The elusive silver EMD demo at Burnside

[E.M. Bell]

After a couple of texts this morning, Carmon and myself loaded up QUICK and headed out in the pouring rain to Burnside (KY). The EMD SD70Ace Demo unit EMDX 2012 was leading a Southbound grain train, and it was a couple of hours ahead of us. While on the road, we learned it was tied down (for the forseable future) in the new yard at Burnside...

We got down there in record time, and hung around long enough for the rain to go away, and got a few sunny roster & detail shots. We got a few other trains as well, and I will post all the pics later on. For now, here are a couple of quickies...

EMDX 2012  sitting pretty and rusting to the rail at CP General, just South of Burnside KY


NS 215 flys by on the main leading a Southbound parade of pigs and stacks, and the 58A and another train just sit and watch.

[chipallen16]

Great shots! I'm looking forward to getting out here this week!

-Chip 

[nsrlink]

Nice shots EM!  As you know, it has been said Burnside is the new "hole" where trains are held hostage for hours & days on end.  Apparently, it is living up to its lore.

I have to wonder out loud why there is only one of these demonstrators.  I'm sure a lot of people on here remember the two blue & yellow SD70M-2(s) and the (how many?) 6 (or so) SD70Ms of burgundy & silver fame, (which CSX ultimately purchased.)  Seems like a good idea to have a 3 or 4 unit consist of demonstrators to showcase what a team of these things can do, rather than one.   ???

[Ptrainman]

Nice shots E.M.

Paul

[E.M. Bell]

Thanks everybody...I will post the rest of the pics tonight or tomorrow.

RLink, I have seen some pics of 4 or 5 more Aces in the same paint, sitting on shop trucks at the (former) EMD plant up in Canada. Now that the plant is closed, its hard to tell what will happen to those. This one has been roaming the NS for several months now, even before NS took delivery of the first batch of 1000's

The SD70M-2 demos made several appearances around here in 2006. The first time I ever saw one, it dragged about 5500 tons and 2 dead engines up Kings Mountain in a snowstorm. They topped over the hill and came by us at 2 or 3 mph, a fine EMD show! That was back when the CNO&TP was a fluid piece of RR and there was no Black Hole

[nsrlink]

RLink, I have seen some pics of 4 or 5 more Aces in the same paint, sitting on shop trucks at the (former) EMD plant up in Canada. Now that the plant is closed, its hard to tell what will happen to those. This one has been roaming the NS for several months now, even before NS took delivery of the first batch of 1000's

Ah, I see!  There are more than one of these in the snazzy EMD paint.  OK cool.  Wonder if the thinking was to in essence build one demonstrator for each Class 1 for them to evaluate on their property?  I don't recall seeing pictures of a team of these things doing testing on anyone's railroad, (not saying it hasn't happened,) but I guess I'm thinking of all the test trains NS (for example) has run up Starkey Hill in Roanoke when they get new power they wanna try out.

The SD70M-2 demos made several appearances around here in 2006. The first time I ever saw one, it dragged about 5500 tons and 2 dead engines up Kings Mountain in a snowstorm. They topped over the hill and came by us at 2 or 3 mph, a fine EMD show! That was back when the CNO&TP was a fluid piece of RR and there was no Black Hole

2006?  Has it been THAT long ago?  lol, man how time flies.  I've seen the blue & yellow demonstrators a time of two myself.  Pretty sharp, but the 2012's paint scheme I really like and thought the burgundy & silver was classy too.