T.G.'s Photography Blog

Earlier this month I was over at the "Green Bridge" (a pedestrian bridge) on the eastern edge of CSX's DeWitt Yard. While there, I caught CSX train Q626-07, led by CSXT 5447, working at the yard. While Q626-07 was working the yard, intermodal train I004-07 (formerly train Q004) came through on the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. CSXT 5447 leading Q626-07 at DeWitt Yard Q626 is a daily manifest freight train that runs from Frontier Yard, in Buffalo, New York, to Selkirk Yard, in Selkirk, New York. Q626 makes stops at Goodman Yard in Rochester, New York, Waste Management in Fairport, New York, DeWitt Yard, in East Syracuse, New York, and Utica, New York. CSXT 5447 leading Q626-07 at DeWitt Yard. When I got up to the top of the Green Bridge, CSXT 5447 was pulling a string of rail cars from the yard tracks on the north side of the yard, that are along North Central Avenue. The train moved east, and after passing the Green Bridge it continued down Track 4 of the Syracuse Termi...

The Moon and the Planet Saturn in the southern sky, above Syracuse, NY. This post continues my Moon and and tiny-spot planet series .  On Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at 7 PM, the Moon and the planet Saturn could were close to each other in the southern sky above Syracuse, NY . While the planet Saturn is a white dot in the photograph, it was still interesting to see it and the Moon together.  The Moon was in its Waxing Crescent Phase on this night, and at the time of the photograph, had an illumination of 44.3%. The distance of the Moon from Earth was 376,416 km, while Saturn was 1,507.06 million km from Earth.   Photograph taken on November 10, 2021, from Syracuse, New York.

A few Sundays back, I was over at the "Green Bridge" in Minoa, New York, doing a bit of train watching.  The "Green Bridge" is a pedestrian overpass that crosses the eastern side of CSX's DeWitt Yard. While there, I caught CSXT 948 leading intermodal train I162-06. CSXT 948 and intermodal train I162 CSXT 948 on the point of Q162-06 approaching CP282, near the Green Bridge. I162, previously named Q162 , is a daily intermodal train that runs from North Baltimore, Ohio, to Port Newark, New Jersey. The train works a number of intermodal terminals during its trip, including DeWitt Yard. Above, I162 is slowly approaching control point (CP) 282 (MP QC282.5), at the Green Bridge. The block signal is for Track 1 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision, which can be partially see in the below photograph. I162-06 was coming through CP282 from the yard lead to Track 1.  Intermodal cars on I162-06 at CP282. Even with the front of the train now well beyond CP282, I162-06 stretch...

 Yesterday, CSX's track geometry train  W001-18 came south on the St. Lawrence Subdivision. After getting to Syracuse, New York, it stayed the night at DeWitt Yard in East Syracuse. This morning, I decided to venture out and see if I could find it parked over at the yard.  CSXT 6025 (GP40-2) sits with W001-19 at DeWitt Yard. With snow flurries falling, I found the geometry train, on a spur track. The spur track is on the south side of DeWitt Yard, and is to the east of I-481 and north of Manlius Center Road. Unfortunately, it was not easily accessible due to the area around it being private property .   CSXT 994527 (ex-SP 9020, ex-AMTK 2696 & AMTK 2451) CSXT 6025 and CSXT 994527 on W001-19 at DeWitt Yard. I was surprised to see the first car of the train wearing Southern Pacific (SP) lettering and colors. From information I found online, the ex-SP car was purchased by CSX in 2020. photographs found online, it has been used on CSX's geometry track trains ...

The majority of the autumn colors have come and gone already this fall in Central New York. For quite a while the lawn has been littered with fallen leaves, and while out in the yard a few weeks back, I spotted this maple leaf laying on the front lawn. The sunlight was striking it from behind, and it made the leaf's red and orange colors really stand out among the green grass. A maple leaf laying on the grass. As the sun continued to descend in the late afternoon sky I found these red leaves, which had begun to wilt  but that were still hanging on. Here the sunlight was striking the leaves from the side and from behind. By using a focal length of 600mm the cool colors of the forest beyond made for a nice backdrop, with some extreme bokeh. The Oxford dictionary defines bokeh as, "the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens." Red leaves wilting.  Photographs taken on November 6, 2021.

