Losing Light On The Loops, 12/26/2014 west of Old Fort, NC. I forget the details, but this train was delayed by another ahead that had lost a locomotive and stalled on the grade. By the time this one got on the move, my light was just about gone. That's Jarrett's Tunnel, one of seven on the Loops. This line is still closed as a result of Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
OC&E had four Baldwin RS12 locos. Original buyer in 1952 was the SAL, and the OC&E acquired them in 1979 from the SCL. http://www.trainweb.org/seaboard/SAL/sal1473.jpg https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dz4AAOSwSZlmefmv/s-l1600.webp OC&E owned them for only about five years before they were sold in 1984 to the Escanaba & Lake Superior. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rioAAOSwR3ZiQSSj/s-l1600.webp
I was up working on our cars at the Austin Steam Train Association yard in Cedar Park, Texas this last week. ASTA bought the rent-a-wreck HORIZON GP40 they have been leasing for the last few years. They lettered it for their railroad "Austin & Texas Central" and gave it the name The Skunk. Then they promptly neglected to winterize it during the deep freeze we had a few weeks ago. One of the cylinder heads cracked and the water cooled air pump blew chunks out of the castings. So, they were busy installing a new air pump. The power assembly with the cracked head had already been replaced. After getting it back together, they started the locomotive, tested the air, blew the horn a lot and then shut it down. It should be back pulling the train again this weekend. Now they just have to get their other two locomotives back together again and run them. Some of the traction motors for the RSD15 are under the silver tarps.
I have always liked those kinds of Baldwins with the kind of sharply rounded corners and the cab roof not too far above the hoods. Doug
Westbound at Dalies NM, 10/23/1996. The Transcon climbs a 1.25% grade in the 10 miles from Belen to Dalies.
It took some research (I thought the speed limit sign looked MILW-ish, then looked up MP 281 as seen on the signal mast) and found that's at LaCrosse, WI. Love that tower! From its small size, I'm guessing it controlled grade crossing gates.
NS 192 crosses the Congaree into Columbia, SC led by the Erie heritage unit 1068. I had good light for the shot, until Mr. Cloud moved in. [06/21/2018]
Nice bit of detective work! The road is visible just beyond the crossover and a grade crossing warning signal can be seen on the far side of the tracks.
July 1984, Rondout Tower north of Chicago at former MILW MP 32.3, protecting the Fox Lake branch and crossing of the EJ&E. It still stands today, but is no longer manned. Same day at Rondout, a northbound with GP-40 2006 leading.
Another from Rondout, probably 1975 or so on a heavily overcast day, probably shooting with my Dad's old Kodak Retina Reflex. Very dusty negative, too much to clean up manually and automatic tools don't work well with it. Love the vintage TOFC. The 161 is an SD-40-2.
