October 7, 2011

Friday: Between Lockport, NY and Brockport, NY

Three builder consist on FRR

On the Falls Road Railroad

From Lockport, NY to Brockport, NY, back and forth

Very, very early in the morning of Friday, October 7, 2011 I met Otto again. We set off on a new adventure, this time heading west, almost to Buffalo to Lockport to chase the Falls Road Railroad.

According to Wikipedia (on December 4, 2011):

The Falls Road Railroad (reporting mark FRR) is a Class III short line railroad owned by Genesee Valley Transportation. The railroad operates in Niagara, Orleans, and Monroe counties in New York. The railroad's right-of-way consists of 41.69 miles of track, known as the Falls Road Branch, that were acquired from Conrail on October 15, 1996. A yard and engine house are maintained in Lockport, NY, where the railroad interchanges with CSX. The railroad is known for their use of Alco locomotives.

The name Falls Road originates from the Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad. The term Falls Road Branch was adopted by New York Central, and later Conrail, to refer to the section of railroad track between Lockport and Rochester, New York. In 1994, Conrail abandoned twelve miles of track between Rochester and Brockport, New York; the Falls Road Branch now terminates in Brockport, east of Owens Rd at Mile Post 16.60. The Falls Road provides rail service to the Western New York Energy, LLC ethanol plant near Medina, New York. This is the first such plant in the state.

The Falls Road Railroad, like all other GVT properties is Alco powered. At this time, the railroad is using one New York Central vintage RS32 (DL 2035) as well as one Nickel Plate vintage RS-11 (FRR 1802). The 2035 is the primary engine however, 1802 will be used on days when an extra train, such as a passenger excursion or snowplow is needed.

Morning Photos

We arrived in Lockport in time to see the morning Falls Road Railroad (FRR) job getting ready to work. The power for today's train was Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad (D-L) 2035, an e-NYC ALCo RS32. This is one of two RS32's the D-L has, the other is ex-SP.

Please click on the following links to see photos taken of the FRR:

Mid-day Photos

After the train disappeared into the plant we went to Brockport to grab lunch. We got some subs to go at Wegman's. It was the first time this California boy had been to Wegman's. We returned to the ethanol plant to catch the job just wrapping up it's work. When we arrived we learned the morning job in Batavia, NY had finished their work early and their crew was driving over to take the RS32 on east to finish its local work. The Lockport crew would be taking the ethanol train back to Lockport.

Please click on the following links to see photos taken of the FRR:

Late Afternoon Photos

After the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad ALCo RS32 2035 got it's own crew, east of Medina, NY it headed east toward the point where the Falls Road Railroad now ends in Brockport, NY. We followed the eastbound train to the end of the line in Brockport.

When this line was owned by the New York Central it was the most direct route from Rochester and points east to Niagara Falls. Trains of honeymooners pulled by Hudsons and Niagaras would pass the passenger stations and the NYC frieght houses on these rails. I thought of the Falls Road Railroad like SP's Westside line south of Tracy to Fresno; this was a once often used shortcut enjoyed by speedy passenger trains. Like the SP did the westside line it was truncated and turned into a stub, by Conrail.

Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad ALCo RS32 2035 spent hours working the Allied Frozen Storage & Warehouse, at the end of the line in Brockport, NY on the Falls Road Railroad. The train, now headed west, finally emerged and passed the old NYC Brockport freight house at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 7, 2011.

Please click on the following links to see photos taken of the FRR:

Related Links

Click on the following links to see other posts related to this:

Genesee Valley Transportation Company
The Genesee Valley Transportation Company is the parent company of the Falls Road Railroad.
The Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad (WNYP)
The Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad makes extensive use of equipment from RRPX.
Livonia Avon and Lakeville Railroad (rail operations)
The LAL is the parent company of the WNYP as well as a rail operation out of Lakeville, NY.
RR Power Leasing LLC (RRPX)
Railroad equipment owned by RRPX is leased to WNYP.
Trip to New York and Pennsylvania, October 2011
This is the trip chasing ALCos and MLWs in Western New York and Pennsylvania in October 2011.
Trip to New York and Pennsylvania, June 2010
This is the trip chasing ALCos and MLWs in New York and Pennsylvania in June 2010.
New York and More, 2010 Vol 1 on Facebook
These are from my trip to western New York and elsewhere chasing trains and being a tourist.

Special Thanks

All the great folks who helped me out with information for these Web pages!

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