A lost pony from back east. Maybe it wanted to come out and herd cattle on a ranch in Texas. Rosenberg on October 31, 2006.
Since we're on a bit of an NS theme, here's NS's Heritage Unit NS 8114 celebrating the original Norfolk Southern. Caught this a few weeks ago in Columbia, SC and yep, it's a two-fer -- NS 8103 N&W is attached. Lovin' badlandnp's wonderful photos of that pocket-sized articulated!
No NS from me this weekend... but I did catch fresh SD70ACU rebuild 7045 trailing a Calgary to St. Paul manifest! Baden, ND.
Can't help with the NS trend, but here's more steam. (Love that logging Mallet, BTW.) This was shot on one of several Alma to Cadillac double headers in October 2009. (See "Trains in the Rain" for another shot in Clare, MI from the same trip.) This one was shot in Cadillac. Both 765 and 1225 had been around the wye and swapped spots for the down bound trip. Photo by Grace Decker.
You are so very right. Considering that the Heritage Units and all of NS's other special units honoring veterans, first responders, Operation Lifesaver, etc., wear carefully selected paint schemes to recognize the road's history, individuals to which it owes gratitude and public awareness, you'd think that an occasional run through the wash rack would be an expectation. I suppose we're seeing the result of increased layoffs and a thin locomotive fleet, leaving too few people and too little time to take an interest in public appearance.
I am seeing this and wondering how close, if not already past the point, have railroads cut themselves thin? Oh well. The trucking industry can pick up the slack, quickly, while railroads flounder, struggling to regain lost (perhaps forever) market share again.
When Uncle Warren runs trains, it's usually the reverse of the available light, so you get the glint shot instead! Des Lacs, ND:
