Trackside Log for Monday, August 7, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Ten

Well, this was the last day of my trip. I started out by bidding a farewell to Kevin and headed out of Myrtle Beach with a destination of home some 1,400 km north. I had a long drive ahead of me. However, I did plan a few stops along the way. Since I was headed back through Hamlet, North Carolina again I stopped by the station to see what was happening there. There were three trains stopped at the junction so I waited for one of them to move. While waiting I photographed the Seaboard SDP35 that was on display.

• 0942 EDT Hamlet, NC - museum display - SBD 1114
• 0957 EDT Hamlet, NC - CSX northbound - CSXT 7550-CSXT 7718

There was a soutbound waiting as well, but I didn't know how long it would be sitting there and I had a long drive ahead of me so I moved on. My next stop was the Yadkin Valley.

• 1232 EDT Rural Hall, NC - Yadkin Valley power - GORX 3614
• 1234 EDT Rural Hall, NC - Yadkin Valley power - GORX 9613

The only other stop I wanted to make on my trip home was the Appalachian & Ohio since it was along my route. I found plenty of power in Burnsville, West Virginia.

• 1652 EDT Burnsville, WV - Appalachian & Ohio power - CEFX 125-CEFX 130-CEFX 134
• 1654 EDT Burnsville, WV - Appalachian & Ohio power - AO 2121-AO 2100
• 1701 EDT Burnsville, WV - Appalachian & Ohio eastbound - CSXT 552-CSXT 526

Now that my trip had come full circle I headed for home. Overall I had a fun and productive journey through the southeast United States. I really can't complain.

Trackside Log for Sunday, August 6, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Nine

This morning I was meeting up with Kevin Foy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I've been trading slides with him for several years but we've never met. I left the hotel and at Kevin's advice stopped by Mullins to see if any Carolina Southern power was there. Sure enough a train was parked at the east end of town.

• 0856 EDT Mullins, SC - Carolina Southern eastbound - CALA 9163-CALA 6622-CALA 2613

After a few photographs I continued on to Myrtle Beach. Kevin then led me through South and North Carolina's shortlines. First we stopped off at Red Hill to see an old derelict Southern B-unit.

• 1032 EDT Red Hill, SC - SOU 960602 heater car

We then began hunting around Conway for more Carolina Southern power. First we examined some passenger equipment in the area though.

• 1043 EDT Conway, SC - stored passenger equipment
• 1056 EDT Conway, SC - Waccamaw Coast passenger car
• 1102 EDT Conway, SC - Carolina Southern westbound - MRR 958-CALA 950

Next stop on the Carolina Southern hunt was Chadbourn where quite a few units are stored.

• 1210 EDT Chadbourn, SC - Carolina Southern power - BLA 87
• 1212 EDT Chadbourn, SC - Carolina Southern power - CALA 100-CALA 951-WCLR 943
• 1221 EDT Chadbourn, SC - Carolina Southern power - WCLR 88-CALA 48-CALA 9158

Our next destination was Parkton on the CSX where an old Fairbanks-Morse sits.

• 1343 EDT Parkton, NC - NCPR 1801-B&O 6929
• 1352 EDT Parkton, NC - CSX northbound - CSXT 4809-CN 5430-HLCX 6129

Next we went hunting for the Aberdeen and Rockfish. Unfortunately we didn't find any power that was photographable, but I did photograph two cabooses in Aberdeen.

• 1447 EDT Aberdeen, NC - Aberdeen and Rockfish caboose - AR 309
• 1449 EDT Aberdeen, NC - Aberdeen and Rockfish caboose - AR 303

From Aberdeen we started following the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western looking for anything we could find. We struck gold in Candor.

• 1528 EDT Candor, NC - Aberdeen, Carolina and Western power - ACWR 9538-ACWR 703-ACWR 9582
• 1543 EDT Candor, NC - Aberdeen, Carolina and Western power - ACWR 9556
• 1554 EDT Candor, NC - Aberdeen, Carolina and Western power - ACWR 1721

We continued along the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western to home base in Star.

• 1616 EDT Star, NC - Aberdeen, Carolina and Western power - CEMR 4081-NREX 1601-NREX 6064
• 1620 EDT Star, NC - Aberdeen, Carolina and Western power - TBRX 4444
• 1629 EDT Star, NC - Aberdeen, Carolina and Western power - ACWR 3802

It was getting late in the day so we turned back south toward Myrtle Beach and stopped off in Hamlet for a look at what CSX had parked in the yard.

