Eastern Railroad Discussion > Rainy day Southern

Although it may seem like it, no, this does not belong on the Nostalgia board. This was taken today in Chattanooga, TN as we continue to catch up on about a 3-month rain deficit...over the course of three days.

A bit more about what you see here-- The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) is well known for its steam program and excursions, hosting a pair of former Southern Railway units (630 and 4501). There are also several historic diesels in the museum collection, including Southern Railway 5000, that railroad's first GP38-2. After retirement by Norfolk Southern, the 5000 was restored to its Southern Railway paint and joined the active TVRM diesel fleet.

5000 is often found on the TVRM dinner trains and longer excursions to Chickamauga, GA. However, TVRM also has a common carrier freight operation known as the East Chattanooga Belt Railway (ECBT). Roughly once a week on no particular day, ECBT train EC01 heads out to work freight customers along the remnants of the Chattanooga Belt line, which was leased from Norfolk Southern in 2001. Current customers include M&M Industries, which receives resin pellet loads to make plastic buckets used in applications ranging from the medical industry to cat litter. JAT Oil receives Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) loads, and Sphere One receives the occasional talc load.

EC01 uses any active diesel from the museum fleet, and today's lucky winner was the 5000. In this photo, the train is crossing 3rd Street paralleling Holtzclaw Avenue with an M&M load ahead of a DEF tank for JAT.

Mike Derrick
Chattanooga, TN
 

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What a super find! Thanks for sharing this truly out-of-the-ordinary shot.
Bob

Nice catch!

Very neat!

Thanks for posting the shot of 5000 still delivering freight after all these years. Like others, I spent some memorable time on the 5000 over the years. My thoughts went back to the fine EMD publicity art print of the 5000 by Tom Fawell. Around Christmastime 1976 I wandered into the SOU public relations office in Washington, and they were still giving away the 5000 prints.

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Thank you all for the comments, much appreciated. That local is kind of like a little time warp when it runs.

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At Citico Avenue and North Holtzclaw Avenue, there is a very odd looking bi-directional signal.  Can you tell me what this is and if it is still operational?  It is right next to the bungalow between the main track and siding to Sphere One.

Eric Lanctot

To the best of my knowledge all of those various signals have to do with the status of grade crossing signals. On that particular one, it's possible there was once grade crossing protection and has since been removed.

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