I am going out to Binghamton area in October. Could anyone give me a good place to do some train watching/photography within 30 miles of Binghamton? Thanks a lot, I’m not very familiar with the area.
There are many good spots to watch trains here in Binghamton.
Also within a easy drive are to large viaducts and an tunnel.
Rail traffic is quit varible but enough to keep you insterested.
The local railroads are strict about tresspassing but there is good access from public property. Some of the spots to watch from are QD which is under the Chenango st bridge. Nice if it is hot or raining. Both ends of the CP’s East Binghamton yard is accessible. The NYSW yard is not easy to access but if there is no hoppers in the way you can photograph their shop area.
If you want we can get in contact by E-mail and I can give you more detailed info. Also if we know when you are coming myself or some of the other local railfans can show you
all the best location.
You will be just about 30 miles from Starucca Viaduct. I can’t tell you when you’ll see traffic on it (maybe BNSFNUT can help you out there via email), but just seeing the structure is awe inspiring… Head down NY17 East to the Damascus exit and then south to Lanesboro, PA. You can’t miss it. You can also check out a couple of RR displays at Susquehanna, PA, just up the road.
Go to the Railpace magazine site for possible links to support sites. NS currently has a good amount of traffic via the Southern Tier between Buffalo and Binghamton, but most of it goes south of Binghamton via Allentown rather than east of Binghamton via Port Jervis. Starrucca Viaduct and Gulf Summit grade (on the line to Port Jervis) get very little traffic, just an NYS&W job or two, plus an occasional NS train. Belden Hill on the CP (D&H) line to Albany gets moderate traffic, as does the CP/NS line south to Allentown. As mentioned by previous post, Lanesboro area hosts famous Tunkhannock Viaduct. Just north of there, don’t miss the smaller but equally worthy Martins Creek Viaduct.
Thank You all for your help.
I was in Binghamton last week for a wedding and was stunned to have 3 trains pass by the wedding site in Owego. My sister lives in Endwell and I hope to get back out there in the fall. I think I saw a trainyard down in the valley in the right as I left Binghamton on Rt 17. Is this the you were talking about? It’s kind of difficult to drive and look.
I live in Boston and Binghamton certainly has more to offer in the way of Freight! Thanks for your help
I was in Binghampton today while coming back from visiting some family and I saw two NYS&W high hood SD40’s, an NS freight with a C40-9W and UP SD70M, a D&H (CP) train with a CP SD40-2, Soo Line SD40-2, Soo SD60, and CP GP38-2, an NYS&W GP18 and a local, and I chased a freight from Binghampton to Scranton that had an NS C40-9W, Montana Rail Link SD45 (still in NYS&W paint), NS C40-8W (still in CR blue), and a high hood geep.