Northern Buffalo Line Trip Report

So after reporting that the PRR signaling on the Northern NS/Conrail/PRR Buffalo Line was in danger, I took a trip up to the Williamsport, PA area to take what photos I could before everything went away.  Previously NS had re-signaled everything from the north end of Northunberland Yard through to the wye complex at Linden.  I had visited the latter location back in 2006 when I was chasing a Levin sponsored PRR E8 trip to Renovo and knew that classic signals were still in place through to Lock Haven, however replacements were in the process of going up.  Long story short if you'd like some spoilers, my buddy Todd has already posted his trip report, but I have a few takeaways of my own.

First of all NS did carry out a general signal refurbishment project so the old PL's will be looking their best when they are unceremoniously ripped out in the next few months. although that did mean the demise of the pneumatic point machines.  Second, CP-RIVER, which used to span the entire length of the Susquehanna River Bridge at Linden, has its northbound signal moved to the south bank, probably so the LV RR shortline could take full responsibility for the bridge.

After the Linden complex I tried to stop by CP-BUD, but found it to be inaccessible thanks to a gate closing off what is nominally a private road serving some vacation cabins, however I was able to document CP-PINE and the two famous 2-track PRR signal bridges between CP-PINE and CP-LANE.  Moreover, just south of the MP 197 bridge there is also an abandoned weigh-in-motion scale that has the equipment arranged in a very strange setup on a platform over a river and protected by steel plate armour. 

Getting onto the bad news, CP-LANE, a crossover on the double track just before Lock Haven, PA, had been re-signaled in the same sweep that also hit CP-LOCK HAVEN.  Of course the most shocking discovery was this little sign next to the new southbound at CP-LOCK HAVEN.

Yup, NS has completely scrapped the signaling north of Lock Haven, PA.  They had already cut back the Rule 261 to Emporium, but for whatever reason they just decided to throw in the towel.  You might notice that the northbound cantilever has signals that all support 261 territory north of Lock Haven, but between the time those signals were ordered and today it appears that their plans :-(

All of the relay cabinets have been unceremoniously dumped in the backlot of the NS Lock Haven station/crew base so if you're a relay collector...