Hunting EMD's and a Redhead on the Louisville District

[E.M. Bell]

Yesterday (Saturday 01/18/14) I finally managed to get out and shoot some trains for the First time this year. Between a heavy schedule at work, and being down with a kidney stone at New Years followed by a Two week bout of  pneumonia, I had simply not felt like getting out and doing anything. It had been about 20 days since I had taken the camera out for a ride, and the DT's where getting bad!  For someone who almost never gets sick, it has been a rough start to the new year....I am thinking this getting old stuff is not for wimps

I had not really planned on going out to tell the truth. I had to go in to the office for awhile that morning, and right before I left I got a text saying that 23G was leaving Louisville with a NS ACE leading. I had the camera with me, as I had intended on getting a couple of roster shots of the T-19 local power (more on that in a bit) so I figured what the heck. I ran back home, picked up Carmon and we headed West.  We made a quick stop in Lawrenceburg (KY) to shoot the local power (which was a brand spanking new CN GE) but alas, it was no where to be seen!  I had been thinking about doing some night roster shots of it all week, but never did...and now it was gone.  

We eased on towards Waddy, and found a long 285 sitting between the switches with air problems. They had a bad stretch leak, and the train was dragging down on the hills. They would not be able to fix the issue, and that would help us out later on.  Right about the time we got to Waddy, I heard the Louisville Dispatcher give train 239 at TA to leave the Mixing Center at Shelbyville, Ky, with CN 2389 leading (the engine that had been in Lawrenceburg all week)... We hopped back on the interstate and made a mad dash to Veechdale to intercept..

We arrived at Veechdale just in time to get our first shot of 23G, and then set up for 239. After bagging 239, it was back on the Interstate to get ahead of 23G again. We would follow him back East towards home, which was not that much of a challenge as he followed 285 on bad blocks the entire way to Danville.   We only stayed out about 3 hours, but it was productive and great to get back into the swing of things again.

As usual, you can check out all the action over on Pbase at this link if you so desire, and here are a few samples.  

The first shots of 2014 >>>>  http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/ns_ls_2014_eb

01/18/14

I have always had a thing for Redheads, even if they are made by GE....After spending the better part of a week working the T-19 local out of Lawrenceburg, KY, CN 2839 leads NS train 239 West at Veechdale KY.  239 had engine problems with the UP unit (which was his only power out of Danville) and had stopped and picked up the CN unit in the lead. I wonder what the High Potentates of the mighty Canadian National might think about One of their newest, high-tech motors being used in local service in the Bluegrass State


Eastbound 23G eases through the dip at Alton Station, Ky running on bad signals as they follow that lame 285 towards Danville, Ky.


23G skirts along the shore of a frozen Lake Wells as a sad looking little John boat is slowly consumed by the ice.


23G once again, passing through the farmland at Talmage, KY. This location is about midway through the siding here, and not a location I shoot at very often. The farmer has cleared out a lot of the brush along the fence by the tracks and really opened up the view. I need to go back with a little more time to think about it (and a wider lens) next time.  


23G rolls through the barren winter farmland near Talmage, KY with NS 1027 leading...a sight that would have surely made former trains magazine editor David P. Morgan happy. I don't expect many folks younger than me to get that rather obscure reference  ;D

[blacksheep]

i know what you're talkin about with the TRAINS thing. i think i'm older though.