• 1731 EDT Hamlet, NC - CSX power - CSXT 5209-CSXT 7311
• 1802 EDT Hamlet, NC - former Seaboard station

Continuing on we got to Laurinburg where a northbound CSX was waiting for a meet and the Laurinburg & Southern stored its power.

• 1844 EDT Laurinburg, NC - CSX northbound - CSXT 7867-CSXT 7615
• 1853 EDT Laurinburg, NC - Laurinburg & Southern power - GORX 9528
• 1854 EDT Laurinburg, NC - Laurinburg & Southern power - RSNR 104-LRS 118-LRS 150-LRS 11?
• 1855 EDT Laurinburg, NC - Laurinburg & Southern power - GORX 9525-GORX 9573
• 1906 EDT Laurinburg, NC - Laurinburg & Southern power - LRS 109

The light was fading by now and we had a productive day so we returned to Myrtle Beach for the evening. It was great to finally meet Kevin and share a day of railfanning.

Trackside Log for Saturday, August 5, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Eight

It rained the night before and the morning was humid and hazy. I drove down to the Carolina Piedmont yard to see what was there. Unfortunately the 3899 was unshootable but everything else was reasonably open.

• 0808 EDT Laurens, SC - Carolina Piedmont power - CF&E 3881
• 0810 EDT Laurens, SC - Carolina Piedmont power - TNMR 2053
• 0811 EDT Laurens, SC - Carolina Piedmont power - CPDR 8379

My next goal was the Lancaster & Chester in Chester, South Carolina. Shortly after I arrived I found a loaded grain train just about to leave.

• 0947 EDT Chester, SC - Lancaster & Chester eastbound - GMTX 2661-LLPX 2029-GMTX 2664-LC 3819-LC 3821-LLPX 2036
• 0959 EDT Chester, SC - Lancaster & Chester eastbound - GMTX 2661-LLPX 2029-GMTX 2664-LC 3819-LC 3821-LLPX 2036

I headed out ahead of the grain train in Richburg.

• 1020 EDT Richburg, SC - Lancaster & Chester eastbound - GMTX 2661-LLPX 2029-GMTX 2664-LC 3819-LC 3821-LLPX 2036

Once again I drove ahead and found a feed mill that turned out to be the customer so I took the opportunity to photograph the location.

• 1057 EDT Fort Lawn, SC - Lancaster & Chester switcher - LC 91
• 1115 EDT Fort Lawn, SC - Lancaster & Chester eastbound - GMTX 2661-LLPX 2029-GMTX 2664-LC 3819-LC 3821-LLPX 2036

While setting up for the photo of the grain train I was attacked by fire ants. Let me tell ya, those things hurt! Since the Lancaster & Chester would be switching for a while I left it behind and searched for the South Carolina Central. Before I found them I discovered a steel mill remote control switcher working.

• 1406 EDT Floyd, SC - Nucor Steel remote control switcher - Nucor 05

Then it was over to the South Corolina Central.

• 1415 EDT Floyd, SC - South Carolina Central power - SCRF 2027
• 1421 EDT Floyd, SC - South Carolina Central power - CPDR 3890

When I'd finished photographing in Floyd I turned toward Marlboro, South Carolina and the Pee Dee River.

• 1543 EDT Marlboro, SC - Pee Dee River power - PDRR 1764-PDRR 1797
• 1544 EDT Marlboro, SC - Pee Dee River power - PDRR 1842

The weather was turning ugly so I packed up and left for the Fairfield Inn in Florence, South Carolina. I had just checked in when the skies opened up and the lightning began. Good timing!

Trackside Log for Friday, August 4, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Seven

I truly chose an excellent week for this trip. The morning was another bright, sunny and hot one. My first goal was to find the Georgia Woodlands in Washington, GA. When I arrived I found that the day's run to the CSX was under way. I didn't need to chase long before I could smell diesel exhaust.

• 0910 EDT Ficklin, GA - Georgia Woodlands southbound - OMLX 4433
• 0932 EDT Sharon, GA - Georgia Woodlands southbound - OMLX 4433

After waiting for 4433 to lift its train from the interchange in Barnett I photographed the northbound.

• 1016 EDT Barnett, GA - Georgia Woodlands northbound - OMLX 4433
• 1116 EDT Little River trestle, GA - Georgia Woodlands northbound - OMLX 4433

After sweating profusely while waiting for the northbound at the Little River I was happy to be in my air conditioned truck headed for the Hartwell Railroad.

