http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/1043 The above link is to a new album of pictures on NS rail action in Macon, GA. Primary focus is on Brosnan Yard. HAve a great Labor Day!
Very nice pictures! Do you often see switchers? I'm curious, are they usually operated "nose to nose" as in the picture?
Nice shots, just be very careful that you dont get on NS property down there. They can be really strict with us railfan types.
Everything I shot was done while I was off the property. I saw a sign at Brosnan that echoes what you said, and I quote: Trespassers will be arrested and vehicles impounded There are several places in & around Macon that allow me to shoot NS action- one is at a small gravel lot at the north end of Brosnan Yard, another is at the north side of Macon Terminal, and yet another is at both the highway bridge over the south end of Brosnan and next to the gate to the waterworks. I've been told that even though there are sidewalks on the bridge, Macon police will still give you a hard time for "impeding traffic", even tho I'm well out of the way of auto & truck traffic. So far, I've gotten no more than a nod & wave from the NS folks, so I must be doing good.
Nice shots, and some really good catches! I like the # 4610 (green unit) and have caught it a couple of times in the past. The ex-Canadian leaser is a good catch too! Harold
I have some switchers down here too... sometimes they are nose to nose and other times they are cab to cab... Harold
We see switchers cab to cab and nose to nose both here in Atlanta. Didn't see either that much in Chattanooga as it seems most of the switchers there are mated with slugs.
Funny you should mention them..... ..... see my thread in the Railfanning forum entitled "Georgia Shorts"- it featured both the GC (if you hate U-boats and the color black, you'll despise the GC) and Sandersville lines.
Kudzu, anyone? This is a southbound freight on the Griffin District (ex-Central of Georgia) from Macon to Atlanta. It's not the main route- notice the stick rail. This was taken shortly after a nasty downpour, and this train is rolling about 10 MPH as it approaches the Park Sr. overpass. Notice the hi-nose SD40 on the point, as well as all that kudzu. Oh yeah, all those woodchips too.......... Closeup of the lead locomotive. If it's an ex-SOU diesel, it's running "backwards".......
The lead loco is actually a straight SD40 and of N&W heritage. Great catch! N&W had high nose SD40's and GP40's, many are still around. Harold
IIRC, one of the ex-NW GP40s is in service in Brosnan Yard mated with a GP38 in make-up service (cuts of cars out of the hump yard moved over to the forwarding yard). BTW, the trailing unit was also a hi-nose- IIRC, ex-Southern Ry. GP50. I'll have to go back & look at my pic CD to check for sure. Wonder how many folks have tried to model a kudzu-covered cut.......................................
I've often thought that would make a great model scene, although I have no idea how to go about modeling kudzu. Still, some of my favorite pictures I have seen, have been those kudzu-covered cuts.
Bob, Be careful around that Kudzu. It can grow so fast that it will cover you while you are taking a picture.
Agreed. Some of my favorite scenes, too. It was so dark that I used to see fire flies during the day under the kudzu cover. Memories of surveying days. As for modeling, I think Koch (German?) makes some foliage types that might be used.
Roger that- the stuff had covered even the trees along the tracks here. You'll notice the efforts made by NS MofW crews to cut the stuff back from the tracks. I was told that the best method for planting kudzu was to throw it down and RUN!!!!! It's as far west as southeastern Oklahoma (10 miles south of Hugo, OK, where my missus is from, and it covers the north approach to the Kiamichi RR's Red River crossing).
Two-unit light move thru Warner Robins (15 miles south of Macon). Lead unit is GP59 4607- this has rounded cab corners, once tried by EMD as a way to reduce drag from headwinds. To the left of the highway is Robins Air Force Base, home of a large amount of cargo planes (C5s and C-17s- their hangars are HUGE, and dwarf a C-130 easily (I spotted one in such a hangar- looked like a BB in a boxcar).
Another nice place to shoot from is the grave yard in Macon where Duane Ulman (sp) is burried. Peaceful too