2003 Photo Album

Page Updated
05/30/2006

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Railroads of Madison County
2003 Photo Pages

Photos Needed - I'm looking for photos of railroad subjects in Madison County. They may be trains, locomotives, freight or... - click for more -

Click on the photo for the associated page or photo.

2003
February 28, 2003
It had been a nasty, cold, snowy, and icy Winter. Well you get the idea. This is Mother Nature 1 - CSX 0. It is amazing what a little ice packed in by the rail on a road crossing can do.
CSX 1537, a GP-15 was on the way to Emporia with empty grain cars when is crossed the road crossing at the old concrete plant just south of I-69 in Anderson. The other grain cars were uncoupled and pulled back north of 53rd Street.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

March 20, 2003
I wasn't sure what the caller said in the message he left on my answering machine, but I did catch "Grain Train on the Emporia." Just in case, I grabbed my camera and pointed the van South on Columbus Avenue where I could catch glimpses of the rails as I went. From the track at Harvest Market, I could see grain cars stopped on the way into South Anderson Yard. I turned west on 38th street intending to run over to the rails to look down them. I really didn't have to go far as there were grain hoppers on their side immediately south of 38th street by the new C. J. Boots Casket Company. Parking in their lot, I took a few minutes to snap this series of shots. Just as I was leaving Buser came up. "How did I get here before you?" I asked. "I was on the rails when I heard about it, and couldn't get here any sooner," came his reply. As Signal Maintainer Ralph George said, "No one was hurt. Equipment can be repaired or replaced." Ah, well, enjoy!
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

From the Papers, Roger is snaping the photo.

From March 26 through April 4th, I visited the site to catch the rail and ties coming in, being put in place and finally the tamper.

March 24, 2003

The early morning call came, "Amtrak has been detoured due to a derailment and is passing through Winchester on the way to Indianapolis." Looking at the time, I guessed when it would come through and figured to catch it near Gridley. Arriving, I settled in for the wait and was soon disturbed by a train whistling up for Mounds Crossing. That couldn't be him. It's too early. Oh, yes, it was and I didn't quite get into position. I wanted that picture! Heading down Scatterfield, I picked up I-69 and made a run down to SR67 and then down to Pendleton to my usual spot by PHHS. Turning into the gravel drive to park, I saw him coming at me. 7 or 8 seconds later, I had stood up in the door of the van and snapped this shot. He was running nearly 60 mph. That's the way passenger service should run. Click on thumbnail for larger picture

March 31 thru April 4, 2003
I had a grandson, Jacob Mead, staying with me. During that time we did some railfanning. The photos we took of the derailment site are above. Here are the others...
On the 31st, in Lapel we found CIW88 parked and no longer in use. Also, we caught the 30 Ton Plymouth Critter (see Death of a Critter) that had been in Emporia in March of '98 and a string of hoppers.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

We made a stop at 31st Street just in time to catch the NS southbound local.

On April 1st, we stopped downtown in time to see the NS local with NS 9542, a GE C40-9W, on the point passing the Big Four station southbound pulling another load of coal hoppers. We decided we should make a run to Alex to see what we could catch at the connector. As luck would have it, we were walking the track westward when a train came out of Muncie and turned north on the connector. We ran back to the diamond, but didn't get there in time to catch the power.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

We gave pursuit up SR9 and after we were ahead, we turned east just over the Grant County line. I blew the head on shot, but did catch a nice shot of the 3rd back NS GP38AC 4122 and one good shot of the consist. He was moving. Click on thumbnail for larger picture

The next day we positioned ourselves downtown to catch CIW on the way to South Anderson and caught CIW 4295, an ex-CNW GP7 there and later at the west end of South Anderson waiting for a pick up. Click on thumbnail for larger picture

The week was passing quickly and on the 3rd, we again found ourselves at South Anderson Yard watching an eastbound with BN (BNSF) 9679 & 9604 the Dark Green and Creme Scheme for power, switching cars. As the train was being put together, we drove through the tunnel and positioned ourselves near Harvest Market where we would catch it again.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

And with the BCIT boxcar carrying the End Of Train (EOT) device, we called it a week. We had chased a few trains and watched CSX repairing the track where the Grain Train had derailed. It was a good week.

April 10, 2003
The word came down that there was a High and Wide passing through with 2 Main Coast Dead-In-Tow. Knowing that they had to stop near the old Guide Lamp plant for traffic to clear, I arranged to be there and caught SD40-2 CSX 8820 as leader, Main Coast ML420s 2002 & 2004, and the 2 GE boilers and turbine. Click on thumbnail for larger picture

April 16, 2003

I was told that the NS GP59 in the Southern Rwy green commemorative scheme had gone south on the NS local and I might catch it northbound. It slipped up on me and I heard the wheels on rails sound at the 31st Street crossing. I gave chase and did manage to get ahead of it at 3rd and John Street. Subsequent pursuit failed and this was the best I could do.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

April 22, 2003

Yes, Virginia, there IS a CSX 2. No, I didn't see CSX 1, but I did the best I could with what I had. On the west end of South Anderson Yard, I caught CSX 2, a CW44AC, waiting for the Conductor to return after switching.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

May 13, 2003

Ever try to catch something really good in a hurry? Four brand spanking new UP GE locos with the Flag on the side were westbound. They took number 2 main when I was expecting 1. An Eastbound was blocking the way at 38th Street but I did catch them at 53rd Street. I couldn't get a good position and had to shoot into the sun and use sequence mode, but here they are.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture

June 5, 2003

FURX 3025 Eastbound at E 32nd Street

Hi Roger,
I had only intended to stop at Harvest Market . . . these engines were stopped across Columbus Ave. and I got ahead of them only to have them back completely into the yards.

I made a quick run at the store and pulled down across the tracks and waited . . . they rolled by at 11:55 a.m. this morning. They're fresh. I've never seen better results from a camera . . . this is great.

Highball,
Marvin Crim, Along the Right of Way

July 29, 2003