Eastern Railroad Discussion > A triple Baby Boat show (Pickens U18Bs)

Long on my bucket list of roads to visit, the Pickens put on a show once I finally got there. With a week of clouds and rain predicted at home (north Ohio) I made a last minute decision to book south towards a promise of sunnier days, arriving in Anderson, SC late on October 18th. The next day, Oct 19th, the crews followed the normal pattern with a single U18B unit (9503) heading to Belton and a pair of U18B's (9508 and 9502) working the Anderson job. After chasing the Anderson job to and from the NS interchange in Anderson I headed for Belton. The Greenville and Western was arriving just as I got there with 26 cars for the Pickens. That proved more than the single baby boat could handle without exceeding the short time limits and that's when it got interesting. The call went out for the Anderson job to run over to Belton and assist, making for a 3 pack of U18B's leading the train west. Did the chase of course shooting the train in several spots between Belton and Anderson, but the pull up the hill out of Anderson proved to be the show. The first two photos show the train working it's way up out of Anderson, the 3rd is a location west of Belton. More to follow...

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

---

---

---

The Greenville and Western arriving at the Belton interchange as the Pickens waits.
Two photos between Belton and Anderson

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

---

---

---

Since I've never been to Arizona, this is as close to a train/catus photo for now
Not too far out of Anderson, passing a stone facility.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

---

---

Great pics Roger!  I was fortunate enough to see a U-18 on the CSX at Sterling, OH a few years back. It was parked on the eastbound siding in CSX maintenace orange with a ballast train; a former L&N unit. (No camera, of course!!)  Interesting Alco alternative the GP-9.
 

Excellent series of images and documentation.

Fantastic shots!  Those U boats look so cool in that orange.

Nice score Roger !

Nice work catching a triple header. Strange that the Belton job had a single unit though. 

RayH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice work catching a triple header. Strange that
> the Belton job had a single unit though. 

The 3 days I was over there the Belton job had one U18B, but I'm with you- they could have used two.

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

EL833 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RayH Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice work catching a triple header. Strange
> that
> > the Belton job had a single unit though. 
>
> The 3 days I was over there the Belton job had one
> U18B, but I'm with you- they could have used two.

My last trip there (3 months ago), they used 2 on both the Belton and Anderson jobs. Also had a single U18B at Belton (9503).
Those units sound great, close your eyes and imagine Alcos!

Awesome!!
We went earlier this year. Worth the drive:)

Very nice..!!

The CSX U18B’s were all former SCL units, L&N never ordered the model.

Also the U18B was a GE propduct, no Alco involvement.



EL3600 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great pics Roger!  I was fortunate enough to see
> a U-18 on the CSX at Sterling, OH a few years
> back. It was parked on the eastbound siding in CSX
> maintenace orange with a ballast train; a former
> L&N unit. (No camera, of course!!)  Interesting
> Alco alternative the GP-9.
>  

Bryan Jones
Brooks, KY
Bryan's Train Photos