LV 8104 on the Altavista District

[jhicks7]

I was home alone yesterday while my youngest brother was at school and my parents were moving in my other brother brother back into school. So I had about 4 hours to kill from the time they left until the school bus would be stopping at the house. I was listening to my radio and heard talk of a westbound empty coal train about 40 miles away and some chatter of track work going on until about 1pm or so. Usually there are more eastbounds than westbounds, so I figured I would see a couple trains headed east once the work was done. Ended up being wrong and only saw two westbounds. The first westbound was a "one unit wonder," although it was only a set of empty hoppers; the second was the real treat, and the first heritage unit I have shot in action. I had just the slightest inclination to believe it could be the 8104, based on the report by Full Service earlier in the morning.

Photo 1: NS 9113 brings a shorter than normal set of empty NS coal hoppers. Couldn't catch the symbol as by the time the engines get around the curve to see and call the signal, the sound is quite loud and I can't hear my radio. Also, trains to Lambert's Point normally do not return this way, so I think it may have been from a power plant somewhere in VA or NC. (If anyone would happen to know the symbol, or could look it up, I would really appreciate it!)

Photos 2 and 3: NS 8104, the Lehigh Valley unit, pops around the bend and heads west back to the coal fields with train 765, empties from Progress Energy in Hyco, NC.

Photo 4: Later that evening, I had to take my brother to soccer practice in Bedford, home to the other line running east out of Roanoke, the Blue Ridge District. Unfortunately, no trains ran through while I was there, but luckily I did drive around and find these old CPLs to shoot.

Thanks for viewing,
Josh

[Ptrainman]

Nice shots man, I have seen this one a couple times. That train with 9113 leading must have been an extra train coming back from Norfolk, none of the power plants here use those cars.


Paul

[jhicks7]

I ended up asking a guy that works for NS and he said the same engine left Roanoke on an 815, plus I heard the dispatcher saying the train was in Brookneal about 2 hours before I shot it, so that makes sense.

I know the Clover power plant uses NS cars, I've seen them on 76A before. Do you just mean a different class/style of coal hoppers, Paul?

Josh

[Ptrainman]

Clover does use NS cars but they are newer aluminum rapid discharge cars. Mainly 370000 and low 390000 series cars and 390000-391000 series cars on the ECP trains.


Paul