Is anyone prototyping the Finger Lakes Railroad?

[cressjl]

I was blown away last Saturday when driving along Route 20/5 in Geneva, New York. Right there at the north end of Seneca Lake was a veritable train museum on rails! The Finger Lakes engines were freshly painted, and some of the more vintage cars were fascinating, to say the least.

http://www.fingerlakesrail.com/gallery.html

I stopped at the main yard, but the main office was closed and not much was going on. I felt uncomfortable just hanging around, so I left, but I surely was tempted to wander around taking pictures!

Is anyone familiar with this company? They have only been in business for 20 years, but they look like they are making progress. I wish them all the best!

 

[epa]

Aren't they the railroad that has a bunch of freight power in NYC paint?

I don't know anybody building the route, but I may have to reskin those SD40-2's...

Matt

 

[ctclark1]

Aren't they the railroad that has a bunch of freight power in NYC paint?

I don't know anybody building the route, but I may have to reskin those SD40-2's...

Matt

Yes, that's the one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_Lakes_Railway

 

[cressjl]

Yes, I first learned about FLR from a Finger Lakes Scenic Railway video, back when they offered scenic excursions along Seneca Lake. Why that wouldn't be self-sustaining business in itself amazes me. Perhaps freight work is more profitable?

Anyway, the following gem is great winter footage, captured in nice lighting...

 

[RFAX]

I'm not modeling FGLK but would love it if someone did. I belong to a club in Skaneateles Junction (aka Hart Lot). Our building is the old NYC passenger station there, about halfway between Auburn and Syracuse, on what used to be known as the NYC Auburn Road. FGLK rolls past twice a day, six days a week. Trains are usually about 20 cars, sometimes near 40 when things get busy, and on rare occasion near 100.
I missed the scenic excursions by a few months. The last one ran past us in Dec, 2010 and I joined the club in early 2011. A couple of things torpedoed the passenger runs according to what I have been told. Genessee & Wyoming owns a large interest in FGLK and wants nothing to do with passenger excursions. Liability insurance costs are huge. FGLK was willing to try to run passenger excursions again in 2014 but the catch was the sponsoring organization had to obtain and carry the full cost of the insurance (FGLK - or more appropriately G&W - wanted there to be zero liability for the railroad). We were looking at having to sell out at well over $30/ticket for a 4-hour fall foliage trip just to break even, let alone make any money. (Back in 2010, the excursion sponsored by our small club earned us over $1000.)
FGLK utilizes two transfer cabeese. Bluford Shops recently released them in HO.