Eastern Railroad Discussion > Feb 1987, CSX tote & freight video

Video from Feb. 1987 of CSX R123(today's i025) and R647(today's M647) passing by the farm on the CE&D sub in southern Indiana. I borrowed my brother's big VHS video camera to try my hand at making a train video. Had absolutely no idea that years later it could be seen by thousands of people thanks to the internet machine. ;)
Enjoy!

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As good as any made by one of those fancy publishing companies....not to besmearch the ones who contribute here!

Yep, I remember when the B36-7's ruled intermodal freights! I appreciate your video!

Any idea what those CF7s were doing on 647? Maybe startup power for the Florida Central?

Posted from Android

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any idea what those CF7s were doing on 647? Maybe
> startup power for the Florida Central?
>
> Posted from Android
I sure didn't know where they were going. Didn't know anyone back then to even ask the question. Had no idea they were even on this train, just coincidence that I caught the units.

It's a long shot, but can you see the numbers on your original size video? If you can get the numbers, I can likely tell you where those went.

Thanks for posting these nice throwbacks. I saw both of these trains on many occasions in Waycross back in that era.

Posted from Android

Great stuff! Glad your Dad had one of those early monster cams and even more happy he let you borrow it! When I bought a camcorder it was when my kids were 1 and 5 years old and Mom lived 1500 miles away. Mom had terminal cancer and I wanted to send VHS videos of them so I went out to buy a Camcorder. There were many of those monster cams in the store but there was also a newfangled itty-bitty 8mm camcorder available for only about 25% more cost. I'm pretty cheap but the size and weight won me over. Mom lasted another half year and hopefully she enjoyed seing her grandbabies. I shot zillions of feet of the kids and then later the trains over the years using that camcorder and a like replacement. I slipped on wet morning grass trying to catch a D&H 175th Year Special running near the house and warped the frame and broke off a switch. Tragic for the camcorder but fortunately I was still young enough to survive with only scrapes and bruises. If I did that today they would haul me off in an ambulance or a hearse!
Looking back the only thing wrong with this scenario was it was all analog recording and it does awful in translating to any digital format on DVD. Better than nothing but I should have been shooting 35mm which I had and was well versed in shooting. 
 I really enjoyed seeing those early CSX trains, the only fast trains I saw in that era were CSX coal trains in Ohio running one after another through Centerville (Pumpkin Capital of the World) and Chillicthe, Ohio on a few visits when professionally racing from back east.
Thanks for posting.
Gonut

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's a long shot, but can you see the numbers on
> your original size video? If you can get the
> numbers, I can likely tell you where those went.
>
> Thanks for posting these nice throwbacks. I saw
> both of these trains on many occasions in Waycross
> back in that era.
>
> Posted from Android
Really can’t make the numbers out but closest I can make is 24xx. If I find out anything more I’ll post it here. Thanks.

Posted from iPhone

Gonut1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great stuff! Glad your Dad had one of those early
> monster cams and even more happy he let you borrow
> it! When I bought a camcorder it was when my kids
> were 1 and 5 years old and Mom lived 1500 miles
> away. Mom had terminal cancer and I wanted to send
> VHS videos of them so I went out to buy a
> Camcorder. There were many of those monster cams
> in the store but there was also a newfangled
> itty-bitty 8mm camcorder available for only about
> 25% more cost. I'm pretty cheap but the size and
> weight won me over. Mom lasted another half year
> and hopefully she enjoyed seing her grandbabies. I
> shot zillions of feet of the kids and then later
> the trains over the years using that camcorder and
> a like replacement. I slipped on wet morning grass
> trying to catch a D&H 175th Year Special running
> near the house and warped the frame and broke off
> a switch. Tragic for the camcorder but fortunately
> I was still young enough to survive with only
> scrapes and bruises. If I did that today they
> would haul me off in an ambulance or a hearse!
> Looking back the only thing wrong with this
> scenario was it was all analog recording and it
> does awful in translating to any digital format on
> DVD. Better than nothing but I should have been
> shooting 35mm which I had and was well versed in
> shooting. 
>  I really enjoyed seeing those early CSX trains,
> the only fast trains I saw in that era were CSX
> coal trains in Ohio running one after another
> through Centerville (Pumpkin Capital of the World)
> and Chillicthe, Ohio on a few visits when
> professionally racing from back east.
> Thanks for posting.
> Gonut
Thanks. Sad to hear what your Mom went through as I totally understand. Yes the good old days. My brother took pictures but I liked doing video much better. I have some more like this one to upload here over time so stay tuned. I'm going to try and upload a video every Friday.

Excellent video showing how much has changed.  First, it has been years since I've last seen a full TOFC (with a couple of COFC cars at the end).  The higher center of gravity of those trailers on flats versus modern well cars seems to exagerate the wobbles.

Second, I was struck by how colorful and graffiti-free the manifest train was, in comparison to today.

Thanks for posting.  Well done.

Awesome!

Posted from iPhone

Nice look back thanks for posting.
 

Nice video, when I was in Florida in the 90s it was fun seeing all the power CSX had still in their old paint shcemes!