runs from Butler to Eidenau, Evans City and return. PW-1’s main job is to work the industries on the south end of the B&P main and to work the inter- change with the Allegheny Valley Rail- road at Evans City. At times, when the PW-1 outlaws west of Butler, the B&P will be forced to use the Butler yard job power on BT-3, which has resulted in the B&P’s pair of Gensets operating on the Northern Sub. The B&P has an engine facility and shop complex located where Route 68 meets Route 422 on the northeast side of Butler. This engine facility can be ob- served from the Route 68 overpass. While it may be viewed from the over- pass, photography can be challenging because of various obstacles. The Bessemer & Lake Erie main line also passes under the Route 68 overpass on the west side of the bridge. After picking up its power in the en- gine facility, BT-3 then proceeds north to East Butler to put its train together. After getting its train together, BT-3 is usually on the move toward the North- ern Sub between 10:30 and noon. Fol-
RIGHT: B&P’s GS1400 1401 leads 7822 and 626 over the Iron City Bridge, the largest crossing on the Northern Sub, on September 2, 2010. This was the first time one of the new Brookville BL14CG gensets (known as a GS1400 on the B&P) made an appearance on the line. BELOW: This Kansas City Southern slug set made had a six week run on the Northern Sub while the B&P evaluated their performance. The set was seen at the Indspec plant in Petrolia on May 12, 2010. ADAM STUEBGEN PHOTOS
lowing its arrival in Petrolia an hour or so later, BT-3 will spend a couple hours working the plants before returning to Butler. Depending on the amount of work, BT-3 will start its return trip south to Butler between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. The long days of summer are ideal for following the BT-3 back to Butler. A word of warning: The Northern Sub is home to three large chemical plants, owned by Penreco, Sonneborn, and Indspec, located near the north end of the line in Petrolia. All three are high security facilities that keep a very close eye on their property. Due to the lay of the land and how BT-3 works, photog- raphy isn’t even possible until BT-3 fin-
ishes its work and heads south toward Butler. A better plan of attack would be to
wait at the Cherry Road overpass south of Karns City. Just north of the Cherry Road overpass, the B&LE’s old West- ern Allegheny route used to cross the Northern Sub at this point. The B&P train has to climb up a steep hill to get to the overpass, and it’s easy to relocate from there to Chicora. You won’t be bothered, and there will be a great sound show as BT-3 works up the hill.
Following the line
Butler is located roughly 35 miles from downtown Pittsburgh, and is not
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