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