Framing40s
Times Have Changed
The humdrum wail of a distant K5HL reverberates through the salty air south of the Saint Lucie River, signaling the imminent arrival of one of the days’ main subjects after a relatively brief wait. Following BLF 724-07 north ten minutes apart, FEC 206-07 trundles over the single-tracked Stuart Drawbridge at 14:45 on its journey to Jacksonville’s Bowden Yard. A beefy 148-car train compliments the colorful motive power on the point—133 assorted rock & cement loads, and 15 empty flyash gondolas. The US-1 highway overpass stretches over the Saint Lucie River in the background.
On the topic of motive power, #FEC806 [ES44C4] does the honors leading Train 206-07, its Champion paint visibly chipped from its decade of service operating along Florida’s East Coast. In stark contrast to the rugged GEVO on the point, #FEC822 [ES44C4] gleams in the broad daylight, it having recently received the railroads’ new corporate paint scheme at the time. It’s a sign of the times, and unfortunately it means the end of this Champion revival-esque era, if that’s a good way of putting it.
Oh right, and #428 is trailing but that ain’t all that interesting.
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Stuart, FL
FEC Mainline
Date: 05/07/2024 | 14:45
ID: FEC 206-07
Type: Manifest
Direction: Northbound
Car Count: 148
1. FEC ES44C4 #806
2. FEC ES44C4 #822
3. FEC GP40-2 #428
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© Vicente Alonso 2024
Times Have Changed
The humdrum wail of a distant K5HL reverberates through the salty air south of the Saint Lucie River, signaling the imminent arrival of one of the days’ main subjects after a relatively brief wait. Following BLF 724-07 north ten minutes apart, FEC 206-07 trundles over the single-tracked Stuart Drawbridge at 14:45 on its journey to Jacksonville’s Bowden Yard. A beefy 148-car train compliments the colorful motive power on the point—133 assorted rock & cement loads, and 15 empty flyash gondolas. The US-1 highway overpass stretches over the Saint Lucie River in the background.
On the topic of motive power, #FEC806 [ES44C4] does the honors leading Train 206-07, its Champion paint visibly chipped from its decade of service operating along Florida’s East Coast. In stark contrast to the rugged GEVO on the point, #FEC822 [ES44C4] gleams in the broad daylight, it having recently received the railroads’ new corporate paint scheme at the time. It’s a sign of the times, and unfortunately it means the end of this Champion revival-esque era, if that’s a good way of putting it.
Oh right, and #428 is trailing but that ain’t all that interesting.
•
Stuart, FL
FEC Mainline
Date: 05/07/2024 | 14:45
ID: FEC 206-07
Type: Manifest
Direction: Northbound
Car Count: 148
1. FEC ES44C4 #806
2. FEC ES44C4 #822
3. FEC GP40-2 #428
•
© Vicente Alonso 2024