Two Lancaster & Chester units I saw on Thursday while driving along the eastern end of its line. GP-38AC 2829 as seen in Lancaster, SC is former SOU 2829 and SD-40T-2 6002 found at Heath Springs, SC is former SP 8257. No tunnels to motor through on this railroad.
Probably in the cute flowerpot in the window just above the 20th sign. Nice touch. And a darn nice car.
Could be the Sandy Creek or the Hickory Creek. But most likely the Hickory Creek. I think the Sandy Creek is painted red right now. Both are restored and still running. Years ago, I spent a lot of time on the Sandy Creek when it was part of the American Orient Express. They had renamed it the NEW YORK. Here parked in Richmond, Virginia. The conductor during a back up move. One hand on the train brake or the whistle and the other with a radio to talk to the engineer.
Nope, New York Central. New Haven was 11,000 VAC overhead power. NYC used 600VDC third rail power. Also, because the center track has no third rail, I'm guessing it's just north of Croton-Harmon where power changed from electric to steam/diesel.
That car is the Hickory Creek, one of two observation cars built for the 1948 re-equipping of the NYC 20th Century Ltd. After its NYC service ended, the car was acquired by Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey, who operated it in their circus train. After the circus train was abolished, the car was acquired by the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, who restored it to its original condition. It's being used in excursion service this year - Th-Su through the end of May and then again during October and early November. There will also be a New York City-Chicago round-trip in mid-September.
The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey has been running excursions with the Hickory Creek along the Hudson recently on the old Water Level Route. https://www.urhs.org/nyc-hickory-creek
From 07/21/1989 at Asheville, NC, NKP 587 is coaled up and taking a fantrip to Bulls Gap, TN and return. The NRHS National was held in Asheville that summer. Today this once-important line sees one train a day and with the closure of a nearby paper mill and conversion of a local power plant to natural gas, the entire line is in question.