CSXT 3152 leading Q363-07 along Saintsville Road, nearing Auto 280/CP 280.  CSXT 3152 leads manifest freight train Q363-07 west along Saintsville Road, at Kirkville, New York. Q363-07 is eastbound on Track 2 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision, nearing Auto 280/CP280 (milepost (MP) QC280.5). The train is two miles from CSX's DeWitt Yard. The eastern edge of DeWitt Yard  is at MP QC282.5. In the distance a van waits at the Kirkville Road North railroad crossing, which is just east of MP QC280. Q363 is a daily manifest train that originates in Selkirk, New York, and its destination is Avon, Indiana. This train doesn't stop to work DeWitt Yard, but from what I've read online, it does stop to work Frontier Yard, in Buffalo, New York; CSX's yard in Ashtabula, Ohio; Collinwood Yard, in Cleveland, Ohio; the yard at Crestline, Ohio. Photograph taken on November 7, 2021, at Kirkville, New York.

 Back on Sunday, November 7, 2021, the Moon was in its Waxing Crescent Phase. After taking a photograph of the Moon and the Planet Venus together , I captured a few photographs of just the Moon, to show more detail in its surface. The most prominent feature that is seen in the photograph is the Mare Crisium, a basin on the Moon's surface. Mare Crisium during the Waxing Crescent Moon The Mare Crisium is seen along the dark and light edge of the illuminated surface. At the time I took the photograph, around 6 PM EST, the Moon's illumination was 13.5%. With this level of illumination, the Mare Crisium had just become fully visible on the Moon's surface. According to NASA, the Mare Crisium is about 3.9 billion years old, and is 740 km (460 miles) wide. While the Mare Crisium looks to be rather flat in the photograph, NASA states that it is about 1.8 km (1.1 miles) below the Moon's lunar datum (the Moon's sea level). It also reaches to a height of 3.34 km (2.1 miles) ab...

This past Tuesday, I saw on Virtual Railfan's, Fairport, New York, camera chat that CT rail 6705 was coming east on Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited that day. I decided to try and catch the the Lake Shore Limited, so I headed over to CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision, along Saintsville Road, at Kirkville, New York. AMTK 104, AMTK 105, and CNDX 6705 CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision runs parallel to Saintsville Road , between milepost (MP) 282 and milepost 280. I decided to set up at Auto 280/CP280, which is at MP 280.5. This location has a safe area that you can pull off to the side of the road and has a clear view to the east and west. AMTK 104, AMTK 105, and CNDX (CDOT/CT rail) 6705 lead the Lake Shore Limited. After about a fifteen-minute wait, I saw the headlight of the Lake Shore Limited (Amtrak train 48/CSX train P048) on the eastern edge of DeWitt Yard, at MP 282.5 . Soon, the Lake Shore Limited, led by AMTK 104, AMTK 105, and CNDX 6705 were rolling through Auto ...

  The Blue Angels performing at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The Blue Angels perform at the St. Louis County Fair and Air Show, on September 3, 2007. These jets are F/A-18 Hornets, which the Blue Angels began flying in 1986. The F/A-18 was originally designed and built by McDonald Douglas, which was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, before being taken over by Boeing. At the time, in 2007, the angels were flying the A/B versions of the Hornet. The A version is a single-seat aircraft, while the B version is a two-seat aircraft. Photograph taken on September 3, 2007, at Chesterfield, Missouri.

