News and photos from our American CRO contributors.

In late December, Norfolk Southern 4000 and 4001 pose together outside the paint shop in Chattanooga, Tennessee , for their first portrait. The locomotives wear a new, special paint scheme to designate the units as prototypes for the DC to AC conversion program. 4000 was originally built by GE in 1995 as a standard-cab D9-40C, NS road number 8799. 4001 was formerly D9-40C number 8879. During their rebuild in 2015, they were converted to AC traction, received wide cabs, and re-designated as "AC44C6M". They will enter into normal revenue service across the NS system. (Photo Norfolk Southern)

Mark Mautner submitted these shots: Twin Cities & Western GP38-2 2010 is one of four units the Minnesota shortline will be getting on long term lease from First Union Rail. All four are being shopped and painted into TCWR's attractive scheme by Metro East Industries. TCWR 2010 is ex-FURX 5504, ex-NS 5504, and was originally N&W GP38AC 4104. This photo was taken with both MEI and FURX permission at East St Louis, IL on November 19th.

FTRL Railway GP38AC 3810 was recently purchased by FTRL from Metro East Industries. Unit is ex-INRD 3810, exx-INRD 32, and was built as GM&O 722. Long term plans for this unit will be working at an undisclosed location in Indiana. Photo taken with permission at MEI St Louis, MO, on November 18th.

On December 5th, Mark Mautner shot newly arrived ex-CP GP9u 1605 on Respondek owned Port Harbor Railroad, with ex-CP sibling 1602 at Granite City, IL. We have also included Mark's roster shot of ex-CP 1602 taken on the property back in September.

On November 15th in Tacoma. WA, Pete Beiber noted a handful of BNSF trains. A CP GE was repaying HPH on a southbound BNSF, and he noted a BNSF SD60M and an ex-UP NREX leaser on a northbound.  Pete shot brand new BNSF ET44C4 3844 on a northbound loaded oil train November 15th.

At Collier, CA on November 11th, George Manley clicked eastbound BRICRIC moving on the siding with the CREX 1211 trailing. It had just met a very short QMEMRIC. The light units will run east to the Antioch area to pick up a string of bare-tables destined to Stockton/Mariposa.

Mark Mautner clicked Lake State Railway SD40-2 6305 less than one day out of the paint shop at Metro East Industries in East St Louis, IL on November 24th. This unit is one of three ex-GCFX/CITX SD40-2's MEI is painting up for LSRC. Built as KCS 622, became SOO 6400, then CP 6400. Sold and rebuilt to GCFX 3095, to CITX  3095, and finally to LSRC 6305. Taken with both LSRC and MEI permission.

                                                                                     
 Built as a Canadian National CN GP40, GMTX GP38-2 2103 (CN 4017 to CN 9317 to UP 2384 to UP 884 to GMTX 2103.) at MEI on 11/23/2015. Taken with MEI permission

Working a yard job on a Class One carrier is very different from working the same on a regional or short line. We do not have assigned power. The unit I use today could be used on an outbound train tonight. The beauty is the anticipation of what power tomorrow brings.

Back up to the summer of 2014 the yardmaster gives us our work and says the engines are down at the east end. I was very happy to see my ride this day was a Multi-Mark SD40-2 #5927. She looked pretty rough, but ran like a champ. As the day went by, I wondered how many CP units in revenue service still wear this iconic logo.

So here we are at the east end of the Mega Yard, waiting for a fairly new SD70ACE to clear up the lead. The engine is an add on unit for the train in the background on the main. Once my conductor lines the switch, I'll have this classic 645 make some noise. (Photo Steven Rathke)

 By Herb Iske

A TRULY RARE CATCH! In Gateway, WY on June 4th, 1977, Bill Grandin clicked Morrison/Knudsen-built MREX TE53-4E 5302 and 5303.  These locos were built in 1976 using EMD F7 and U25B components creating a very unique cab, nose and body style. They were later rebuilt again as the GE TE70-4S model.

This photo has all the elements of a great train photo:  good lighting, scenery, puffy clouds, flowers, smoke, drama, and the entire train is visible, and of course, a great locomotive Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy X4004 . Photo Collection of Chris Zygmunt.

Eric Blasko is scanning many of his great old slides. Here are the first ones done.  Five Santa Fe GE's at Walong Siding at the Tehachapi loop in the summer 1982.

Later that day, Eric Blasko caught a heavy SP freight as it crawled around the Loop.

More photos from that 1982 Tehachapi trip, between Tunnels 7 and 8.  I haven't been there since.  Eric would like to return there, but now is not a good time with the east end of Cliff siding being extended as part of the Tehachapi Double Tracking project.

ATSFGP7 2873 leading an A-B-B-A set out of tunnel 4 at Tehachapi, CA in April 1952. (George Manley photo Collection).

© CRO January 2016