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We kicked the idea around and we had several strong yes votes in favor, so this year we will close out with a photo essay contest. You can take any photo you want of yours that is NS related and write a short essay about it. That is all that is required to enter. We are limiting this to one entry per person, and please keep your essays to no more than about 500 words.

Entries are accepted until January 8th and we will vote for a winner the following week. Good luck and send me a pm or email if you have any questions.

Running long hood forward

Growing up in the south and watching the Southern Railway around Atlanta, GA you become accustom to seeing the long hood forward. Well as the Southern was absorbed into the NS and as operating practices changed, so did the days of the operating methods. Now to catch a train on the NS operating long hood forward is very rare on the main line. Unless it is a local that goes a short distance and returns. But then again, most times there are two locomotives assigned to that operation and they are set up to run short hood forward. On June, 20 2011, I was in Ashboro, NC waiting for my next job assignment, when I heard the local approaching a Georgia Pacific paper warehouse. I grabbed my camera and positioned myself trackside to enjoy the small switching operation that was about to take place. Well I was delighted when the lead locomotive was operating long hood forward. It was a sight that reminded me of the old days of the Southern Railway running long hood forward.

If I had to pick a place to take a fellow railfan, Buffalo Creek Junction would be at or near the top of the list. Seriously, this place is a railfan's paradise. In addition to being the eastern end of the Nickel Plate mainline, plenty of other RRs were active here back in Buffalo's heyday. Don't let the history references fool you, my friends. Buffalo Creek Junction is still very much alive today. NS owns the ex-NKP today. CSX has the former New York Central Water Level Route (which also hosts Amtrak) and the remnants of the Lehigh Valley RR's Tifft Terminal. The Buffalo Southern and NS both use an ex-Erie branchline in the middle of the junction. The Buffalo & Pittsburgh operates the former South Buffalo RR and a remnant of the former B&O 4th Sub. In fact, 70+ trains will pass through here on a normal weekday. The variety of motive power is a treat, too. I've seen everything from an ancient Alco RS11 to end cab switchers to the latest widecabs.at Buffalo Creek Junction. As long as the weather cooperates (it's lake effect country!), a fun visit to the Tifft Street bridge is all but guaranteed. I made 3 pilgrimages to Buffalo Creek Junction last year. On a late summer day, NS and the B&P had vintage EMDs working side by side in their respective yard jobs. Aaah, life is sooo good on a chase day like this!

(http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab139/Erielackawanna/Sept%202011/DSC03007.jpg)

Photo taken by me Friday 9/20/2011 in Buffalo, NY.     

Is it time to vote yet?

Yes it is I will get the poll up shortly. I had mistakenly written down the 15 as the day to put the poll up.

Sent from my HTC EVO 4G using Jreb Mobile powered by Tapatalk.

The poll is up and active for 5 days.

Wow, two horse race, wish I got in on it...lol

To those of you who voted for me, thank you very much!

Congrats on the "close race" Matt.

Quote from: stewarttrains_98 on February 02, 2012, 05:34:18 PM
Congrats on the "close race" Matt.

Thank you very much. You were a worthy "opponent" IMO.