The Volunteer Line-Go Big Orange

[Red_TVRM]

Today the 7693 is leading the Oliver Springs Local at Barb Mining #4. Barb mining is the only customer between Oliver Springs and Dutch Valley. Their daily visit will fill between ten and fifteen cars. Barb Mining #4 falls in the Volunteer Line Railroads Dutch Valley Subdivisions.

 

[evan123]

Lookin good there Red!

 

[illinoiscentral]

SD45's? Hmm...

I see you've got some new power Red, looks like that jump in traffic has taken its effect on you.
Do you plan on put a propriety paint scheme on them soon?
I know your pretty tight on schedules, so it must be hard to take engines out of service for extended periods of time.
You should consider buying some SD9043MAC's...I heard UP is practically giving them away.

Looking good there Red, keep it up.


Cheers,
Woody:wave:

 

[Red_TVRM]

Returning to Dison Yard from a delivery 8026 idles in the early morning for Norfolk Southern traffic to pass.

 

[Red_TVRM]

Thanks guys. The route will go into Beta testing in two weeks, we are getting close to being done.

Nah, I got tons of power as it is. These babies work too hard and too much for new paint.

 

[illinoiscentral]

Well, KT has its unpainted engines too.
Many of the GP9RM's that I told you about are still in former owner Canadian National's paint, at least 6 of them are. the rest except for three are still in the 1997 Black and White scheme.
They were the first power you know.
Then two of our GP11's are still in IC colors, (8707 & 8731).
SD40-T2 413 (KT Number 3331) is still in DM&IR colors.
Then one more B40-8 #202 is still in BNSF colors, but there's so much graffiti on it you can't tell who owns it!:hehe:

I think the VL is very colorful, looks as though there is quite a diversity of power from many different railroads.



Cheers,
Woody:wave:

 

[Red_TVRM]

Most lower end power is from NS, upper end is from CSX and some others.

Our motto is "Whatever we can afford."

 

[illinoiscentral]

Oh I see...
NS has cheap power?!:hehe:
Have you seen a CSX Geep lately?!

Anyway,

I see what you mean by "Whatever we can afford".
My railroad was always penny pinching until 2005.
That's when we got a precious new contract with the United States Department of Defense, running a train between Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Ft. Campbell on the Tennessee/Kentucky border.
Don't ask me what we're hauling...we don't even know!:hehe:
Of course all that is fictional, but I've always thought it to be a rational plan.
We get paid large sums of money for this contract, do that's how we got those ES44AC Hybrids I told you about.
But we've always strived to keep our older power in good order, I am a firm believer in the ol' GP11's.
Good to see some SD45's in operation there, Red.


Cheers,
Woody:wave:

 

[Red_TVRM]

As time progressed the Volunteer Management understood they were unable to meet the needs of their customers on both ends of the contract when the main yard and supply points were so far apart. Dutch Valley Yard was placed in order to meet the needs of the thirteen customers that are in what is now known as the Dutch Valley Subdivision.
Daily crews depart the yard with empty cuts headed out to be loaded. All but two of the mines served are single track access and require a shoving movement from the main. It is this reason that the Dutch Valley Sub operates with a shoving platform (caboose) at the end of the consist. Once the cars are loaded they are staged in the yard where twice a day a through train comes with empties and takes the loaded cars. From there they are either staged at the Jellico Yard for out of region delivery by NS/CSX or they will be delivered by the Volunteer.
822 works a shoving platform from the end of full cut over to the cab siding.

 

[maxwerks]

Really nice shots!

That bright orange livery is really striking. It looks great.

 

[WCL]

Very nice :clap: Them last 3 pix sure make it feel like Spring :Y: I wish it were Spring here, but that wont happen for a while, we just got dumped on with another 10 inches of snow :n:

 

[illinoiscentral]

Liking the whole Dutch Valley Story...do you have many Amish there?:hehe:

I just caught that high hood SD! Beautiful white with orange paint there, wow!

Hey WCL,
Still getting that midwest snow eh?
Ha, I thought when I moved down here to Tennessee, I would be escaping the Illinois snow misery.:hehe: What a joke! I brought with me to Tennessee, we've had steady snowfall since 6:30 last night.



Cheers,
Woody:wave:

 

[WCL]

Hey WCL,
Still getting that midwest snow eh?
Ha, I thought when I moved down here to Tennessee, I would be escaping the Illinois snow misery.:hehe: What a joke! I brought with me to Tennessee, we've had steady snowfall since 6:30 last night.



Cheers,
Woody:wave:

It finally stopped last night sometime.....Bout time it stopped....And here Jimmy said it was going to be an early spring



GROUNDHOG DAY 2010


Groundhog Day Prognostication

Jimmy says EARLY SPRING!

Jimmy arrived at the Prognostication Site in a stretch limosine, escorted by a Sun Prairie fire truck. A fireman shoveled a fresh path for Jimmy and his caregiver, Jerry to meet the mayor. It was a snowy morning in Sun Prairie, and Jimmy did NOT see his shadow! The crowd cheered as the mayor interpreted Jimmy's message, proclaiming an EARLY SPRING!

 

[007007]

I just got done snowblowin' the driveway... That was fun... Lookin' killer Red!!!

J, I'll be in GB till Friday. Gimmie a shout!

 

[WCL]

J, I'll be in GB till Friday. Gimmie a shout!

Nice....I work yet today and tomorrow and Friday I am off and I will be at a basketball game and you will be gone....Go figure eh