Saturday afternoon Fema Train

[E.M. Bell]

Caleb and myself decided to head out this afternoon (10/29/05) to shoot a 043 Fema train. These trains are carryng housing units from Elkhart Ind to the areas ravaged by the hurricane last Month. I had been trying to shoot one of these since they started running. They always seem to rate good power, not to mention they are newsworthy.

We headed out around 1100, and stopped off in Lawrenceburg (KY) to shoot the T19 local power. This job usually gets a GP38 or GP50, but for the last Two weeks has had a GP59.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123553   Roster of NS 4624
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123554   Nose detail

After that it was off towards Danville to wait out the 043. Shorlty after getting to the wye, we hear him on the radio, and decided to shoot him at the Bypass.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123555

While 043 fuels and changes crews at Danville, we head South. I had been wanting to get one of the Fema trains at the big sweeping curve at Palm, and today was my chance. After a brief wait, I got the shot. I had figured this open location would be good to get a good part of the train in the shot, and it wokred well. To bad they had Two empty gons behind the power.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123557

http://www.jreb.org/Image/EMBpics/043palm102905.jpg  A look at the train
http://www.jreb.org/Image/EMBpics/fematrailor102905.jpg  And a close look at one of the trailors

As we headed back towards home, 375 showed up at the wye, so we deciede to wait till he heads west, and Follow him Towards home.  We also had plans to catch NS 111 with a EMDX demo unit on it, so this plan worked out rather well

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123558  NS 375 with a BNSF punkin leading, heads West

http://www.jreb.org/Image/EMBpics/bnsf5251hbg1005.jpg  375 at Harrodsburg

375 meets 111 at Talmage, and we get a decent shot of 111 as he struggles away from the siding with a monster train, and Three EMD's working hard...pulling a Dead GE  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123559

111 just East of Harrodsburg  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=123561

and a Roster Shot of EMDX SD70M-2 demo #75
http://www.jreb.org/Image/EMBpics/emd75hbg102905.jpg