Clearing out Clearing

     Last week as I tried to catch the last vestiges of the fall colors in western PA, I was treated to an interesting fleet of manifest freights out of Chicago's Clearing yard.  As most are well aware of the NS meltdown east of Chicago, it was exhibited first hand by this trio bypassing Elkhart yard.  First up was 16E-22  Chicago-Clearing to Conway 9165-6968-CN 2838 w/ 87x2 frt.  This is an existing schedule off the BRC.  Next up was the previous day's extra section, M6E-21  Chicago-Clearing to Conway 6929-BNSF 6557 w/ 70x7 frt.  The current replacement for 16N (Elkhart to Allentown) followed as 16G-21  Chicago-Clearing to Allentown 9969-9790 w/ 82x4 frt.  New Galilee, PA Oct23 2014.  Currently there is talk of routing some trains via the NKP east of Cleveland and down the Youngstown line to Conway.  Could get interesting.

A Banner...Day with John

     

Sometimes it doesn't take alot of trains to make for a successful day of railfanning. Sometimes it's just about reconnecting with old friends and take the trains as they come.  Sept26, 2014 was just such a day.  As it turned out, the first train of the day and the last were to me the most interesting.  While traffic was somewhat sparse in between (yes due to NS's continuing congestion further west), alot of good conversation filled the time.

     First up was NS 60X-23 with 2740 leading CSX 5272 and 970.  A most interesting train (and symbol) consisting of 100 loads of frac sand from US Silica in Sparta, WI via the CP at Bensenville, IL (Chicago) destined for interchange to the POHC at McKees Rocks, PA (for distribution to drillers in Southwest PA).  After waiting for a recrew (as a lot of trains on NS do these days), he continues his journey seen here just south of CP-Wood.

The last train would prove almost as interesting and I would learn what a "banner test" is on CSX.  Here, CSX K057-24 starts to pull at Edinburg, PA following coming to a complete stop to report "an obstruction" on the tracks.  It was the first time I witnessed such a safety test.  Of course it just so happens just as I need to get home.  K057 is one of a fleet of empty crude oil trains returning from the huge Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery (originally Gulf Oil and ARCO plants combined by Sunoco) heading west to reload in the Bakken shale oil fields of North Dakota.  A very practical routing decision by CSX as the loaded trains follow the ex-NYC "Water Level Route" via Erie, PA and the empties can avoid fighting the loads on the single track River Line south of Albany, NY by taking the less utilized ex B&O west via Pittsburgh.  Today two fairly clean CP units lead instead of the more common BNSF power.

All in all a good (or should I say banner) day!

White Cloud, Black Cloud and the lost Q

     Sundays during the winter months for me tend to be pretty routine.  It all revolves around the kid's tennis practice at an indoor facility in Boardman, OH.  The day started off with a report of the executive Fs on a 955 that was out of Cincinnati the night before.  Cloudy skies and some confusion over whether they would re-crew at E. Palestine caused me to miss it.  Passing by the yard at New Castle, I saw that a K059-07 with a BNSF-CSX-CP combo was still in the yard from yesterday.  Before long, it was off to Boardman for 3 hours of tennis.  A quick check of what's running on NS showed somewhat of a westbound parade out of Conway yard…66A, 576, 19A, and Q76…and as luck would have it, the sun decided to come out.  Luckily, the NS main at Leetonia is only 15 minutes from the Boardman Tennis Center.  I would also have to listen if that K059 decided to leave on CSX.

     As I head south I hear Ft. Wayne line dispatcher informing 66A to hold up at CP-Lum for a 24Z to cross over ahead of him that is "scooping a 34N Alliance to Lum".  It's interesting that I missed a good shot of 66A a few weeks before when he caused a fiasco on the FWL by stalling around E. Palestine, OH on the day the NKP unit was leading a 65R behind him.  I still remember the white gypsum cloud that day.  So here was my chance to get a good overhead shot since the gypsum is hard to see from track level.  Only one dilemna,  as I come into town, one of Leetonia's finest has someone pulled over getting a citation.  Do I chance the overhead Rt 344 shot?  I notice I have a clear view of the cop from the bridge half a mile away.  Before long, 66A is by the mp61 detector and within a minute I see his headlight.  NS 66A-05 is York Haven, PA to Gypsum (Sandusky), OH 8401-9596 w/77x0 gypsum.  True to form I am soon enveloped in a white cloud.

