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Sterling Rail Inc, (Austin, TX) has posted two former CN FP9Au’s for sale. 

·   Blue Carded and ready for service

·   16-645C Prime Mover

·   Originally built as CN 6529 and CN 6509

·   Both units remanufactured from FP9 units at Pointe St. Charles Shop

·   CN 6509 was numbered 1967 for the (Expo ’67) “Confederation Train”

·   Rebuilt in 1984 and 1994 by Bombardier

·   GP38 Controls and Dynamic Brake Controls

·   6529 has a Kim Hotstart

1800 HP and 275Kw head end power generators 

 

Mark Mautner had a busy day shooting in St-Louis, MO ,the first day of February and submitted the following shots:  NS/Virgnian heritage SD70ACE  1069 on train # 168 at East St Louis, IL.  Please note:  all of his photos were taken with permission to be on company property.


 

While bringing in cars for the Abengoa Plant on February 4th, we stopped  the train for some photos of GQS SD40-2 3086 in the snow at Wisconsin Central Port in Madison. 

NS/Interstate heritage ES44AC # 8105 at Luther yard St Louis, MO ( taken with permission )

MVPX ( ex Idaho Northern & Pacific ) GP35 # 4510 at MEI @ East St Louis, IL.

GMTX GP38 # 2001 in IAIS paint will ship from MEI to Progressive Rail for lease.

Union Pacific RP20SD # Y894 at MEI for fire damage repair.

Wearing fresh HELM paint, HLCX GP38-2 3859 (ex-L&N) sits in the sun outside the MEI Shop, with HLCX SD40-2 919 behind.

On February 17th  Mark snapped images of Terry Respondek's three newly repainted GP7's in mock "IT" colors.  Mark’s superior, Mr. Respondek worked for the Illinois Terminal during the 1970's. and has always had a affection for anything IT, hence the repainting of his locomotives in IT  livery.  These images show the "first run of the units since they were repainted back in Dec 2012. Units are GP7 # 4139 ( ex CNW, ex RI ) GP7 # 1001 ( ex Peabody Coal ) and GP7 # 415 ( ex Peabody coal). Images were taken February 17th,  2013 as we took the units out on the former Peabody Coal mine lead at Rolling Acres,IN.  Mark wishes to thank Terry Respondek for making this day possible.

Mark also submitted these shots taken February 18th of Progressive Rail's Central Midland Railway “turn” job  to TRRA.  CMR has recently picked up leased GMTX GP38 2001 ( ex-IAIS ) to supplement the three leased EMD switchers on the property. CMR operates from a connection with TRRA at Overland, MO west to Union, MO a distance of approx 50-miles over ex Rock Island trackage.

NS Locos company photographer submitted Ex-NS B36-7 rebuilt with low nose and bulletproof cab and painted for El Cerrejon-Zona Norte and went to work in South America. Shot in Chattanooga, TN in 1999. 

 

There is a campaign to return N&W 611 to steam. Please “like”  the 611 Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Fireup611

The beautiful streamlined Norfolk and Western J-Class #611 sits in all her glory at Roanoke, WV in 1982.

 

NS Locos also submitted NS Slug 961, NS  MP15DC 2365 and NS SD40-3 3484 all in new paint at Chattanooga, TN in February. 

 

 
On February 2nd, Dennis Weber  snapped  Amtrak train #8 the Empire Builder led  by  AMTK 100 and 44 shown blowing up the light snow at Donehower,  MN.

 

 
BNSF G-FINPGA had BNSF 6256 and 1092, on February 3rd, when Dennis caught the train at  Stoddard, WI.
 

On February 6th, George Redmond Warbonnet painted BNSF 539 switching cars in the BNSF yards at Centralia, IL.   

 

Mark Mautner snapped NS/Nickel Plate heritage ES44AC # 8100 is seen on the point of train #433 coal empties bound for loading at Shay #1 mine near Carlinville, IL. The consist is seen on NS Brooklyn district at "Remington" in Staunton, IL  February  3rd.

 

 

Warren Calloway snapped these Aberdeen Carolina & Western railroad units located at Star, NC), a shortline that loves Canadian locomotives.  ACWR GP40-2W 703 near Seven Oaks, NC, and ACWR GP40-2LW 9582 at Star, NC on October 1st 2007.    The ACWR has a total of 15 former Canadian units which are GP40-2W 703 (nee-GO TRANSIT 703),ACWR SD40-3 6907, 6909, 6910. 6918, 6919, 6922, 6925, and 6926 (all ex-CN SD40),  ACWR  GP40-2LW 9529, 9538, 9556, 9582, 9593, and 9624, (all ex-CN same numbers).  

The first revenue freight train for the Saratoga & North Creek Railway is seen approaching Saratoga, NY at CPC33 on a gloomy February 12th. 

