CSX S&C News & Notes

[bbrant]

For anyone interested, here's an update on the CSX S&C Branch....

There must be some maintenance work being done somewhere either on the S&C or one of it's connections. A pair of "additional" units - mother/slug set 6917 / 2220 have been kept at Rockwood. A couple months ago these units were being used on runs to & from Johnstown but now seem to be in service for some other train, possibly for a work train on the Salisbury branchline work. Don't know this for sure, just guessing.

Mother/slug set including former CSX GP30 2211 have been used in service between Rockwood & Johnstown but yesterday I caught a train going through Geiger with two different units. A quick trip to Rockwood confirmed the previous two units were gone. Got some shots of the "new" power for the S&C. Here's a link to some of the previous units:

http://bbrant.rrpicturearchives.net/archivethumbs.aspx?id=4123&Page=1

I took a quick drive to see the progress on the Cambria Line (Shanksville line). Looks like a fair amount of drainage work was being done where the track goes through a marshy area between Stutzmantown (Shanksville) Road and Trent Road. According to the guy from Appalachian Rail Services, this is the worst segment of the line.

I did a little checking around on this line and found some very nice areas for photos once trains start running again. Unfortunately I managed to get stuck turning around near one of the locations. Got one wheel on a small bridge and one wheel of the family mini-van in the ditch. Middle of nowhere and didn't have my cell phone with me!. Yikes!! Took a bit of time but managed to get unstuck and on my way. Chalk it up as the price I pay for being a railfan!!

Hopefully I'll be seeing a guy from PBS Coal next week who's familiar with their shipping and can give more insight to when the line will see trains again.

Brian

[Modelcar]

....Been looking for your update Brian....so thanks for this one. Boy, out in the boonies there and without any way to call for help probably was a bit unnerving...Might have been a bit of a problem to tell someone where you were too...
We've made plans to make another trip to Pennsylvania beginning Aug. 4th so we'll try to get some more eyeball of that situation at that time....
Hope your PBS fellow can give you some good update when you see him.
Sounds like coal hauling in the area may be a bit on the upswing. Let's hope so.

[bbrant]

I think coal hauling is on the upswing, espcially since the line to the Cambria Mine is in the process of getting ready for use again. From what I was told, this is to help suppliment the loading of trains on NS near Reels Corner.

I was a bit bummed that I didn't have time to get a picture of the train returning from Johnstown coming out of the tunnel at Geiger yesterday. Always wanted to get a shot there but never had the opportunity. Yesterday seemed like I was so close but yet so far from getting the shot I wanted. Oh well, maybe next time.

[Modelcar]

...I've taken some shots there at that tunnel and even walked through it..{it's very short}, and I've never seen a train there when I was right next to it. But plenty have certainly going past there through the years.