Re: Is the Erie east of Bingo next? Re: (erielack) NS Buffalo LineChanges

["Tom Beckett" <tabeckett_@_stny.rr.com>]

NY 17/I 86 isn't exactly a road in the middle of nowhere. It does go through
several fair sized towns, as well as provide a shorter(and free) through
route from Erie to the NY area. The problem with the Erie east of Bingo is
that there is little on line freight, and even that's dwindling, though how
much of the decline can be traced to poor rail service, by design or
otherwise, is an open question. Seems like the EL had a fair traffic base,
and there seemed to be enough through traffic(UPS!!!) to justify keeping the
line open. Unfortunately, CR and now NS want to be PC, plus whatever else
they think is worth cherry picking off the other lines. One problem with EL
was that it was, in some ways, a poor man's NY Central: it went most of the
same places via a longer route. One could make the case that the
superhighways siphoned off much of the through traffic, but one could also
make a case that there were too many NY-Buffalo lines, and in NS' view,
maybe there still are.

I doubt the "upgrade" to I 86 will have much of an impact on the Delaware
Division. The highway has been in place for almost 40 years, and has already
done its damage to the railroad.  The upgrade will really only consist of
eliminating the traffic lights at Parkville and Horseheads, and closing off
any remaining direct access points-driveways and such-of which there are not
many. It's not like they are taking a slow two lane road and turning it into
a four lane expressway-that was done long ago. Aside from those
improvements, and probably some resurfacing, you won't see much difference
in the roadway when the project is complete in 4 or 5 years.

NS has, in other places, "banked" secondary main lines. They have left them
unused, while keeping the track structure intact, and doing necessary
maintenance to get the line in shape when traffic picks up to the point they
need it. Whether they will do that here is anyone's guess; I doubt if the
economy will pick up that much steam any time soon, and even then, it may
take some time before there is a big enough capacity problem elsewhere to
need the Tier as a through route for overflow traffic-though all it would
take is enough congestion at a pinch point, say on CRSA or the Lehigh Line
east of Allentown, to create a problem severe enough to require trains going
over the Tier to Croxton. One can hope!! I can see NS holding onto the line
just to be a dog in the manger about it. Interesting question: if NS decides
to dismantle or cut the line somewhere between Bingo and Port Jervis, what
happens to NYSW trackage rights?

I like the NYSW-WNY&P idea. Perhaps the western outlet is via the G&W's ex
PRR line into Erie, accessed at Corry, going to CSX at Erie?  Is there a way
around NS in eastern Ohio to get to CSX at Akron or Youngstown? Might get
interesting-an alphabet soup route with a good chunk of Erie in it. I like
it!!

Tom B


- ----- Original Message -----
From: <intercityrailpal_@_netscape.net>
To: <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 10:47 PM
Subject: RE: Is the Erie east of Bingo next? Re: (erielack) NS Buffalo
LineChanges


> Dear E-L family: the jackass...oops, I mean the horse. Might see the
writing on the wall. I just returned from Erie-O&W country. The
not-so-quickway will be I-86. Looks like they have big plans for this middle
of nowhere road. I guess when you have 47 billion to spend at the expense of
everyone else. What the heck, right? This should, be the end of the Erie
Main along the Delaware River. YOUR RIGHT! Then people will say we have too
many railroads.When really we have too many roads to nowhere! Unquestioned!
....Lackawanna Lance
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Robert John Davis <trains_@_robertjohndavis.com> wrote:
>
> >On 7/10/02 2:05 PM, "Blue Moon Network Administrator"
> ><root_@_net.bluemoon.net> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> While bad for the PRR line this will have a good impact on the Southern
Tier
> >> Line.
> >>
> >
> >I suspect there is also going to be negative impact at Allentown. I would
> >not be surprised if Allentown is closed within 2 years as a
classification
> >yard.
> >
> >Norfolk Southern is a north-south company, so getting the line to
> >Mickeyville under the horsey flag is a good thing, even if it is only
> >trackage rights. Wanna bet the horse is in Montreal by next year?
> >
> >So, if Keating Summit was too much of a headache and dollar drain, you
gotta
> >think Gulf Summit is next, no?
> >
> >Is this the death knell for the Southern Tier east of Bingo? It's a big,
bad
> >railroad in the middle of nowhere. With the passenger plan seemingly
killed
> >by common sense and the NS now owning or having trackage rights to the NJ
> >ports via Allentown, there's not much reason to keep Gulf Summit in
> >operation as a NS route.
> >
> >Add in the Cut-Off revival, the intermodal terminals at Taylor and
> >Bethlehem, and the fact that the entire route is cleared for stacks, and
I
> >think you have a pretty good argument for routing all traffic that might
go
> >via Bingo down through Allentown. Not as much NJT interference, either.
> >
> >Rob
> >
> >
> >--
> >Rob Davis
> >trains_@_robertjohndavis.com
> >President, Garden State Central Model Railroad Club
> >http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/6611/
> >
> >Thinning collection: B&M, Lehigh Valley and milk road models in HO.
> >See them at http://www.vermonthobbydepot.com/consignment.html
> >
> >Web support for Vermont Hobby Depot at http://www.vermonthobbydepot.com
> >
> >Ahead of the Torch: http://www.robertjohndavis.com/aott
> >
> >Milk Train and Dairy Industry Group:
> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/milktrains/
> >
> >Northeastern Three Footers Group:
> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nethreefooters
> >
> >Anthracite Industry Modelers Group:
> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aimod
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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End of EL List Daily V3 #613
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