• 1330 EDT Airline, GA - Hartwell Railroad power - HRT 4556
• 1331 EDT Airline, GA - Hartwell Railroad power - HRT 3021

With the Hartwell Railroad behind me so too was the state of Georgia. I was headed for South Carolina and the Pickens Railroad.

• 1505 EDT Gluck (Anderson), SC - Pickens Railroad power - PICK 9504-PICK 9500

Next up was the Pickens shops in Pickens, South Carolina.

• 1616 EDT Pickens, SC - Pickens Railroad shops - RMGX 5046
• 1617 EDT Pickens, SC - Pickens Railroad shops - CLCX 5118 parts
• 1619 EDT Pickens, SC - Pickens Railroad shops - YDC 3
• 1626 EDT Pickens, SC - Pickens Railroad shops - stripped frame #5321-B-59 (ex-GORX 8314; ex-ICG GP10 8314; nee UP GP9B 188B)
• 1627 EDT Pickens, SC - Pickens Railroad shops - CLCX 5119 parts
• 1628 EDT Pickens, SC - Pickens Railroad shops - PICK 2

I had fun with the variety of derelict equipment and looked forward to the Pickens' facility in Honea Path.

• 1813 EDT Dosheno (Honea Path), SC - Pickens Railroad power - CSXT 9501
• 1813 EDT Dosheno (Honea Path), SC - Pickens Railroad power - PICK 9503
• 1815 EDT Dosheno (Honea Path), SC - Pickens Railroad power - PICK 9507
• 1817 EDT Dosheno (Honea Path), SC - Pickens Railroad power - PICK 6

The day turned out very nicely. The next day would begin with the Carolina Piedmont so I drove to Laurens, South Carolina for the night.

Trackside Log for Thursday, August 3, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Six

I awoke to another sunny morning and began by following the Florida East Coast between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida. The hope was to find a train and a place to photograph it. Considering the railway runs next to U.S. 1 I managed to find a place to photograph the one train I found. The local police stopped to question me within moments but upon learning my purpose happily left me alone.

• 0846 EDT Villano Beach, FL - FEC southbound - FEC 438

I kept following the FEC but didn't find anything else. Next I was back in Georgia for the third time this trip. In Waycross I was very happy to find four ex-B.C. Rail GE locomotives along with a variety of other power.

• 1225 EDT Waycross, GA - storage - BDLX 8011-PRSX 3622-PRSX 3625-PRSX 3623-PRSX 3626-NREX 9424-RMPX 1411-NREX 7880
• 1237 EDT Waycross, GA - storage - NREX 8090 + more

Just west of Waycross is the St. Mary's West Railway.

• 1312 EDT Waresboro, GA - St. Mary's West switcher - SMW 1402

I was on my way north when I found myself at a CSX crossing. When I looked down the track I could see a southbound waiting in the siding. Upon chatting with the conductor I discovered that they were meeting a nothbound empty tank train with an intermodal behind them.

• 1350 EDT Dixie Union (Crawley), GA - CSX northbound - CSXT 4817-CSXT 4844
• 1352 EDT Dixie Union (Crawley), GA - CSX southbound - CSXT 7818-CSXT 4704
• 1412 EDT Dixie Union (Crawley), GA - CSX southbound - CSXT 5007-CSXT 686

When I arrived at the Georgia Central shops it was a stifling 40 degrees Celcius. Ouch! I obtained permission to photograph around the shops and took my photos. The RLIX and Valdosta engines were in for repairs.

• 1602 EDT Lyons, GA - Georgia Central shops - RLIX 278-VR 184
• 1603 EDT Lyons, GA - Georgia Central shops - GC 3938-GC 1004-GC 3946

My day was nearing an end so I found myself checking into the Best Western in Thomson, Georgia for the night.

Trackside Log for Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Five

It was looking like another beautiful but hot day. I headed out looking for railway action in Georgia and Florida. First up were two Norfolk Southern switch jobs in Albany, Georgia. I just happened to find their yard while driving through.

• 0855 EDT Albany, GA - NS switcher - NS 5007-NS 1622-NS 7014
• 0859 EDT Albany, GA - NS switcher - NS 5330-NS 2863

Next I drove north to Cordele to see if the Heart of Georgia was working in town. As luck would have it I heard them blowing their horn as I got to the tracks.

