SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Dennis Weber caught CP unit coal train #810 blasting into LaCrosse, WI over a bascule bridge with Powder River Coal for a power plant led by a pair of BNSF SD70MAC’s January 7th, 2012.
Joe Ferguson took this potpourri of locomotives on December 31st in Indiana:
New CSX ES44AH (ES44AC) 976 leads train U100-31 (Hazleton, IN - Jacksonville, FL) into Howell Yard in Evansville, IN. Jay Potter explains: The "AH" in CSXT's class CW44AH and ES44AH Is for a CSX locomotive that has not only an increased (currently to 432,000 pounds) nominal weight, but also (1) steerable trucks, (2) TM3 adhesion control software, (3) software that extends to 36,000 pounds (from 30,000 pounds) the maximum amount of tractive effort that each traction motor is permitted to produce, and (4) GE's Rail Cleaner, which directs high-pressure air onto the rails in front of the sand nozzles forward of number one axle. GE refers to locomotives with those features (though not necessarily the steerable trucks) as "HTE", which stands for "high-tractive-effort", locomotives. Unless a CSXT locomotive has all of those features, it will not be classified as an AH unit, regardless of how much it weighs. Therefore ES44AH is correct in CSXT nomenclature and it's even on the side of the locos. However, officially the model is still a GE ES44AC.
Joe Ferguson was busy January 24th, snapping CSX genset 1325 along with DAIR 2701 at Mount Vernon, IL; CSX 8724 was shot at Salem, IL and Vandalia 104 in Vandalia, IL, all the same day.
Savatran GEVOs parked at Abee, IN (Mt. Vernon, IN) after being utilized for crew training on DPU set up. These new GE’s have yet to see revenue service.
George Redmond submitted these shots from January 3rd, at Centralia, IL. BNSF GP38-2 2903 and BN Caboose 12528 lead a SB switch engine move, and BNSF SD70ACe 9307 is the leader on this DPU powered NB coal empty.
BNSF GP39E 2753 was damaged in Tacoma, WA, on June 15, 2009, when this former GP30 was accidentally backed into the side of a Union Pacific stack train. While it was being repaired, it managed to receive new paint and a remote control system. Then this GP39E got assigned to, Grand Forks ND, and now can typically be found working the City Job, as seen here in Carl Becker’s photo taken in August 2011.
Marshall Beecher shot freshly-painted former BN SD40-2 3020 for CIT October 28th in the woods of MEI's backlot at Alorton, IL. The same day, he also framed the Arch and UP SD40-2B 8982 at Gateway Yard in East St. Louis. 73 former MoPac 40-2's have no cab seats, fridge or toilet - UP relegated them to trailing status in 1992.
Ken Lanovich shot newly rebuilt SD38-3 NSM 1236 December 29th at NRE-Dixmoor awaiting a ride north.
Marc Malnekoff’s camera was busy in early January – at CSX Barr yard he caught NSM 1236 fresh from its Dixmoor rebuild – CN will take this back to Minnesota mining country. CSX SD50 8590 was snoozing, and the ill-fated AC44CW CSX 320 was awaiting assessment with CSX ES44DC’s 5284 + 5387 following their 3-train collision January 5th near Valporaiso, IN.
Dan Braun compiled these metamorphisis shots of WSOR 3809 and 3810 – bargains when acquired out of storage near East. St. Louis. High-nosed JTPX 9214, now WSOR 3809 was delivered new to Nacionål de Mexico in June 1975. WSOR 3010 was born NdeM 9254 in Oct. 1975. WSOR acquired 5 locos all in need of extensive body and mechanical work, in 2007.
Eric Bitton shot this Saint Croix Valley Railroad duo – GP9 SCXY 1363 and GP8 1352 in Hinckley, MN on January 6th, wearing this handsome Northern Pacific Railroad inspired paint scheme.
On January 22nd Al Gorney clicked two brand new GE export FREIGHTLINER units, (model PH37ACmi) on the CSX at Utica, NY. These export units are destined to the UK and were on CSX train Q382 waiting on track 2 in Union Station to make a drop on the MA&N at CP 235. The locomotive is powered by a 3,700 HP 16 cylinder engine designed by Austrian company Jenbacher, which GE purchased for its “PowerHaul” series locomotives back in 2003, it has an AC electrical system riding on 3 axle design Molinari bogies.
Traded in for FGLK GP9 1751, two former Conway Scenic locomotives (U23B 2820 and B23-7 1943), were are now owned by FGLK (Finger Lake Railways) and were caught by Francois Jolin in transit via Montreal, and then heading south on CSX.
