December 28th, 2006
D&H 7303 led on CP Galt sub on the 27th, but we were on our way south at the time and could do nothing about it. We spent the 28th in Altoona picking up NS trains, catching 17 Conrail-painted units including one SD80MAC among many trains, stopping to see Horseshoe Curve, Cresson, and surrounding sites... More to come!
South Fork, Pennsylvania
(map) Home of the SD80MACs, this junction on the NS serves as the service line for coal mines in the area, which are serviced by NS' few SD80MACs. It is about thirteen miles west of Cresson.
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A three unit trash train heads down the hill as a six unit manifest freight heads up the hill by the wye at South Fork.
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A helper set rushes by on track three at South Fork.
December 30th, 2006
We headed for Horseshoe Curve to start the day catching two there, moved to Cresson for the Amtrak and a few trains, and migrated toward South Fork in hopes of finding the SD80MACs. We didn't immediately, but did meet an SD80 nut named Dan who we chased while he chased a coal train the short hop up to Summerville, and then headed up to Creslo Station to shoot coal train C90 coming from the mines -- with 5 SD80MACs for power (3 at the head end, 2 pushing). After spending an unholy amount of time chasing and watching the SD80s, we returned to Altoona to see the museum, which closed the week before for the season, and then spent some time exploring the area around the museum and Amtrak station.
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NS #C90 with three SD80MACs pull and two push out of the coal mines near South Fork.
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Two dash 9s pull and two SD40-2s push an ethanol unit train up through South Fork.
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Another helper set heads back down the hill.
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A three unit intermodal train climbs through South Fork unassisted.
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A coal train heads up the hill by South Fork with two units on the head end and two helper sets pushing.
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An NS eastbound autorack train climbs through South Fork with an SD70M-2 on point.
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An westbound mail train heads down the hill through South Fork.
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NS #C90's head end power heads down track one to get into South Fork yard.
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NS #C90 pulls into South Fork yard.
