This past Friday (June 7th 2013) , NS sent all 4 of the F units and a 12 car deadhead OCS South down the CNO&TP, to position the train for an inspection trip out of Memphis this week. With plenty of advanced notice on the move, I decided to take a 3 day weekend and chase them South. Normally, a short train like that would be a rocket on the CNO&TP, but thanks to a comedy of errors and issues (mostly non-human), what I had expected to be a fast paced day turned into anything but.
John Owens decided to join me on the trip, and after keeping track of the train Thursday night, we decided to leave Jreb World HQ at 0400. I had been up since 0500 Thursday morning, and tried my best to get some sleep, but that didn't work out to well. We arrived at North Wye (Just North of Danville KY) about 0445, and just 30 mins ahead of the train. We had figured the train would find daylight around Burnside...but that was not to be. After a fairly quick trip from Cincinnati, OTTO decided to run the OCS in behind a crewless 239 which was tied down on #2 track at North Wye, trapping out train for pretty much no good reason.
After over an hour, a decision was made to have the OCS back out onto single track at Faulkner and run around the still crewless 239. By the time that move was made, a long and heavy M-17 had arrived in Danville and while fueling, lost 1 of it's only 2 engines. With M-17 hanging back over 1 1/2 miles North of Danville, the OCS was trapped again. It took another hour and a half to get another engine for M-17 and get it on the move, and the OCS finally got to fuel and depart Danville almost 3 hours after it got there.
The rest of the day the OCS would follow that long, slow, heavy M-17 all the way to Chattanooga. OTTO had several chances to run that pocket rocket around that drag, but didn't. Instead the 955 crept along on bad blocks most of the day, never even getting close to track speed. That worked out great for John and I, but I am sure the crew was less than pleased. In the past 4 years, I have followed the OCS (both deadhead and occupied) across the CNO&TP, several times and only came away with a handful of shots...this time it was like shooting fish in a barrel. I cant tell you how many times we actually caught them, but it was a lot.
The weather for our trip ranged from dense fog and rain early in the morning (My kind of shooting right there!!) to almost full sun later in the afternoon, ending in Chattanooga with storms. By the time we drug our sorry selves back home early Saturday morning, I had been awake for over 45 hours straight (and John was pretty close to that himself).. we had been on the road for over 19 hours, and it was all worth it.. .I think I am getting to old for these "deathmarches"...but I don't guess that will stop me anytime soon...
Below are a few of my favorites from the day, and the entire set in high res can be found at this link..be sure to take a look! >>>>>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nsheritage_2013_eb (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nsheritage_2013_eb)
The classic EMD nose of NS 4271 appears through the pre-dawn fog as Southbound 955 eases past the signals at "Old Jerry's" at MP 115.2 on the North side of Danville Ky yard. The 2nd shot of the day, and pretty close to my favorite of them all.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_Danville_060813_1.sized.jpg&hash=5ba0a2f9bec569d0e4f0c1dd71deae3a4af59d81)
After spending almost 3 hours in the Danville area, NS 955 finally gets on the move, seen here passing the searchlight signals at South Danville on a foggy Friday morning.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_SouthDV_060713_1.sized.jpg&hash=9407ea2f3809b39262a407c6a378e19b8880941e)
The morning fog clings to the knobs as NS 955 eases through the Green River Dip, ready to stop just ahead at Southfork to meet train 216 before continuing a painfully slow trip South to Chattanooga.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2FNS955_Southfork_060813.sized.jpg&hash=4ff3bcf9be90504b8452ab532d2efad049cf4013)
John Owens at Soutfork Ky...a man outstanding in his field. :)
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2FJowens_Southfork_060713.sized.jpg&hash=4f2399bd4cd1b5b78ec31b012d775d66c3c0d882)
"One Last Time" The 4 NS F units are wound up tight, bringing the OCS up the hill at Kings Mountain at pretty close to track speed..... As the train passes under the old signal bridge, a crew is hard at work installing the foundation for the new signals that will soon put those old searchlights out of business. For 50+ years now, those old signals have stood, but I can almost guarantee you this will be the last time they will ever see a set of covered wagons and varnish pass by.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_kingsmnt_060713.sized.jpg&hash=ba7d70e7c6117309581be6b436e37a32b28d8ec3)
After a crew change at Burnside KY, 955 rolls through the cut at Parkers Lake, KY...still following that slow moving M-17
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_parkerslake_060713.sized.jpg&hash=5188e7c42b61c0ba1db03cfdf85b5a76ff6884f2)
The Southbound 955 eases around at Highpoint TN (just South of Pemberton), ready to stop in behind M-17 which was waiting for a Northbound at Helenwood.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_highpointTN_060713_2.sized.jpg&hash=bf0ebadab31b14c2612d31795b56d3a838aaad16)
Deep in the hills of Scott County, TN, the OCS crosses over at CP Glen Mary to get around a track crew working ahead.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_glennmarytn_060713.sized.jpg&hash=954fcef25f717fec1569773c199de36b8d1ec44d)
The short mast searchlight signals are still standing at Spring City TN for now, framed with the NS 4271. The new signals are up and ready to go though (and cropped out of this image....)
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2FBellpost13%2Fns955_SpringcityTN_060713_1.sized.jpg&hash=51437879e424a21e7a80f5baa1947911fb18a02c)
Ya never fail to get off some sweet shots EM I woulda loved to hear them lol ladies climb up that grade at kings mountain , bet the sound just bounced off the cut
Nice shooting EM! It was good to see ya again (albeit briefly).
Looking forward to hopefully catching them a few times again tomorrow.
Very nice shots, and typical weather for my outings with the OCS. I can honestly say I've never seen it under sunny skies.
That said, I've loved every time I caught it more than the one before, NS has one classy train!
PA Dan
Great shots, EM! I think I agree with your pick of the foggy shot just north of Danville. Very tastefully executed.
I'll give it a chase tomorrow from about Telford to somewhere east of Bristol. If I got anything half that good, I'll be mighty happy.
We should be out tomorrow. Nine year old boss has changed the batteries in scanner and camara. Full tank of gas. Here we come building the memories.
Nice shots! I like how you Photoshopped the ditch lights out on the Parkers Lake picture. Makes it look even better.
Thanks for the comments folks, and yep..sure did sound good coming up the mountain in the fog Friday morning.
JT...for 5 years now, I have always "modified" a shot of those things every time we have been out with them, just to see if anyone noticed...heck, I have a shot on here somewhere from 3 years ago with no ditch lights AND a Southern herald instead of the horse....you are the first to ever catch it :)