So I'm being dropped off at my workplace and I see something I just have to check out: a CSX train sitting on the tracks just across a road from the building. I couldn't help to go and take a look at what's going on. That was the best decision I made today. I found (in order) two CSX SD50-2 (SD50s (not SD50S) derated to 3,000 horsepower) (the SD50-2s were placed back-to-back, the reason why they were placed back-to-back will become apparent later), an ES44AH ("H" = Heavier-than-standard configuration and "high tractive effort" software), and two AC4400CWs. All the GE locomotives (ES44AH, AC4400CW) featured GE's "Steerable Truck." I was just about to head into my workplace when I heard a horn coming from the other direction. There was a consist of a GP38-2, another locomotive, and a GP40-2. That 'other locomotive' was a road slug. I have never seen a road slug with my own eyes before! The GP40-2 was facing the opposite way as the slug, short-hood-first. From that information, I figured that the GP40-2 would be the slug's mate. There had been some maintenance done at a railroad crossing just a block south of my workplace, so there was a lot of construction equipment in the area. The Geeps and slug were located in the interchange yard, along with other maintenance-of-way equipment stored there. After watching the Geeps and slug move about the area, I was just about to head into my workplace. It was that point that I heard the diesel engines of the five-locomotive consist revving up. I ran as fast as I could to watch the train depart. I stood and watch the train pass by. Another thing that caught my interest was that the last locomotive, one of the AC4400CWs, was silent. I figured that the locomotive had broken down and that was the reason why the SD50-2s were leading the train; the train was a unit train of covered hoppers. On one of the cars, it had a logo that said "CSX Grain Train". I figured that it had hauled grain to it's destination where it could be used to make ethanol or something else and was headed back to load up with more grain. Once the train was gone, I went into my workplace. I was greeted by my boss who wasn't very happy with me spending all that time outside. The reason why: all the other employees (just three other people) had to wait on me before we could get to work on what we were doing that day. He told me that if I wasn't in the workroom in thirty minutes from the time I arrive at the workplace, I could not go out and watch trains.
Perhaps what made the day even better was what happened later. I take Whitfield County's transportation services, made up of small buses, from my workplace to my home (I can't drive a car currently. If I wanted to explain the reason why, this blog would be much more longer). At one point on the way home, the road parallels the CSX mainline between Atlanta and Chattanooga. We were just short of the beginning point at which the road and rail begin parallaling each other that a CSX Maintenance-Of-Way (MOW) train, hauling about ten cars full of gravel, went southward, and past the point where the two forms of transportation start paralleling each other) to the area of maintenace. What made it unique was that the locomotive was running long-hood-forward! It looked like it could have been a SD50-2 used in MOW service. From then on, there was nothing else that made the day even more awesome, just a usual ride home. Today was a day that I won't forget anytime soon.
Perhaps what made the day even better was what happened later. I take Whitfield County's transportation services, made up of small buses, from my workplace to my home (I can't drive a car currently. If I wanted to explain the reason why, this blog would be much more longer). At one point on the way home, the road parallels the CSX mainline between Atlanta and Chattanooga. We were just short of the beginning point at which the road and rail begin parallaling each other that a CSX Maintenance-Of-Way (MOW) train, hauling about ten cars full of gravel, went southward, and past the point where the two forms of transportation start paralleling each other) to the area of maintenace. What made it unique was that the locomotive was running long-hood-forward! It looked like it could have been a SD50-2 used in MOW service. From then on, there was nothing else that made the day even more awesome, just a usual ride home. Today was a day that I won't forget anytime soon.