Local Trains In PA

The Canadian Pacific presence in Northeastern Pennsylvania dates back to 1990 when the company aquired the bankrupt Delaware and Hudson Railroad.  The bright "Action Red" locomotives of CP Rail provided some new material for photographers, but were not the only change visible in the area.  Since the D&H had suffered from years of neglect, with differed maintenance to its infrastructure, extensive upgrades were needed to make the line viable again.  While it took serveral years and millions of dollars to make it so, the former D&H is a bustling railroad once more.

Taylor Yard, located about 2 miles south of Scranton is the hub of activity for Canadian Pacific in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  To the north of Taylor the tracks were formerly part of the Delware Lackawanna and Western mainline, acquired by the D&H in 1976.  The tracks climb upgrade to Clark's Summit the continue to Binghamton, NY.  To the south of the yeard the route follows the original D&H main to Dupont Junction where Canadian Pacific trains most often cross over the the Reading and Northern main to continue south to Lehighton (NS connection).  It is also not uncommon for a D&H train to continue down the former D&H main to Sunbury (NS connection). 

The Canadian Pacific mainline makes for easy train chasing with many roads following the tracks and many public points of access.  For that matter the taylor yard/intermodal terminal is also legally accessable from a public crossing at its south end.  It is the Clark's Summit to Dupont section of the railroad that is showcased here.

The climb north out of Taylor Yard northward is a tough one, with grades over 1.3% in some areas.  Here we see a northbound freight struggling to crest the grade at Clark's Summit with a typical lashup of SD-40-2's.  (8/96)

Power from Canadian Pacific subsidiary SOO Line also frequents the former D&H main.  Here a set of SOO SD-50's powers a southbound freight.  This view is from the public grade crossing at the south end of Taylor Yard,  (11/93)

At the same location as above, from the opposite side of the tracks we see the local job preparing to depart Taylor with a former D&H GP-38 in the lead.  (4/00)

On a much colder day we see the local in Taylor Yard.  It is important to note that all of these shots were taken from the road.  Trespassing on railroad property is against the law and not encouraged by Scrantontrains!!!  (3/96)

Ocassionally an unusual engine will appear on the local freight.  Behind the first unit, a former D&H GP-38-2,  we see a former Boston and Maine GP-40 in faded Guilford paint.  (5/01)

Another good vantage point is the public road that overlooks the south end of Taylor Yard.  In the upper right corner is the former DL&W taylor freight station, still used as a crew sign on point.  (3/96)

In the early 1990's the decript yard in Taylor was rebuilt by the CP and Norfolk Southern.  A great deal of the freight moved over the former D&H is now intermodal, in the form of containers and truck trailers.  Here a southbound intermodal departs Taylor.  (2/94)