 

 

On February 12th Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI)  President and CEO Jack Hellmann provided an update on the RailAmerica integration with RailAmerica during the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference. (GWI assumed control of RailAmerica on Dec. 28, 2012).  "From an operating standpoint, our planned new regional structure was rolled out to the railroads with our nine North American regions now run by a nice balance of six GWI senior vice presidents and three former RailAmerica senior vice presidents," said Hellmann during his opening remarks. "Given that our top priority is to impart [our] safety culture, business culture and decision-making frameworks, what might seem to be a daunting task, with 45 new railroads, is actually quite manageable thanks to the accountability of our regional leadership."  GWI has begun a reorganization at RailAmerica's corporate headquarters in Jacksonville, FL.”  he said, adding that the company expects to close the offices in the second quarter.  "We have thus far reduced annual labor costs by around $20 million," said Hellmann. "Given the expected timing of this reorganization, we expect at least $27 million of savings in 2013, with the synergies fully visible in the third quarter."   GWI has made some "important new additions" to its organization that will create significant long-term value, he said. The commercial organization now includes a larger industrial development team and an in-house real estate group; a newly expanded customer service department is being led by former GWI regional senior vice president, who has been tasked with creating a world-class service organization; the company is centralizing the oversight of track investment and equipment management via a new chief engineer and new chief mechanical officer; and purchasing has been centralized to leverage greater purchasing power.
"While our No. 1 priority as we enter 2013 is to complete the integration of RailAmerica … we also remain active with business development and potential acquisitions," said Hellmann. "We continue to pursue multiple targets and we currently have approximately $400 million of availability under our revolving credit facility." 

Genesee & Wyoming owned shortline Willamette & Pacific SD9E 1852 was shot  outside the W&P Diesel Shop in Albany, OR.  Still wearing her SP paint she is coupled to a W&P GP9.

Warren also photographed SP SD9E 1534 in Roseville, CA. 

The Boise owned switching railroad is used to switch the Resolute Forest Products paper mill in Fort Frances, Ontario and across the border at the Boise mill in International Falls MN, they interchange traffic with the CN at Ranier Minnesota.

 

Railfaning CSX in West Virginia

( by John D. Morin)

Along the CSX mainline corridor to Florida, is historic Martinsburg, West Virginia and originally part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which reached here in 1849.  A settlement boom began once B&O  constructed  a huge roundhouse and crew facility here, later destroyed during the Civil War.  A new large brick roundhouse and facilities were constructed, and the town flourished until the late 1980's.   On July 16, 1877 workers of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad went on Strike and closed this railroad yard to protest the cut in wages. Their action sparked the largest nationwide strike the country had seen. Extensive damage was done to company property at Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Wheeling and over 50 workers were killed before the was crushed. Federal troops were used for the first time in a labor dispute. As the country's first strike, it focused national attention on labor grievances and made worker aware of the power of collective action. (From a plaque at the scene)   The roundhouse complex consisted of two roundhouses east and west sections, but in 1990 vandals set fire to the west section after many years of abandonment, and the attempts to save it failed leaving a few walls preserved after bracing.

 

 Roundhouse and Shops at Martinsburg,  West Virginia

The B & O Railroad reached Martinsburg in 1842 and by 1849, a roundhouse and shops were built. These first buildings were burned by Confederate troops in 1862. The present west roundhouse and the two shops were built in 1872. These building represent one of the last remaining examples of American industrial railroad architecture still intact and in use. These structures serve as important reminders of the status of the railroad in the mid-19th century and the role it played in the economic development of Martinsburg, the country and the state. (Taken from a plaque)

  

Today, the structure only partially stands and is a mess, covered in debris and dust. In years past several historic  Baltimore and Ohio locomotives  had been displayed around the turn-table.  During the summer months, the engines were pulled out and displayed  on the turntable, and visitors could safely cross over the CSX mainline via a foot bridge. Over 3 Million dollars has been invested  to restore this area.      

This link shows the artifacts in the museum::

http://www.borail.org/History-of-the-Museum.aspx

Official Roundhouse History link:

       http://www.martinsburgroundhouse.com/history.html

Harpers Ferry, WV is a well known location mainly for its Civil War history and its outstanding picturesque beauty.  Railfans make pilgrimages to this area to photograph trains on the twin bridges, at the station exiting the rock tunnel, and including some of the historic buildings as a backdrop.  The former B&O station is still standing , and serving both Amtrak and local Washington D.C. (MARC) commuter trains.   

 



 CSX crews change in Hagerstown, Maryland and head to Florida. The entire system is controlled by Jacksonville Florida with many repeaters along the route to communicate with the engine crews.  

The Winchester and Western is a short line operating on 54 miles of former CSX trackage from Hagerstown, Maryland to Winchester, West Virginia. The line was originally Pennsylvania (PRR) trackage CSX acquired when Conrail was split up between CSX and NS.  At Martinsburg, WV  the Winchester and Western  interchanges with CSX, and NS, with the primary commodity week day traffic from a large asphalt plant. 

 

 

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ALCO Vignette

 

C&NW 6728 was one of 30 ALCO Century 628's, nos. 6701-6730, that the C&NW obtained from the Norfolk & Western. They spent most of their life on the ore routes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My family of origin is from Negaunee, and it was on a visit in 1976 that I caught this one in Ishpeming. Euclid yard in Ishpeming was the north end of the line. It also served as a transfer point with the Lake Superior & Ishpeming. The LS&I had its own fleet of ALCO's, a few of which Bill also has on Railpictures.net.

(From Bill Hakkarinen with thanks)

 

Kevin Piper snapped Northern Pacific Railway RS11 4186 in Portland, Oregon, on 6-2-71.  The 18 ex-NP RS-11's were some of the more reliable Alco's on BN and many lasted until the end of all BN Alco's  in August 1980.  A pair of ex NP RS11’s served  at Erie Mining in Northern Minnesota however the plant shut down in 2001.  Mining in Northern Minnesota however the plant shut down in 2001.  Kevin added, another ex-BN RS-11 ran for many years on the KB&S, a shortline in Illinois.

 

 

©CRO March 2013