Walking On Empty: February 2016

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Sonic Duo

Today there were some Norfolk Southern engines with special paint schemes through Jonesborough that I hadn't already seen. They are the 4000 & 4001 that are painted in a special blue, gold, gray and white scheme to commemorate the rebuilding of the units from DC to AC traction. Because of this paint scheme they've been called the Sonic Duo as the blue/gold paint is reminiscent of Sonic the Hedgehog.

The pair had been working out of Roanoke since they were commissioned. I hadn't seen any indication they had moved anywhere else until I saw a post on the Facing Book that said they were on 37Q, and it had left Bristol an hour earlier. I checked with a FB friend to see if it had passed through Jonesborough - and it had - so I figured they were gone.

About an hour later I got a message that it was still at Telford. So we took off at lunch and drove quickly to the crossing at Telford. We got there just in time to see the tail end of the train passing the crossing. crap. So we quickly took off toward the next crossing. We got there jut in time to see the tail end of the train passing. crap crap. So we took off for the next crossing which was in Chuckey. This time we got there before it. yeah! But then the train never showed. crap crap crap. We waited for 10 minutes then finally checked the scanner and found that it was stopped about 1/2 mile up the track from us. So we drove up that way and found it sitting, behind a bunch of trees. crap crap crap crap. But then we heard them get a TA to leave so we went back to the crossing at Chuckey to shoot.

Then the rains came. oh bother. We only had to wait about 5 minutes before it rolled by. The potential fail in shooting at crossing is having vehicles pull up to the crossing and blocking the view of the train, which is what happened on the last shot. Anyway, here's the five shots I processed. It might be back later in the week on 38Q. Hopefully leading this time.

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I've seen all 20 of the Heritage motors.

#13 1065 Savannah and Atlanta

#15 1066 New York Central

#19 1067 Reading
#12 1068 Erie
#1 1069 Virginian
#8 1070 Wabash
#16 1071 Central RR of New Jersey
#11 1072 Illinois Terminal
#4 1073 Penn Central
#18 1074 Delaware Lackawanna
#17 8025 Monongahela
#2 8098 Conrail

#10 8099k Southern
#5 8100 Nickel Plate Road
#7 8101 Central of Georgia

#9 8102 Pennsylvania

#14 8103 Norfolk and Western
#3 8104 Lehigh Valley

#6 8105 Interstate

#20 8114 Norfolk Southern

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These were new special interest engines for me.

6920 Honoring Our Veterans

6963 GoRail

630 Southern Railway Steam
911 Honoring First Responders
1030 The Forgotten Heritage Engine
3170w Southern
4000 AD to DC Conversion
4001 AD to DC Conversion

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Big Blue

I finally got to see the Conrail #8098 leading a train through Johnson City and Jonesborough. It has been through Jonesborough on the 22A / 23G route for a week or so, but it's been trailing through during the day and leading through during the night ... until today!


8098 Conrail leading 22A in Johnson City TN (2/9/16)

8098 Conrail leading 22A through Sand Valley (2/9/16)

I saw it earlier in the week training on 22A, which was the first time I'd seen it on local rails.


8098 Conrail trailing on 22A through Jonesborough (2/3/16)

8098 Conrail trailing on 22A through Jonesborough (2/3/16)