Trackside Log for Sunday, January 30, 2011

This morning I rose to a mostly overcast sky at The Station Inn in Cresson, Pennsylvania. After Sandy made an excellent breakfast for some fellow guests from West Virginia and me I drove to Lilly to see what Norfolk Southern was up to. Minutes after arrival I could hear a helper set on the scanner leaving Cresson and heading west.

• 0933 Lilly, PA - NS helper west - NS 6300-NS 6322
  
• 1006 Lilly, PA - NS 227 west - NS 2642-NS 9366
  
• 1025 Lilly, PA - NS helper west - NS 6316-NS 6312
  
• 1058 Lilly, PA - NS 14G east - NS 2709-NS 9001-NS 2763 w/ helper NS 6322-NS 6300
  
• 1104 Lilly, PA - NS 26T east - NS 9410-NS 8998-NS 9948

That last train snuck up on me. I drove out ahead to the Highway 53 overpass where I was able to see train 14G again and was startled by a westbound intermodal.

• 1114 Cresson, PA - NS 14G east - NS 2709-NS 9001-NS 2763 w/ helper NS 6322-NS 6300
  
• 1118 Cresson, PA - NS 21G west - NS 9156-NS 9622 w/ helper NS 6307-NS 6328
  

Train 26T stopped in Cresson to add a helper set onto the head end for extra dynamic braking. I took the opportunity to drive to Gallitzin to see it.

• 1203 Gallitzin, PA - NS 26T east - NS 6328-NS 6307-NS 9410-NS 8998-NS 9948
  
• 1249 Gallitzin, PA - NS 19G west - NS 8307-NS 9573 w/ helper NS 6305-NS 6318
  

Having accomplished my westbound photograph at Gallitzin, and not wanting to miss trains on track one, I headed back to Lilly again.

• 1312 Lilly, PA - NS 22W east - NS 9639-NS 9836
  
• 1316 Lilly, PA - NS westbound light power - NS 9329-NS 7213-NS 9190-NS 8369-NS 7205-NS 7208
  
• 1327 Lilly, PA - NS 10G east - NS 9438-NS 9327-NS 6671-NS 9714-NS 2616-NS 7682 w/ helper NS 6312-NS 6316
  
• 1342 Lilly, PA - NS 18G east - NS 9575-NS 9426
  
• 1346 Lilly, PA - NS 17G west - NS 9568-NS 9294-NS 9035
  
• 1401 Lilly, PA - NS 591 west - NS 9857-NS 9282
  

An approaching eastbound helper set stopped suddenly at the signals for some reason. Just then the West Virginia boys pulled up. After a short pause NS 6318 resumed its eastward trek.

• 1407 Lilly, PA - NS helper east - NS 6318-NS 6305
  
• 1437 Lilly, PA - NS 20Q east - NS 9499-NS 2615-NS 2733
  

Train traffic subsided somewhat so I took the opportunity to make a change of scenery. Naturally, as I departed, a westbound intermodal blew through town. I continued back to Cresson.

• 1511 Cresson, PA - NS westbound - NS 2693-NS 9844-NS 9645
  
• 1531 Cresson, PA - Amtrak 44 east - AMTK 159
  
• 1535 Cresson, PA - NS 24Z east - NS 9130-NS 8787
  
• 1612 Cresson, PA - NS 21M west - NS 2562-NS 9345-NS 9867-NS 9853
  
• 1628 Cresson, PA - NS 20R east - NS 9911-NS 9971
  
• 1631 Cresson, PA - NS 23M west - NS 9838-NS 8860
  

The light was waning quickly now so I decided to take a pass by the engine facility to see what was there before the light was gone.

• 1700 Cresson, PA - NS helper power - NS 6329-NS 6311
  
• 1700 Cresson, PA - NS helper power - NS 6327-NS 6302

While there I heard another helper set heading west to assist a coal train.

• 1709 Cresson, PA - NS helper west - NS 6320-NS 6330

And then everything went quiet. I determined that would be the end of the photography so I returned to The Station Inn for the evening. While sitting in the common room I watched some of the activity although it was getting rather dark.

• 1742 Cresson, PA - Amtrak 43 west - AMTK 133
• 1753 Cresson, PA - NS 13G west - NS 9719-NS 9367

After train 13G passed I was invited to supper with another guest from Kentucky. After a nice meal at the Cresson Springs Family Restaurant we returned to the inn.

• 2030 Cresson, PA - NS 852 east - NS 9557-NS 8397 w/ helper NS 6310-NS 6321-NS 6318-NS 6305
• 2033 Cresson, PA - NS eastbound - NS 3344-NS 3343-NS 3352-NS xxxx
• 2113 Cresson, PA - NS 24M east - NS 9494-NS 8367-NS 7501

After a while I called it a night and merely listened to the passing trains in the dark. I'd wait to see what Norfolk Southern would run the following day.