Frontier Yard - Buffalo, NY

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Several years ago, one of my favorite places to check out railroad activity was CSX’s Frontier Yard in Buffalo, NY. A city street was within a stone’s throw of the Bailey Ave Yard Tower. I was amazed at how many movements would be going on at once, and the numerous foreign railroads that came into the yard. (CP, CN, NS just to name a few).

I went back there the last night (Friday, Sept. 11/09), and was shocked at how quiet it was. Nothing going on at all at the hump, not that many engines sitting on the shop track and only one yard job working from my vantage point. Looked like one big storage yard waiting for better days.

Eventually, I did see two CP Rail AC4400’s come off the shop track and tie on to a train and depart, which tells me at least some trains are being assembled there.

I hope this is only a sign of the times, and all that activity I saw in the past returns sometime in the future.

Just wondering if anyone knows what CP and CN trains to arrive and depart Frontier? The CP train I saw last night was 255 with it’s objective terminal being Agincourt Yard in Toronto, ON. Apparently 254 is it’s counterpart coming into Frontier.

2

Discussions on a local NY forum lead one to believe that CSX is walking away from Frontier except for some local operations.

3

I’m sorry to hear that.

I wonder if CP trains from Canada will be rerouted to Seneca Yard if Frontier is reduced to local operations only. A CN employee told me that CN already has trains that terminate and depart Seneca Yard. (On top of trains going to Frontier).

4

It has been reported on local news that Frontier is essentially closed, with most of its functions transferred to Willard, OH. If that isn’t bad enough, NS has also shut down the former Erie RR Southern Tier line from Buffalo to the southeast. The Portageville Bridge at Letchworth has structural problems and probably will have to be replaced. Meanwhile, NS traffic is rerouting via WNY&P, some going south to Olean while other traffic goes to WNYP at Corry or Meadville.