Canadian wildfire smoke at CSX's DeWitt Yard

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At CP-282, CSXT 3261 is the rear DP on westbound intermodal train I157-05. In the background the Fremont Rd. bridge (1.4 miles to the west) is mostly obscured by the wildfire smoke.
At CP-282, CSXT 3261 is the rear DP on westbound intermodal train I157-05. In the background the Fremont Rd. bridge (1.4 miles to the west) is mostly obscured by the wildfire smoke.

  On Tuesday, June 6th, and Wednesday, June 7th, Syracuse, New York, and the surrounding Central New York (CNY) area were blanketed with smoke from wildfires in Nova Scotia and Québec, Canada. Initially, early Tuesday morning, the air just looked to have some moderate haze and smelled of smoke. By midmorning, at times, it was difficult to see structures beyond a mile and the air at times had a yellowish cast to it. 

Looking west from the "Green Bridge" at Minoa, NY., yellow tinted smoke surrounds CSXT 4090, which is stopped in the distance on the North Drill Track at DeWitt yard.
Looking west from the "Green Bridge" at Minoa, NY., yellow tinted smoke surrounds CSXT 4090, which is stopped in the distance on the North Drill Track at DeWitt yard.

    Compared to some parts of the Eastern US and Canada, the Syracuse area didn't get the worst of it. The Air Quality Index (AQI) considers good air quality to be in the range between 0 to 50. Last Tuesday, the CNY region, which includes Syracuse, NY., reached an AQI 175 (in the red/unhealthy zone). On Wednesday, the AQI reached 233. An AQI of 233 is considered "Very Unhealthy" according to the EPA. 

The front of I157-05 is stopped east of CP-285 in East Syracuse, NY. In the background the I-481 bridge is visible at a distance of one mile from the photograph's vantage point.
The front of I157-05 is stopped east of CP-285 in East Syracuse, NY. In the background the I-481 bridge is visible at a distance of one mile from the photograph's vantage point.

  On June 7, 2023, the smoke was more pronounced, though it looked much less yellow in color than the day before. At CP-286 of CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision I caught Amtrak's P284-07 coming east, continuing its journey from Niagara Falls, NY., to New York City. The signal bridge is about 1,600 feet from my position and the Thompson Road bridge is about 3,400 feet away. 

With heavy smoke, AMTK 703 leads P284-07 east at CP-286 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision in East Syracuse, NY.
With heavy smoke, AMTK 703 leads P284-07 east at CP-286 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision in East Syracuse, NY.

Intermodal train, I009-06, led by CSXT 3373, is coming west at CP-286. I009 is departing DeWitt Yard, which is just around the curve past the old NYC coaling towers in the background.
Intermodal train, I009-06, led by CSXT 3373, is coming west at CP-286. I009 is departing DeWitt Yard, which is just around the curve past the old NYC coaling towers in the background.

Manifest train M367-07, led by CSXT 984, is coming out of DeWitt Yard, past Willey Lumber, at CP-285. M367 is on the North Runner, heading west.
 Manifest train M367-07, led by CSXT 984, is coming out of DeWitt Yard, past Willey Lumber, at CP-285. M367 is on the North Runner, heading west. 

CSXT 6533 is switching a cut of intermodal cars at DeWitt Yard. In the background is the I-481 bridge over the rail yard. The bridge is about 3,000 feet east of the block signal in the foreground.
CSXT 6533 is switching a cut of intermodal cars at DeWitt Yard. In the background is the I-481 bridge over the rail yard. The bridge is about 3,000 feet east of the block signal in the foreground.


Photographs 1-3 taken on June 6, 2023. Photographs 4-7 taken on June 7, 2023, at East Syracuse, New York.


Comments

  1. JimAugust 15, 2023 at 12:59 PM

    Good examples of how thick the smoke was Tom. While I apologize for the smoke, I must say I feel worse for the people living in the areas of the fires.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom G.August 15, 2023 at 1:25 PM

      Thanks, Jim. And yes, it must be terrible for folks living in the thick of it.

      Delete
  2. Shelly GAugust 17, 2023 at 10:50 AM

    Very good representative photos. I was out in PA at the end of June and was amazed by how much smoke was in the air there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom G.August 19, 2023 at 11:09 AM

      Thanks a lot, Shelly. These were the worst two days we had here, though we have smoke in the air it seemed for most of June.

      Delete

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