08-12-2012, 03:44 PM
Some reports...photos to follow...
Last weekend at Williamson, we ran two trips per day on the beautiful Pocahontas Division of Norfolk Southern, one EB and one WB each day. Each trip departed from the former Williamson station (now, town hall). Since the first trip each day was EB, we were pointed the wrong way on Sunday afternoon, so an SD hooked onto the rear end, tooks us WB to the Wolf Creek where we turned the train and then it pulled us back to Williamson. These were 30mph moves. This Division is heavy coal business...the yard is flat, long, and winds around....90-95% of the business seemed to 100t Top Gons. The Mechanical Departments uses the 1920s roundhouse with operating turntable (not in condition for turning locomotives) for car repairs...from light running repairs to rebuilds. They use the Lubritorium as their air brake shop. The NS employees were exceedingly friendly and took great pride in their fine, historic facilities. All trains were held for our NS Employee Appreciation Special to get over the road and back. Both wyes were on 12 degree curves with bridges over the Tug Fork. The eastern one went right into a substantial tunnel. This was all on the old N&W mainline, and the locomotive sported an N&W Hooter whistle (borrowed from a very fun N&W enthusiast). A notable feature of this terminal was the abundance of cabooses...they use them on the shifters.
This weekend was on the Pittsburgh Division of Norfolk Southern out of Conway yards. Three trips yesterday (2 EB, 1 WB) and two today (1 EB, 1 WB). The employees were bussed in from off site, and boarded right by the entry to the yards. The EB trips proceeded towards downtown Pittsburgh and were turned on a really cool wye-bridge over the Ohio River. The WB trips headed somewhere...I don't know where...and gave more of a rural tour...where we turned on a wye. After the third trip on Saturday, we deadheaded WB to turn the train so that it would be all set for the deadhead east tomorrow. The contrast between the Williamson and Conways yards was interesting. Conway has a hump yard and a massive (to me) engine facility. They use (a portion?) of the old PRR roundhouse and a short turntable regularly as part of locomotive repairs. The most memorable aspects of this yard were the variety/quantity of motive power present and the variety of rolling stock: a trash train from Jersey, an assembled turnout sitting vertically on an MoW car, and a camp train parked nearby. The employees were very friendly and clearly enjoy working on the railroad. The whistle for our time on Conrail's former PRR mainline is off of a Pennsy K-4.
The ES44AC, NKP/NS 8100 is like a space ship. It rides as smooth(er) as a passenger car and is equipped with really cool features. It hasn't yet been seen to smoke. Of course, it isn't always on and rarely makes it above notch 2 when it is on (it has an auto shut-off feature...crews learn very quickly to use the manual override button to keep the AC on). The train crew love the current locomotives for their creature comforts and the management loves them for their performance...4400HP regardless as to the speed. Where the older diesels would need to be started 4-6 notches in to contribute, these modern diesels can contribute at any notch. The MU is being used to provide power for 765's cab signals in addition to usage in stretching the coal on deadheads and some engineers like it when accelerating. The usage to economize the coal is simpler...we have 3-4 gons of coal remaining...but there is diesel fuel at every terminal. The power for the train is provided by the power car at the head end, with generators on three cars for backup power.
By and large, I've been really impressed by NS. We've met many very nice people, and very many people who take great pride in their jobs. Both of these weekends had the Division Supt. and Div. Asst. Sup. on board; the four of them were nice and fun to talk with. They took very active roles in all of the trips to see that their employees had a good, safe time. I hope they receive very good feedback from their employees; I'm under the impression that they had a wonderful time.
Tomorrow, I suspect that we'll see the locomotive at Horseshoe Curve around 12-2pm. I'm looking forward to this and the Rockville Bridge near Harrisburg. I haven't chased or seen the engine from the ground yet, so that'll be nice tomorrow. I'll post some of my photos later (I have to sort through them still). Norfolk Southern has been wonderful. Both the company and its people have been phenomenal.
