Eastern Railroad Discussion > Afternoon in the Alleghenies

Based on Saturday's cruddy forecast, I planned to sleep in and spend the day around the house doing some chores and watching my alma matter (MSU) play U-M in the afternoon. Silly me. I woke up about 9:30 and my wife (God bless her) commented, "I'm surprised you aren't out taking pictures. Its beautiful out!" She was right...the weather guys messed up again. It was gorgeous out and a quick checkl of the satellite showed a massive wall of clouds coming from the west that would arrive in an hour or so and surely stick around all weekend..so much for Sunday being the sunny day. What to do? Head east of course! By the time I got going, it was going on 12:30 when I arrived in Garret PA on CSXT's Keystone Sub. I guess for my purposes it would be "Afternoon in North America". I took a mediocre shot of Q353 off the bridge in town, went to Sheetz in Meyersdale and came back out just in time to hear Q139 coming into Glade City and K483 calling the signal over the hill at Philson.
1. Q139 running #1 track at Meyersdale PA
2. From there it was on to Sand Patch where I arrived just before the K483, as he crossed from #1 to #2 amid a sea of new ties ready to be installed.
3. Well to the west I could hear U878 coming and re-positioned to Glade City for him. He dragged his massive 130 car train up the hill at a good 20 mph. This is a symbol I'd usually expect to see on the Mountain Sub, but a train of this tonnage is verboten on that line.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/09 20:38 by PittsburghMike.

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U878 had a pair of Spartan Cab C40-8 helpers. Second time I've seen those now. Are they becoming the regular VI helper power?
1. Here's an impressionistic view of the B253 helpers shoving the train under the former WM at Glade City.
2. While the U878 cut his helper off, I took the opportunity to relocate over to Mance. Color was a bit muted, but still a pleasant scene.
After a while, Q277 roared up the hill but I was scuzzed out by clouds. I headed over to Keystone to try for him again, but ended up finding Q226 again

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Nice shots again Mike...

U878 must've went right thru Cumberland albeit a crew change as I caught him in Martinsburg late evening. And yes he was a big boy... 532 axles... I was sittin with a friend and after he went by I made the comment of 532 axles. Low and behold and about 20 minutes later after he finally cleared the Defect Detector 4 miles down the track... 532 axles. Gotta love the grade up to Hobbs :)

While shooting these trains on the mainline, I'd heard sporadic discussion about a U839 getting ready to depart Cambria Mine for Rockwood over on the S&C Sub.
1. I headed over to Cambria Mine on the Coleman Industrial track but found the train had already departed.
OK...fortunately they don't move very fast until they get onto the S&C main at Vang Jct...I headed there next and found hoppers rolling off the branch! On to Listie Pa to get set up.
2. To my pleasant surprise, in addition to the normal set of AC road power, this train also had the S&C Sub "Johnstown Jet" local power tacked on the head end for an assist to drag the train over the summit at Geiger. He roared past the general store doing a solid 25mph making a run for the hill.
I passed up the shot at Geiger from the country road and instead decided to check and see if there is a decent shot off the route 219 overpass (there isn't) and in the process ended up not beating the train to Somerset (they move very quick once they get on the S&C). I rolled all the way down to Wilson Creek and settled on a nice patch of color for my last shot of the day. I was hoping to get a shot of the train headed around the wye at Rockwood, but in the hour it took for them to remove the GP's and do some paperwork in the office, I lost what light remained. 6 trains on the main + a nice chase of this drag in 4 1/2 hours? Not bad for an afternoon's effort. After I got home and watched MSU defeat U-M in overtime on the DVR, it REALLY was a great day!

Thanks for looking!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/09 20:42 by PittsburghMike.

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Nice shots Mike and yes the standard cab -8's are regularly assigned in the Connellsville helper pool now. I have seen a pair of AC's in the yard too but i think they only can shove with them on coal trains due to powered axle restrictions.

Thanks guys. I know CSX likes running these 130 car monsters but I have to wonder if they actually save any money by the time they pay for the 2 extra crews to run via Sand Patch (Grafton-Newell, Newell-Connellsville, Connellsville-Cumberland vs (Grafton-Cumberland).

Mike: I kind of enjoy seeing the big spartan cab dash 8's in the helper pool. From an interest standpoint, they are decent replacement for the 50's. The one Hyndman helper I saw was a GEVO..is that normal now as well or are they just trying different stuff out?

PittsburghMike Wrote:
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> Thanks guys. I know CSX likes running these 130
> car monsters but I have to wonder if they actually
> save any money by the time they pay for the 2
> extra crews to run via Sand Patch (Grafton-Newell,
> Newell-Connellsville, Connellsville-Cumberland vs
> (Grafton-Cumberland).
>
> Mike: I kind of enjoy seeing the big spartan cab
> dash 8's in the helper pool. From an interest
> standpoint, they are decent replacement for the
> 50's. The one Hyndman helper I saw was a GEVO..is
> that normal now as well or are they just trying
> different stuff out?


The GEVO you saw on the east end has been a helper unit for most of last week. I think it was just put in to replace one of the 50's in for service. As an engineer i wouldnt mind it stiking around for a while! The 120-130car coal trains usually get 3 unit helper out of Connellsville.

Great shots!! Was kinda curious what kinda camera ya shot them with ??

taskforce3guy Wrote:
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> Great shots!! Was kinda curious what kinda camera
> ya shot them with ??

Thanks. Canon EOS Digital Rebel which is long overdue for retirement.