Trackside Log for Saturday, December 30, 2006

I awoke to a beautiful sunny morning in Altoona, Pennsylvania. I drove immediately to Lilly to take advantage of the good light. It was early enough that I had to search for a location with direct sunlight.

• 0924 Lilly, PA - NS westbound - NS 9513-NS 8346
• 0935 Lilly, PA - NS westbound - NS 9248-NS 9752
• 0943 Lilly, PA - Amtrak eastbound - AMTK 160
• 1013 Lilly, PA - NS westbound - NS 3349-NS 3346-NS 9631-NS 8845
• 1032 Lilly, PA - NS eastbound - NS 2622-NS 9910-NS 3431-MNCW 203 w/ helper NS 3335-NS 3423
• 1043 Lilly, PA - NS helper westbound - NS 3425-NS 3343
• 1057 Lilly, PA - NS eastbound - NS 2767-NS 2746

I figured the light would be nice at the steel bridge in Cassandra so I pulled up and gave it a try. The westbound angle was beautiful. Dave and Laura also dropped by for a bit.

• 1120 Cassandra, PA - NS helper westbound - NS 3373-NS 3339
• 1137 Cassandra, PA - NS 20B east - NS 9773-NS 2542
• 1155 Cassandra, PA - NS 20W east - NS 8427-NS 2570
• 1216 Cassandra, PA - NS eastbound - NS 2628-NS 9562
• 1219 Cassandra, PA - NS eastbound - NS 7536-NS 2632
• 1231 Cassandra, PA - NS westbound - NS 9287-NS 9436
• 1241 Cassandra, PA - NS westbound - NS 6705-NS 6708
• 1243 Cassandra, PA - NS eastbound - NS 3354-NS 3379-NS 3366 w/ helper NS 3349-NS 3346-NS 3425-NS 3343
• 1253 Cassandra, PA - NS eastbound - NS 9278-NS 8675 w/ helper NS 3339-NS 3373
• 1315 Cassandra, PA - NS helper westbound - NS 3380-NS 3351
• 1316 Cassandra, PA - NS eastbound - NS 2759-NS 9512

I decided it was time for a change so I drove over to Cresson where I found the coal train with seven SD40-2's again.

• 1339 Cresson, PA - NS eastbound - NS 3354-NS 3379-NS 3366 w/ helper NS 3349-NS 3346-NS 3425-NS 3343
• 1413 Gallitzin, PA - NS westbound - NS 9624-NS 9896
• 1438 Cresson, PA - NS eastbound - NS 9642-NS 8909 w/ helper NS 3357-NS 3374
• 1453 Cresson, PA - NS eastbound - NS 9559-NS 2722-NS 8378
• 1504 Cresson, PA - NS westbound - NS 7574-BNSF 7610-NS 9796 w/ helper NS 3423-NS 3335
• 1508 Cresson, PA - NS eastbound - NS 2624-NS 9651
• 1510 Cresson, PA - NS eastbound - NS 9497-NS 9109 w/ helper NS 3338-NS 3344-NS 3351-NS 3380
• 1516 Cresson, PA - NS westbound - NS 2641-NS 9790-NS 8929

By this point the clouds were beginning to roll in and the sun was getting low so I meandered my way back to the Super 8 in Altoona. It has been a productive day indeed.