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Y233 // Sonwil Distribution
Seldom seen in daylight this time of year, Ohio Street's second shift workhorse Y233 delivers a single box car (ex-Amtrak) to the Sonwil Distribution Center, off of Ship Canal Pkwy near Tifft.
Sonwil is one of two customers located on "The Lehigh" (the other being CertainTeed), which connects Ohio Street Yard and CP Draw at the north end to Seneca Yard and the South Buffalo Railway to the south. This connection is used daily by CN L531, the daily Canadian transfer train from Port Robinson, ON to South Buffalo, and a few times a week by CSX to either serve their customers or as part of a wye move to turn covered hoppers for General Mills. (Certain hoppers can only be unloaded from one side inside their plant.) The lone box car here is a far cry from the 10 spots available, which have been known to be completely full at times. Neighboring Sonwil to the left is their newly finished Four Square warehouse, which seems to finally have been completed in the last year. However, despite having been laid two and a half years ago, the brand new track alongside the building remains untouched, having yet to see any rail traffic. In fact, directly behind me was a mound of snow covering the start of that track. The lack of any cars here continues to be a puzzling move, following the discontinuation of rail service in September 2023 at their Depew location on the A Industrial, siding in favor of starting up the new warehouse. With locations connected by rail also in Niagara Falls and West Seneca via NS, there's certainly no lack of options for them. Of note, neither of those locations are rail active either, but the infrastructure exists. In the case of Niagara Falls, the track which leads to that location is presently out of service, near the end of the Junction Industrial line downtown. The building Sonwil occupies was formerly part of the Niagara Falls Nabisco plant, whose silos still stand empty today 20+ years since their last usage. Ironically this time last year in January 2024, the West Seneca location was actually looking to reactivate with NS, citing displeasure with delays in switching by CSX at Tifft. NS cleaned the track up and made sure it was in ready condition, but Sonwil never once received a car there either all year long. The West Seneca location was known to previously receive refrigerated box cars. For one reason or another, it's as if Sonwil can't seem to make up their minds on what they want, despite the railroads' willingness to work with them. In the meantime 'ol reliable at Tifft seems to get the job done just fine. To see some more rail traffic generated on their behalf would be a bright spot in a region which continues to lose a couple customers every year.
Y233 // Sonwil Distribution
Seldom seen in daylight this time of year, Ohio Street's second shift workhorse Y233 delivers a single box car (ex-Amtrak) to the Sonwil Distribution Center, off of Ship Canal Pkwy near Tifft.
Sonwil is one of two customers located on "The Lehigh" (the other being CertainTeed), which connects Ohio Street Yard and CP Draw at the north end to Seneca Yard and the South Buffalo Railway to the south. This connection is used daily by CN L531, the daily Canadian transfer train from Port Robinson, ON to South Buffalo, and a few times a week by CSX to either serve their customers or as part of a wye move to turn covered hoppers for General Mills. (Certain hoppers can only be unloaded from one side inside their plant.) The lone box car here is a far cry from the 10 spots available, which have been known to be completely full at times. Neighboring Sonwil to the left is their newly finished Four Square warehouse, which seems to finally have been completed in the last year. However, despite having been laid two and a half years ago, the brand new track alongside the building remains untouched, having yet to see any rail traffic. In fact, directly behind me was a mound of snow covering the start of that track. The lack of any cars here continues to be a puzzling move, following the discontinuation of rail service in September 2023 at their Depew location on the A Industrial, siding in favor of starting up the new warehouse. With locations connected by rail also in Niagara Falls and West Seneca via NS, there's certainly no lack of options for them. Of note, neither of those locations are rail active either, but the infrastructure exists. In the case of Niagara Falls, the track which leads to that location is presently out of service, near the end of the Junction Industrial line downtown. The building Sonwil occupies was formerly part of the Niagara Falls Nabisco plant, whose silos still stand empty today 20+ years since their last usage. Ironically this time last year in January 2024, the West Seneca location was actually looking to reactivate with NS, citing displeasure with delays in switching by CSX at Tifft. NS cleaned the track up and made sure it was in ready condition, but Sonwil never once received a car there either all year long. The West Seneca location was known to previously receive refrigerated box cars. For one reason or another, it's as if Sonwil can't seem to make up their minds on what they want, despite the railroads' willingness to work with them. In the meantime 'ol reliable at Tifft seems to get the job done just fine. To see some more rail traffic generated on their behalf would be a bright spot in a region which continues to lose a couple customers every year.