Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS 602

OK I see on HU.com that the Reading and the Southern are listed on train 602. Can anyone tell me where this train is headed?

Thanx

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,2937332,2937540#msg-2937540

THANKS!!

Backing into Watkins Yard in Columbus as I type. No idea on if a crew is called to go east to Portsmouth but shouldn't have a heritage leading at that point.

UPDATE - crew is in the taxi from Portsmouth to take this east



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/12 09:04 by PowellWye.

I would like to know the final destination if anyone knows or can find out.
Also how many cars are on this train?
Thanks

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/12 13:46 by SD40T-2_fan.

I understand that Norfolk Southern wanted to doll up these brand new locomotives, but if they did this project for public relations, wouldn't it make more sense for them to repaint older DC units that roam the system more? The bulk of train buffs are in the northern states and down south. There aren't a surplus of buffs in the middle of the mountains around these mines where the heritage units are 24/7 (practically). These units aren't getting any exposure, and while I know NS doesn't care what the buffs think, if they did this project for the buffs, why not help them out a bit by showing them off? The NYC has literally been in southern Indiana for 4+ months, hiding. Why is a new EMD SD70ACe assigned to local service? Not to mention one that is supposed to be out showing off NS heritage.

I'm not one to complain, but it's getting old. I know they're AC units, and I know NS doesn't care what the buffs think, but maybe it's something they should have thought out more before doing. "Let's paint up some bright, shiny, pretty units, but do it to units that will hide in the mountains at coal mines all the time."

They did do something for all the train "buffs" and I believe it was called Spencer, North Carolina. A lot of NS employees volunteered their time for that event so all of us "buffs" could enjoy it. I believe NS did the newer AC units as these were brand new locomotives. Yes I get frustrated a little at times as I still would like to see the Erie, Interstate, Lackawanna and the Reading but I also understand that Mr. Moorman has a business to run, make money not lose money and to use the best possible equipment in which to accomplish that objective. NS does a lot of coal business and the best way to transport that coal is to use the best equipment which happens to be the GE ES44AC locomotive as well as the EMD SD70ACe locomotive. IF they stay in coal country for awhile then so be it but eventually I will see the aforementioned locomotives that I have not seen yet. I still think what he did was above and beyond his CEO duties and to this day I respect the hell out of him as a man and business professional for showing the initiative to do this.

Well, as far as where the New York Central unit was from mid-September to mid-November, I don't really get that, either. That Lynnville/Yankeetown operation certainly didn't strike me as needing high-horsepower AC locomotion, with or without fancy paint jobs. An SD70ACe at either end of the train was overkill for a run that would have had horsepower to spare with an SD40-2 at each end.

Not really getting why they sent two of their "special" units down to Texas for whatever testing that occurred in San Antonio, when two run-of-the-mill ACes presumably would have served just as well.

But I'm not going to argue with putting these paint jobs on new power, or with NS's party in Spencer, or with the units' assignments primarily to coal service.

QDTower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I understand that Norfolk Southern wanted to doll
> up these brand new locomotives, but if they did
> this project for public relations, wouldn't it
> make more sense for them to repaint older DC units
> that roam the system more? The bulk of train buffs
> are in the northern states and down south. There
> aren't a surplus of buffs in the middle of the
> mountains around these mines where the heritage
> units are 24/7 (practically). These units aren't
> getting any exposure, and while I know NS doesn't
> care what the buffs think, if they did this
> project for the buffs, why not help them out a bit
> by showing them off? The NYC has literally been in
> southern Indiana for 4+ months, hiding. Why is a
> new EMD SD70ACe assigned to local service? Not to
> mention one that is supposed to be out showing off
> NS heritage.
>
> I'm not one to complain, but it's getting old. I
> know they're AC units, and I know NS doesn't care
> what the buffs think, but maybe it's something
> they should have thought out more before doing.
> "Let's paint up some bright, shiny, pretty units,
> but do it to units that will hide in the mountains
> at coal mines all the time."

There are thousands of locomotives on the NS roster, and 20 H-Units (22 with the 1030 and V-Unit). Even if the Heritage units were Dash 9s, their appearance would be rare, just given the odds.

AC units were a perfect choice to show off their heritage. They were brand new at the time and are (were) the biggest and most efficient power available.

The H-Units get out and roam the system. And they will continue.

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, as far as where the New York Central unit
> was from mid-September to mid-November, I don't
> really get that, either. That Lynnville/Yankeetown
> operation certainly didn't strike me as needing
> high-horsepower AC locomotion, with or without
> fancy paint jobs. An SD70ACe at either end of the
> train was overkill for a run that would have had
> horsepower to spare with an SD40-2 at each end.

I'm not too familiar with that operation, but a unit a either end eliminates the need for turning the train, or making a shove move.

> Not really getting why they sent two of their
> "special" units down to Texas for whatever testing
> that occurred in San Antonio, when two
> run-of-the-mill ACes presumably would have served
> just as well.

Lots of reasons. The numbers could have been specified by EMD, they could of had some internal modifications. I'd imagine though that those locomotives were in the right place at the right time to be sent. Plus, our railfan friends in Texas sure appreciated it.

glendale Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Well, as far as where the New York Central unit
> > was from mid-September to mid-November, I don't
> > really get that, either. That
> Lynnville/Yankeetown
> > operation certainly didn't strike me as needing
> > high-horsepower AC locomotion, with or without
> > fancy paint jobs. An SD70ACe at either end of
> the
> > train was overkill for a run that would have
> had
> > horsepower to spare with an SD40-2 at each end.
>
> I'm not too familiar with that operation, but a
> unit a either end eliminates the need for turning
> the train, or making a shove move.

Not questioning the presence of an engine at each end. But it's a short-haul shuttle, and to the degree there's any gradient, it's loads downhill. Yankeetown Dock used to run it with SD38-2s, and Squaw Creek with a U33C.

602 is apparently going to Kenova WV. The non-Heritage unit is still leading. The reason new units got the special paint is because it was cheaper, easier, and probably quicker to apply than prepping older units. This was discussed here months ago.

Is their a power plant at Kenova or is it a rail to barge transload?
Thanks

Posted from Android

I believe it is a rail to barge facility...

In Kenova, the terminal is called KRT, Kenova River Terminal. It is serviced by NS and CSX. On our side, NS takes loads to the new yard and KRT takes them, dumps them and shoves the empties back to us. We also give them an empty train and they load it for AEP. The actual terminal for KRT is in Ceredo WV. Hope this helps.