This past Saturday I captured some photographs of the Waxing Crescent Moon and Venus in the sky above Syracuse, New York. The two objects were too far apart, in my opinion, to get both objects in the same photograph and still see some detail in the Moon's surface. However, the following evening, Sunday, November 7, 2021, Venus had moved closer to the Moon, and I was able to capture a photograph of both of them together that I liked. The Waxing Crescent Moon and the planet Venus in the night sky, above Syracuse, NY. Venus is currently on a path that will bring it nearer to Earth, until early January 2022. On Sunday evening when I took this photograph, Venus was about 89.5 million kilometers/55.6 million miles from Earth, about 1.1 million kilometers/700,000 miles closer than on Saturday evening. Venus' closest distance to Earth in January 2022, will be about 39.77 million kilometers/24.7 million miles. The Moon was in its Waxing Crescent Phase, which occurs after a New Moon. At...

With clear skies this past weekend, I was able to capture some photographs of the Waxing Crescent Moon and the planet Venus in the sky above Syracuse, New York.  Waxing Crescent Moon The Crescent Moon with an illumination of 6.5%, on November 6, 2021. On Saturday, November 6, 2021, according to NASA, approximately 6.5 percent of the Moon was illuminated during the hour in which I took the photograph of the Crescent Moon. The  Waxing Crescent Moon  is the phase occurring right after a New Moon. The illumination of the Moon grows to 49.9% during this phase. When I took the photograph, the Moon was in the southwestern sky, and its distance from Earth at the time was approximately 362,000 kilometers/225,000 miles.  Venus in the southern sky  Venus is the southern sky, on November 6, 2021. In addition to the Crescent Moon, the planet Venus could be seen in the southern sky on Saturday night. Venus was just under 90.7 million kilometers/56.3 million miles from Earth, ...

 Last month, while at the Pottery Road crossing on the Rochester Subdivision, I caught CSXT 5325 and CSXT 255 leading train K622-29. The train, below, is passing the old New York Central milepost 298 marker that is just to the west of Pottery Road. K622-29 was eastbound on Track 2 of the subdivision. CSXT 5325 leads train K622-29 east on Track 2 at MP 298. Train K622 is an as-needed loaded ethanol train that runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. K622-29 had an axel count of 468. Minus sixteen axles for the two locomotives and one buffer car, gave the train a tank car count of 113. Tank cars on K622-29 stretch into the distance on the Rochester Subdivision. Photographs taken on October 2, 2021, at Warners, New York.

 While waiting for train I001-02 at the "Green Bridge," on the eastern edge of DeWitt Yard, in Minoa, New York, I spotted CSXT 4089 and another unknown CSX locomotive switching in the Local Yard. The fall colors along DeWitt Yard were at about their peak it seemed and made for a nice background to CSXT 4089. CSXT 4089 switches at the Local Yard in DeWitt Yard. While CSXT 4089 was switching, there was track work happing close by. It looked like rail replacement work was being done on one of the two stub tracks on the eastern end of the yard. These tracks are, I believe, for switching work at the yard. Track maintenance machines sit on the North Drill Lead at DeWitt Yard. Photographs taken on November 2, 2021, at Minoa, New York.

CSXT 5223 leads priority intermodal train I001-02 west on Track 2 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. The train is passing the old New York Central (NYC) milepost for 282, which can be seen to the right of the train. Train I001-02 is nearing CP282, which is within mile 282, on the eastern edge of CSX's DeWitt Yard. The eastern portion of DeWitt Yard is in Minoa, New York. CSXT 5223 leads I001-02 at MP QC282, at the edge of DeWitt Yard. The Syracuse Terminal Subdivision has three main tracks on the eastern side of DeWitt Yard. Track 2 is the right most track, Track 1 is the middle track, and Track 4 is the left most track. Track 4 runs between the rail yard and CP278 at Oneida, New York. I001-02 rolls along Track 2 at CP283 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision, alongside DeWitt Yard. I001 is a once-a-week priority intermodal train that leaves North Bergen, New Jersey, on Tuesdays, and arrives at Bedford Park, Illinois, the next day. The train doesn't stop to work any other t...

