Eastern Railroad Discussion > Maiden Voyage for a Rebuilt SD-45

=13.3333pxThe Decatur & Eastern Illinois RR (DREI) received their 5th and final SD-40 for use on road trains over the line, number 4235. All 5 of the DREI's new SD units are former SD-45s rebuilt and designated as SD40-2s. After the initial inspection was completed, the unit was used to lead the road train from Decatur to Paris IL yesterday (Sunday). Normally the road train runs with two SDs in the consist, so this was an extra special treat seeing the new unit along with two additional sister units leading the 33 car road train. Carload traffic on this day consisted entirely of ADM and Tate & Lyle traffic out of Decatur.

First scene is passing my driveway on the outskirts of Decatur and the second scene is a quick pacing video as the train rolls along a stretch of 10mph track just outside of Casner, IL.

Thanks for watching!
    -Caleb

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Really nice video, Caleb.  Thanks for posting.  I especially like the "going away" horn starting at 0:53.  It's nice to see these old units soldiering on in a new life.  I hope to make it up to the DREI sometime after all the virus stuff clears.

Mike Derrick
 

Didn't the Decatur & Eastern Illinois RR also buy the CSX line from Chrisman to Montezuma where it joins the CSX (former Chicago and Eastern Illinois/L&N/Cheesie) mainline from Chicago to Evansville? If so how does DREI service the massive AC Grain elevator at Dana? When CSX still had the line they sent a 90 car train there every few days, cut off the power but left it parked down the siding from the elevator. Then they would come back out and haul the loaded cars down to Terre Haute and from there to wherever. Does DREI service that and then go back to Chrisman and on down to Paris and then Terre Haute?

Nice!  Love those flares!  Thanks for sharing. 

Very nice..!!

Excellent video!  It doesn't get much better.
ALLEN

Said to have been built new for the Seaboard Coast Line as their 2039 before being traded to the Clinchfield as their 3626 then CSX 8939 before being rebuilt as a SD40M-2 for Southern Pacific.   

Rmosele Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't the Decatur & Eastern Illinois RR also buy
> the CSX line from Chrisman to Montezuma where it
> joins the CSX (former Chicago and Eastern
> Illinois/L&N/Cheesie) mainline from Chicago to
> Evansville? If so how does DREI service the
> massive AC Grain elevator at Dana? When CSX still
> had the line they sent a 90 car train there every
> few days, cut off the power but left it parked
> down the siding from the elevator. Then they would
> come back out and haul the loaded cars down to
> Terre Haute and from there to wherever. Does DREI
> service that and then go back to Chrisman and on
> down to Paris and then Terre Haute?

Yes, DREI got this stretch of track as well. I believe the local crew out of Paris works the Dana elevator as needed. I do know that the CSX brings some unit grain trains over to Tuscola and those get on at Montezuma and run west over the line, but I'm not sure if they do any unit trains to/from Dana. I'm mostly familiar with operations on the west end.

Thanks.