• 1028 EDT Cordele, GA - HOG eastbound - HOG 1540-RMPX 6409
• 1035 EDT Cordele, GA - HOG power - LLPX 3109
• 1042 EDT Cordele, GA - HOG eastbound - HOG 1540-RMPX 6409

I started my journey south toward Florida. On my way I found CSX switching an industry in Valdosta, Georgia.

• 1246 EDT Valdosta, GA - CSX switcher - CSXT 5841-CSXT 6116

I continued on to Trenton, Florida to find abandoned tracks as expected. Then I followed the line to Newberry where I found a Florida Central CF7.

• 1520 EDT Newberry, FL - Florida Cental power - FCEN 47

My next destination was Wildwood, Florida where I was very pleased to find a GP30M and S2m.

• 1700 EDT Wildwood, FL - Conrad Yelvington power - CYDZ 239-CYXX 2108

The day was getting on so I turned north. I stopped at the Days Inn in St. Augustine, Florida for the night.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Four

It was shaping up to be another bright but hot day. First objective was to find the Alabama Railroad in Monroeville. After finding the tracks in town abandoned I searched east of town and found the Pioneer locomotives beginning their day.

• 0857 CDT Monroeville, AL - Alabama Railroad power - PREX 3001
• 0858 CDT Monroeville, AL - Alabama Railroad power - PREX 805-PREX 2026

I then reversed direction and headed for Georgiana. On my way into town I noticed a CSX train waiting for a signal. Additionally I found a caboose celebrating hometown boy Hank Williams.

• 1025 CDT Georgiana, AL - Hank Williams caboose
• 1036 CDT Georgiana, AL - CSX southbound - CSXT 7634-HLCX 6207-GCFX 3068

I followed the Three Notch tracks east toward Andalusia. When I got there the power was out. Evidently I missed it somewhere along the way. However, one engine was parked on a siding.

• 1139 CDT Andalusia, AL - Three Notch power - GORX 2886

Next I wanted to find the Wiregrass Central. I knew their junction with CSX was in Newton so I started there. Luck was with me. The train pulled into town as I did. I waited for them to switch the junction and head west.

• 1500 CDT Newton, AL - Wiregrass Central westbound - GORX 9707-GORX 6528-GORX 9702-GORX 2866

My luck ran out when a cloud moved in front of the sun. I decided to chase the train west. I picked two interesting locations and was rewarded with nice sun each time. Now before I got into position for the photograph at Daleville I accidentally found myself on Fort Rucker at The United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence. This isn't where I intended to be. However, the guard very cordially invited me for a tour of the base. Sadly I didn't have enough time that day or I would have. The Apache helicopters flying around were fascinating. But I got myself turned around and in position for a photograph of the Wiregrass Central.

• 1540 CDT Daleville, AL - Wiregrass Central westbound - GORX 9707-GORX 6528-GORX 9702-GORX 2866
• 1615 CDT Coppinville, AL - Wiregrass Central westbound - GORX 9707-GORX 6528-GORX 9702-GORX 2866

After some nice photographs I turned east for Dothan and another G&O railroad, the Chattahoochie & Gulf.

• 1704 CDT Dothan, AL - Chattahoochie & Gulf power - GORX 2882-GORX 2883-GORX 2829

Next I drove to Dawson, Georgia to spend the night.

Trackside Log for Monday, July 31, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Three

I headed out into the fog for the morning with the promise of sun. A variety of shortlines were on my route for the day and the first opportunity for photographs was the Tennessee Southern. I got lucky and arrived just as the crew was lifting their train and after the fog lifted.

• 0802 CDT Mount Pleasant, TN - Tennessee Southern northbound - CSXT 3163-CSXT 3170-CSXT 3148

I continued eastward in search of the Walking Horse & Eastern. On my way through Shelbyville I noticed that the track was packed with TTX piggyback flats.

• 1009 CDT Shelbyville, TN - Walking Horse & Eastern power - WHOE 1585

I followed the line to the junction with CSX in Wartrace.

• 1030 CDT Wartrace, TN - L&N caboose 6162

The Louisville & Nashville caboose was the only item of interest so my journey continued.

• 1136 CDT McMinnville, TN - Caney Fork & Western power - CFW 2345
• 1258 CDT South Pittsburg, TN - Sequatchie Valley power - SQVR 9833
• 1259 CDT South Pittsburg, TN - Sequatchie Valley caboose

While photographing the slug I heard a locomotive horn. The Sequatchie Valley was returning. The timing was perfect.

