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September is here. The kids are back in school and it is finally starting to cool off. Before long the fall colors will start to show. The first days of school always seemed to bring a paper with the topic "what I did on my summer vacation" assigned by the teacher. This month we will go "back to school" with the theme " My favorite shot from the summer of 2014"

The contest is open for entries until September 28.

As always our normal contest rules apply. Feel free to email or PM me with any questions.

While the process of selecting two "best photos" of the summer becomes incredibly tough after taking a 3-week senior trip to 9 states, I've finally narrowed it down to two.

On June 8th, I was sitting at the Cresson Station Inn enjoying the passing trains under cloudy skies when I decided to do something so out-of-the-box that it would get some peoples' attention. So I pulled up a picture of the place in the Conrail days, kicked my feet up, and shot. This shot proceeded to go onto RP.net and become the most viewed of that day and to start a flame war among some of the people in the lower caliber of railroad photography. So, here's a shot I loved taking and loved the outcome of. Ya know, why not poke the bear a little bit?

NS 262 at Cresson
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3901/14355814059_3a373ce705_c.jpg)

I also made 3 (or 4 or 5- I can't remember honeslty) trips to North Carolina to shoot some of the remaining high hoods on S-Line local trains P60 and P61, since they've run with a high hood almost every day for the last 3-6 months.

NS P61 at Statesville:
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/14470667529_0f12137b03_c.jpg)
-Chip  :)

Remember you don't have to limit yourself to just one. We will take up to 2 per person.

The headlights of Northbound 288 cut through the pre-dawn fog at Kings Mountain, Ky, silhouetting the GRS model SC searchlight signals and signal bridge. This is a scene that has been repeated many time a night for the last 60 + years, but this would be the last summer that those old warriors would see. In a little over a month they would be gone forever. 

(http://m7.i.pbase.com/g9/35/829935/2/156273157.qFBdQZGP.jpg)

Just after sunrise, Southern 630 eases across the Ohio River bridge at Ludlow, KY at the start of a trip down the CNO&TP. The summer of 2014 saw the first steam trips over the CNO&TP since 1994.

(http://m6.i.pbase.com/g9/35/829935/2/155766386.88LzzSBg.jpg)

Since everybody is throwing out their 630 silhouettes, I might as well do the same!
630 makes a grand departure out of Gest Street yard, as an inbound CSX local waits for signal indication from the B&O CPL signal in Yard two.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/p552x414/10302100_10204026353158526_8267903271019931733_n.jpg?oh=d0295c845f8f18baabfd65a0358956d3&oe=5490F68A&__gda__=1419755164_ff220548e7135eeaf675ec8b145e3840)

Just a little bit further down the Line at Blanchet the same day.

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/1472955_10204026353198527_7082301291870498104_n.jpg?oh=7c99fcc2d00260e59b6f8c93ef36e16a&oe=54921BB8&__gda__=1422983037_64faaf935bdf0d97fa8137225bd0259a)

My version of the 630 silhouette.. Most of the train spreads out across the Ohio River Bridge as it crosses into Kentucky
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/14031869620_4fe61f66b7_c.jpg)

Continuing with the steam theme, Southern 630 passes the McDonald Farm near Dayton, TN
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14390450753_009117116d_c.jpg)

Probably one of my favorite shots came from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee during the three week trip Chip and I took. Local T59 crosses the Holston River with a former Southern GP38-2 leading the way on the morning of June 2nd, 2014.

Featuring another ex-Southern EMD, one of the last high hood SD40-2s sits in Gainesville, Georgia on a crisp July night. 3280 is still working around Gainesville at the time of this posting.

Here are my two entries for the month.

First, NS 6920 leads train 285 through Sugar Valley, GA on July 1
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5037/14551215744_791b7b16c1_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/oaQMu5)NS 6920 Sugar Valley Telephoto (https://flic.kr/p/oaQMu5) by lego-studios34 (https://www.flickr.com/people/75502344@N05/), on Flickr

Second, the encore to the summer. CN 2263 leads NS 335 north through Rockmart, GA in the last light of the evening tonight, September 13. This is probably one of the last shots I will take before summer ends.

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/15043146647_44908d954b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/oVj4pn)CN 2263 Tele Rockmart (https://flic.kr/p/oVj4pn) by lego-studios34 (https://www.flickr.com/people/75502344@N05/), on Flickr

12T at Gang Mills Yard.

(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14264326110_50a9e60b1c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nJupc5)DLW 1074 (https://flic.kr/p/nJupc5) by callduckfarm (https://www.flickr.com/people/85501582@N03/), on Flickr

12T at Browns Crossing.

(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3914/14336124310_7f5ced75e8_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nQQoi5)DLW 1074 Browns Crossing (https://flic.kr/p/nQQoi5) by callduckfarm (https://www.flickr.com/people/85501582@N03/), on Flickr

Entry #1: NS local H12 (with a BNSF leader) works next to the restored Lehigh Valley RR caboose and station in Sayre, PA. Photo taken by me Friday 8/22/2014 in Sayre, PA.  

Entry #2: NS local H12 prepares to depart Buffalo Creek Junction just a few days before summer ended. Photo taken by me Friday 9/19/2014 in Buffalo, NY. 

The poll is up and active for the next 5 days.

Congrats to E.M. Bell for his winning shot of 630. Dont forget to stop by and enter our October contest.