BNSF SD9 6154

On June 26, 2005, I was able to catch a BNSF SD9 working a CSXT mainline freight. The BNSF power policy that was in place at this time must have allowed anything that ran to pull any type train. These old classics started popping up all over the place, even Toronto. For about two or three weeks, BNSF SD9 6154 roamed around on CSX. I was able to catch it here in Ohio somewhere in Lake County. The engineer had the units notched out, but it was still not enough to make max track speed.

BNSF SD9 6154 trailing a leased SD40 on 6-26-2005.

Warbonnets passing through Collinwood

From time to time on the Western board, someone will post about BNSF GP60M units being used to power locals. I will admit to getting excited when I see them being used with that famous paint. Before BNSF decided to move these units from hotshots to locals, they where still able to stretch their legs for a brief time period. Not hauling time sensitive trailers anymore from Chicago to LA, just general manifest freights now. Somehow, CSX would end up with these BNSF Warbonnets on their freights. I'm pretty sure that CSX would "borrow" them out of Chicago. On a storm filled Saturday morning on June 28, 2003, I was surprised to catch GP60M units 161 & 151 with CSX AC44 575. My only wish is that I had a better digital camera back then to better capture these units......

Warbonnets at Quaker Tower, passing under old Cleveland Union Terminal/NYC cantery

Getting down to business after a brief stop at the east fuel pad to top off.

More to come on BNSF four axle power passing through Cleveland.

ClevelandTrains Web Existence

I was reading a post over at Trainorders about the ten anniversary of the Conrail split up between NS and CSX. This made me think about back 10 years ago. I remember the break up very well. I was in my second year of college starting my summer job as a labor for a great group of carpenters at Cleveland State University. During this time, I was able to take some great pictures of the NS, CSX and Amtrak trains due to split. Some of these pictures made it to my first website that was hosted at www.trainweb.org/clevelandtrains. Thinking about my first site at TrainWeb made me wonder how long I have been on the web and how things have changed. I don’t remember my go live date, but for this post, let’s say that I have had a web presence between 10-11 years. I have hosted over 40,000 visitors at my sites. I have noticed that my visitors span the globe. More impressive is that I receive visits from Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, NS, CP, CN and even DB Bahn in Germany.

Now instead of mostly taking pictures of trains, I lend a hand to a great group of guys at http://www.midwestrailway.org/. I’m also so grateful for the short line that has allowed me to fulfill my dream of working on the railroad. Because of this possibility, I have a totally different view of railroading. When I’m at work, it’s just that. Safety is always first.

Since I know that staff at Class I railroads visit, I am going to ask you for a kind favor. Is there any way you could consider donating a couple of locomotives to Midwest Railway Preservation Society? The units would be used on excursions and at our open houses. We are a 503(c) organization if you might be wondering about tax status. Pretty please? Let’s talk……..

Norfolk Southern runs a coal train that comes from the Powder River Basin. This train starts somewhere on the BNSF. I'm guessing that it changes hands in Chicago. Somewhere a NS unit with cab signals gets added for the Cleveland Line. This line once belonged to the famous Pennsylvania Railroad. Some trains make there run over the Cleveland Line at track speed while others crawl. Amtrak's Capitol Limited glides along this line at a pretty good clip. There is a coal train that heads west that receives helpers on the rear end. I'm not sure where this train starts at.

Here is a picture of the coal train mentioned above. A trio of EMD SD70 series units (NS SD70M and BNSF SD70MAC) working hard to pull PRB coal upgrade near downtown Cleveland, Ohio.