Empire Service train P284, CSX train Q009-27, and CSX train Q017-28

 While driving south on highway, I spotted Empire Service train P284 head east past Destiny USA Mall. I decided to head over to CSX's DeWitt Yard to catch it after it departed the Syracuse train station.

CSXT 3279 on the point of train Q017-28

DeWitt Yard was pretty busy upon arrival. The westbound signal for Track 2 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision (STS) at CP285 was green, so a westbound train was on its way. A few minutes later CSXT 3279 was leading train Q017-28 west through the yard, approaching CP285 at Bridge Street. 

CSXT 3279 leading train Q017-28 at DeWitt Yard

Q017 is a daily intermodal train that runs from Worcester, MA., to Bedford Park, IL. (near Chicago, IL.) CSXT 3279 was the lone unit on the front of the train. CSXT 3326 (no photo) was the mid-train distributed power unit (DPU).

CSXT 3209 and CSXT 418 on Q009-27

While waiting for the Amtrak train to show up, Q009-27 was sitting at CP285 waiting to depart out of DeWitt Yard and head west for Bedford Park, IL., as well. In the background manifest train Q627-27 works on the north runner at DeWitt Yard.

CSXT 3209 and CSXT 418 on train Q009-27 at CP285

After waiting for a short time Q009-27 began to roll west under the cantilever signal bridge at CP285, as it departed DeWitt Yard to head west to Bedford Park, IL.

Q009-27 drops the signal to red at CP285

AMTK 702 leading Amtrak's Empire Service train P284

A short time later, AMTK 702 (GE built P32AC-DM) showed up leading Empire Service train P284 east through CP285 on Track 2 of the STS. In the background CSXT 3180 is the mid-train DPU on Q009-27.

AMTK 702 leading Empire Service train P284 at DeWitt Yard

Train P284's next stop will be Rome, NY. Empire Service trains run between Niagara Falls, NY., and New York City.

CSXT 3209 and CSXT 917 at CP291

Q009-27 was moving slowly out of the yard, so I decided to see if I could get back over to Destiny USA Mall and catch it heading west at CP291. As luck would have it, I got there in time. 

CSXT 3209 at CP291 on the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision

CSXT 3209 is rolling along side CSX train Q162-27, which is stopped waiting for clearance to proceed east to DeWitt Yard. CP291 is the junction with CSX's St. Lawrence Subdivision. In the background is the western leg of the wye, which connects the STS with the St. Lawrence Subdivision.

CSXT 917 is the DPU on Q162-27

Last up is CSXT 917 (a GE built ES44AC-H), which is serving as the distributed power unit (DPU) on CSX train Q162-27. Q162 is a daily intermodal train that runs from North Baltimore, OH., to Port Newark, NJ.

Photographs taken on September 28, 2021, at East Syracuse, New York, and Syracuse, New York.

Post updated on October 24, 2021.