April 2012 Contest

[JCagle]

It's been a big month with the announcement of the heritage fleet and the anticipation of more announcements as they roll out of the factories. This month's theme will be fallen flags. Show off your fallen flag scheme shots this month. We will wave the requirement for operation on NS trains and rails to open it up for museum trains as long as it is of a fallen flag of NS heretage. We will also take Conrail, and 4610 (in green) shots this month to open it up to as many as possible. If you have anything you have a question about post it and ask if it is acceptable.

We will take entries until the 25th and then vote the following 5 days. If you have any questions about the rules check the rules sticky topic. Any other questions feel free to email or pm me.

[Matt L]

Is a heritage unit operating on a shortline acceptable?

[JCagle]

As long as it has NS heretage

[T. Mahan]

Guess I'll throw out my poker hand on this... I'm sure someone will throw out a picture of SR FTs or RS-3s picking up cars from the Brimstone Ry.  But my first choice was this find in 2006.  I was 'deployed' to Shaw Air Force base, SC.  With the abundance of SC shortlines, I tried to get to the most I could.  One day I decided to check out the Carolina Southern (CALA).  I knew they rostered and used a few F-Unit's and was hoping to catch those in action.  I showed up at the yard in Chadbourn, NC.  I was driving around and this truck was following we, when I pulled over, I thought for sure I was going to get run off,it turned out it was a train crew member.  He told me two trains would be arriving, both with F-units bracketed by a pair of Geeps.

About a half an hour later a train appears with a GP18 (ex NW), F9B (exCN), and to top it off, a GP30 in SR tuxedo paint!  Sadly the GP30 was trailing, but the conductor came to me later saying they were headed all the way to Myrtle Beach and I could follow him along the way as he paced the train.  I asked if the power would be wyed at some point, but was told no but the GP30 would lead the return trip.  To make a long story short, I chased the train from Chadbourn to Myrtle Beach, SC.  The 60 mile trip took 8 hours along the 10MPH line.  When they dropped their last car of at Myrtle Beach, they made sure to park the locos in a sunny spot.  Thankfully there was enough light from the setting sun to grab this shot! Not only Southern Railway heritage, but the oddest loco consist I have ever photographed to date!

[T. Mahan]

exxPC, exCR GP38 parked at the exNS Ry (Original NS) at glennwood Yard (Raleigh), NC

[JCagle]

I have never entered the contest since becoming the moderator of it, but since the rules say admins and mods can enter and nobody has seemed to have a problem with it I thought I would throw a couple entries in the fray. If there is a tie involving one of my entries we will go to a runoff.

My first entry is SOU 6133 sitting outside the Barber Depot while the station agent puts down his newspaper to get the paperwork together for the waiting train.

[JCagle]

entry 2 is Sou 6133 passing by a former NC Highway Patrol Car at the NCTM

[Matt L]

Entry #1 was the final time I saw a former Conrail Geep in dress blue. NS #5338 leads H77 along Chemung Street last spring, after picking up a string of tank cars from the Bath & Hammondsport RR. The EMD is actually on former CR iron, as this section of track was part of the Bath Secondary from C-Day in 1976 till NS leased it  to the B&H in late 2001.



Photo taken by me Monday 4/25/2011 in Painted Post, NY. I saw at least one ex-CR six axle unit later in the year, but this was my final sighting of 4 axle power in dress blue.

 

[Matt L]

Entry #2: the Finger Lakes Railway has had heritage units for over a decade now... with paint schemes representing Conrail, the Lehigh Valley RR and the New York Central. Most of the FGLK's locomotives wear NYC lightning stripes, including #2301. On this occasion, the B23-7 was leading an excursion commemorating the 50th anniversary of the the final NYC passenger train on the Auburn Road.



Photo taken by me Sat 5/17/2008 in Auburn, NY.

[Batman]

CS 117 near oakdale , tn april 1981

[NS145]

Shot #1:  Monticello Railway Museum's Wabash F7 1189 rolling the 2011 NS Santa Train west alongside old US 36 near Illiopolis, IL.

Shot #2: "Illini Terminal" GP10 1604 at Litchfield, IL repainted by Respondek into a retro Illinois Terminal paint scheme from the 1950's.

[maersksealand3329]

Nothing like real heritage on NS rails.  From my Nickle Plate 765 chase a couple of years ago, we have NKP 765 steamed up, running alone on its way to the Cuyahoga Valley Senic for its special charter runs just outside Bellevue, Ohio.  This chase was quite fun to do, and to see a locomotive I have not seen in god know how long was a rewarding expierence.  What a day that was, and a chase that I will never forget.

[Whitethorne]

Photo 1: The beautiful Southern heritage unit leads train 38Q through Rural Retreat, VA in the very last light of the day.
Photo 2: NS 38Q charges through Abingdon, VA with NS 8099 on the point as a light rain falls as he continues East toward Roanoke.

[NSMoWandS]

I was wondering when the "new" heritage units would show up here!!!

[chipallen16]

I love that Rural Retreat shot! The station is in sad shape, though.

-Chip 

[JCagle]

The poll is up and active for 5 days.

[JCagle]

Congrats to Carmon for another great shot. I will get it up on the site tomorrow evening, and we will have the May theme announced in the next few days!