     After he passes, I hear CSX talking to a westbound ready to depart New Castle.  Do I rush over to Center St. in Youngstown to try and get the K059?  Why not!  As I head north, it turns out the the BNSF unit is on a Q640…false alarm.  As I decide to head back to Leetonia for the 576, I miss 19A at the at the crossing east of town.  NS 19A-09  is Conway to Chicago-Clearing, IL  9692-7636 w/0x119 freight (mix of Bensenville-CP and Chicago-Clearing yard BRC blocks). 

     Not long after the freight, 576 roars through town leaving a black cloud…obscuring the helpers in it!  NS 576-05 with the C7E-09 helper is  Cresson, PA to Lamberts Point, VA  9267-7569-BNSF 7384 w/105x0 coal  (loaded on RJCP at Clymer #1).  That was cool, hence why I am writing this blog post.  As I head back to Boardman, I notice a Q76 called out of Conway but not on the move yet.  Maybe I can get him later.  Anytime I can catch multiple sections of a train on the same day, it's a good day for a symbol nerd like me.

     Before I head north on Rt 11, 11V announces himself going through E. Palestine…hum, is it worth a shot…why not.  After a quick grab shot, I am surprised to see the new frac sand distribution facility just north of the main at the former Kaiser Refractories plant.  Looks like Utica Shale drilling is really taking off in Ohio.  NS 11V-09  is Enola to Bellevue  9553-9626 w/3x56 freight (59 Bellevue, Fairlane Multi-Levels).

     What could spoil such a great day?  After I get back to Boardman I see that Q76 is out of town, really?  Before long he is through Leetonia.  If I had stayed put, I would have been able to get him and still pick up Anjuli on time…oh well.  NS Q76-06 with the C7G-09 helper was Shire Oaks to Hyco, NC  9509-8113-7681 w/110x0 PGNX coal (loaded at Consol-Bailey).  Wait?…what was that?  In my haste, I failed to realize that Q76 was not a second section of 576 but one of 776.  A Y76 would have been the second section to Lambert's Point.  Ah yes, the things a symbol freak deals with.

     Oh and as for that Q640 with the BNSF unit, the next day I noticed that K059's train was missing it's power…I guess that was the BNSF-CSX-CP set that must have been swapped onto the Q640.  Still glad I didn't go after it…since there would not have been a "white cloud-black cloud" to remember.

Standard cabs in the snow…or 6 trains at New Galilee in half-n-hour

     I have to admit, I'm not one for shooting many trains in the snow.  I mean when it's snowing...I mean when the sun isn't out.  I mean everyone loves snow and sun, but how often is that.  Then again it's very rare to get snowflakes flying when the sun is out.  Ok, you know what I mean.  So in the spirit of the season (and with my new found friend…photoshop), I decided to make up for an aspect that is very lacking in my photos…snowing action shots.

     So on the way back from errands to Grove City Outlets, Cranberry and Ross Park Mall, I decide to pull over at good old New Galilee.  On the way back I see 11V-15 crawling by CP-Wood, yep, it will be easy beating him there.  A quick check with Eric, shows some east bounds in the picture.  So I set up for the first EB, oops 11V is already here.  No time to get the camera, iPhone video will have to do…a few seconds later  a late 26T-15 goes blasting by too.  Within 10 minutes, chatter around Enon, alerts me to another EB…but not before I61-16 approaches with a string of road railers.  Ok, time for the real video camera.  Within a minute 20R-15 rolls by the other way.

   

     Not long till I hear another EB by Enon.  So I get ready…only to be interrupted by another WB.  Soon 25Z-15 blasts by just as I'm ready to see the EB, but alas, he clears as I rush to the other side of the tracks to shoot 421-13 with a pair of SD40Es leading a wide cab.

        Not bad for 30 minutes…of course after I leave 64R-15 is pulling by Enon…oh well.