T.G.'s Photography Blog

Back in early October, I was over on the eastern end of DeWitt Yard, at CP282 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. I was taking photographs from up on the "Green Bridge," a pedestrian bridge that crosses over the train tracks, between North Main Street and South Main Street. Q212-01 departing DeWitt Yard While up on the "Green Bridge" taking photographs of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision (STS) at CP282, I saw an intermodal train snaking its way east out of the intermodal yard next to CP283. Below, you can see the intermodal train making its way east, to the right of CP283. CP283 are the block signals on the signal bridge in the far distance. A westward view of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision, from CP282 to CP283, at DeWitt Yard. Only Track 1 (right track) is part of the CP. Track 2 (left) has an automatic block signal. The train turned out to be Q212-01, led by CSXT 136 and CSXT 563. Q212 is a daily intermodal and automotive train that runs from Frontier Yard, ...

 Yesterday, my youngest and I set out to run an errand over in East Syracuse, New York, and while out we took a quick detour over to the Minoa and Kirkville areas to see if any trains could be found either at the eastern end of DeWitt Yard, or further east along the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. I017-22 at CP280/Auto 280 on the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision While driving back west on Sainstville Road, from North Kirkville Road, I saw the automatic signals at Auto 280/CP280 (MP QC280.5) come on, lined for a westbound on Track 1. We were in luck; well, I was in luck because my youngest had fallen asleep while we drove to Kirkville. Train I017-22, led by CSXT 3042, rolls west at Auto 280.  Soon, the headlight of CSXT 3042, leading train I017-22, appeared to the east, and within minutes was rolling through Auto 280 on Track 1. Track 1 and Track 2 here are controlled by automatic signals and Track 4 is controlled by control point signals.  From Auto 280, train I017-22 stretc...

While over in East Syracuse, New York, at CSX's DeWitt Yard, I heard CSX local B777-21 call the dispatcher for a track warrant, from milepost QMF23.2 on CSX's Fulton Subdivision down to milepost QMF7.2 at Woodard, NY. I was too far away from the Fulton Subdivision to catch B777-21, since I was catching a "race" between intermodal trains I009-20 and I017-21 at DeWitt Yard . But I figured that maybe I could catch B777-21 after finishing up at DeWitt and running an errand in East Syracuse. CSXT 3325 at CP291 At Woodard, the Fulton Subdivision connects with CSX's St. Lawrence Subdivision. I thought that I might be able to catch B777-21 somewhere near Woodard. As I was making my way to Woodard, along Onondaga Lake Parkway, I spotted CSXT 3325 leading a train Q621 south on the St. Lawrence Subdivision. CSX train Q621 , runs from Massena, New York, to DeWitt Yard in East Syracuse, New York. CSXT 3325 sits north of CP291, on the St. Lawrence Subdivision  I was too late to...

Since the leaves have started falling from the trees, I've had a better view of the bird activity in the forest behind my house. The other day, I was looking out my dinning room window and I saw a blue jay flying from tree to tree. I quickly grabbed my camera and the blue jay perched itself long enough for me to snap a couple of quick photographs of it.  A blue jay sits perched on a tree branch in my backyard. In addition to this blue jay, I was able to capture photographs of a juvenile red tailed hawk  last week. Thanks to the lack of leaves on the trees, I had a clear view of the hawk. Photograph taken on October 18, 2021, near Syracuse, New York.

Once again, while out running errands, I made a detour to CSX's DeWitt Yard to see what was happening there. When I got to DeWitt Yard, at CP285, I saw that Track 2 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision was lined for a westbound. I also saw the headlight of a train switching in the intermodal yard beyond I-481. I decided to park and see what was coming from the east. I017-21 and I009-20 CSXT 982 leads I0117-21 west past I009-20 at CP285. The train that was switching in the intermodal yard was I009-20, led by CSXT 505. Soon I009-20 started to pull west toward CP285 on the outbound lead tracks. While it was slowly moving west, the headlight of CSXT 982 leading intermodal train I017-21 appeared on Track 2 of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. It looked like the two trains were having a race. I017-21 gained quickly on I009-20, and passed it at CP285, a control point that sits on the western edge of DeWitt Yard.  CSXT 982 and CSXT 764 lead train I017-21 through CP285 at DeWitt Yard. I017...