I am standing at the Selma, NC train station (28Mar06) where CSX and NS tracks cross. These pictures of the crossing diamonds are taken behind a waist high fence where you are allowed to stand to meet the Amtrak trains on the other side of the station. This is really close to the tracks, I think; I estimate 15 feet to the near rail. Great location for photos. I missed the next train going back to Raleigh 30 minutes later. Thedouble tracks are CSX. NS isgoing to Goldsboro. There are lots of DOD tank cars for Camp LeJeune, Seymour Johnson, and Cherry Point. The engines were C40-8, SD60, C44-9, all in NS livery. The train I didn’t get was CNW, CR, and NS. All were six axle. Lots of noise and the ground is shaking! Great! [ March 31, 2006, 09:37 PM: Message edited by: Flash Blackman ]
I'm not sure where to add these pictures. I am definitely railfanning around 30Mar06 in Selma, NC, so I will add them here. This looks like a broken part of the crossing diamonds. Is this legal? Dangerous? Everything seems to work properly. Loaded coal train headed towards Goldsboro. A big GE and three SD70s. Conrail is still around, too. Amtrak on the NS-CSX interchange track headed for Richmond. I will post more as I can on my dial-up connection. It takes a little longer.
CSX manifest heads for Richmond. Five engines; the big iron! NS tries unsuccessfully to hide behind a pole heading for the diamonds and Raleigh. SD40T-2, NREX8250 follows closely behind. The horns are back on the long hood. NYC at the diamonds, too. [ March 31, 2006, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: Flash Blackman ]
Wow, you ARE having fun, eh? Enjoy!! That diamond missing a bolt--yeah, doesn't look safe, but I'll bet the MOW forces would call it good anyways, as long as at least 1 bolt is there.... After all, if only 1-in-4 ties needs to be decent, what difference does a crossing diamond make?
Flash, I am hurt... you come to my back yard and don't even warn me! I have not shot Selma in a while... I guess I need to get back there. (I have been to Rocky Mount a lot lately; no NS crossing, but a short line interchange, a yard, and lots of traffic!) Harold
Flash, That ex-SP tunnel motor left on NS 351 this morning (3/31) with 6 other units... you can see it as the 4th unit here: http://www.railimages.com/g2/d/13397-2/NS351_033106.JPG Harold
Here is a recent diamond picture, not in Selma, but in Raleigh: http://www.railimages.com/g2/d/13306-2/NS349_301706a.jpg Harold
Hemi: The diamonds had the bolt repaired this morning. Chessie:I think I messed up. Email to you. NS is repairing the entire yard between Selma and Pine Level. It is about 8 tracks across and 1-2 miles long. More pics tomorrow.
NS tries unsuccessfully to hide behind a pole heading for the diamonds and Raleigh. What? You didn't have a 'pole filter' with you?!? btw, how did you get that little 'railimages' logo in the corner of the photos? Regards Ed
That "pole filter" is illusive and does not always work I know first-hand. The RailImages logo shows up automatically on all photos that are posted from the "test" site that the admins are currently using. Harold
No e-mail as of yet... I know NS has been working on the tracks east of Raleigh, I just didn't know where or the extent. Can't wait for more pics Harold
Cool stuff Flash,I think Sten might have been there taking pic's on one of his holidays. Any chance of some DOD tanker pic's?
Lots and lots of DOD tankers. They are storing them on the interchange track because of all the yard work. I would estimate NS is digging the entire yard ( except for three tracks) down 2-3 meters and replacing all drainage and everything. Why would it be such a big project for a small place like Selma? The coal trains are new for me; I don't know where they are going. Coal has 3-4 six axles east bound loaded and two engines west bound empty. DOD tankers are black, white, or silver.Some have a black stripe around the car at the dome. No flat cars or military equipment for Ft Bragg (US Army) or Camp LeJeune (USMC). Two Amtrak trains in Selma 10 minutes apart. The Palmetto was 30 minutes late; the Carolinean was four hours late. [ March 31, 2006, 09:40 PM: Message edited by: Flash Blackman ]
Just wanted you to see that model railroaders aren't the only ones who sometimes get kinks in the rails on the curves. I thought the NW 2 bay cement hoppers would be rare. It appears that they are very common. I like the weathering; very realistic! You can see the new ribbon rail for the yard lying next to the hoppers. The new rail has not rusted yet. Nice grass effect, too.
The DOD tank cars are always a large part of a manifest train. The coal trains are sometimes unit trains. I noticed that the NS coal cars are hopper cars and the CSX coal trains are high side gondolas. Both have rotary couplers. Here are the DOD tank cars. There are many variations and some are patched, too. They look like the N scale MDC tank cars. Downtown Selma.
Man, I use to go thru Selma alot. I use to stop at JR's at exit 98.Never knew about the trains.Then again,it was before I got back in the hobby.
Selma sees a lot more action now from NS. Some time in the past few months, NS quit running 349 & 350 over the Raleigh east line (Zebulon, Wilson, Greenville) in favor of the Raleigh south line (Garner, Goldsboro, New Bern). Harold
