End of an Era | Chasing WNYP GEs in the Snow

In this throwback, we're taking a look at a good time during a short-lived era that ended recently on a Western New York shortline, while at the same, spreading some holiday cheer with a snow video! Back in late 2021, along the former Erie Railroad mainline, Western New York & Pennsylvania's OL-2 runs the Salamanca Turn during some wintry weather with a pair of their de-rated ex-CSX AC6000s. Sadly, with a huge drop in business in traffic, the GE fleet was ruled obsolete and shipped back to the Wabtec/GE facility in Erie, PA.
Filmed 11/30/2021
©2024 M'G:20 Productions - Matty Gunn
!!!!DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!
Train/Engine information:
OL-2 Westbound (Turn)
Olean, NY - Salamanca, NY
-WNYP AC46CW #6001
-WNYP AC46CW #6003
Also featured (Olean Yard):
-WNYP MLW C424 #4223 (Parts Donor)
Equipment used:
-Canon Vixia HF R800
-Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR
-Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner

[@Nurvington]

That was great! Those GE’s in that paint looked sharp.

[@roballen5670]

Dang to old Ex CSX AC6000 Locomotives still earning their keep. Great catch and sad too.

Great video!

[@kenwoodbury1888]

Thank you for the throwback, Matt Gorgeous video.

[@mattygunn693]

Thanks!

[@garymartz7587]

What could have been. Merry Christmas Matty!

[@mattygunn693]

Merry Christmas!

[@trainencounters586]

I still had to own a pair of these in N scale, even though in reality they no longer run on WNY&P. Still, having chased trains on that road, I wanted to capture a bit of this era in miniature.
Great video. Ahh, western NY in the lake effect...

[@CentralPARailfan28]

Must've been cold AF. Loved to see these GE's in action. Merry Christmas!

[@mattygunn693]

So did I. I had hoped to catch them one time, but a friend of mine informed me the last two had left the property recently, so there went that. It was awesome to watch them in action. Merry Christmas!

[@stevenstorey1945]

Matty, you captured some very pretty scenery shots. I know, cold but great for Christmas!
Have a Merry Christmas...

[@mattygunn693]

Thank you, and Merry Christmas!

[@garysnider4305]

Great coverage. Black engines, gray sky and trees, with the white background of snow and a beautiful winter scene. It’s pretty isolated along the Allegany River there, isn’t it? But back decades ago, bet you could always hear engines of either the Erie on this line, the B&O next to it, or the Pennsylvania across the river. Thanks

[@Ken_G9s]

Still find it hard to believe the new ceo thinks gp15's are the answer!

[@stephenlichtenwalner1579]

Merry Christmas!!!

[@mattygunn693]

@@stephenlichtenwalner1579 Merry Christmas!

[@rydereaston6464]

I thought the last two GEs were still being used?

[@mattygunn693]

@@rydereaston6464 Nope, the last two were shipped out a couple weeks ago.

[@Steve-xf4uv]

Wonder what caused the huge drop in traffic. They sure looked like they were on a roll. Too bad to see a short line in distress.

[@railbaron9]

I think this happens when the class ones won't hand off traffic to the shortlines. This railroad showed alot of promise in the begiinning. I hope things turn around for them.

[@Jfrmr1]

First, the coal traffic from Emporium to Jamestown stopped when they converted to natural gas. Frac sand business was good at Emporium for years but then folded up around the same time earlier this year as did the seasonal aggregate trains from Driftwood to Turtlepoint. With no more traffic to pull over Keating Summit, the big power was no longer needed.

[@markmccummins8049]

New York State banned fracking. Customers for the sand dried up.

[@gp3829]

Thanks Matty. I'm sorry to learn of the drop in Freight revenue for the Short-line, but at least those falling snow-scenes at the beginning were like something off a Christmas-card or a Hollywood movie.