T.G.'s Photography Blog

With three M7 EMUs behind CSXT 255 and CSXT 396, M367-06 passes under the Empire State Trail bridge on the southern end of Onondaga Lake.   On Monday and Wednesday this week, two movements of former Long Island Railroad (LIRR) M7 electric multiple unit (EMU) railcars passed through Syracuse, NY., on CSX manifest train M367 . On Monday, three M7s came through Syracuse on M367-06. Then on Wednesday, another set of three came through on M367-08. The cars had been stripped of most of their components and were just the railcar bodies bound for a scrapper.  M367 on the North Runner with three M7s on the head end passes through CP 286 at East Syracuse, NY.   The M7s were built by Bombardier and were used on both the LIRR and Metro-North Railroad (MNCW). Delivery to the railroads began in 2002. The MNCW's version was known as the M7A. The M7A differed due to the different electrical system the MNCW uses. The M7s were used in pairs and each car contained a set of controls. LIRR 7...

  CSX's 1st Ward Lead is a short industrial lead that now serves a single customer, Pak Technologies, in Syracuse, New York. The line ends in Syracuse's 1st Ward. The 1st Ward Lead diverges from CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision just east of the Amtrak station and curves around the backside of NBT Bank Stadium. It then runs south-westerly toward Hiawatha Boulevard.  In this view looking north, CSXT 2694 leads L024-10 across 4th N. Street at Hiawatha Blvd. The tree line in the distance hides the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision.   The 1st Ward Lead then curves on a northeasterly direction and crosses 4th N. Street. After crossing 4th N. Street, the line runs parallel to Hiawatha Blvd. and even passes right in front of a few houses along Hiawatha Blvd.  L024 is ready to switch out tank cars at the only customer on the 1st Ward Lead, along Hiawatha Blvd.   The 1st Ward Lead originally continued into the Eaton Crouse-Hinds plant located at Hiawatha Blvd. and 7...

  Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited crosses over Onondaga Creek, at the southern end of Onondaga Lake.   AMTK 108 , Amtrak's Phase VI 50th anniversary locomotive, leads the eastbound Lake Shore Limited across Onondaga Creek . AMTK 108 is one of six locomotives painted to commemorate Amtrak's' 50th anniversary. Here, Onondaga Creek empties into Onondaga Lake on the lake's southeastern end. The view is looking northwest towards the industrial area that sits to the south of the New York State Fairgrounds on the lake's western side. Photograph taken on October 11, 2022, at Syracuse, New York.

  A bald eagle is on the lookout while eating a fish at Murphy's Island.   Murphy's Island at Syracuse, New York, has become a winter-feeding ground for bald eagles in recent years. The Island is on the southeastern corner of Onondaga Lake and this part of the lake doesn't freeze over in the winter because of a nearby wastewater treatment plant. Due to the lake not freezing over by Murphy's Island bald eagles, as well as other birds, can fish the lake's waters. The bald eagle tears at the fish's remains while perched in the tree at Murphy's Island.   Murphy's Island is not an actual island. At least not that I can tell from satellite imagery of it. The "island" is surrounded by Onondaga Lake, Onondaga Creek, another creek (name is unknown), and CSX's railroad tracks . The island sits across the tracks from Destiny USA Mall. Murphy's Island can be accessed by a newly opened trail extension to the Onondaga Creekwalk trail.  While still in...

  I001 crosses Onondaga Creek at the southern edge of Onondaga Lake.   While bike riding along Onondaga Lake, I heard I001-11 call clear at CP 278 (milepost (MP) QC 278.3), which is at Sullivan, New York, just east of Kirkville, New York. I was at MP QC 292.6, so I went east to the trail along Onondaga Creek, near MP QC 292.0. After an approximately ten-minute wait, I heard I001 call clear at CP 291 (MP QC 291.5). Less than a minute later, the hot-shot intermodal train was rolling west across the creek, which empties into Onondaga Lake on the lake's southern edge. Photograph taken on October 11, 2022.

On Saturday, parts of the Western and Central New York regions had a snow squall blow through. The squall came through from the west to the east and only lasted about ten to fifteen minutes. It brought white-out conditions and wind gusts up to 40MPH. It hit the Syracuse area just before 10AM EST. Typical snow falling at the start of the snow squall. The snow squall started out with what I would call typical snow fall for the area. However, within minutes of the snow starting to fall the squall brought white-out conditions. The tree line of the forest is fifty feet from my vantage point. According to the National Weather Service, a snow squall is an intense snowstorm with high wind gusts that is much shorter in duration than a blizzard. They are often accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature which can cause the snow to freeze, leading to dangerous driving conditions. The snow and winds were so intense during this snow squall that the visibility of the forest behind my house, which ...

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.