Surprise Heritage on the CNO&TP and getting high on the Louisville District

[E.M. Bell]

It seems in this modern age of the internet, cell phones ect, that we keep track of every move of all of the NS Heritage engines (and other assorted goodies) more than the RR does. I don't think we have missed any of them moving through this area in the past year, but every once in awhile, something sneaks up on you, and that is not always a bad thing...

Saturday 06/22/13, Carmon and myself headed South to spend a few hours shooting the progress of the ongoing Double Track project on the CNO&TP between Somerset and Burnside KY (more on that in a day or Two). We knew that we had a couple of the pretty paint jobs headed our way (the LV & the Wabash), but both where trailing and I was not going to make any special effort to catch those. After spending an hour or so around Elihu, I heard a 797 call the South End dispatcher and say they where swapped out and  ready to head North from Burnside. I framed up a nice shot for the train coming under the old Jones Knob bridge and waited.

My view of the tracks was blocked by the bridge, and about 10 minutes later I heard the train grinding up the hill. I put the camera to my eye and started banging away as 797 rolled past.  As I was shooting, something in brain said "hey stupid..thats Blue"...and I panned around in time to realize that the 8098 was leading.  After I moved around and got the DPU on the other side of the bridge, I debated for a minute or so about chasing the train North, but Northbounds are almost impossible to shoot on a sunny day, so we stuck with the plan and got some more shots of the construction area (while I posted a heads up on Jreb and sent a couple of texts to get the word out about the 8098)

Awhile later, we headed back North and found the 797 sitting near Southfork, waiting for the afternoon fleet of pigs to run, and for a few other Northbounds to get through Danville. By this time, the sun had swung around just enough to get some (sort of) decent shots in a few carefully chosen places.  Once the train finally got into Danville, we headed on home to cool off for awhile and that gave me time to hatch a plan for one last shot of it. Late in the evening, I went over to the farm owned by a close friend, borrowed a tractor with a front end loader on it, and got myself hoisted about 35 feet or so for an elevated shot of the train as it came across the creek at Bondville...not a bad way to end the day!

On Monday 06/24/13, I got word the CR unit was leading a loaded coal train back East, and got out to grab a couple of shots on the Louisville District near home. Power that ends up in the Indianan coal pool tends to stick around a while, so we may have a few more chances with the 8098.  

Below are a few of my favorites from the day. The entire set can be found at this link >>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nsheritage_2013_eb

I was more concentrated on composing the shot than paying attention to the lead unit as 797 came under the Jones Knob bridge near Elihu Ky...I got the shot I wanted with the old bridge, and then managed to get a "Standing Pan" as the train passed by.  




Later in the afternoon, we found the train sitting in the Green River Dip near Southfork Ky, waiting for a chance to move towards Danville.


By the time the train got on the move, the temps where over 90 degrees, and the Green River valley was hazy as the train crossed over under the endangered signal bridge at Geneva, Ky


After a brief stop at while OTTO made up its mind what to run, 797 starts up the hill at Palm Ky


While the train spent 3+ hours in the yard at Danville getting a 1000 mile brake test and fuel, we went back to the house to cool off for awhile. Once I heard he was on the move West towards Louisville, we ran over to a friends farm just down the road from home, and I got him to lift me up in the bucket of a tractor for an elevated shot as 797 came by the signals and across the bridge at Bondville KY. This was by far my favorite of the day!


I tried my best to get Carmon to go up in the bucket with me, but she flat out refused..muttering something about checking to make sure my life insurance was paid up and someone needing to be around to call 911.  She did however, provide a shot of me up getting the shot...evidence I guess..


And one last shot from Monday evening as the loaded train went back East, seen here passing my favorite fence at Vanarsdale Ky.  Be sure to check the link above to see the rest of the shots from these Two days!

[NSMoWandS]

Beautiful Shots EM! I really like the "standing-pan" shot... looks like a model RR to me! And, funny how Carmon's first thought was life insurance... then 911. LOL! Dan

[thpbears]

Very nice shots. That bucket view is the most extreme shot I have heard of. Just the best idea ever .

[dschlegel]

Nice work EM! That farm fence makes a great photo prop.
Dan

[E.M. Bell]

Thanks guys.. I will have some more from that to share this weekend, but you know how I like to catagorize everything  

As for the calling of 911..everyone has priorities I guess. Luckily, mine worked out well, and her's did not. She best have it on speed dial though, because the next time the timing is right and I have something worthy of the trouble to shoot, I will be right back up there again!  15 or 20 feet in elevation can change the entire way a scene looks..

[Ponce de Leon]

You should get that friend of yours to follow you around with that back hoe. Any photographer knows a little elevation always makes a better shot. Just think how much better Cumberland Falls or KD Tower would look viewed from an elevated bucket!