Looks Like Florida to Me

A Stop signal indication for northbound movement on Track 1 at CP IRIS has got CSX L78902 slowly coming to a halt on the last mile of their trip before reaching CSX’s Hialeah Yard. The engineer aboard brings #CSX5394 [ES40DC] and their 37 loaded limerock hoppers to a gentle halt, holding for TriRail traffic at Metrorail Transfer Station. Despite their signal being at IRIS, the crew holds their train just short of the CP 71ST ST signal to avoid blocking road traffic along E 17th St while they wait for a favorable signal indication.

 

Set up between the fronds of a cluster of small trackside palm trees, armed with the D7500, a burst of shots would produce the perfect photo of the slowing L78902 framed between them. In true Florida fashion, the lead ES40DC completes the scene; a class of locomotive that has plagued Florida for years at this point. It’s regarded as the most unfavorable type of power to have lead a train—let alone a road local—for how bland it’s become, especially if based out of a terminal for a prolonged period of time… as is the case with 5394. Personally, I didn’t mind if it was for testing a new photo spot, although the odds could be better.

 

CSX L78902 would hold short of E 17th St for four minutes while a TriRail Downtown Link train got itself prepped for another revenue run out of Metrorail Transfer Station. A favorable signal indication would be given to L78902 at 18:16, the engineer promptly knocking off the brakes and throttling out of their stop to complete their days’ worth of work at the Yard.

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Hialeah, FL

SFRTA Mainline

 

Date: 04/02/2024 | 18:11

 

ID: CSX L78902

Type: Local

Direction: Northbound

Car Count: 37

 

1. CSX ES40DC #5394

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© Vicente Alonso 2024

Done