran when a crew was available, so it would often get yarded at Binghamton. This one is now crewed and rolling out, and will shortly be headed west on the Tier.

An empty ABBU grain train gets out of Binghamton, rolling onto the Tier at BD.

BUME has pulled all the way up through Bevier St yard, and is now digging into the hill, which starts just before the north end at Bevier St. The old D&H Bevier St yard office is at right, now covered in foliage.

BUME with NS and NYSW power rolls north at Bevier St

PYRP gets rolling through Bevier St behind an ex Reading unit and a power set only the NYSW and D&H could put together, including two C424's.

Six units lead todays SLN 3, five of them Yellowjackets.

Wherever possible, Walter Rich told his operating people to run a Yellowjacket unit in the lead. They did well on this MEBU waiting to get onto the Tier for its trip to Buffalo.

GP 18 1802 is providing the smoke screen as SU 100 gets out of town, passing the Kirkwood Frito Lay plant as it starts its trip down the Erie and into Jersey. Note the difference in the paint schemes. The 3632 is in a newer version of the long time standard, with the top of the unit along the radiator grills and roof now black, much like the BN unit this once was, while the GP 18 retains its original scheme, yellow all the way to the roof.

MEBU has come through Bevier St yard and is cleared through BD as it makes its way into East Binghamton. Sometimes these trains would take the Buffalo Runner and be recrewed downtown, sometimes theyd head into the yard. You just had to watch what they did.

This GP 39-2 was conveyed from the Reading at Conrail startup a dozen years earlier. Looks like its not quite ready to give up on the old road. This unit, and 7410, would have Reading markings on them til retirement.

looking west from the old DL&W tower in East Binghamton Yards as 3006 and 3000 ease out of the facility

A northbound, probably BUME, passes the south end of Bevier St yard at the site of BX en route to Belden Hill and Mechanicville.

SD45 3632 and C430 3000 lead an excursion eastbound from Warwick, NY

An SD45/C430 combo power a returning excursion through downtown