by James Benetzky/photos by the author
Arcade & Attica 2-8-0 18 was the start of a photo charter jointly hosted by Dynamo Productions and Timeless Rail Productions on Sunday May 4, 2025. The 1920 2-8-0 also shared the spot light for the first half of the day with A&A’s Alco RS-3m 114 (ex-Delaware & Hudson) which made its first appearance on a photo charter since it was purchased in 2023. Despite overcast skies and a rain shower here and there, the event was an overall success and was a complete sell out. In fact, the charter sold out within 12 hours of its announcement and there was a waiting list for those interested in attending if there happened to be a cancellation.
The charter had No. 18 facing south instead of the traditional north direction. The first half of the day featured the 18 with a 2-car freight consist of modern covered hoppers, while the RS-3m pulled three of the A&A’s ex-Lackawanna “Boonton” Combines for the patrons to ride in between the locations around Arcade, including a leg of the wye and south of Arcade towards the A&A’s interchange point with Buffalo & Pittsburgh. This ended up being a rare-milage treat for the passengers. The Dynamo and Timeless Rail staff were in constant communication with the train crew instructing them on what the charter customers wanted them to do during the runbys and the steam crew more than happy obliged.
ABOVE: As day turned into night, the photo charter began a night photo session with the 18 and passenger consist posed on the bridge over the Cattaraugus Creek in downtown Arcade. Floodlights illuminated the scene, and at the end of the pose, No. 18 made three slow-action runbys for the patrons, wrapping up a successful welcome-back event.
After a 45-minute break to water the 18, the charter headed north in the afternoon to Curriers Depot. This time the 2-8-0 hauled the passenger cars running tender first to the Curriers depot, where the 18 was then run around the coaches. The 114 and two hoppers were done for the day and had run ahead and been parked on a siding next to Empire Distribution outside of Arcade. At Curriers, the 18 did static shots and runby’s next to the depot with re-enactors dressed in period fashion and two vintage automobiles were parked nearby. The next location, was a pair of private farm crossings on a curve just south of the Curriers depot. The land owner had graciously allowed the charter to use the crossings. Due to the tight space at both crossings, photographers were let off at one and videographers were let off at the other…