July 6, 2005   I caught this veteran B&O 2 bay hopper on a Westbound CIW at 25th Street It says... Visit B&O Railroad Museum.

CSX Inspection Train Eastbound at 32nd Street and #1 Main. Of course I missed the end of the car...

Replacing the crossing on Pitt at #1 Main. CSX has been replacing crossings in the area and I caught up with them here. I watched as they placed a track section and aligned it. I left when they began cutting rail as I was very close and without eye protection.

I was waiting for three engines running light at Pitt Street & 32nd when eastbound CSX 7704 GE C40-8W appeared with its consist.

And when it did show up, I was only able to get two shots missing the middle loco completely. Oh, well... Here is NS 5??? on a power transfer with Montana Rail Link 364 SD45 bringing up the rear.

Remember that in 2003, my Grandson Jacob came to visit? Well, he was back just in time to watch CSX put in new crossing tracks at Scatterfield Road in Anderson. What we both found fascinating was how they moved the track section around with the claw device on one end and a backhoe pulling on the other. In fact, the rear wheels raised up during the effort.

To round out the day, we slipped over near the west end of South Anderson Yard and watched Y121 switching with CSX 2644 GP38-2 in new paint and CSX 2508 GP38-2.

Next stop, Emporia, where we found this 1930s gasoline/oil tank truck parked behind a fence. Yes, the Emporia Grain Co. (ADM) 611 Alco S2 is still there, looking a little worse for wear, but still in service.

July 28, 2005 continued

North of old Plant 15, we caught an NS northbound with NS 9242 C40-9W on the point with NS 8765 C40-9 as the second unit pulling a string of coal hoppers.

Moving down to Pearl Street, it was just a few minutes until CIW 4295 GP7 pulled down and around onto Number 2 Main.

Pulling across the tracks at Pearl, I spotted Buser's track car sitting a couple of crossings down. Driving over we found the reason. A car with a broken wheel/axle was fouling the crossing.

No run like this would have been complete without a trip to Lapel. This time we went over to Brockway Glass and caught CIW 8307 GP8 parked at Brockway. We decided to take a few shots, got yelled at by a homeowner. moved the car a couple of times and took these.

Leaving Lapel, we spotted CIW 88 SW7 and a track car by the elevator.

We completed the trip and the stay by hiking back to visit the Big Four bridge over White River. Alas, as Jacob grows older, he is most likely to leave railfanning behind for other pursuits, at least for a while...

Doing a followup, I found this Metro North Commuter Railroad no. 292 self-propelled car at South Anderson. Budd build SPV no 292 was build in Philladelphia's red lion's plant in October 1981 as serial number 2023, 23th SPV out of 30 actual cars.

HLCX 6057 SD40M-3 leads several CSX locos south to Emporia to pick up a grain train.

CSX 8888 SD40-2 leads a westbound at Pitt Street. On May 15, 2001, CSX 8888 departed Stanley Yard on the CSXT near Toledo, Ohio and traveled south to Kenton, Ohio, with no crew member on board. With 47 cars in tow (22 loads and 25 empties, 2898 tons) she meandered south at speeds up to 47 MPH. She was brought to a stop some 66 miles and three hours later after another locomotive was coupled to the end, allowing Trainmaster Jon Hosfeld to leap aboard and shut her down.

CSX 4617 SD40 still in partial C&O paint at South Anderson. Where has she been to still have that paint on her?

CSX 5224 ES44DC and her sister run eastbound at Pitt Street to be painted.

HLCX 6407 SD40M-2 is an ex-Trona Railway unit caught at the 31st Street crossing.

Picture Credits:
All photos not otherwise marked are by Roger Hensley.