An unusally busy Sunday on the CNO&TP

[E.M. Bell]

Carmon and myself headed out last Sunday morning (09/30/12)  with no real destination in mind, figuring we would spend the morning shooting a few trains and then head home for  the afternoon, as it was supposed to cloud up late in the day. . We made the quick drive down to Danville (Ky) and it quickly became apparent that the CNO&TP was fixing to get really busy after the North End dispatcher told 111 to lay off the crossings at SJ tower, he would have to stay there for 5 trains.

We spent most of the day running back and forth between Junction City and Southfork, shooting what we could, and watching the rest. In the 7 hours we spent out, NS ran 19 trains on the 2nd District, which is a lot more than normal for a Sunday (usually the slowest day of the week up here).  Needless to say, we stayed out a lot longer than planned, but it was well worth it.

Below are a few of my favorites from the day. Everything from the day can be found at this link >> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/cs2nddistrict12_eb_

Our first catch of the day was 111, which was going by the house when we left. Here he is passing through the East end of Harrodsburg KY, with a smoothing gang tied up on the house track for the weekend. The old Harrodsburg depot sat in the open area between the train and the tampers.


After making a quick yard check in Danville, we headed South and stopped in Junction City. I spied a new angle I had never shot before, and tried it out for a couple of trains. Here is NS 142 with a SD60M leading.


NS 282 Northbound at Bowen, and then 54G soon after with a UP SD70M leading, also at Bowen.




54G again, coming past the new "Darth Vader" signals at Milidgeville KY with a big set of UP wings on the point.


The DPU's of Northbound 797 sit on #2 track (left) as 223 passes them at McKinney, Ky.  797 had tried to leave and head across single track ahead of the 223, but went into emergency just after they started to move. Some of the local hooligans the live in a house just to the right of the tracks had pulled the pin about 5 cars from the DPU, By them time they conductor walked the train and got it all back together, the dispatcher had to hold them there for another 2 hours waiting on even more Southbounds.


The last hay of the year sits in the field waiting to be put up for the winter, as Northbound 224 drops off the mountain and starts up the valley at Southfork Ky.


After getting delayed in Danville, our first train of the day ( 111 ) pulled down to Bowen and was tied down, as the crew was about to go on the law. Here, 111 gets back on the move at Bowen late in the day, with a fresh crew to take it on to Burnside.

[chipallen16]

I love reading about these outings, EM. There's not a much better line to spend the day all around. It's interesting to see so many shots from Bowen. Having been there and shot a bit, it's a heck of a place. It's definitely on my 'return to' list.

-Chip 

[E.M. Bell]

Bowen certainly has a multitude of angles, and is one of those places I go when I just dont feel like running around all day. Its not the most scenic part of the 2nd district to say the least, but one of the few places that the light is almost always right for a Southbound.