A Susquehanna inspection train with a newly-painted F45 departs the remnants of the one-time New Haven yard in Maybrook, New York. The train was run for dignitaries to see the newly reopened line over Sparta Mountain and via the former Lehigh & Hudson River, allowing NYS&W trains to avoid the former Erie main line and its commuter trains east of Campbell Hall, New York.
As the access point to the New Haven Poughkeepsie bridge line crossing of the Hudson River, Maybrook Yard was a major funnel for traffic to New England. Trains from the New York, Ontario, & Western, Lehigh & New England, Lehigh & Hudson River, and Erie all visited Maybrook to interchange with the New Haven.
. The Penn Central merger and subsequent inclusion of the New Haven in that merger changed the entire dynamic of the Poughkeepsie bridge route. The Penn Central had its own PRR/NYC routings to New England, and had no interest in sharing revenue with competing roads, and considered the Maybrook connection to be a thorn in its side. The mysterious 1974 fire that destroyed the Poughkeepsie bridge permanently killed the line, and destroyed the main reason for the L&HR’s existence. Speculation abounded that the fire was set intentionally, possibly by the PC, but the cause remains undetermined.
Historically, the Erie and the Lehigh & Hudson River never had a direct connection at Campbell Hall, so the initial routing of the new Susquehanna line involved a switchback/runaround move through what was left of Maybrook yard. Here the inspection train, which will return east via the former Erie, does not require a runaround move, and is backing from Maybrook down the former New Haven to Campbell Hall.
Freight Cowls are standard locomotives that have a hood that extends the full width of the locomotive. Sadly, most Freight Cowls have been retired, but a few still run on short lines.
From a hint of "Bee" (NKP 765), colorful "Bees" (KCS), "Bees" w/ "attitude", to "Bees" that "sting" your eyes, in their own way they have "Bee" on display! Equipment that "Buzzes" with Yellow & Black colors! ("Bees" can still "Bee" entering this "hive"!)
