Q363-21, the Lake Shore Limited, and Q368-20 at Warners, NY

While out on a drive to see if the tree leaves had accelerated their fall color change, we heard the track detector at milepost QC323.6 of the Rochester Subdivision (Savannah, NY.) start talking for Amtrak's eastbound Lake Shore Limited. We therefore headed over to Pottery Road to wait for it. 

CSX 3453 leading train Q363-21

First up was CSXT 3453 (a General Electric built ET44AH) leading train Q363-21 west on the Track 1 of the Rochester Subdivision at Pottery Road (MP QC297.76). Train Q363 is a daily manifest train that runs from Selkirk, NY., to Avon, IN. Below, the train is coming west around the curve just to the east of Pottery Road (milepost 297.76).

CSXT 3453 leading Q363-21

This was a long train. The defect detector a few miles to the west of Pottery Road at milepost QC302.6 (Warners, NY) reported an axel count of 572. Subtracting twelve axles for the two locomotives (CSXT 3177 was the mid-train DPU) works out to 140 four-axle freight cars on this train. Below, the end of the train rolls past the old New York Central milepost 298 marker.

The end of Q363-21 rolls past Milepost 298

The Lake Shore Limited

A short time later the defect detector at milepost QC302.6 went off again. This time it reported an axle count of sixty-six axles, so we knew that it was the Lake Shore Limited that was approaching. Within seconds of hearing the detector go off I saw the headlight of AMTK 108 in the far distance. AMTK 108 is painted in Amtrak's Phase VI paint scheme, and has lettering on its sides commemorating Amtrak's 50th anniversary. The letter says, "Connecting America for 50 years." The train was moving fast, and kicking up quite a few leaves that had fallen onto the ground.

AMTK 108 and AMTK 117 lead train P048-20

Today, in addition to the normal car consist, the Lake Shore Limited had four private passengers cars on the rear of the train. The four passengers cars were: RPCX 800971, "Pacific Home"; WEBX 800640, "Pacific Union"; WEBX 801045, "NP 549"; and PPCX 800086 "NYC 1/America." 

CSXT 3274 and CSXT 3198 leading train Q368-20

Last up is train Q368-20, a daily manifest freight train that runs from Chicago, IL., to Selkirk, NY. The train was led by CSXT 3274 and CSXT 3198. Below, the train is heading east toward Pottery Road. This view is looking north from Warners Road.

CSXT 3274 and CSXT 3198 lead train Q368-20

Photographs taken on September 21, 2021, at Warners, NY.