NS 6920 (Veterans Unit) makes a Surprise Visit to Kentucky

[E.M. Bell]

This past Saturday 10/05/13, Carmon and Myself had planned on getting out and enjoying the day.  We had not heard of anything special anywhere close, and the plan was to just get out and about and shoot what ever we could find. After enduring a month of 60 hour weeks at work and no free time on the weekends, it was much needed.

I woke up that morning to find a text message from a trusted source saying that the 6920 Vets unit had snuck into Louisville on a 319 on Friday, and was leading 376 East (and was already by Fisherville). We where out the door and Westbound in less than 5 minutes, hoping to intercept at Waddy. We figured out pretty quick that was not going to work after hearing the train on the radio, and went for a Plan B shot to start with. After that it was off to the races as we followed them across the Louisville District with almost perfect sun.

While the train was making a quick crew change at the wye in Danville KY, I decided to try a shot of them at High Bridge. The RR makes an almost straight shot from the wye to the bridge, while the route by road is a long, tortuous Two lane adventure to get across the river, then a long back track from Wilmore to High Bridge. As luck would have it, we wound up following a group of bikers most of the way across 68 (100 + motorcycles moving about 25 or 35 mph) and by the time we made it to Wilmore, the train was almost to CP Brown..it was going to be CLOSE.. We rolled into the park at High Bridge slightly below the speed of sound, and while Carmon jumped out and ran for the bathroom, I jumped out, grabbed the camera and took off towards the edge of the cliff to get the shot. About the time I got all settled in, I noticed a group of folks coming running toward me, and this older feller starts yelling "DON'T JUMP!!""....

I guess the sight of us rolling in there like we did and then Two people running Two directions must have looked like trouble....geez. After I assured them that no sane person would jump off that cliff with a camera around their neck, Carm came hoofing back from the privy trying to figure out why I had a audience.. The train came rolling across the bridge about 30 seconds AFTER a rather large cloud showed up to ruin the shot, and a good time was had by all. The picture sucked, but the story behind it is priceless...you just cant make this stuff up!

Clouds would be the name of the game the rest of the day, followed by some serious heavy gully washer rain. Our last shot was at CP Blanchet up North of Georgetown, and by that time it was raining pretty good. I called it quits after that and we started for the house...a normally 1 hour trip that took over 3..I have not seen it rain that hard that long ever..some areas got as much as 7 inches in about 4 hours, leading to some significant flooding.

I haven't got to bore yall with any Kentucky pics for a month or so now, so check out the link for what I came away with (and there may be a few new Heritage shots in there as well)..the new stuff is at the top of the page, just follow the link >>>>  http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nsheritage_2013_eb


"Plan B"..after the train got by us on the way to Waddy, we made a quick trip back to my Hometown of Lawrenceburg KY for the First shot of the day. Here is 376 charging through town with that RS5T horn echoing off the buildings while the power for the T-19 local sits on the West leg of the wye for the weekend.


After having to wait of the entire train to clear us at Lawrenceburg, we managed to get back ahead and grab another shot as they started through the big dips at Convoy, KY.


The sun is still shining but the clouds had started to gather by the time we got down towards Danville. The forecast had called for a wet afternoon, and boy did they get it right. Here is 376 as they ease down the hill at Shuttleworth (just West of Danville) ready to stop for a quick crew change. This would be the last time we would see the sun for the rest of the day.  


I don't usually share what I consider to be bad shots, but with all the fuss about our arrival at Highbridge, I will make an exception this time. When we rolled in the sun was perfect, lighting the bridge for what I was sure would be a stellar image...by the time I got my audience calmed down the clouds had won and this is was the result. Crappy picture, great story to go with it!


In a rather unusual move, 376 did not work the yard at Lexington this day. That train (and counterpart 375) are basically long distance locals and tend to work a lot of places, meaning a slow trip. The only work 376 had on Saturday was at the Toyota yard at Deliplane (Just North of Georgetown KY). They had to make a 22 car setout and then pick up 10, and that would take them over 2 hours. In the meantime we decided to hang out around Georgetown for awhile, knowing we could get back ahead of 376 pretty easy once they got ready to continue North.

I had not been to Georgetown since NS took down the old signals and relocated the crossovers there to make room for a road widening project. Here is Southbound 215 rolling around the big curve where the old signals used to stand. Its still not a bad location, but without the Searchlights overhead, its just another curve now.....hey, at least the leader was good on this one!


and just for fun, here is how the same scene (with the same train!) looked back March of this year.


The last shot of the day turned out to be one of my favorites. By the time 376 got away from Delaplane, the rain and storms had finally moved in. Here is the 6920 leading the train North under the searchlights at Blanchet KY as the heavy rain started.

[thpbears]

Very Nice . Can't wait till we catch this one.