NS F-units, Alco FA's and Southern steam

[E.M. Bell]

It was a hasty, last minute decision, but Carmon and myself made the trek from Kentucky to Central Illinois last weekend (09/18/10 & 09/19/10) to the Monticello Railway Museum after seeing the announcement that they newly restored Southern Railway 401 would be in operation after a lengthy restoration.  While we went to see SOUTHERN steam, the fact the NS show horses would be there made it an even easier choice! 

I had to spend all day Friday, and half the day Saturday in Louisville for company meetings. By the time Carmon picked me up at the hotel Saturday, it was almost Noon, and we made a quick trip to Monticello Illinois. . We arrived at the museum just as the regular activities for the day where winding down, and hung out for the night photo session. While we waited for darkness to fall, we had a great chance to get up close and personal with the NS F units, and shot a few moves as they switched out the days trains and got everything in place for the night session.

The night session was well organized, and done with synchronized strobes. We spent almost 5 hours in the dark (and dodging some rather nasty storms) shooting away at the F units, the SR 401 and the museums awesome pair of CN Alco FA's. By the time we got back to our Hotel that night, we where both soaking wet, covered in mosquito bites and so tired we could hardly move..but it was all worth it. 

This will be part One, of Two post on the weekend. This round we will look at the NS F units on the museum grounds and at the night session. Part Two will cover the Southern 401 at night, and out on the road Sunday. My hats off to all the fine folks that run the museum up there. I don't usually do museums, but this has to be one of the classiest, cleanest, well run places I have ever had the chance to visit.

If you have a few minutes to take a look, click this link to check out 21 new images added to my NS OCS gallery.    http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/gallery/2010ocs

[Batman]

Nice pics !

[steveiez]

Do the CN units run too?

[E.M. Bell]

Steve,

The CN Alco's run, and run well. They where using them on a photo freight both days. They have a ton of neat power up there, and by the looks of most of it, it runs. They also had a former TCRM E8 in the backshop undergoing a rebuild. I heard someone say it would emerge as an IC unit when completed. 

[Ed Fury]

A few of those photos could (should) be used for the NS calendar.

Outstanding.

[E.M. Bell]

Thanks guys!

Ed, I dont see any of my work getting published by NS anytime soon, but thats OK. The folks here at JREB and facebook get more than enough of my pics!

[Backyard]

  Ah but Mr. Bell....you have good pics of road-grime on the #4270's trucks that let me know that the Mother of All Restorations is getting many useful road-miles!