Eastern Railroad Discussion > Visitor East Bound On Iron Mountain

Chasing The UP OCS Into Atlanta

Having received updated reports on the location of the east bound Union Pacific Office Car Special operating as NS 956 it was time to head west toward Heflin Alabama and follow it eastward to Austell Georgia. One thing I had to keep in mind when selecting photo locations toward the east was the fact that this was not a manifest or stack train. The only thing that was working in my favor were a dozen or more slow orders in effect as a result of rail and rail hardware replacement on the mainline of the Alabama Div. between Anniston Alabama and Douglasville Georgia.  When the MOW crews cleared up their TA's and the west end signal turned green in Heflin I headed to the Talladega National Forrest hiking trail road crossing atop Iron Mountain.

#1 NS 956 cresting Iron Mountain in the Talladega National Forrest  

Then it was off to the east to set up for a meet with a west bound NS stack that will eventually end up as a KAILC when it hits the UP. 

#2 NS 956 enters the siding at Edwardsville Alabama 

#3 The OCS meets the NS 23D (ATLANTA, GA – LOS ANGELES (UP-KAILC)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/17 09:49 by NSSpike.

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Next stop would be Tallapoosa, Waco and Temple Georgia area taking US 78 that pretty much parallels the tracks. Mid afternoon arrival to the west Georgia area would be further complicated by the number of school buses and log trucks that would be out and about. All that was missing was a dat gum watermelon truck.

#4 NS 956 on the main line by the Tallapoosa Golf Club. 

#5 The UP 2718 leads this clean train over the Waco curve just west of Bremen. 

#5 Heading in a southeasterly direction the NS 956 approaches the City Of Temple Georgia 

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With US 78 just covered up with late afternoon traffic took I-20 east as I had to skip Douglasville and Lithia Spring photo locations and headed to Mabelton Georgia. That turned into a “forget this” as MOW was changing out ties at the road crossing at Barnes Hardware in Mabelton and a shaded shot back toward CP Lowe wasn't to be. Had to settle for the Austell overpass fighting a dropping sun to the west. My photography skill sets haven't quite mastered that challenge just yet. 

#6 Off the Alabama Div on the Georgia Div #1 main 956 rolls past CP Austell. 

#7 A Baggage Car rolls past the NB signals at MP 135.0H 

#8 The Union Pacific OCS heads east toward Atlanta on the #1 mainline. 

All in all was great afternoon capturing the extraordinary clean power and cars on the NS Alabama and Georgia Divisions.

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Nice shots and coverage!

Nice pics!!

Well done!!

Great chase & coverage. Kudos on Image of the Day.
John

Nice shots! Forgive me for asking, but does anyone here know what the UP business car special is doing in Georgia? 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/17 06:58 by apollo17.

Great chase & photos.

Ronda Thomas

oklachaser Wrote:
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> Great chase & photos.
>
> Ronda Thomas

Second that motion! Well done, and congrats on a well-deserved IOTD. Good locations and compositions showing off the train, the line and a nicely captured meet as well. My TO name refers to a different Iron Mountain (in Missouri), but it's always nice when one of the others shows up so well!

Thanks for posting these for us to enjoy.

MC
Muskegon, Michigan

OUTSTANDING.......Photos.......

You got some nice shots in there of it, I saw quite a few nice ones from others, I passed it while I was at work somewhere around Riverside
-djs