Re: (erielack) Long-haul motive power

[Smtimko_@_aol.com]

Dave--

After the BLWBLH units left Buffalo---both the switchers and road switchers, 
many low numbered GP-7's ( the former Erie ones) took their place.  It was 
normal for BM-7 from Buffalo to have four GP-7's and come down the B&SW to 
Meadville with them.  They normally worked back to Buffalo on the next 
Buffalo train.  There were two scheduled trains in each direction between 
Meadville and Buffalo---BM7 and BM-9 westbound and RC-98 and MF-74 eastbound.

These trains originally ran via B&SW, then the wye at River Jct was upgraded 
on one train went that way, each way.  For instance, the BM-7 would have been 
a Buffalo crew and they went West on the B&SW and East over the River Line on 
MF-74 after taking rest at Meadville.  The RC-98 would have been a Meadville 
crew and went East over the B&SW and returned West via River Line on BM-9 
after resting in Buffalo.  These assignments changed from time to time as did 
the routing.  There were also Buffalo Grain Trains as well as Buffalo Coal 
Trains that ran extra and usually had bigger road power and ran via River Jct.

I remember seeing GP-7's that came to Meadville from Buffalo having every 
crevice and crack crammed full of snow.  The engines literally had to be 'dug 
out' at Meadville to be serviced and made ready for return trip to Buffalo in 
the winter.  The route from Buffalo to Meadville via the B&SW was really the 
land of the Big Snow!

smt

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