"Susquehanna is Coming Through" Music Video by Andy Fletcher

A Big Thank You to my friends Steve Myers and Dylan Slater for contributing their photos of New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway to help make my new music video “Susquehanna Is Coming Through”. Watch the video on my AndyFletcherMusic YouTube https://youtu.be/aFSuR0NTttE?si=_I9c4DIfQGQX0f29

 

Gulf Mobile and Ohio Train Heads to Mobile, Alabama

This Gulf Mobile & Ohio train carries carloads from the New York Central and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy at Chicago.  Today's train heads to Mobile, Alabama.  The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy cars carry furniture that have come from Spokane on the Great Northern.  The New York Central cars carry machinery from Buffalo.

See my Gulf, Mobile and Ohio artwork at customtrains.org

 

Drawing of the Day-March 5, 2016 SMS Lines S12 #300

Yesterday I drew SMS Lines S12 #300. SMS Lines provides transloading service in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is a member of American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

Drawing of the Day-Februray 26, 2016 Buffalo & Pittsburgh SD40-3 #3342

Today I drew Buffalo and Pittsburgh SD40-3 #3342.  Buffalo and Pittsburgh is part of the Genesee & Wyoming family of short lines and connects, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Erie.  Buffalo & Pittsburgh and Genesee & Wyoming are members of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

Delaware and Hudson-A Favorite Among Railroad Enthusiasts

Delaware and Hudson is a fan favorite throughout New York, Pennsylvania and the Northeast.  Its classy gray and blue paint scheme is considered by many to be one of the most elegant paint schemes in railroading.
Delaware and Hudson also participated with many of America's railroads in painting elegant Red, White and Blue locomotives for America's Bicentennial.  Delaware and Hudson's "I Love New York" box car was painted as part of a greater campaign to promote tourism first to New York City and then to New York State as a whole.

February 1st-Happy Birthday, Penn Central!

Penn Central was formed on February 1, 1968 when railroad giants Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central merged.  Happy Birthday, Penn Central!

Drawing of the Day January 12, 2016 Amtrak Empire Service P32AC 704

Today I drew Amtrak's newly repainted Empire Service P32AC #704.  Amtrak's convenient Empire Service connects New York City with Albany and Buffalo.  What is your favorite Amtrak Route?

Amtrak North Carolina-A Great Example of State Sponsored Amtrak Service

State sponsored Amtrak programs such as Amtrak North Carolina provide key additional connections for Amtrak passengers in many regions of our country.  The North Carolina Department of Transportation sponsors the popular Amtrak North Carolina Carolinian and Piedmont services.
States such as California, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and many others support services in addition to the core Amtrak service.  There is truly a call for more and more states to sponsor Amtrak services, as commuting by rail grows in both practicality and popularity.  As more states sponsor Amtrak, more services become available and we all win. 

Drawing of the Day-August 30, 2015 Amtrak Empire Service FL9

Today I drew an Empire Service FL9 for my friend, Amtrak engineer David Todd Magill.  Amtrak Empire Service operates between New York City, Albany and Buffalo.
Amtrak acquired its FL9s in 1978 from Conrail.  The FL9s served for many years in Empire Service.

Drawing of the Day-August 27, 2015 Amtrak GG1 926

I just drew Amtrak GG1 #926.  This GG1 is owned by the Central New York Chapter of the NRHS and is at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
The GG1 was one of the most successful and popular locomotives ever designed.  The venerable GG1 continued in passenger service well after the inception of Amtrak.  Still very popular, GG1s have found homes at museums and parks all across America.

Nickel Plate Road-Route of "High Speed Service"

The Nickel Plate Road connected Buffalo with the Midwest gateways of Chicago and St Louis. A key Nickel Plate Road terminal at Bellevue, Ohio has become the largest hump yard on today's Norfolk Southern.

Nickel Plate Road was well maintained and known for its "High Speed Service". Nickel Plate Road was one of the last railroads in America to operate mainline steam locomotives in regular service.

Meeting a Fellow Artist Aboard Amtrak

A great thing about Amtrak is that you meet people from all across America and all over the World. Just outside of Truckee on the Amtrak California Zephyr, I met Stan, a fellow artist from Connecticut.

Stan had grown up along the New Haven Railroad.  It was exciting to get to draw him the historic New Haven logo he remembered from riding New Haven's passenger trains to New York and Boston many years ago.

New York Central- The Scenic Water Level Route

New York Central and its competitor the Pennsylvania Railroad dominated railroading throughout the Northeast and North Central United States.  New York Central's elegant, famous 20th Century Limited passenger train raced from Grand Central Station to LaSalle Street Station Chicago on a racetrack that followed both the Hudson River and the Great Lakes.  This advantage it needed over Pennsylvania Railroad's shorter route to Chicago over the Allegheny mountains via the Horseshoe Curve.  Both railroads fought a bitter rivalry until their ultimate merger into Penn Central in 1968.