The recent news of Norfolk Southern's purchase of the former D&H property between Sunbury, PA and Schenectady, NY from Canadian Pacific confirmed rumors that had been buzzing for years in Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New York. With this purchase, NS will acquire 282.5 miles of track from CP, including the entire Sunbury Sub from Sunbury to Binghamton as well as the Freight Sub between Binghamton and Schenectady. In addition, a car shop in Binghamton, Taylor yard and other extras were included in the purchase. NS plans to retain 150 D&H employees in the purchase, still pending a Surface Transportation Safety Board approval.
Years of rumors have finally come true. Canadian Pacific trackage into Pennsylvania and New York has ended. No longer will 'action red' SD40-2s be seen hauling a train of autoracks and freight to Allentown, no longer will we hear the detectors call out 'D&H Detector'; no longer will the holiday train be photographed atop the Nicholson Viaduct. They will all soon be a fond memory. I sadly never got to visit the Sunbury Sub enough, particularly when I had the opportunity to and decided otherwise. One chase of the 2011 holiday train sticks in my head as one of my best decisions I've made. Shown here is the train about to pass beneath the PA 706 bridge south of New Milford just before 1PM. This year's train is due in Scranton on Thanksgiving Day, and it will more than likely be the last one.
