Rail Photo of the Month: April 2016

GE Dash 8-40CW 8417

GE Dash 8-40CW 8417

Location: Buffalo Street and Fulton Street, Ithaca, NY
Operator of Vehicle:  Norfolk Southern
Date of Photo: October 18, 2007

Ithaca, New York has not seen passenger train service since 1961. However, trains continue to pass through the city to serve the Milliken Power Plant and Cargill Salt Mine further north along Cayuga Lake. The single track through Ithaca has an unusual setup, as it runs alongside Fulton Street (New York State Route 13). Therefore, as the train passes through town, all the traffic that would otherwise cross Route 13 comes to a stop and Fulton Street traffic gets a green light for as long as it takes for the train to pass by. Ithaca’s former passenger train station is still standing and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974, though it is now used as the local bus terminal and as a bank. The nearest passenger rail station is now located in Syracuse, 60 miles away.

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