Conrail's Southern Tier was the scenic ex-EL line that ran through New Jersey and New York State. It provided CR with a valuable extra route west, but never saw the same amount of traffic that the former PC (NYC and PRR) routes did.
1
Semaphore 318.1 on the westward main at Brown's Crossing, NY. displays a "clear" indication, but not for long.
2
One of the good things about automatic block signals, of any kind, was that they gave warning about oncoming traffic running against the current. Semaphore 318.1 has "dropped" to caution for just that reason. And now you know where the expression "signal dropped" comes from, if you didn't already.
3
And here it is! BUOI, led by SD60 6850, rolls past the signal at Brown's Crossing, NY. The photo was purposely composed this way to show the "umbilical" between the semaphore and the code line.
5
The operator at BD Tower ties train orders to the arms on the train order pole.
6
The West end of the Southern Tier was at Bison Yard, a joint facility with N&W. It did not take long for this yard to be abandoned, since Frontier Yard was only a little over a mile away. Here is a mix of power at the engine facilities as seen from the old LV main.
7
A pair of GATX leaser SD40's take CP/D&H train BUME across the new Portage Viaduct near Portageville, NY. on May 7, 1993.
13
A leased CN GP-38 leads an Eastbound into Hornell. Those widecabs were a novelty back then!
14
On the way back to the motel, we ran into this guy in Canaseraga. The shadows had already overtaken the area, so I thought if the train and I both hurried back up to Dalton, we might catch the last rays. JUST made it!
15
It's dawn in the Canisteo River Valley and a Westbound CR freight is splitting the double semaphores just East of Adrian, NY.
16
A little B23-7 is leading much bigger units on an Eastbound coal train.
17
The only over - under meet I ever got at Lanesboro was this meet of cabooses between an Eastbound CR and Northbound D&H freight.
19
Mixed color lashups were getting rare by this time, but TV 77 had a surprise with an ex PC GP-30 and a Chessie GP-40 leading a more common blue GP-40.
20
An Eastbound CR freight stops at SR Tower to add the Gulf Summit helper to its consist. U36-C #6590 will be added behind the 2276 for the trip to Deposit.
22
The power on an Eastbound backs up to work the Binghamton yard. The BAR engine was a leaser.
23
The end was near for cabooses. An N8 brings up the rear of OIEL as it heads up the hill out of Hornell.
25
In a pouring rain the conductor has just grabbed his train orders at the Hornell depot.
27
A Westbound to Buffalo departs Hornell. The signal to the far right is on the line from Meadville.
28
In a cloud of brake shoe smoke, an Eastbound from Meadville comes down the grade to Hornell.
29
An Eastbound departs Hornell at ZY - the East end of the old Hornell Yard.
