30 years.. That's a milestone birthday for a lot of people (and companies) and Norfolk Southerns 30th was no exception. A milestone to be celebrated and shared, and NS did just that with several Thousand admiring fans.
Ever since the first hint of the Heritage paint program had surfaced last year, the speculation had ran wild with thoughts of some sort of gathering to showcase the project...would they do it, where, when, how?? When the answer to those questions came, it became the hottest topic in the railfan world, and the most sought after "invitation" to be had. 20 stunning new locomotives dressed in the colors of the past gathered in one location was enough to bring people from far and wide to Spencer, and they would not be disappointed.
As EB said earlier, it was great to finally get to meet so many of our "internet friends", Jreb members and NS people that we have never met, and to see old friends again. I think we both spent more time talking and enjoying the company of those people than we did taking pictures. Below are a few of the images I shot over the Two days we spent there, and all the rest are now up in a new Pbase gallery. I am surprised that I have not seen much stuff from the rest of our members (and there sure was a lot of us there!), and look forward to seeing yours on here soon!
Click this link to see the entire set. Mostly detail shots and rosters from "dramatic angles" as my husband said :P http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nsspencer2012cb (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nsspencer2012cb)
Besides all of the modern power, there was real heritage as well. N&W GP30 #522 (from the Roanoke Chapter of the NRHS) and Southern FP7 #6133.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNW522_spencernc_070412cb.sized.jpg&hash=4ed6bd1644401a5f96594605f5fd50283f94f662)
A few of the Eastern roads gathered at the roundhouse
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FSpencernc_070312_2CB.sized.jpg&hash=2ae40a5dcaa270a6a6dc187c5ffec0b609099ecd)
PRR 8102 near the sand house
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2Fprr8102_spencernc_070412_cb_2.sized.jpg&hash=a0ad257b7acdd5ee2d7fe08b5fd8daa3cc37f00e)
IT 1072 during the parade of power. By far the brightest paint job I have ever seen on a engine!
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FIT1072_Spencernc_070412CB.sized.jpg&hash=ac8df51f0a16b2ff502f6ecd84c6fd28269c6680)
CNJ 1071 and a Baldwin from the original NSRY
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2Fcnj1071_spencernc_070412cb_2.sized.jpg&hash=e7103032103557d384f24ef1634ea007b25c31dc)
Monongahela Railway 8025
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FMGA1025_spencernc_070412CB_1.sized.jpg&hash=1b24a35daa4d61af9a5fe382baafcf39dcb14cd0)
NYC 1066 with a Southern background
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2Fnyc1066_spencernc_070412_cb_2.sized.jpg&hash=198a89a31a1a5cbe1a62ffd51448d16579634801)