Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad

"Western New York & Pennsylvania" is an admirably explicit geographic locator for the railroad that runs there -- serving a fetching region that is mostly sylvan and rural. However, the name doesn't hint at the railroad's heritage, nor at its biggest claim to fame: an all-Alco diesel roster 19 locomotives strong (including the products of Alco subsidiary and later successor Montreal Locomotive Works). You'll find Cen- turies large and small, with lengthy ownership histories. The youngest was built in 1975, the oldest in 1957. All burble in that distinctive Alco voice.

"Now we're seeing enough local business that WNY&P's future is bright," Chairman Gene Blabey says. "I expect that we'll have an enterprise that can stand on its own two feet and will no longer need to lean on its sister railroads." And, from all indications, it will be powered by Alcos for the foreseeable future.

Karl Zimmermann - TRAINS - 2012

When you ship by way of the WNYP, LA&L, or B&H, you receive a level of service that has earned national recognition. "Safety and Service" means this: If you have a hot car at the interchange, we will go get it. If you need a car switched, we will switch it promptly. This commitment to our customers is limited only by safety—our railroads have won many safety awards—and regulation. LA&L tracks your cars across the continent, and because we do this all day long, we may see patterns you wouldn't and can intervene to expedite your shipment.

Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad

That Alco Addiction

The WNY&P's Alco addiction goes back to its parent Livonia, Avon & Lakeville, and power is sometimes swapped among the two lines and the B&H. The 19 units cur- rently rostered by WNY&P are of seven classes or subclasses and began life on seven different railroads: Canadian National, Ca- nadian Pacific, Reading, New York Central, Cartier Railway, Belt Railway of Chicago, and Spokane, Portland & Seattle. Four of the small Centuries passed through Morris- town & Erie hands, and one other through Delaware & Hudson and Guilford owner- ship, while six of the six-axle locomotives (and two four-axles) worked most recently on the New York, Susquehanna & Western.

The most eye-catching unit is C630m No. 630. Built for Canadian Pacific, it last served on the Alco-friendly Arkansas & Missouri and today wears the handsome maroon scheme first applied there. That dress is likely to become the WNY&P stan- dard for its big Alcos when time and mon- ey become available for repainting. The fleet of small Centuries will all wear the snappy black-and-yellow dress now sported by Nos. 421 and 430. Perhaps WNY&P's most famous unit is now-sidelined No. 631, still dressed in Canadian Pacific paint and carrying this boxed inscription: "CP 4573. The last M-630 ordered and operated by the CP. Maintained with pride by the St. Luc shops, Montreal, Quebec."

Karl Zimmermann - TRAINS - 2012