Eastern Railroad Discussion > May the Fourth Be With You

The 'force' was with me this morning, 5/4/15, as I set out in persuit of a couple trains running between Chattanooga,TN and Atlanta,GA on Norfolk Southerns Atlanta North District.

The first train of the morning was 22N that had an unpatched Southern Pacific AC4000CW leading. The engine was faded and worn but it was still something rare to see nowadays.

As I was driving back to Austell after a failed attempt of grabbing 22N again in Mableton, what do I see? UP 1988 as the DPU on NS #226 from that had just come in from Los Angeles. This train splits in Austell; the front part goes on to Inman Yard and the rest is taken to Whitaker Yard powered by the DPU. As I walk up, the engineer on 1988 cranks it up and waits for their signal into Whitaker. The train was running completely backlit so I did what I could with the circumstances given photowise.

The last train of the morning was the NS F's pulling the OCS south from the Kentucky Derby on a deadhead move running as a #955. The dispatcher treated the OCS just like any other train on the railroad sticking it in the hole for slop freights and running it over Braswell Mountain behind a Scherer coal drag. Those are the trains making the money after all. As of now, there are no plans for it leaving Atlanta.



Picture 1 - Southern Pacific AC4400CW #352 leading Norfolk Southern intermodal train 22N (Memphis,TN - Atlanta,GA) through Austell,GA at sunrise. This train made remarkably good time and I was fortunate to get it in daylight.

Picture 2 - UP SD70ACe #1988 bellowing exhaust as the engineer cranks it up, Austell,GA. I presume the newer engines can be started from inside the cab?

Picture 3 - The Katy brings its cut off #226 into Whitaker Yard running long hood forward.

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Picture 4 - #955 cruising south behind the four Norfolk Southern F units on its way to Atlanta at CP Green near Silver Creek,GA. Picture 5 - NS F9A #4271 leading #955 past a stopped ethanol train at Rockmart,GA.

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The lighting on the first shot is great and I really like the composition of the fourth shot!

Nolan Majcher
Broadview Heights, OH
Nolan Majcher Photography

Yes newer engines can be started inside the cab with either the push of a button or moving the throttle to notch 1

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/15 00:03 by SlipperyWhenWet.