This past Saturday was a gorgeous spring day in Central Kentucky...much to nice to stay at home. I headed out early and spent most of the day "Close" to home, shooting what ever I could find on the Louisville District and CNO&TP around Danville, KY.
A slow morning started out with a couple of shots of train 76J (loaded coal train) that was headed East across the Louisville District to the KU E.W. Brown power plant near Burgin, KY. 76J had a fresh KCS Belle on the bottom as DPU, and that made for a good start. Early in the afternoon I got word that 117 was headed South with a SD90Mac leading a nice pair of SD40-2's (NS and CSX), and then shortly thereafter I heard the LS dispatcher give a TA to train 376...with another SD90Mac on the point. To be honest, I have never been a big fan of UP Yellow, but I figure these "new" to the NS 90macs will soon be Nagified, so a few shots of them still in Yellow (with NS markings) was in order.
I was sitting out at the wye just North of Danville when I heard 376 get that TA, and was also hearing 117 around Lexington at the same time. I hung out a few minutes and and decided that 376 would be in range first, so I headed to downtown Harrodsburg to shoot him first. As I got my Second shot of 376 I heard 117 call the signal at CP Brown over on the CNO&TP, and I did a little inspired driving and beat him to North Wye by about 30 Seconds! For the record, thats Two train with 90 Macs leading, shot less than 15 minutes apart, on Two separate Districts, in Two different counties...just good luck I reckon...
You can find my results from the day at this link (in the 1st District and Louisville District Galleries) >>>>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/2015railemb (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/2015railemb)
03/28/15
A KCS Belle trails NS 76J at Talmage, KY
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm3.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159581163.l3lZ2QTJ.jpg&hash=78fc5ef4105a2371c80ed93aead6403f2f545b79)
76J starts the climb out of Downtown Harrodsburg, KY
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm4.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159581164.CeZYaDrW.jpg&hash=8a0acdca664ffc5a04d6d6f2f70d69b23fdeb5f9)
The usual short Saturday version of NS 229 flies through the interlocker at CP North Wye, just North of Danville KY on the CNO&TP . Check out the fancy number boards on that leader!
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm1.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159612011.dvNFvxoj.jpg&hash=7474aecfc486b9592fce98289a16281b7117d6bb)
NS 376 comes by the signals at (West) Harrodsburg KY with a 90Mac on the point
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm1.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159581161.swRmBWHf.jpg&hash=57eddc19015281e78fd61e5c25aa5f6e596d4eee)
376 again at East Harrodsburg.....117 had just called the signal at Brown over on the CNO&TP when I shot this.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm0.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159581160.zriAVjdb.jpg&hash=080f308bb09dac50677e683926edbe93b050415b)
and a few minutes later, 117 comes by North Wye...
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm5.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159611975.6xJ9qfTn.jpg&hash=3e497327e8522c02a957469805efd0308b453fa4)
NS 7285 on train 117 at Danville, KY
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm4.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159612014.1aJru8hX.jpg&hash=90a8fa1cee1169454426a553e53c067abcbd4267)
A study of SD40-2's at Danville, Ky. these where the trailing power on 117
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm3.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159612013.53sX8hQ5.jpg&hash=4761bc923e2aa6857db14a01b1d639a001a9532b)
Later in the afternoon, the KUCX train (now running as 77J) passes through Burgin, Ky with the empties, after working the power plant. The switching to spot and pull the plant is rather complicated, and all the power has been bunched together for the trip back to the mine.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm4.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159611974.PPC3EmJe.jpg&hash=e5c3f443923c9aa9a1b8f4109bbdcfe97d3c23ac)
77J gets a new crew and some fuel at CP North Wye as Soutbound M-17 comes by on #1 track.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fm5.i.pbase.com%2Fg9%2F35%2F829935%2F2%2F159612015.KsBtL0EU.jpg&hash=376828d6995ec89f9093f2a7a5e447a56c513d01)
All good catches there EM. Like the return coal drag return trip LU. Thanks for posting!
Great shots! Do I see MOW critters in photo #2?