George Redmond clicked NS SD60I 6723 (ex-Conrail 5586) the newest Chattanooga repaint leading WB train #168 at Centralia, IL, on January 19th.
At the invitation of WSOR president Bill Gardner, new contributor Philip Martin and others joined WSOR webmaster Paul Swanson and "lights in the night" technician Chris Guss in Horicon January 23rd. Jordan Spreader WSOR 9 (formerly WSOX 9MW) and WSOR 10 - a Russell-style plow built by the talent of the Milwaukee Road shops decades ago - have been refurbished and wear new suits of Imron® armour for battles against Wisconsin winter. GP7u 702, nee ATSF 2805 - will turn 60 in October 2012.
Ed Weisensel snapped WSOX 9MW at Horicon in its previous attire Mother's Day - May 13th, 2007, and Milwaukee X900103 at CP's Muskego Yard in Milwaukee November 16th of 2006. Wsor 10 will be assigned to watch over the Janesville, WI; the spreader will stand sentinel for the northern division at Horicon.
On January 4th, Kris Rumbut found one of the surviving Alco switchers still in service today. Former Santa Fe Alco S4 CRGX 1528 stationed at the Gilman, IL. Cargill elevator.
Kris also clicked ex-Saratoga and North Creek RR nee-Arizona Eastern E8 6070 wearing the SP black widow scheme leading January 18th's “High Iron Special” over the CN/IC through Danforth, IL. Most riders were attending the Railroad Passenger Car Alliance 2012 Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN. This locomotive is nicknamed the "Gila Tomahawk.”
Larry Amaloo photographed the High Iron passenger special, destined for Indianapolis, backing out of the Canal St. wye on the BNSF Chicago Sub to the St. Charles Airline – for its segment on the CN Chicago subdivision. And Robby Gragg captured its ascent. That same day Mike Garza captured the train from a favorite spot along the IC/CN mains at University Park. The five car special included ex-Santa Fe full domes SLRG 551 "Sky View" and SLRG 511 "Sunset View", as well as ex-IC sleeper/observation car "Eaton". It also marked the excursion debuts for ex-NYC diner SLRG 448 and ex-C&O observation/lounge/sleeper 2500, now SLRG 800224 "Adirondack Club". (The Adirondack Club had done a few previous excursions for former owner Gunderson as their "Goombay Sunrise".
Robby Gragg also shot this video of the 79mph (127.38km/hr) run thru Manteno, IL.
Austin MacDougal photographed (Buffalo & Pittsburgh) BPRR SD40-2 3323, BPRR SD45-2 454 and 459 and BPRR SD40-3 3333 at Streights, PA on January 4th, 2112.
A line up of retired Metro North (MNR) EMD FL9’s were snapped by Nick Chase at Ashtabula, OH. Lettered FICX, this is your last look as these dual-mode cab units and retired PATH cars will soon be scrapped in Ashtabula.
On January 5th, CRO's Western Co-Ordinator Roman Litarchuk, caught GTW 5955-5952-5938-5941 stored at a petro-chemical facility in East St. Louis (http://binged.it/wyT3aG), Shot from from aboard AMTK 301 Lincoln Services,. the old CN SD40s were in good company with FURX, KCS, BNSF & HLCX SD40-2s, including Morrison-Knudson rebuilds that CP leased back in the early 90s. (As Roman never got to see these in service as a kid, he was in true rent-a-wreck heaven)! Behind the fences at NRE Dixmoor in Blue Island, Il on January 8th, Roman noted Stored CN 9164 F7Au and CN 7709 SW9, retired in 1989 & 1988 respectively.
D&H VIGNETTES Obtained in a locomotive trade, two former B&M Alco RS-3’s 1508 and 1536 lead the D&H passenger train “The Adirondack” at Fort Edward, New York in 1974. Phil Mason photographed the Montreal-Albany day train with a D&H smooth-side coach, a Penn Central bar lounge, and a leased CP “Skyline” Dome to complete the short, but interesting consist.
Peter Cox captured D&H RS-3 4012 blasting up the grade at South Junction into Montreal West, QC on June 26th,1962.
A 1956 VIGNETTE C&O, L&N, NYC and PRR E-units meet at Cincinnati, Ohio Union Terminal passenger at the engine house September 1956. (Collection of Skip Gatermann - Rail Postcards, Edition #294) .
© CRO February 2012 |
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