THE END OF AN ERA: Today, September 18, 2015, marks the final full day that the Canadian Pacific Railway has control of the former Delaware & Hudson south end between Sunbury, PA and Albany, NY. Effective at 12:01AM on September 19, Norfolk Southern will acquire all 292+ miles of track from CP, including car shops in Binghamton, an intermodal ramp in Taylor, amongst others. This takeover is one that has circulated along the east coast for many years and today, is finally a reality. No longer will action red locomotives be seen leading a train atop the Nicholson Viaduct, no longer will the beauty of the Lehigh Gorge hear the distinctly higher pitched horns of the CP locomotives, and no longer with the long dormant Bethlehem steel blast furnaces be a backdrop for the waiting locomotives. It's all over, and a part of history. I'm thankful to have lived where I did and to have documented as much CP action as I could over the years. In addition, I've also enjoyed their variety of power during the mid-late 2000s. Shown here, an SD60 and an SD40-2 wait in the river yard for their new crew on a splendid summer evening. I'll sure miss seeing CP in Allentown. I guess all good things must come to an end at some point.
