pjkaz177
Total Solar Eclipse // Wesleyville, PA
A freshly rebuilt and painted C6M rests on the East Erie Commercial interchange track in Wesleyville, PA underneath a total solar eclipse, while NS 15M is stopped on the main to take in the once in a lifetime spectacle.
Going into April 8th, I really didn't have a concrete plan for where I wanted to be during the eclipse. I only knew that I wanted to get trackside somewhere to frame a train, preferably stopped, and juxtapose it against the sky. Unfortunately back in Buffalo, the weather forecast for the entire week leading up to it called for clouds, and clouds there were. Leaving the house just before noon that day, I set out first towards the CSX mainline near home to scope the activity out. I happened to run into a couple other railfan friends at the same spot, exchanging ideas on how things were going to play out that afternoon. In the meantime, my friend Aidan and I were spitballing suggestions for where to go. He found a cloud forecast for the area and it wasn't boding well. However, there appeared to be a hole opening up between Erie and Cleveland. With a little over a couple hours till totality, our minds had been made up: time to head west. We both beelined for I-90 and stepped on the gas, with him being a few miles ahead of me already. We pretty much stayed on the phone the entire ride out there to report cops and stay updated on current weather conditions/potential train targets. I can say now after the fact that local news media overhyped the potential traffic conditions. The highway was no more crowded than it would be on a regular weekday afternoon. Although once in PA, their state troopers were out in full force along I-90.
At this point, the farthest we could make it would likely be Conneaut, OH. In fact, Google Maps estimated I would make it with only a couple minutes to spare before totality set in. With NS having a yard there, at least there was guaranteed to be some power sitting around to use as a prop. Another idea was to find Conneaut-based local C62 out on the main, which for the longest time has had NS 3452 as its leader, the only snoot nose SD40 remaining on the NS roster. Their present location at the time was somewhere near Erie. Aidan being about 15 minutes ahead of me decided to go look for them once he was across the PA state line. The skies had begun to open up just as I crossed into Pennsylvania, finally seeing the sun for the first time that day. The more Aidan drove around, the less he wanted to continue west, thus I followed suit and exited the highway around North East, PA. I veered towards the NS main in town to check for C62 since they have three customers nearby. Alas I didn't see them, but instead kn my scanner heard 15M somewhere east of the NY state line. Then, a call from C62 to get a signal to run around their train and head home to Conneaut. Within a few minutes of hearing that, Aidan stumbled upon them returning west, so they were now out of the question. However, in the process he found a freshly rebuilt and painted C6M sitting near the GE Wabtec plant on the EEC interchange track. His mind was made up, and I vaguely knew where it was so I mapped my route and started heading towards him. Wanting to avoid the troopers, I stuck to the back roads between North East and the plant. Being only 15 minutes away, I now had plenty of time to spare before the eclipse. Along the way I passed a huge gathering of people, at least a few hundred, all sat out on someone's ranch property with a parking attendant to boot. A few more miles of driving and I rolled up on Aidan parked next to the old brand new engine. I think there was still about a half hour to go before the eclipse. Utilizing the special light filtering glasses everyone had bought leading up to it, we checked the sky and sure enough the moon was beginning to make its way into the sun's path. Within ten minutes of totality the sky darkened significantly, and the temperature drop was quite noticeable. I crossed NS at one point to go check the signals on CSX, which runs parallel to NS through the area. Nothing was lined through at that time, however on the horizon to the east there was suddenly a headlight on NS. I had jokingly said a little while prior "watch 15M stop next to us." Sure enough it was all red going west on the main near the interchange track switch. It seems D&H dispatch allowed 15M the courtesy of being able to stop and enjoy the show. Watch parties could be heard in the surrounding neighborhoods as people blew on horns and set fireworks off in the afternoon twilight. The coolest part to me was the horizon, that warm glow all around us in one big ring. It was comparable to storm lighting, but not quite the same coloration. Approaching THE moment, there were some patches of clouds making their way towards the sun, but thankfully they were thin enough not to affect the visibility. Totality was estimated to be close to four minutes up here in the northeast. I've had smaller windows of time to work with for industry shots, but in this case four minutes didn't feel like nearly enough. Three minutes and 43 seconds actually to be precise. Going super wide and low to the ground, managing to frame the NS logo with the sky, I was entirely satisfied with what we came away with, although initially I had wished the engine was facing east to get the nose. Aidan managed a bonus shot of the reflection of the sky in the cab window, while I was afew seconds too late to jump on it, as that's when the eclipse started to let off. To think for a full hour cities across the U.S. got to experience this phenomenon one by one, it's something I truly won't forget. Further west in central Ohio I know some people managed shots with the old B&O signals as props under the eclipse, but I wouldn't trade this shot for anything. As sunlight flooded back onto the ground, 15M was granted their light to continue west. A local videographer back near Buffalo managed to catch a few CSX trains carrying on with business as usual during the course of totality. I feel for anyone on an eastbound that day who didn't get to pause and enjoy this. Immediately after, I set out for Cleveland to go find C46, having confirmed they were on duty first. Figuring I was already halfway there, and being Monday meant it was a Silverplate Branch day, I said what the hey and continued the day trip. With plenty of daylight left, why let it go to waste? Carpé diem.
