Two More American Trains

Here are two more videos from my November 2005 trip to Pittsburgh.

The first is another Norfolk Southern train in Harmar, Pennsylvania outside Pittsburgh (blog post). This one features three NS engines pulling a general freight train.


The second was taken near downtown Pittsburgh on December 1. I decided to railfan the CSX line rather than Norfolk Southern... probably a mistake if I was looking for number of trains, as the adjacent NS line had probably twice the number of trains. Oh well, it was interesting to see something different than NS and I did get the downtown Pittsburgh skyline in the shot.

Norfolk Southern Coal Train

I shot a Norfolk Southern (NS) coal train in Harmar, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh on November 30, 2005. It had SD60 6710 and NS 8664 leading about 70-80 loaded coal cars.


I originally blogged about it here.

Two Norfolk Southern Trains

Now for something different... in November 2005 I spent almost a week in the Pittsburgh area. I managed to get out and see some trains in the evenings. Here are two I saw on November 28.

First, a northbound NS train featuring NS 9196, 9063 and 6717 on November 28.


Next, a night shot of a southbound NS train with two engines on the head end and two more pushing on the rear. It was quite long. I cut most of the cars out of the video because it's boring watching shadowy cars go by, on and on. This was the first train I'd ever seen with pusher engines (blog entry).

November 30

2005: Pittsburgh: After work, I managed to catch a northbound loaded coal train on the Conemaugh subdivision near Harmar, Pennsylvania with NS 9363, 9404, and 1702. My blog entry.


2001: Saint John: CN 5270 and 5798 would be the power for CN 305 out of Saint John that day. CN 7068 was shunting the Island Yard.

Helm leaser HATX 175 and SW1200 NBSR 3702 were shunting the NBSR Dever Road yard, shortly before the eastbound train arrived around 15:30. The eastbound had Helm leasers HLCX 3668 and HLCX 3669 and GP9 3701. 3701 had quite a bit of oil on its side. Right after they arrived, SW1200 3703 started taking cars off the tail end of the train.



2000: Saint John: I saw NB Southern 9801 at the west end of the NBSR Dever Road yard.

Later in the day, as I passed through Fredericton Junction I saw the eastbound freight around supper time, with NBSR 9803 leading chop-nose GP9 3787 and high hood GP9s 3701 and 3700.

Pittsburgh sightings 9, 10, and 11

I was out this morning and at lunch looking for trains, but none came by. In fact, at lunch I heard a foreman get a TOP (Track Occupancy Permit) not one mile away from where I was waiting, so that put the kibosh on any hope of trains.

Tonight I went to Station Square near downtown Pittsburgh to railfan the CSX main line. I figured I had seen enough Norfolk Southern for one visit and it was time to see a few of the "other" Pittsburgh class 1 railroad.

At 1636 a westbound train led by CSX 8617 (SD50) and a faded CSX 7505 (C40-8) roared by with 62 autoracks.



There were quite a variety of class 1's represented in the consist, including CN and a few CP:




After much waiting I decided to go up on the Smithfield Bridge and try for an overhead shot. A short eastbound obligingly came by at 1821, led by CSX 61xx (GP40-2) with about 20 cars.



The shot was not great. I'm beginning to think that head-on overheads at night don't make for good video. There's just not enough light.

I went over to the other side of the bridge to hopefully catch a westbound. I waited and waited, and finally decided to pack it in. I was down on the ground when I heard a train blowing for a crossing. I was too far away to get back on the bridge so I had to shoot over a fence (like I said, get the shot you can get)



At 1900 CSX 384 (AC4400CW) led UP 7316 and 7282 (lashed up elephant style) and a motley collection of coal hoppers.

I should mention that during this time about 8-9 Norfolk Southern trains roared past on the Mon Line, their main line. Railfan & Railroad was right - there are a lot more NS trains than CSX ones in Pittsburgh

I expect those will be the last trains I will tape in Pittsburgh this trip. I'm heading out on a plane just after lunch so my next train videos will likely be in Canada. I'm happy to be going home.

Pittsburgh sighting 8

I went back to the Hulton Bridge, the site of sighting 5, at noon hour. I found an eastbound general freight there at about 1215.



NS 9363, 9404 and 1702 led a train of about 50 cars. As you can see I decided on the overhead shot this time.