• 1305 CDT South Pittsburg, TN - Sequatchie Valley northbound - SQVR 1210
• 1544 EDT La Fayette, GA - Chattooga & Chicamauga power - CAGY 102

While looking for the Eastern Alabama in Sylacauga I noticed freight moving in front of me. Presto! I was shocked to see two New England Central GP40's though.

• 1857 CDT Sylacauga, AL - Eastern Alabama power - AGR 4005
• 1859 CDT Sylacauga, AL - Eastern Alabama westbound - NECR 4048-NECR 4049

It was getting dark so I drove to the Best Western in Hope Hill, Alabama for the night.

Trackside Log for Sunday, July 30, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day Two

The plan for the day was to drive west across Kentucky and then start back east through Tennessee. Unfortunately the day started off poorly. It was foggy and the first several railroads offered me no photo opportunities. Bardstown, Kentucky however yielded R.J. Corman's "My Old Kentucky Dinner Train" and its F's.

• 1004 CDT Bardstown, KY - My Old Kentucky Dinner Train - RJCX 1941-RJCX 1940

After an abandoned line in Clay, Kentucky (the Western Kentucky Railway) and an inaccessible Paducah & Louisville in Princeton I turned my attention to Tennessee. On my way through Fulton, Kentucky I stumbled on an Illinois Central yard. Alas, the WC SD45, ex-LMS C40-8W and all the other power were inaccessible.

• 1600 CDT Union City,TN - GM&O 2618 caboose

I was looking for the Tennken Railway in Dyersburg, Tennessee but also found an Illinois Central engine.

• 1656 CDT Dyersburg, TN - IC power - IC 9567
• 1700 CDT Dyersburg, TN - Tennken power - TKEN 9434
• 1701 CDT Dyersburg, TN - Tennken power - TKEN 9435

Continuing east I found myself in Bucksnort, Tennessee at dusk. I checked into a motel. The next day would begin with a short drive to Centerville, Tennesse.

Trackside Log for Saturday, July 29, 2006

Vacation 2006 Day One

This was the first day of my vacation. Well, actually I did drive to West Virginia yesterday, but that was a six hour non-stop drive with no trackside time. Because Watco pulled out of the Appalachian & Ohio since my last visit in March I decided to start in Buckhannon. The new opperator, Paducah & Louisville, had a slug set on the property.

• 0721 EDT Buckhannon, WV - A&O power - AO 2102-AO 2105

Since there wasn't much to see in Buckhannon I left for Gassaway. On the way I noticed something I was hoping to find, two CEFX SD90MAC's parked in the Burnsville wye.

• 0817 EDT Burnsville, WV - A&O power - CEFX 130-CEFX 125

With that goal accomplished I continued to Gassaway.

• 0853 EDT Gassaway, WV - Elk River Railroad power - ELKR 1-ELKR 3-ELKR 2-ELKR 5
• 0906 EDT Gassaway, WV - Elk River Railroad power - ELKR 4

My primary goal in Gassaway was to get a decent photo of Elk River 5 that was hidden in March. Having met that goal as well I was off to Thurmond. First I was shocked to find a work train running the line.

• 1040 EDT Thurmond, WV - R.J. Corman northbound - RJCX 1804
• 1050 EDT Thurmond, WV - R.J. Corman northbound - RJCX 1804

Next I was surprised by word of a coal train coming shortly. I was unaware that R.J. Corman was hauling coal on this line. In fact this was just the fourth such train.

• 1140 EDT Thurmond, WV - R.J. Corman Z259-112 west - CSXT 245-CSXT 7585
• 1156 EDT Thurmond, WV - CSX eastbound - CSXT 665-CSXT 414
• 1219 EDT Thurmond, WV - R.J. Corman Z259-112 east - CSXT 7585-CSXT 245
• 1339 EDT Thurmond, WV - CSX westbound - CSXT 8637-CSXT 8645-CSXT 4609

I should mention that the old Chesapeake & Ohio depot is beautifully restored by the National Park Service. Inside are some nice exhibits. I encourage people to visit.

Well, it was starting to rain and I had accomplished my goals for Thurmond. My vacation was supposed to start in Kentucky so I set out for the Courtyard hotel in Lexington where I had reserved a room using my Marriott rewards points. Two years living in a hotel does have some benefits.