April 16, 1989, was a busy day on the former Erie Railroad.

It was another of my epic trips photographing the Erie that began before dawn.

Among the trains I photographed that day was an eastbound Delaware & Hudson PLMT (Pittsburgh & Lake Erie–Mount Tom, Massachusetts) unit coal train running via trackage rights on the line then owned by Conrail.

At the time, D&H was being operated by the New York, Susquehanna & Western and was short on motive power. This coal train was underpowered and moving at less than track speed. Leading the consist was former Reading Company GP39-2 No. 7410, still wearing Reading paint. Other locomotives in the consist had been borrowed from Bangor & Aroostook and leased GATX unit (in Chessie System paint). Fifth in line was a NYS&W SD45, still in the Cascade green and white of its former owner, Burlington Northern.

I had been following this train for miles through New York’s Canisteo Valley in my Toyota Corolla. Near West Cameron, I hastily parked and ran through a farmer’s field to capture a series of photos as the train passed from across the river.

On my way back to the car, the farmer stopped to chat. “I don’t mind you walking through my field, but I thought you ought to know that I killed six rattlesnakes there the other day.”

At the time, I wasn’t sure whether he was joking, trying to rattle me, or serious. A couple of weeks later, however, I was walking the line about a mile to the west when I spotted a rattlesnake lying near the rail. As I passed, the “snake” slithered off in three different directions—each with its own distinct rattle.

That’s the old Erie for you!

Tracking the Light posts daily!