On July 3rd and 4th, all 20 Norfolk Southern Heritage locomotives will gather for a “family portrait” at the North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) in Spencer, N.C. The 20 locomotives painted in the color schemes of predecessor railroads will be displayed together for an outstanding photo lineup. “This is the first and probably only chance we’ll have to get all these locomotives together in one place at one time,” said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. “We’re proud of the role railroads play in keeping the country’s economy strong, and July 4 is an opportune time to showcase that heritage of service and safety.” The N.C. Transportation Museum’s Bob Julian said “The Roundhouse is obviously a great place to frame this ‘family portrait’. It’s a great partnership with Norfolk Southern to host this historic occasion.” All ten new SD70ACe’s are now painted into the heritage scheme and released by Progress Rail in Muncie, IN. The units assigned numbers are NS 1065-1074 inclusive for a total of 20 HERITAGE painted units. The EMD Heritage Locomotives have been delayed by several weeks and are not expected to be delivered until late June early July. Here are the ES44AC and SD70ACe units released so far: CLICK HERE and HERE The first four EMD Heritage units together.
Due to an inaccuracy when first released, Lehigh Valley painted NS ES44AC 8104 received a nose job and repaint. You can see the sand marks where they removed the old lettering and herald. More EMDs to be released this week. You must admire Norfolk Southern to spend more money just to get everything just right!
In Mid-June, Monongahela ES44AC 8025, Norfolk Southern's fifteenth heritage unit is seen resting outside the paint shop in Chattanooga, TN. This paint scheme is not actually an original Monongahela Railroad livery. Instead this locomotive wears what was at one time the GECX company scheme, used during the 1980’s and 1990’s. The MON herald’s have been positioned where the GE insignias would normally have been.
On June 21st, NS released SD70ACe 1070 in the attractive Wabash Railroad “Follow the Flag” passenger paint scheme of the 1950’s.
Norfolk Southern SD70ACe 1069 in Virginian “Heritage Paint” was released in mid-June.
Jersey Central Lines SD70ACe#1071 NS was released June 22nd.
On June 25th NS released the Penn Central painted SD70CACe NS 1073. My dad, William Baird Sr. would have loved this one!
On June 26th, NS released the jolly green giant, NS SD60ACe 1072 in Illinois Terminal livery.
Sporting Delaware Lackawanna & Western livery, NS SD70ACe 1074 was released June 27th, the last of the Heritage locomotives fleet.
On June 5th George Redmond caught LLPX GP38-2 2213 and GMTX GP38-2 2144 in the UP yards at Dupo, IL.
UP SD70ACe 8413 is the lead unit on SB train MASNL at Chester, IL, which UP calls “Menard Jct” on June 8th.
On June 26th, George Redmond noted NREX 5925, 2908, 2911, 3031, and 346 at the NRE Facility in Mount Vernon, IL.
Mike Mautner (Mark’s brother) Herzog MW unit #203/MPM XXXIV which has been rebuilt and repainted by Metro East Industries using e- FURX GP40M-3 1165 as the core loco. This unit was built as L&N GP40 3007 and later worked as SBD/CSX 6804 before being rebuilt by M/K (Morrison/ Knudson) and sold to the Texas Mexican RR numbered as their 1165. Herzog has more of this model under construction at MEI as I type. The Herzog unit was photographed in transit at BNSF Lindenwood yard in Shrewsbury,MO on June 7th.
Mark Mautner snapped the old TRRA # 3004-1 and the new TRRA # 3004-2 leading trains. First image shows the new TRRA 3004 (ex- CEFX 3161, exx-UP 3585) leading a "101" transfer to BNSF Lindenwood yard photographed from Eads bridge in downtown St Louis, Mo taken today June 10th 2012. The bottom image shows the old TRRA 3004-1 now renumbered as the #300 which is of course a former SP SD45 leading a "101" transfer to BNSF Lindenwood yard at Branch St in downtown St Louis on June 8th.
On June 6th Dennis Webber snapped Badger Mining NREX SW1500 2531 switching the Sand Plant.
BNSF U-MIJTIO has BNSF C44-9W’s 4430-739-984 leading westbound crude oil empty with a frac sand train passing eastbound on June 5th.
George Redmond caught BNSF ES44DC 7426 leading a Track Geometry train leaving the BNSF yards NB at Centralia, IL on June 19th.
Darren Doss snapped SVTX 1982 leading a southbound coal train through Fulton, KY in the pre-dawn darkness of June 13th, 2012. SVTX 1982 was trailed by SVTX 1986 and with SVTX 1912 146 cars back in DP service. The train was running from Sugar Camp mine in Southern Illinois to Convent, LA for trans-loading. All three locomotives are ES44AC's
The Galveston Railroad Museum's two restored Santa Fe F7A’s #315 and #316, were unveiled in early June at the Motive Power & Equipment Solutions of Greenville, South Carolina where they were rebuilt. The covered wagons are original SP units and now sport ATSF Warbonnet. The museum hinted the units may make a special run over the BNSF between Houston and Galveston in September 2012.
In September 2001 Warren Calloway took this great photo of Indiana Harbor Belt SW7/SW9 8866 and 9005 on a transfer run at Chicago, IL
Warren Mayhew visited the Grand Canyon Railway with his fiend, “CN Ken” Wadden, who spoke with GCR management who were onboard the train, and secured a visit to the GCR shop for photos. On May 24th they were accompanied by a female employee who guided them around the facility. The photos show (ex-Amtrak) F40PH 237, 295, the regular tourist train (Ex-VIA) GCRX FPA4 6793, FPB4 6860, and the sad looking parts source, GCRX FPA4 6768.
Over in the GCR yard, Warren also snapped an SP&S Steam engine, a full length dome, older GCR coaches in the green livery, BM&LP ____ 6001, A Climax, and GCRX FPA4 6773 in the green and gold livery.
By Maxime Boule In May 2012 I went to California with two friends to railfan ATSF #3751 (a 4-8-4 steam locomotive) on the Grand Canyon excursion train from Corona CA to Grand Canyon. We followed the train on our way to Arizona and it was pretty difficult to race against him (60mph on the BNSF mainline) pulled by two additional Amtrak P42. I caught this shot of the steam train near Congress, AZ where we almost ran out of gas in the desert! (Note to any railfans visiting the desert region: bring lots of water, an extra gas canister and a bandana!).
Late in the afternoon of May 14th, we were standing close at the (Arizona & California Railroad) ACR-BNSF interchange, where the steam train was passing enroute to Parker, AZ. By the time the train crew was filling the steam engine’ tender with water, i had time to catch this photo of a BNSF Intermodal train pulled by three ES44AC’s.
After photographing the excursion train to Grand Canyon, we decided to drive east to railfan on the APACHE RAILWAY. We had idea where the tracks ran other than the large papermill near Snowflake, AZ. By accident we finally found the mainline (the Apache Railway is only a 38 mile shortline operating between Holbrook and Snowflake, AZ.), and cought a 6-pack of Alco’s running to Holbrook, AZ with an ex-CP C424 leading the train! We had so much fun railfanning this shortline so we decided to start again the next day! Note: Apache # 81 is an ex-L&N unit.
© CRO July 2012 |
