| A short(17 car) train 12T behind among other things, a pair of ex CR units, waits for a crew at Binghamton late in the day. This photo gives a good overview of the changes that have taken place in the DL&W station area over the years, and some things that have not changed as well. The train sits on the Johnson Running track, once track 1 on the DLW main, and designated Track 3 by EL. To the right, track DL4, once EL track 4 and originally DLWs eastbound main track 2, now is lifted over the Chenango River. West of the Susquehanna, the line is a walking trail through Vestal, and forms most of the right of way for NY 17 west to Elmira. At lower right, the station platforms are still in place, though deteriorating. The shed over the set out tracks is also still in place, though those tracks, which once served to hold set out sleepers and mail/express, and in later years equipment owned by the Susquehanna Valley RHS, are now "land locked", the switches to the main tracks removed during the construction of the baseball stadium, which is seen at right of the train. The stadium where the AA Binghamton Mets play, is on the site of the DLW freight house, and saw its first game in April 1992. To the right of the set out tracks is the stack for the station power house. The power house sits to the left of the stack, partly obscured by foliage. Partly visible at the right edge of the photo is a steel tower that was one of the original Marconi installations, now an engineering landmark. To the left of the train, the brick building and vehicles beyond it sit on the site of the Erie freighthouse, torn down several years earlier. |