I went out to Cheswick, just east of Harmar, late this afternoon with the intent of filming a train in a different locale. Unfortunately, the train gods did not favour me and nothing came along in the 45 minutes I had before darkness fell. Oh well.

Where I've been railfanning

According to the January 2006 issue of Railfan and Railroad magazine, I've been looking at the Norfolk Southern Conemaugh Line. This line is used for moving heavy freight east. That explains why every train I've seen has been eastbound, and why I haven't seen any stack trains at all.

That issue of R&R came out just in time!

Pittsburgh sightings 5 to 7

It was raining this morning so I didn't go looking for trains. At lunch there was a light rain so I had a look, but nothing came by.

I wanted to try a place I noticed earlier, near Harmar. There's a bridge that crosses the river and the tracks, and I thought it might be a nice place to get an overhead shot. When I arrived there around 1610 I noticed an even better shot from about 1/4 of the way across the bridge, shooting into an S-curve before the train went under the bridge. I waited there. I was a little concerned that the train might pop out from the trees into the S-curve before I could get ready to shoot.

My fears were unfounded. I heard a train blowing for a crossing before I even saw its lights, and I could easily see the headlights through the trees as it threaded its way along the river toward my S-curve. I really like how the shot turned out.



It was a loaded coal train led by NS 6710 (SD60) and NS 8664 elephant-style. I didn't count the cars but I estimate about 70-80.



After some of the train went by, I sprinted over to where the bridge crossed the track and filmed the rest from almost overhead:



I waited around for another 40 minutes until it got dark, but nothing else came.

Later tonight I thought I'd try to catch the seemingly-regular 2245 train. As it happens I paced it on the highway for a bit but I was unable to catch it. I turned around and started making my way home when I saw a green signal. I got greedy and tried to catch it at the same bridge near Harmar, but it went by just as I was stepping out of my car. That's the lesson - get the shot you know you can get. I'll try to remember that.

Pittsburgh sighting 4

I lucked into one more sighting tonight. On my way back from downtown Pittsburgh I had the scanner on and I heard a train doing some switching. It was engine 7206 talking and, since they were doing switching, I figured they were in Etna. I pulled off the highway and looked around but didn't see anything. I gave up and got back on the highway, only to hear them say they were facing a restricted signal at CP Sharp. I guessed they were on the move so I exited at Fox Chapel and found a spot by the tracks. They showed up within 30 seconds, yet another eastbound.



It was 7206 and Conrail 7200 leading a bunch of coal loads. The real surprise came at the end when I found NS 7215 and another Conrail 72xx unit pushing.



The bright light to the right of the Conrail engine is the crossing light. I like seeing these Norfolk Southern units because the ditch lights flash alternately. Canadian ditch lights just stay on constantly.


I also saw a CSX train near Station Square, but I was up on the hill and I had no chance of reading any numbers. It was a single unit pulling a bunch of coal empties.

I heard a train at 2245 and another at 2300. It seems like a regular thing.

Pittsburgh sightings 2 and 3

I had a bit more luck with train watching later today.

At lunch, I saw another Norfolk Southern train heading northeast in Harmar, PA at the junction of I-76 and PA route 28. It had NS 9163 and 9711 pulling a long train of mostly tank cars. Of course, I was on the wrong side of a four-lane highway at the time so I couldn't get any pictures or video.

After my course ended, I went down to Fox Chapel and parked myself by a straight stretch of track to wait. I figured this was better than running up and down the road and missing another train. After about 35 minutes I heard someone say they cleared "Sharp", which I think is Sharpsburg. That told me another north/east freight was coming.

At 16:50 it came into view - NS 9196, 9063, and I think 6717 leading a long long train of hopper cars. It was almost dark by then and my camera had trouble focusing as the cars went by, so the video is not great. But at least I caught something!

Note the five ex Saskatchewan Wheat Pool grain cars in the train!

EDIT: Added video.

Pittsburgh sighting 1

I was scouting around a bit this morning before work, and I heard the scanner crackle that a Norfolk Southern train had cleared a control point. It didn't mean much to me until I heard a train blowing for a crossing: NS 6775 with a green BN unit and a BNSF pumpkin unit leading a general freight train northwards. No chance for pictures, alas.

At least I know the line is active!