A Few Hours on the Second District

[cmherndon]

After having a month of bad railfanning luck, including the trip down the KD sub which ended up with zero photos and my car being towed back home, I almost decided to give railfanning up for something more productive.  Luckily, NS ran some good power last week and that changed my decision.  So last Monday night, I got a call from a railroader/railfan friend saying that there was a 54Z in Danville with NS 6168 leading, complete with the horn of the gods.  Two hours later, I was at his place and we waiting to see when the train would be called.  

3:00 am rolls around and the train's still not called out of Danville.  We figured the best thing to do would be to call it a night and hope it doesn't get out in the next few hours.  We were very lucky.  He checks it again around 8:30 am, and finds out that the train should be out of Danville by 10:00.  

With that info, we leave the house and go get some breakfast at Dairy Queen (much better than the greasy egg sandwich from McDonald's I might add), and decide the best place to wait for this train would be around Tateville.  Anywhere north of Somerset was out of the question due to the copious number of traffic lights.  We heard T01 working, and upon our arrival in Tateville, spot it backing up to couple onto a single ACF center flow.

http://www.cmherndon.com/nsphotos/nst01ns5602tateville100405/

117 and 133 are en route now, as well.  After heading to the other crossing at Tateville, we only had to wait a short time before 117 popped around the curve and started storming the hill.

http://www.cmherndon.com/nsphotos/ns117/ns6679tatevill100405/

That straight EMD consist sure did look and sound nice.  Just a shame that tunnel motor that was in there wasn't leading.  But hey, SD60's are always nice in this sea of catfish.  So could we keep up this trend with 133?  Nope.  about 15 minutes later, it pops around the same curve with a pair of catfish.  I shot it, but didn't take the time to work on it, even though it turned out slightly better than 117.  I mean how many more shots of catfish do you want to see?...That's what I thought.

After waiting for a while, and hoping that nobody would call the law on us, we finally heard what appeared to be 54Z calling signals.  Neither one of us were sure, but I think that screaming EMD turbocharger gave it away.  Because I wanted a better shot, I didn't get out of the truck, but Andy shot video of it.  The chase is now on.

In the chase, we catch the train at Greenwood next where the sound of a 645 running balls to the wall could be heard.  The train encountered an approach signal there and would be stopping at Cumberland Falls to wait on 132.  54Z started moving again, and I tried an angle that didn't work at Parkers lake.  However, I did manage to get a shot of a crossbuck there.

http://www.cmherndon.com/other/joenealrdcrossbuck/

The 8000 or so tons the train had made for a slow start out of the Falls, but it quickly gained speed and we caught the train again at Flat Rock.  We also catch it at Whitley City and Strunk before deciding to head back north.  

So it turns out that a track guy has a 23-A on #1 between Pemberton and Ratliff, while a northbound passes on #2.  After shooting video of 223 at Pine Knot, we head back south just over the Tennessee state line and park it at Winfield.  Turns out that northbound is 042, which is heading back to Elkhart for more trailers for FEMA.  Shame it wasn't 041.  The train had a GP50 leading and a GP60 trailing.

So a few minutes after 042 passes, 54Z gets a clear signal.  They're only a little over a mile away, but with it being down hill, the train is moving pretty well by the time it reaches Winfield...and so are the clouds.  Wouldn't you know that about two seconds before I press the button, a cloud moves over the sun and pretty much ruined my shot.  Ah well, at least it's good power.

http://www.cmherndon.com/03e204e0.jpg

With nothing else coming and clouds rolling in fast, we decide it's just best to call it a day.  While not the most productive day I've had, it surely beat that trip in September down the KD Sub.  Also, it certainly beat sitting at the house on a relatively nice day, so I'll take what I can get.  Until next time...

Hope y'all enjoy, and thanks for looking!

[Anonymous]

Hello:

Just want to give you a look at my morning on the NS from 10/15/05. I only stayed out for a few hours but it was a few hours that I will never soon forget and you'll see why here in a bit.

We first started off at MP 99 with 375 rolling around and down the turn from Wilmore with a "toaster" on the point smokin'.

http://nsphotos.8m.com/ns/375101505.jpg

Then moments later NS 216 heads uphill on two track to Wilmore with, you guessed it, a toaster.

http://nsphotos.8m.com/ns/216101505.jpg

Now onto the Main Street crossing where we wait for 90 minutes before NS 215 comes by with a Catfish pair.

http://nsphotos.8m.com/ns/215101505.jpg

I said earlier that this day would be a day I would never forget, well here is why-- ------> NS 229 with a Warbonnet.

http://nsphotos.8m.com/ns/229bnsf921101505.jpg


And that is my morning before work around Wilmore. Enjoy!!