NS 1058 & more.

Ed Fury · March 11, 2012, 10:00:07 PM

I decided to head out and see if I could actually see some NS action in the daylight. It seems lately here in Louisville either the weather is terrible or the trains are only running at night. I got lucky Saturday.

First up was a new SD70ACe #1058 here at the East end of the Tucker siding MP 288. I figured that the auto rack would take the siding and wait for 23G to go around since the signals at MP 286 were yellow in both directions.

Photo#1 1058 takes the main and proceeds to slowly make time headed West.

The train kept going through so I made an effort to chase knowing in the city you can't get ahead of a train on the Louisville District but maybe I could catch the switcher parked near Whitner. As I chased I noticed the train was going slower then usual and began to figure something was up as I managed to keep pace.

Ed Fury · March 11, 2012, 10:16:44 PM

By the time I got to Whitner (mp 281) I had made it ahead of 1058 which stopped just West of the GE appliance park yard. 7 rail miles and 30 minutes of driving in a car. Under normal situations it is physically impossible to get ahead of a train on this section of track.

It seems 22A had run in to some kind of engine trouble with the DPU from bits and pieces of conversation I could hear between crew members and a NS police officer as they were waiting for a taxi cab and recrew to take the power back to Youngstown. After a short wait (for me) a van showed up with a recrew and the power for 22A show here 3 NS units and 2 BNSF units headed West.

Photos 2 & 3 road power for 22A

Ed Fury · March 11, 2012, 10:18:14 PM

A few minutes later 1058 gets a green to proceed.

Photos 4 - 6

Ed Fury · March 11, 2012, 10:24:58 PM

On the chase over I noticed two switchers and a set of stacks ready to go out West. After seeing 22A had tied things up this morning I decided to head back East and watch 23G get assembled.

On my way back East I stopped at GE Appliance Park yard to see if the switchers would start moving when I was interrupted by a (Wood Haven???) police officer who informed me it was a FEDERAL OFFENSE to photograph a train. After biting my lip to keep from belly laughing in his face and getting maced, tazed, and arrested I explained my photographer rights and he seemed to relax a little.

In the mean time another autorack came through and I was on the wrong side of the tracks..

I figured I would head on back to my side of town and grab lunch and hopefully avoid more cops while they assembled 23G for the next hour or so.

Photo #7 - Another dash with even more racks.

Ed Fury · March 11, 2012, 10:28:23 PM

An hour something later 23G heads out. Here at mp 285 and the dpu at 285.5.

I guess at least the engine is a sequentially numbered 7654.

It's funny how when these dpu equipped trains first started they were the new black and now they are out of fashion.

Ed Fury · March 11, 2012, 10:33:23 PM

About 20 minutes after 23G headed East NS 7530 leads a mixed freight in the same direction.

7530 was the power for the mixing center run on Tuesday. I think that is the T79 local. I caught it on Tuesday doing a pickup at Whitner.

I called it a day and of course the afternoon/evening fleet of westbound trains started pouring in about an hour after this.

Photo #10 NS 7530 at about mp 285.4

NSMoWandS · March 12, 2012, 12:24:35 PM

My dad calls it... "the curse of CSX." Usually, right after he has spent 2 hours watching nothing... he leaves... and sees a train in his rearview mirror. He has started the "5 min" rule. When you are ready to go... wait 5 mins... then leave!

Matt L · March 12, 2012, 07:30:41 PM

Quote from: NSMoWandS on March 12, 2012, 12:24:35 PM
My dad calls it... "the curse of CSX." Usually, right after he has spent 2 hours watching nothing... he leaves... and sees a train in his rearview mirror. He has started the "5 min" rule. When you are ready to go... wait 5 mins... then leave!

Here's some irony for you- NS often blesses me with a final train 5 or 10 minutes before I leave the tracks.

Ed Fury · March 15, 2012, 04:44:03 PM

Here a SD70M from yesterday. I caught three trains in a row from this spot and this engine was the only one with dust coming off the front trucks. Is this ballast or was sand being used? Just wondering because the other two trains didn't have anything like this happening when they went by.

thpbears · March 21, 2012, 07:20:46 PM

Those are some nice pics Ed. It never fails when we head away from the tracks its bumper to bumper with trains after we jsut get out of sight.