The Delaware & Hudson Chapter I: The Guilford Era

The final three years of the 1980's were a time of change, variety and color on America's oldest railroad.  In 1987 the D&H was still operated by Guilford Transportation, a New England based company which operated the Maine Central, Boston and Maine and Sprigfield Terminal railroads.  In 1988 Guilford ended its five year lease of the struggling D&H, which then promptly entered bankruptcy.  By 1989 the D&H was operated by the New York, Susquehanna and Western under the emergency authority of the bankruptcy courts.  The first year of the new decade would see the D&H aquired in whole by the giant Canadian Pacific Railway.  This exciting time would yeild a stunning variety of motive power on trains operated by the D&H operating in and out of the D&H's Taylor Yard, near Scranton.  Fortunately for us, photographer Ken Ganz was there to capture it all!

A veritable history of D&H ownership is presented in this photograph.  In front, a Springfield Terminal SD-26 represents Guilford's occupation of the D&H.  Behind that, a battered D&H GP-38 can be seen.  In the upper left a CP Rail box car is present, foreshadowing the line's future owners. (Fall, 1987)

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While the official Guilford System colors were grey and orange, as seen above, by the late 1980's very few Guilford locomotives were yet adorned with this utilitatian livery.  Here a former Santa Fe SD-26 pushes a D&H northbound train at "Cuyuga" a one-time junction a few miles north of Taylor Yard.  (Summer, 1987)

Taylor Yard often saw motive power owned by Guilford's Boston and Maine subsidiary.  As seen here, a B&M GP-40 awaits its next assignment in Taylor.  (Fall 1987)

Here a set of B&M GP-40's arrives with a southbound train from Bighamton.  The track plan of Taylor Yard is very different today.  Many of the sidings seen here were either removed or re-routed for the intermodal facility that would be built by Canadian Pacific and Norfolk Southern in the early 1990's.  (Winter, 1987)

Guilford operation of the D&H often resulted in some pleasant suprises.  Here a "Heritage" liveried B&M GP-9 idles in Taylor with a D&H C-424.  Check out the snow-encrusted walkways on this classic engine!  (Winter, 1987)

The Maine Central was another New England road owned by Guilford.  Here an SD-45, in the livery of former owner Detroit-Edison, switches a cut of box cars in Taylor Yard.  (summer, 1987)

On the other hand, this Maine Central U-25B probably hadn't seen a paint brush in 20 years when it was captured running "lite" through the City of Wilkes-Barre, about 15 miles south of Scranton.  (Summer, 1987)

After the departure of Guilford, the few D&H engines that had been painted in the Guilford system livery had the familiar "G" logo on the side removed, but continued to soldier on in the drab grey of their former operator.  Here a set of D&H GP-38's arrive with a southbound train in Taylor (Summer, 1988)

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Please note this page has no official association with the Canadian Pacific Railway or Guilford Railways