Now that everyone has (maybe) settled down a bit over the news of the 4610 turning black, I though I would offer up a little tribute to it. Before we had the F units, this was probably about the most famous thing NS had to show.
I was lucky enough to have shot the 4610 several times through the years in local service, leading on the mainline, and on display...I even had her just about all to myself for a solid week when it was assigned to power the T19 local out of Lawrenceburg KY in May of 2004, just Two weeks out of the paint shop (for the 2nd time)
I gathered up some of my favorites and have them all in one handy place, if you care to take a look and reminisce a bit. There are also a few shots of her less known sister, the Transcaer 4611. pics at the link. Here are a few samples..
http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/4610 (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/4610)
1994, at Lawrenceburg KY..the first time I had ever laid eyes on the 4610
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7172%2F6762919121_0a149287fa_z.jpg&hash=faa266eb3f8d81ee57bfafe8c0052447f1ac7e31)
January, 2004 leading train 180 out of Danville, Ky
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7009%2F6762919439_728508e446_z.jpg&hash=e1bb9567676c50a7c6f1f4b6132b558633ba2ee9)
May, 2004 at Lawrenceburg KY on train T19, with a Two Week old paint job..pristine!
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7025%2F6762919791_8092b03768_z.jpg&hash=9a76cf07e8efc1e4515fe0ffaed7fc292dd3be6e)
Ance Hatfield, longtime engineer (now retired) on the Lawrenceburg local. This gentleman was the single biggest influence on me, and my choice of career's
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7032%2F6762919563_ba7e92fc35_z.jpg&hash=9fbaf90a14997e7ab9d7a83d001fc392ae9c78b3)
The last time I would shoot her in the green dress, at TVRM, September 2011.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.staticflickr.com%2F6154%2F6137413236_8a3bcafd03_z.jpg&hash=61ff913bc3aac4545fe245d3301e4030cb1a58f0)
Thanks for the shots, Emmett. The same thing is happening with former CR units- every engine on NS will eventually be black.
Very nice pics.
Amazing job. I was there in September for the events. Had I been into photography then, I would have been all over the photoshoot. If you don't mind, I have footage of our good friend Larry Smoak working a local with 4610 down in Chamblee that I could share.
-Chip :)
What a nice bunch of pics, if I ever had what you'd call a "childhood hero" , that man was him. Crooked pipe and all. 8)