Other photos from that event looked pretty cool, with an MoW work train demonstration with S-2 #3021, rare-mileage excursion south of Lamothe Landing behind RS-3s #4103 and #4118, a dinner train and a nighttime photo event. I was sadly tied up with a prior engagement (and I can't complain too much about 3rd overall and 2nd in Pro at an autocross).
Late this winter, Finger Lakes Railway sold off their fleet of passenger cars, after some sporadic passenger excursions over the past two or three years, and the rumor was that a change in management had resulted in cessation of passenger excursions. Now it appears that they were clearing the way for something bigger, based on today's announcement. The URHS of NJ, FMW Rail Operations, and Finger Lakes Railway have announced a joint excursion program, called Finger Lakes Rail Experience. They will use five of URHS of NJ's coaches (NYC round-end observation Hickory Creek, NYC tavern-lounge #43, NYC tavern-lounge Swift Stream, NYC Tavern Lounge #37, and PRR deluxe coach #1547) and operate Friday through Sunday from July to August out of Seneca Falls, Geneva and Canandaigua. The URHS cars were previously used on their successful Hudson River Rail excursions, where they were tacked on the back of Amtrak trains in and out of New York City, but that program has been put on hiatus due to capacity issues as the East River Tunnel undergoes habilitation.
The map they shared, and their schedule shows that they'll be primarily running east out of Seneca Falls to Auburn and back, and they'll be running the Canandaigua-Geneva segment, out of either city depending on the day. That Seneca Falls-Auburn stretch is really quite pretty, especially the huge causeway across Cayuga Lake. But then someone pointed out that August 30th has a "Railfan Train" listed as going from Canandaigua to Solvay. I'll have to keep my eyes out for that one, because I'd love to ride the whole way. I'm also kind of surprised they aren't doing anything on the Watktins Glen-Penn Yan leg, since those are huge tourist destinations, but I have to wonder if it's maybe because they would bee at NS' mercy of moving equipment between Geneva and Himrod Junction.
Now, if only Finger Lakes had some F-units or E-units. Although those lightning stripe GP38-2s or B23-7s will still look mighty good leading classic NYC coaches.
Here's a weird one: An ex-WM/CSX SD40-2 that was stored on the moribund Georges Creek Railway has been moved to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for a photo shoot for the Fireball Photo Experience on June 28th. The locomotive is inoperative (WMSR says it's missing the traction motors and is basically a shell) and wears faded CSX paint. Originally WMSR said it was YN1 paint but then a bunch of CSX nerds got mad and screamed, "That's not YN1, it's Stealth with an added yellow nose." It does make me a bit amazed that we're reaching the point where people want a photo shoot with inoperative SD40-2s in faded CSX paint. WMSR says the locomotive is privately owned, is no operational and there are no plans to make it operational again, but it will be repainted in something "more our speed" for display.
Unfortunately the Georges Creek Railway, which the WMSR acquired about a year and a half ago to restore to service and operate freight and passenger trains on, was hit by some pretty gnarly washouts during that storm down in Maryland a week ago. From WMSR, "The Georges Creek Division Railroad, which had recently cleared the right-of-way between Barton and Westernport, suffered significant track damage in that stretch by Tuesday evening. Bridges, crossings, ROW, and several miles of track were impacted by the quick moving water." As it is, this line already had a number of washouts that needed repairing.
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