Interesting Day in Marion

[Cody J]

Facebook said that I would have a 96% chance of seeing foreign power on Monday and they were right.
I was in Columbus with my brother for the weekend and we had decided to head up to Marion, OH where three rail lines converge. Two CSX and 1 NS. When we arrived in Marion the crossing gates on the NS started to go down and we were first in line. I saw yellow on the nose so I thought it was a CSX loco, so I didn't attempt to take my camera out. My brother spotted it out saying it was a UP with a CN following. So I had to open my Ohio State bag then my camera bag, then turn on my camera and roll down the window. I got shots but nothing good. We then proceeded to park and get out. A couple trains came, nothing of significance. Then my brother heard a northbound on the NS so I stayed in the tower and he crossed the street. He then texted me saying "Mow" So i got excited and since I was up high I could see it before it reached me, as it got closer I saw it was a Herzog so then I ran down then I ran down the steps and across the street (the gates were down) and realized the train stopped. I got some shots then saw a CSX was coming so we crosses the street and set up. The Herzog started moving and I got some shots and a video. The track crew then started working on the diamonds while we were standing on the steps of AC Tower. Then the door opened and one of the volunteers offered to show us around. It was awesome. Then the NS crews lit the CSX track on fire to expand the rail to put the bolt in. Some trains passed and we heard L38 or 38L coming up from Watkins Yard (Columbus) on the NS to do some work near the scrap yard. We set up for shots and when it got closer realized it was a high-hood GP38-2 of Central of Georgia, the second engine was a GP59 OPERATION LIFESAVER of Southern heritage. It did some work which enabled me to get shots of both of them, even a shot of the OL and the track gang. Some more trains passed but nothing quite as special. It was a great day.


Herzog




BNSF logo on grain car on NS 304 through the handbrake of an EL caboose


NS 304 through the EL Caboose.


Operation Lifesaver spotting cars on a spur track

These are just some of my pics.. hope you like them

[Cody J]

[jward]

my treat of the day was watching a pair of sd80macs taking a coal train up the conemaugh line east of pittsburgh. brings back memories of my days on the shelocta trains where we used a pair of them on each end....


btw, you are lucky to see foreign power lead on ns. east of pittsburgh it is not permitted, except for a few csx locomotives equipped with cab signals.

[Cody J]

Wow. That must be sad to never see foreign power east of Pitt

[jward]

i didn't say we didn't see it, just that it never leads. it is always buried in consist. but most foreign power seems to get turned back at conway and very little makes it this far east.

csx doesn't have cab signals in this area so on their line anything can lead. but they run fewer than half as many trains as ns does.

[ebtnut]

CSX through the 'Burg can be a real crap-shoot.  Some days it can be real busy; other times almost dead.  I remember one time dining at Station Square right next to the tracks, and no train showed the entire two hours we were there.  There are other days, usually when I'm working around our house in McKeesport, that it seems like there's a train an hour or more.  Best spot for all the action, as noted previously, is the old Homestead depot at the Waterfront.

[jward]

in the past hour, i've had 4 ns trains by the house. one eastbound general freight had 7 locomotives including 2 high hood gp38-2s and a yard slug converted from an alco. throw in a westbound freight and a roadrailer each way....and the mail trains haven't gotten here yet. from about 4 to 8 pm the ns line is crawling with trains. the same in the morning, but dead the rest of the day. we get the stuff that doesn't run through homestead.

at the bottom of the hill, csx seems to run alot at night anymore....

[jward]

so, cody, what was your train count during your stay at marion?

[Cody J]

In 7 Hours:
21 Trains
2 hi-Railers (One NS and one CSX)
2 track gangs (both NS)