Railfan Trip 2-25 to 3-1-2013, II

Hi, Our first stop of the day was the RJ Corman office in Clearfield, PA with the intent of locating one or more trains we could photograph.  We learned that nothing would move until about 2:30 PM but that there was a train at the Rosebud Mine in Bigler, PA.  So after getting a couple of shots around the yard, with permission, we headed to Bigler.

We drove up into the plant and asked a couple of workmen if it would be ok to take a few photos.  They said yes so we did.  It turned out that it was not ok and a plant manager came along and asked us to leave.

We then drove west to DuBois, PA where the Buffalo and Pittsburgh maintains a yard.  However, the only activity was a yard job switching in an inaccessible location.  Having information that the northbound and southbound road trains traded crews at Johnsonburg we followed the line as best we could north.  At Johnsonburg all we found was this MP15 switching.

However, shortly we started to hear first one new train, and then another.  We eventually learned that the northbound, pictured below was switching near a sewage treatment plant south of town.  Eventually, it came north and entered the yard.

We now had to make a choice as we heard the southbound road train, which was in the yard, receive clearance from the dispatcher to head for Riker Yard.  Should we follow the southbound with a matched set of 3 SD-45s?  If we did, would we be able to get a photo or 2 and then get into position to chase the northbound with a single SD-45 which was leading?  We knew there was snow on the ground a few miles north of Johnsonburg.  Three SD-45s but heading in the wrong direction with the possibility the northbound still had switching to do in the yard or one SD-45 in the snow in the direction we wanted to go, guaranteed?  We chose the northbound and it was a good decision as the northbound had done all of its switching at the south end of town and left as soon as the crew change was completed.  It is shown below at Ketner Road,

Rasselas, PA, and

Mount Jewett, PA. 

This was the end of our day as darkness arrived quickly.  Thanks for looking.

Railfan trip 2-25 to 3-1-2013, I

Hi, Friend Bill Kalkman and I returned last Friday from a five day trip to North Central Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier region of New York State.  I really enjoyed the trip as it provided a wide variety of images and 4 days of snow pictures.

We began our photography on the Pittsburgh Division of NS at Thompsontown, PA where we photographed two westbound intermodal trains.

Our next stop was at Mifflin, PA.  First up was westbound auto rack train #11J,

followed shortly by an eastbound manifest.

We then moved further west to Anderson, just beyond Lewistown, PA.  Here we photographed one train in each direction.  First was #N4G

followed by #23Z.  There still are a number of former PRR position light signals along this division.

After a short wait at Mattawana, PA westbound coal empties showed up.

Continuing to move west we stopped at Huntington, PA.  Shortly after we arrived Amtrak's Pennsylvanian passed the old PRR station building and came to a stop at the Amshack.

As it departed it passed the former tower there, now a museum.

Our final stop was at Tyrone, PA where I photographed this eastbound stack train before we headed north to Clearfield, PA to spend the night.

This was the end of sun.  We would not see it again on our trip.  However, there would be lots of snow on the ground and some in the air.  Thanks for looking.

Railfanning 2-18-2013

Hi, Friend Doug Koontz finally found a bright, sunny day for some railfanning so we headed up to the former PRR Middle Division for some NS action.  After checking out Enola Yard and finding nothing of interest we headed west.  At CP Banks, just east of Perdix, PA we came across a Loram rail grinder.  We were able to grab a photo as it backed up through Marysville

and then out on Rocville Bridge.  It used the bridge as the tail track of a wye so the consist could be turned with the locomotive facing east.

We were able to get to the west end of Enola Yard to catch the grinder one last time.

After the rail grinder cleared #12R arrived from Linwood, NC.

Simultaneously, a yard switcher with a high short hood locomotive was working and a road local was doubling its train (in the middle).  #12 R is on the right.

Road local HH01 continued its double as #12R entered the yard.

We started west again from Enola but had only gone a few miles when we encountered first a slow moving coal train, which we let go, and then roadrailer, #262.  We got turned around and were able to get a shot.  We headed for Marysville where we almost beat the coal train.  After waiting about 20 minutes for the roadrailer we again drove west.  It was a good thing as the roadrailer was still sitting at CP Banks when we passed by.

Our destination was Mifflin, PA.  While there we photographed an auto rack train,

#22W,

#36A,

a westbound auto rack train,

Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, and

and an eastbound double stack train.

Our final train of the day was at Mexico, PA with the Wabash Heritage Unit trailing in second position.

I hope you enjoyed the photos.

Raiflanning 1-21-2013

Hi, Its been almost a month since I posted and since these photos were taken.  Friend Doug Koontz and I were able to get together for a day of rail photography on MLK's birthday.  Even though the day was cloudy I enjoyed it and we saw some neat trains.

First up was #64N, a train of Bakken crude oil, shown here eastbound at Marysville, PA.

From Marysville we went to the west end of Enola Yard were we found some light power backing down onto a train and a train of coal empties leaving.

Our tank car train used the mainline by pass track to avoid yard congestion.

As we walked back to Doug's SUV this westbound merchandise train departed.

The #64N tied up at the east end of the yard in West Fairview.  While it was sitting there local #H18 left town.

We heard on the scanner that #H95, the local known as the Yorkie by some area railfans and train crews, was returning from York so we set up for it.

Trailing in 3rd position was the Wabash heritage unit.

We jumped ahead and got another shot as it entered Enola Yard.

Next we headed west, and when we encountered this eastbound tank train, we turned back and beat it to Banks.  The train is #68Q, carrying ethanol.

We then beat the train to an overhead bridge in Paxtang, PA.  Before the ethanol train showed up an intermodal train came east.

Finally, the ethanol train showed up running left handed.

We finished the day shooting two sitting Keystone Service trains from the parking lot at Harris Tower.

Thanks for looking.

Railfanning 1-19-2013

Hi, It has been almost 2 months since my last railfan blog post and it was good to get out again.  I was joined by friend Rudy Volin for the trip.  We began our photography at Rench Road, on the southern outskirts of Hagerstown, MD.  The pond in the photo is more like a puddle, it is mostly not there.  I had seen it a number of years ago but had not gotten the photo I wanted so I was pleased that northbound grain train #51V provided an opportunity.

Next we headed to Shepardstown, WV where I had wanted to get a photo of a southbound from the abutment of the Potomac River Bridge with NS power.  I had done this a few years ago but the train had a UP unit on the lead.  This time #37Q provided the opportunity I was looking for.

Because northbound #16T had a blown air hose blocking the line we were easily able to beat #37Q to Berryville, VA shown here just south of the main street.

Only a few minutes behind #37Q was #228 a few blocks north of the the main street.

A work train sat on a siding in town for the weekend.  A similar train was at Shenandoah Junction, WV.

We then relocated to Brunswick, MD where we photographed eastbound coal train U883 passing a sitting coal train.

Next we photographed Q217 on the westbound main, and then

coal empties E725.

It was a relaxing, enjoyable day.  I hope you enjoyed the photos.