Last weekend at Williamson, we ran two trips per day on the beautiful Pocahontas Division of Norfolk Southern, one EB and one WB each day. Each trip departed from the former Williamson station (now, town hall). Since the first trip each day was EB, we were pointed the wrong way on Sunday afternoon, so an SD hooked onto the rear end, tooks us WB to the Wolf Creek where we turned the train and then it pulled us back to Williamson. These were 30mph moves. This Division is heavy coal business...the yard is flat, long, and winds around....90-95% of the business seemed to 100t Top Gons. The Mechanical Departments uses the 1920s roundhouse with operating turntable (not in condition for turning locomotives) for car repairs...from light running repairs to rebuilds. They use the Lubritorium as their air brake shop. The NS employees were exceedingly friendly and took great pride in their fine, historic facilities. All trains were held for our NS Employee Appreciation Special to get over the road and back. Both wyes were on 12 degree curves with bridges over the Tug Fork. The eastern one went right into a substantial tunnel. This was all on the old N&W mainline, and the locomotive sported an N&W Hooter whistle (borrowed from a very fun N&W enthusiast). A notable feature of this terminal was the abundance of cabooses...they use them on the shifters.
This weekend was on the Pittsburgh Division of Norfolk Southern out of Conway yards. Three trips yesterday (2 EB, 1 WB) and two today (1 EB, 1 WB). The employees were bussed in from off site, and boarded right by the entry to the yards. The EB trips proceeded towards downtown Pittsburgh and were turned on a really cool wye-bridge over the Ohio River. The WB trips headed somewhere...I don't know where...and gave more of a rural tour...where we turned on a wye. After the third trip on Saturday, we deadheaded WB to turn the train so that it would be all set for the deadhead east tomorrow. The contrast between the Williamson and Conways yards was interesting. Conway has a hump yard and a massive (to me) engine facility. They use (a portion?) of the old PRR roundhouse and a short turntable regularly as part of locomotive repairs. The most memorable aspects of this yard were the variety/quantity of motive power present and the variety of rolling stock: a trash train from Jersey, an assembled turnout sitting vertically on an MoW car, and a camp train parked nearby. The employees were very friendly and clearly enjoy working on the railroad. The whistle for our time on Conrail's former PRR mainline is off of a Pennsy K-4.
The ES44AC, NKP/NS 8100 is like a space ship. It rides as smooth(er) as a passenger car and is equipped with really cool features. It hasn't yet been seen to smoke. Of course, it isn't always on and rarely makes it above notch 2 when it is on (it has an auto shut-off feature...crews learn very quickly to use the manual override button to keep the AC on). The train crew love the current locomotives for their creature comforts and the management loves them for their performance...4400HP regardless as to the speed. Where the older diesels would need to be started 4-6 notches in to contribute, these modern diesels can contribute at any notch. The MU is being used to provide power for 765's cab signals in addition to usage in stretching the coal on deadheads and some engineers like it when accelerating. The usage to economize the coal is simpler...we have 3-4 gons of coal remaining...but there is diesel fuel at every terminal. The power for the train is provided by the power car at the head end, with generators on three cars for backup power.
By and large, I've been really impressed by NS. We've met many very nice people, and very many people who take great pride in their jobs. Both of these weekends had the Division Supt. and Div. Asst. Sup. on board; the four of them were nice and fun to talk with. They took very active roles in all of the trips to see that their employees had a good, safe time. I hope they receive very good feedback from their employees; I'm under the impression that they had a wonderful time.
Tomorrow, I suspect that we'll see the locomotive at Horseshoe Curve around 12-2pm. I'm looking forward to this and the Rockville Bridge near Harrisburg. I haven't chased or seen the engine from the ground yet, so that'll be nice tomorrow. I'll post some of my photos later (I have to sort through them still). Norfolk Southern has been wonderful. Both the company and its people have been phenomenal.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->