This has been a lucky week here in Central Ky, with the first of the new Heritage units to "escape" from coal service making Two trips on the CNO&TP .
On Thursday 04/19/12, Conrail 8098 was the leader on Southbound TripleCrown 251, and then it brought the Northbound 264 back from Atlanta today (Saturday 04/20/12) I was able to get home in time Thursday evening to get a couple of shots of the 251, and Carmon and myself went back out this morning to grab a couple of shots of it on the Northbound trip.
While I must admit I would have preferred my "first" to have been the Southern unit, "Gevo-Smurf" was also a nice catch. Below are a few of my better ones from both days. The entire series can be found on Pbase at this link http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/ocs12 (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/ocs12)
Thursday 04/19/12. Train 251 South
Burgin Kentucky
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS251_CR8098_Burgin041912_2.sized.jpg&hash=c3bdad727567e44b87a849ef8178d51e86c00799)
Bowen Kentucky, just South of Danville (And my favorite of the whole set)
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS251_CR8098_Bowen041912_1.sized.jpg&hash=cdf2ac473ac5f915508b5d3c4e1217995b1629f5)
Saturday 04/21/12 Train 264 north
Junction City KY.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS264_CR8098_jctcity042112_1.sized.jpg&hash=29049fe60436b7f3d4b560b0a206bae88c977c92)
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS264_CR8098_jctcity042112_2.sized.jpg&hash=5dc8e540440c441e9cdba2a09bb3c107e66d61f6)
North Wye, just North of Danville Kentucky
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS264_cr8098_nwye042112_1.sized.jpg&hash=c4f702590c0a4e85d0b7476f765d177abd1bc9cd)
Between Burgin and Brown Kentucky.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS264_CR8098_burgin_042112_2.sized.jpg&hash=d9f03f8a683ecfadcd358c44df9bd706ee022aef)
A couple of detail shots this morning in Danville.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FCR8098_danville_042112_1.sized.jpg&hash=04b3891ff61df5401cf47f4b7b1315d6d68b3995)
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FCR8098_danville_042112_2.sized.jpg&hash=faddce62157eaa5806dbe99e6438298c9ad84fd4)
John doesnt seem to enthused after his long drive from E-town on Thursday, and Adam is way down yonder..almost looks like he on bended knee praying for his shot to come out. (At Burgin)
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FJMO_burgin041912.sized.jpg&hash=afc2b8b981c514601ca3b8144d5e8fca32b42f59)
I love those shots at Burgin and Bowen! Definitely two of my favorite places!
-Chip :)
Thanks Chip. It sure was a difference in weather between the Two days. 80 degree's and sunny Thursday evening, and 40 degree's and wet this morning.
Carmon is usually the one who shoots video, but I took the camera along on Thursday and shot a couple of clips of the 251 The links below will take you over to our YouTube channel, if you care to look.
NS 251 at Burgin KY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0GONrZLtEc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0GONrZLtEc)
NS 251 at Bowen KY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hIclxWMdMA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hIclxWMdMA)
Holy crap! That Roadrailer train with the CR unit leading brings back fond memories of the era when RoadRailers unloaded right here in Rochester (NY).
These are some nice looking pics. I hope to catch this unit soon.
E.M. Did you have a count on the number of trailers? Looks like a big train (to me,) and is that typical volume by your observation?
I've run those before & best I recall, those "trains" didn't wanna stop worth a damn. But, no slack!
I caught 264 on April 8th at Bowen with well over 100 cars.
-Chip :)
251 seems to almost always be maxed out at the FRA allowable 150 trailers. 264 on the other hand, often runs much shorter than that (More-so on the weekends) I don't know what kind of "back haul" they have North...I have often wondered how many of the trailers on 264 are moving empty.
I can remember when NS first started running those things, it was an everyday thing to see 251 with a Single GP50 and 5 or 10 trailers..and that lasted 2 or 3 years. Talk about a pocket rocket...those things would flat out get across the road, and had to handle better than any passenger train (no slack)....although I always figured they didn't have a lot of braking force!
I imagine if you put on to much air, the wheels would slide because they are so lite.
Paul