 Earlier this week I was over at the western end of CSX's DeWitt Yard. I noticed that the signal for the northern most departure lead track was green for a westbound train, so I parked near CP285 and waited. Soon I saw the headlight of CSXT 3010 to the east of the Interstate 481 overpass, about a half of a mile east of CP285. While slowly pacing a CSX work truck, CSXT 3010 and CSXT 7868 lead train I009-01 through CP285. CSXT 3010 (YN3b scheme) & CSXT 7868 (YN2 scheme) lead I009-01 west at CP285. Train I009-01 was on its way to Bedford Park, Illinois, from Port Newark, New Jersey. I009 (formerly Q009) is a daily intermodal train , and always stops to work DeWitt Yard . When I took this photograph I009-01 wasn't ready to depart yet, but due to the train's length, it needed to pull west past the signals at CP285 in order to push back into the intermodal yard.  Photograph taken on November 2, 2021, at East Syracuse, New York.

Back on October 22, I headed over to CP286 on the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. As I arrived train Q364-21 was already rolling east through the control point.  Q364-21 at CP286 and CP285 CSX train Q364 is a daily manifest that runs from Avon, Indiana, to Selkirk, New York. Today's train, Q364-21, originated at Avon, Indiana on October 21, 2021. The "-21" suffix, in the train ID, indicates the date of the train's origination. Freight cars on Q364-21 are rolling under the signal on the western edge of CP286. Above, 364-21 is rolling east (toward the camera) on Track 2 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision (STS), under the signal bridge that is on the western edge of CP286. At the signal bridge, to the left of the train, is the eastern end of Track 7, which Amtrak trains use to access Syracuse's passenger station. Track 7 runs between CP286 and CP291 . Q364-21 is rolling under the cantilever signal bridge at CP286. The light was changing fast, and I took the above p...

Last month I came across intermodal train I115-21, as the train was being switched at DeWitt Yard by CSXT 920 and CSXT 280. Train I115 ( formerly Q115 ) is a daily intermodal train that originates in Worcester, MA., and terminates at DeWitt Yard in East Syracuse, NY.  CSX train I115 at DeWitt Yard CSXT 920 sits near an intermodal container crane at DeWitt Yard. I115-21 was working on one of the two departure lead tracks that connect to main Track 1 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision (STS), at CP285 . The train, above, is just to the east of CP285, and the control point sits on the western edge of DeWitt Yard. In the background one of the large intermodal gantry cranes at the yard can be seen. CSXT 920 and CSXT 280 switch train I115-21 at DeWitt Yard. Three minutes later a bit of sun peeked out as CSXT 920 and CSXT 280 were waiting to shove I115-21 back into the intermodal yard. I115-21 was a long train. It was at least a mile and a half in length. The locomotives were near CP285...

The fall color change in many places here in Central New York are progressing slowly. The warmer then normal October here seems to  have slowed the change. However, there are some places that have a nice splash of color.  While out railfanning with my youngest a few weeks back , we came across a lakeside hill between Minoa, New York, and Kirkville, New York, that had a nice patch of trees with colorful leaves. The lake, from what I can tell, doesn't have a name. It is located to the east of Minoa Road and North Manlius Road. Fall colors on a lakeside hill, near Minoa, New York. Photograph taken on October 22, 2021, at Minoa, New York.

The CSX Syracuse Terminal Subdivision   The Syracuse Terminal Subdivision was formed from the western end of the CSX Mohawk Subdivision in January 2011. The Syracuse Terminal Subdivision starts at Control Point (CP) 263 (milepost QC 263.8) in Oneida, New York. It then goes west to CP296 (MP QC 296.8) at Airport Road, to the west of Solvay, New York. The Mohawk Subdivision now ends at the westbound absolute signals (WAS) of CP263, since CP263 is part of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. On the western end, the STS meets the CSX Rochester Subdivision and ends at the westbound absolute signals. CP296 is part of the Rochester Subdivision. Both the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision and the Rochester Subdivision are controlled by CSX's NF dispatcher in Jacksonville, Florida. Auto 280/CP280 On October 2, 2021, I caught AMTK 711 leading train P063 at Auto 280/CP280 (MP QC 280.5), along the three-track segment of the subdivision. Auto 280/CP280 sits along Saintsville Road in Kirkville, New Yo...