Eastern Railroad Discussion > 611 at Strasburg

Last weekend (Nov. 10 – 13) my Dad and I drove down to Strasburg, PA to see NW 611 running.  Attached are a few photos to summarize the trip.
 
Photo 1 – driving south down US-219 through Limestone, NY we caught up to B&P SIRI (Salamanca, NY – Riker Yard).  Having time to spare, we waited for the train at Lewis Run after they completed their switching in Bradford, PA.  With three SD60Is and a fairly short train they had no trouble on the grade.
 
Photo 2 – Friday morning we were still in our caboose at the Red Caboose Motel when SRC 8618 headed to Paradise to pick up interchange traffic.  A short while later it returned with five cars in tow.
 
Photo 3 – after switching the freight cars to where they needed to go, the crew went about removing the open-air passenger cars from the train consists.  A wise move and a sign of things to come.  Viewed from the end platform of our caboose.

Rob Smith
Hamilton, ON

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Photo 4 – we noticed a stray cow in the farm field across the street from the motel, and two guys attempting to retrieved it.  The cow was having none of it.  A woman had to come out from the farm house to get it.  The crew of NW 611 look on as mama walks the cow across the track.
 
Photo 5 – Hats off to the shop crew for getting NW 475 repaired so quickly.  I didn’t think we’d be seeing it.  Here its meeting 611 at Groff’s Grove and will soon depart for Strasburg.
 
Photo 6 – My $10 Wal-mart umbrella served me well and I stay dry most of Friday morning.  After getting out to photograph NW 611 at Esbenshade Rd. early afternoon, the remainder of the day was pretty soggy.

Rob Smith
Hamilton, ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/22 04:52 by DundasMP23.

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Photo 7 – just our luck, it seemed every time 475 led back to Strasburg it was fairly bright and the rain let up. When 611 returned it was quite the opposite.  475 strikes a handsome pose passing the Red Caboose Motel.
 
Photo 8 – our home for three nights, a lovely former PRR N5 caboose painted to represent the Union Pacific looking good in Saturday morning sunshine.  Not five-star accommodations by any means, but certainly “old fashion family fun” as their brochure states.
 
Photo 9 – Sunshine!  How nice.  611 passes through the spring switch at Groff’s Grove / Cherry Road after meeting 475. We couldn’t figure out why the eastbound train would soon stop and whistle every time after departing Groff’s Grove.  Someone clued us in that they whistle to the ghost train, which I still remember from riding as a kid!   

Rob Smith
Hamilton, ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/22 04:53 by DundasMP23.

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Photo 10 – Esbenshade Rd. is my favourite location to photograph on the Strasburg, and we spent a fair bit of time there.  475 is a good-looking engine.  The repair on the smoke box door is a little gnarly looking.  We had heard it was left that way to remind crews about the incident with the excavator at Paradise.  Hopefully in time they clean up the welds.
 
Photo 11 – Rods down.  Sun shining.  Life is good.
 
Photo 12 – Groff’s Grove / Cherry Hill Rd. is a great place to hang out to get the trains departing after the meet.  Throughout the day there was always a lengthy photo line here.

Rob Smith
Hamilton, ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/22 04:54 by DundasMP23.

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Photo 13 – later in the afternoon the clouds started to win so we headed in to Strasburg to patronise the gift shop.  While there we watched 611 run around its train.  It was here we really saw how big 611 really is.  It looks a tad out of place on the Strasburg, especially running tender-first to Paradise.  I was going to crop out the kid on the right, but I appreciate his multi-tasking: filming with his right hand while plugging his ear with the left.
 
Photo 14 – I had planned on photographing Reading & Northern diesels on their passenger train Sunday morning on the drive home, so we were bummed when we pulled in to Reading Outer Station to see passengers boarding a pair of Budd cars.  Having photographed them two weeks prior I didn’t need crummy dark photos of them so we decided to move on.
 
Photo 15 – a pair of SD50s attracted our attention in Tamaqua, PA, but the real gem in the yard was a Conrail bay window caboose that still looked great.  A pair of cabooses side by side was a fitting way to end the weekend. 

Rob Smith
Hamilton, ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/22 04:55 by DundasMP23.

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Terrific shots.  Glad you had some sunshine at Strasburg.
jb

Sharp group of photos, all.  Lots of color despite the weather.

Rich

Glad to see you got to make some lemonaide out of a bushel of lemons! 
That old gal 275 got a few face wrinkle sand patina out of that incident.
Gonut

Pics 10 and 11 came out nice....