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Dennis Weber snapped UP Train MVPPR with UP SD70ACe 8722 and 8634. Altoona,WI on October 2^nd.

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BNSF U-NTWNAR has BNSF ESS44AC 6013 and SD70MAC 9630 up front and BNSF East Local has great looking Warbonnet liveried BNSF B40-8W 519 and 548 at LaCrosse, WI October 4^th. 

 

 

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St. Albans, Vermont, is the location of the immaculate former Central Vermont Railway General Office Building used by the New England Central.  NECR 324 is seen passing by into the first mile of its journey south to Brattleboro, VT, with a pair of NECR GP38’s leading a trio of other units!  The big draw on this night was the spotless NECR GP38 3857, touched up only days earlier for a passenger excursion. Gary Knapp got an unexpected bonus with two blue and yellow NECR GP 38s leading.  Observing no autos, he moved to shoot this from the middle of Lake Street atop his stepladder as 324’s headlights come round the curve onto the tangent track leading past the General Office Building and he savors the moment, knowing what is coming his way. He took the shot on October 9^th, 2012 at 03:41AM.

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Kris Rumbut snapped these pictures taken October 9^th at Porter, IN. showing brand new Canadian built well cars and gondolas from National Steel Car (NSC) in Hamilton, ON being delivered to the USA.  They are being forwarded on one of the daily CP bridge train along the NS Chicago line. 

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Mark Mautner visited the TRRA Madison Yard in Venice, IL October 11th, and caught Colorado & Wyoming SW1500 1205 (with temporary GMTX 138 markings for transport).  It was overhauled and painted by Metro East Industries (MEI) in September, and is a former UP nee-SP switcher. C&W is acquiring several GMTX SW1500s to replace a aging fleet of EMD SW8's. 

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At MEI October 16^th he paint shop was continuing working on HLCX GP38-2's, and a Herzog GP40.  Mark snapped these images of two HLCX SD40's being cut up. Helm has several hundred SD40/SD40-2 locomotive currently in storage and are intending to reduce the fleet by up to 25 units, at a time while scrap prices are high, and major components are being recycled and sold.  The photos were taken on MEI property with prior permission.

 

 

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The two ex GTW units we spoke of last month in CRO, were again at the IHB yard in Riverdale, IL this tinme back to back for the CF&E train on September 28th. The same day a train arrived with three brand new UP GEs.   The Gary Railway engine was photographed at National Railway Equipment in Dixmoor IL on Oct. 15th.

 

  

  

 

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Dennis Weber snapped a BNSF Eastbound Stacker lead y BNSF C44-9W 4779 near Bison Siding, and a BNSF WB Work Train at Marias Pass, August 18^th, 2012.

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Dennis also caught UP train MVPPR with all black Norfolk Southern consist (NS C40-8W 9103, SD70 2568, and C40-9W 9167) at Black River Falls, WI on October 16^th .

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George Redmond caught CSX C40-9W 9044 and C40-8 7661 hauling the Ringling Bros.and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train (P299) rolling eastbound at Sandoval, IL on October 15th.

 

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The second BNSF Heritage hopper has emerged from Lincoln's Havelock Shops, this one with the coonskin FRISCO logo.

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CRO SPECIAL REPORT: Michael Berry Visits the Conway Scenic Railroad BY MICHAEL BERRY   Every September, the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire, has a railfans' weekend. The 2012 version took place on the weekend of September 15th and 16th and the weather turned out perfectly and there were dozens of train movements, powered variously by Geeps, Steam and RDC's. Among the events that took place this weekend especially for railfans' weekend was The Notch Train going all the way to Hazen, NH on Saturday (normally during the fall it terminates at Fabyans), a passenger extra with RDC #23, a mixed train where you could ride in the caboose and runby's on a number of the trains. Participants also received a VERY detailed timetable detailing every single train movement, including switching maneuvers, runarounds, etc. during the whole weekend. The Conway Scenic Railroad has a very nice collection of rolling stock and operates in a very scenic part of New England, I highly recommend visiting it!   Passenger Extra RDC #23 heads west through Bartlett, passing Freight Extra #573 in the siding, as the conductor waves at the Budd car on Saturday, September 15th 2012. In front of the historic North Conway Station, Boston and Maine 4266 (EMD F7A, owned by the 470 Railroad Club of Portland and leased to the Conway Scenic Railroad) has just been put on the head end of train #21 for Bartlett, after CSRX 7470 (ex-CN 0-6-0) which brought this same train up from Conway has been removed from the head end. Saturday, September 15th 2012. CSRX 7470 (ex-CN 0-6-0) prepares to leave North Conway Station with train #30 for Conway on Saturday, September 15th 2012. To its left is CSRX 216 (an ex-N & W high hood EMD GP35) CSRX 7470 (ex-CN 0-6-0) leaves the North Conway roundhouse on the morning of Sunday, September 16th 2012 before heading to Conway with train #10.   Passenger Extra #216 had a number of runbys planned. Here CSRX 216 (an ex-N & W high hood EMD GP35) backs up over Wiley Brook trestle in preparation for the second runby of the day, on Sunday, September 16th 2012. Passenger Extra #216 (North Conway to Fabyans and back) is led by CSRX 216 (an ex-N & W high hood EMD GP35) as it stops for a layover at the famous Crawford Notch Station on what used to be Maine Central's Mountain Subdivision. The train has already climbed the 2.2% grade westwards to get here. Sunday, September 16th 2012.

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South Vignettes

Were you wondering where the NS Heritage paint schemes originated from?