August Odds and Ends from the NS Central Div

[E.M. Bell]

I have been doing a little organizing and cleaning of the rest of the stuff I had shot in August (and a few from early September) and ran across a few I thought might be worthy of sharing. We have been spending so much time shooting the pretty paint jobs and signals, that some of the "regular" stuff seems to slip through the cracks. 

You can check it all out in full resolution at this link if the little versions below dont cut it...heck, you might even find some more stuff that has not been seen before as well.  >>>>>  http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/2013rail_eb

08/24/13

On August the 24th, several of us followed the SP 1996 South on NS 223. As usual, the CNO&TP was all gummed up and 223 didn't make Burnside KY until late afternoon. After we had got our last shots of it, John Owens happened to mention a new spot he had found and wanted to go check it out. When you have been shooting a line like the CNO&TP as long as I have (30+ years) you tend to start thinking you have seen it all, and a new spot is like a Christmas present! This new location was recently created by road construction and a new on-ramp to the bypass around Somerset. Here is Northbound train 124 crossing the Cumberland River late in the evening, about to dive into the deep cut at the North end of the bridge. I have dubbed this spot "Owens Gulch" in honor of the intreped explorer who found it


A good looking SD70 on the point of Southbound 111 at CP General (The South end of the new yard at Burnside KY). To bad it was so late in the day, as this would have looked good in the cuts to the South.


09/01/13

On the first day of September, Mr. Odell and myself followed train 22A West from Danville with the Virginian Heritage unit leading. Along the way, we shot a few more trains besides the 22A. In this view, Eastbound 223 is easing down the siding at Waddy Ky with 22A holding the main on the right. This was probably the most photographed GE in the State of Kentucky this day, as we had about 50 other folks on the bridge with us.


After getting stopped by the Avenstoke detector for a dragging traction motor cable, NS 111 slogs up the steep hill at Alton Station Ky on the Louisville District.


Gage is concentrating on getting an "Artsy-Fartsy" reflection shot as 285 crosses the bridge in downtown Shelbyville KY. We have a good group of younger folks here on Jreb, and its great so see them take the hobby as seriously (maybe even MORE seriously) than us old farts. These fellows like Gage, Peyton, Aaron, chip and the rest of our younger members are proving to be GOOD at what we do, and  I have been very impressed with their  work, I know first hand that a lot of us old-timers don't give the younger generation the credit they deserve, and that has always bugged me. We all had to start somewhere, and I can remember being all by shunned by the older crowd when I was that age. We all need to make a point to encourage, teach and do all we can to help the younger generation in the hobby.


Eastbound 285 comes by the firehouse at Waddy Ky with a a pair of EMD's shouting and singing as they struggle to drag over a mile of stacks over the top of the long hill. In the modern day diesel world, is there anything out there that sounds as good as a pair of EMD's in #8?


NS 8820, the power for the T-19 local, waits out the weekend at Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. I can remember when a local around here meant a 4 axle engine, but now it seems to take a fairly new 6 axle to do the same job.