Modern science: Norfolk Southern research car gathers data

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On a beautiful fall night in Norfolk Southern’s Croxton Yard in Secaucus, NJ, two General Electric C40-9W locomotives (9395 & 9517) bracket Norfolk Southern Research car 32, in between mainline assignments. This unique consist came in earlier today, and would return west on the next days NS train 21M. NS Research car 32 measures locomotive adhesion rates and freight car dynamics, in addition to track gauge, track wear in relation to new rail, and track elevation. This ‘modern science’ at work is why Norfolk Southern is one of the safest and most efficient Class 1 railroads in America.

Image recorded by Anthony Paci on October 1, 2009.

Modern science - Norfolk Southern research car gathers train data

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Pennsylvania RR original still working in the northeast

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It’s not easy finding a locomotive originally built for the Pennsylvania Railroad still working, and producing revenue, in the northeast, but this is exactly what we have here in this image from New Hope, Pennsylvania. After many, many years of faithful service for the PRR, then Penn Central, and subsequently Conrail, she now plies the rails for the shortline New Hope & Ivyland Railroad, sharing duties with steam locomotive #40 on the daily passenger excursions from New Hope to Lahaska, Pa., as well as assisting with freight operations on the western part of the line.

Originally built for the PRR in May, 1963, she transitioned through 2 major railroad mergers before being sold by Conrail, and entered service for the NH&I in February, 1997. On this first day of spring in 2010, we find #2198 at the station on the former Reading Railroad branch, ready for the 12:00 departure of yet another run for the enjoyment of tourists and railroad enthusiasts alike.

The professional attitude and hard work of the NH&I staff is very evident in this scene, with all equipment and buildings in excellent condition, allowing the casual observer a stroll down memory lane, when life was less hectic, and the railroads were king.

Image recorded March 21, 2010.

Pennsylvania Railroad original still working, producing revenue in the northeast

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Western visitor shines in Bound Brook’s late winter sun

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Foreign power has been common on Norfolk Southern movements in New Jersey in this cold and snowy winter of ’09/’10. With the white stuff finally melting away just last week, a western visitor shines in the late winter sun on the NS Lehigh Line, as UP 7884 (ES44AC, blt 3/08) is on the point of NS 212, seen passing the New Jersey Transit Bound Brook passenger station. This train is traversing the last miles of its journey, with Croxton Yard in Secaucus, NJ, less than a hour away.

Image recorded March 6, 2010.

Norfolk Southern western visitor shines in Bound Brook's late winter sunClick on the image to display it at a larger size. Use your browser’s Back button to return to this page.

Rare Conrail blue grabs attention outside Port Reading yard

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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.

Rare Conrail blue grabs attention outside Port Reading yardClick on the image to display it at a larger size. Use your browser’s Back button to return to this page.

Freight trains dashing through snow to make up time lost

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Dashing through the snow (at the 10mph limit), Conrail Shared Assets train SA-31 does a bit of clearing along the right-of-way as she travels through Eatontown, NJ, on the Conrail Southern Secondary. With sunset approaching, long shadows lie across the rails, warning of impending darkness along the route through Monmouth and Ocean counties. Battling the worst winter on record, freight schedules throughout the northeast have been anything but ‘on-schedule’; no run in the past 10 days for this normally weekly train, hence the 12-car consist instead of the ‘normal’ 5 to 7 cars on any given run.

After a couple days of bright sun and non-frigid temperatures, CSX 4431 and the crew will have no problems traversing the line down to Lakehurst and return. Ex-Conrail GP40-2 3356 (blt 3/79) returns to home rails, 31 years on the job and still going strong for her new owner, CSX Transportation.

Image recorded February 19, 2010.

Freight trains dashing through snow to make up lost timeClick on the image to display it at a larger size. Use your browser’s Back button to return to this page.