ACR X APPROVED TRACK DEV HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

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ACR X DEPARTED ROC CLBING W TOWARD BUF DESTINED FOR DTW. 20 MI NE OF BUF ACR X ASKED; 'WITH YOUR APPROVAL; WE'D LIKE TO STAY JUST A BIT NORTH OF COURSE TO GIVE THE FOLKS A GOOD SHOT AT NIAGARA FALLS.' MY RADAR TRAINEE REPLIED; 'APPROVED AS REQUESTED.' 3 MINS TIME ELAPSED AND ACR X WAS OBSERVED IN LEVEL FLT AT FL280; 3 MI N OF ASSIGNED AIRWAY V-2; HDG ABOUT 265 DEGS. RADAR TRAINEE SWITCHED ACR X TO NEXT CTLR. ACFT POS AT THIS TIME WAS 10 MI DUE S OF NIAGARA FALLS. ANOTHER 2 MINS ELAPSED BEFORE THE RADAR CONFLICT ALERT WAS ACTIVATED. AT THIS TIME; ACR X WAS OBSERVED HDG APPROX 350 DEGS; 5 MI DUE W OF NIAGARA FALLS. SEPARATION WAS LOST BTWN ACR X AND ACR Y. ACR Y; FL280; 10 MI N NIAGARA FALLS HDG 285 DEGS DIRECT TO ECK DESTINED FOR ORD. THE PLT OF ACR X ASKED FOR; AND WAS CLRED TO; STAY JUST A BIT N OF COURSE. THE FLT THEN WAS 3 MI N OF COURSE AND CONTINUED ON THAT HDG FOR 3 MINS BEFORE WE INITIATED THE COM CHANGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 246684: ACR X DEPARTED ROC ENRTE TO DTW. OVER BUF; WE ASKED CTR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO DEVIATE N OF COURSE TO SHOW PAX NIAGARA FALLS (CLRED ROUTING BUF 267 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND). S OF; AND ABEAM OF THE FALLS ON A W HDG; WE INITIATED A R TURN TO THE N; INTENDING TO ROLL OUT ON A N HDG DUE W OF THE FALLS; AND THEN MAKE A L TURN TO THE SW TO REINTERCEPT THE BUF 267 DEG RADIAL. WHILE IN THE TURN TO THE N WE RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE. WE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE ON THE FIRST CALL. ON THE SECOND CALL; WE HAD ROLLED OUT ON THE N HDG AND HAD COMMENCED THE L TURN TO THE SW. THE FIRST RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR WAS TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO A 100 DEG HDG. WE COMPLIED. APPARENTLY; WE HAD CONFLICTING TFC AT FL280 WHICH WE PASSED WITHIN 3 NM. WE DID NOT HAVE A VISUAL ON THE TFC; BUT OUR TCASII CONFIRMED HIS POS AND ALT WITH NO SUBSEQUENT TA OR RA. WE DON'T KNOW IF OUR INTENTIONS FAILED TO REACH THE SECOND CTLR OR IF THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING AS TO OUR EXACT INTENTIONS. IN THE FUTURE; IF AND WHEN WE DEVIATE FROM OUR PLANNED ROUTING; WE WILL BE MORE EXPLICIT IN STATING OUR INTENTIONS.