Then and Now: North Albany in the snow (1975)

In this April 06, 1975 picture, a southbound D&H train pulled by "Popsicle" RS3 #4071 is heading through the north end of the old North Albany yard. Its likely destination is Kenwood Yard, a few short miles away. Note what looks like a red D&H gondola directly behind the engine. 

The track branching off to the right next to the first boxcar led to what later became a COFC facility, bulk commodity transfer facility, and now oil tank transfer facility. The bridge overhead is the I-90 expressway.

Looking at all the trackage visible here, it is hard to imagine that within 10 years it would nearly all be gone. A previous post showed what this yard originally looked like, and it was the basis for one of my layout sections. 

Here is what the scene looks like now. Less tracks, a few billboards, but about as much snow. At least it was sunny when I was out yesterday taking pictures. The cones and orange pole on the left indicate the location of a "derail", something you wouldn't want to miss buried under the snow. It would be a neat detail to model. The markers, like the switch brooms I wrote about earlier, are some recent upgrades by Canadian Pacific to make operations safer and easier.

One last look... with the camera pulled back a little. Not a single Alco in sight...