CSAO Chemical Coast Secondary Archives - Page 4 of 5

Rare locomotive deserves many photographs

Some might say that there are too many pictures of EMD SD45-2 locomotives on this website, but considering the rarity of this particular model in the US, I say “Bah, humbug”!

With only 136 units ever produced (although Southern Pacific/SSW received 247 of a variation of this model, the SD45T-2), the sight of two of these monsters coupled together in 2010 is an image worth recording, especially in New Jersey. The only northeast railroad to order this model was the Erie Lackwanna Railroad, with 13 units built in late 1972 at the famed General Motors ElectroMotive Division plant in LaGrange, Illinois.

After the Conrail split-up of 1999, Norfolk Southern acquired six of the ex-EL SD45-2’s, and they are frequently seen on Conrail Shared Assets trackage, both in northern NJ, and also in southern NJ, operating out of Camden’s Pavonia Yard; NS 1703 is ex-CR 6662, nee-EL 3677, built 11/72, and trailing unit NS 1700 is ex-CR 6654, nee-EL 3669, built 11/72. On a beautiful spring day in May, 2010, we see southbound Conrail Shared Assets train OI-16 at the ‘Hess’ crossovers, approaching CP-PD on the CSAO Chemical Coast Secondary, about to make a set-out at Port Reading Yard.

Even though these locomotives were rebuilt to SD40-2 specs during their time on Conrail, 38 years on the rails is a long time in RR years, and before long these veterans will become a distant memory, so let us enjoy them while we can.

Image recorded May 5, 2010.

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Classic EMD locomotives work hard into their golden years

Conrail, Norfolk Southern

These two classic EMD locomotives continue to work hard into their ‘golden years’. Norfolk Southern GP38-2 5271 started life as Penn Central 8061, built in February of 1973, and she kept her original number through the Conrail years. CSX GP38-2 began as Conrail 8724, leaving LaGrange, Ill., in June of 1979, to go to work for Big Blue.

This is the Conrail Shared Assets Chemical Coast Secondary, so NS/CSX lashups are common operating procedure in this area; today we have local CSAO crew PR-8 in charge of their short train, making good time on a beautiful spring day, passing CP-PD.

Image recorded April 14, 2010.

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Rare Conrail blue grabs attention outside Port Reading yard

Conrail, Norfolk Southern

I am not normally a fan of ‘going-away’ shots; however, with the lighting available to me, and this rare blue unit just a stones throw away, I could not resist capturing one of the few remaining locomotives still in Conrail paint. Acquired by the Norfolk Southern Railroad in the Conrail split-up of 1999, NS 6742 was built as Conrail SD60I 5618 in April of 1995, and her as-delivered paint application has held up quite well over her 15 years on the rails. Immediately preceding her are NS 8823 (Dash9-40C, blt 2/95) and NS 7623 (ES-40DC, blt 2/2007). These mainline veterans are seen in this photo on the Conrail Shared Assets Chemical Coast Secondary, just a bit north of CP-PD and Port Reading Yard, with a train of empty ethanol cars to be returned west for reload as NS train 69Q, as soon as a fresh road crew can be summoned.

Image recorded March 2, 2010.

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Frigid temperatures no problem for Conrail heading south

CSX

Oh, what a brutal winter it was! The winter of ’09/’10 was the worst on record for New Jersey, but, in the words of the rock group Aerosmith, “trains kept a rollin’ all night long”, and all day long for that matter. On a frigid February afternoon, we find Conrail Shared Assets symbol OI-16 heading south on the CSAO Chemical Coast Secondary, passing over the drawbridge at CP-RH in Carteret, NJ.

To the right in this image we see the Port Reading Yard track (aka the ‘east siding’), with the switch for the Carteret Industrial Track beside the lead unit. To the left, we have the ‘west siding’, used mainly to stage the daily unit ethanol trains from the midwest, destined for the numerous refineries in the immediate area. Also of interest here is the way the bridge painters worked around the old ‘Conrail’ logo, seen just above the train.; we appreciate their regard for the former, but also current (in a smaller capacity), operator of these rails.

The crew aboard CSX 8829 (ex-CR 6433, blt 9/77), with CSX 8886 (ex-CR 6661, nee EL 3676, blt 11/72) assisting, has the heat turned up, I’m sure, to high as they make their way down to Port Reading yard, just a mile and a half away, for a set-out before continuing further south to Browns Yard in Sayreville.

Image recorded February 14, 2010.

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Gliding through the snow in a Norfolk Southern train

Norfolk Southern

With the road crew in the hotel by now, Conrail Shared Assets local crew JR-4 is in charge of today’s Norfolk Southern train 68Q. Gliding along the rails still covered in snow from the latest storm to hit this region, this train is actually backing the 1.3 miles from the holding siding in Carteret, NJ, to the unloading facility in Sewaren, NJ. NS 9853 (C40-9W) and BNSF 5239 (C44-9W) are shown here passing CP-PD and the excessive height detector on the Conrail Shared Assets Chemical Coast Secondary. This has been an extremely rough winter in central NJ, and kudos are extended to the train crews who keep the freight moving in this tough time.

Image recorded February 13, 2010.

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