Total Solar Eclipse // Wesleyville, PA
A freshly rebuilt and painted C6M rests on the East Erie Commercial interchange track in Wesleyville, PA underneath a total solar eclipse, while NS 15M is stopped on the main to take in the once in a lifetime spectacle.
Going into April 8th, I really didn't have a concrete plan for where I wanted to be during the eclipse. I only knew that I wanted to get trackside somewhere to frame a train, preferably stopped, and juxtapose it against the sky. Unfortunately back in Buffalo, the weather forecast for the entire week leading up to it called for clouds, and clouds there were. Leaving the house just before noon that day, I set out first towards the CSX mainline near home to scope the activity out. I happened to run into a couple other railfan friends at the same spot, exchanging ideas on how things were going to play out that afternoon. In the meantime, my friend Aidan and I were spitballing suggestions for where to go. He found a cloud forecast for the area and it wasn't boding well. However, there appeared to be a hole opening up between Erie and Cleveland. With a little over a couple hours till totality, our minds had been made up: time to head west. We both beelined for I-90 and stepped on the gas, with him being a few miles ahead of me already. We pretty much stayed on the phone the entire ride out there to report cops and stay updated on current weather conditions/potential train targets. I can say now after the fact that local news media overhyped the potential traffic conditions. The highway was no more crowded than it would be on a regular weekday afternoon. Although once in PA, their state troopers were out in full force along I-90.
At this point, the farthest we could make it would likely be Conneaut, OH. In fact, Google Maps estimated I would make it with only a couple minutes to spare before totality set in. With NS having a yard there, at least there was guaranteed to be some power sitting around to use as a prop. Another idea was to find Conneaut-based local C62 out on the main, which for the longest time has had NS 3452 as its leader, the only snoot nose SD40 remaining on the NS roster. Their present location at the time was somewhere near Erie. Aidan being about 15 minutes ahead of me decided to go look for them once he was across the PA state line. The skies had begun to open up just as I crossed into Pennsylvania, finally seeing the sun for the first time that day. The more Aidan drove around, the less he wanted to continue west, thus I followed suit and exited the highway around North East, PA. I veered towards the NS main in town to check for C62 since they have three customers nearby. Alas I didn't see them, but instead kn my scanner heard 15M somewhere east of the NY state line. Then, a call from C62 to get a signal to run around their train and head home to Conneaut. Within a few minutes of hearing that, Aidan stumbled upon them returning west, so they were now out of the question. However, in the process he found a freshly rebuilt and painted C6M sitting near the GE Wabtec plant on the EEC interchange track. His mind was made up, and I vaguely knew where it was so I mapped my route and started heading towards him. Wanting to avoid the troopers, I stuck to the back roads between North East and the plant. Being only 15 minutes away, I now had plenty of time to spare before the eclipse. Along the way I passed a huge gathering of people, at least a few hundred, all sat out on someone's ranch property with a parking attendant to boot. A few more miles of driving and I rolled up on Aidan parked next to the old brand new engine. I think there was still about a half hour to go before the eclipse. Utilizing the special light filtering glasses everyone had bought leading up to it, we checked the sky and sure enough the moon was beginning to make its way into the sun's path. Within ten minutes of totality the sky darkened significantly, and the temperature drop was quite noticeable. I crossed NS at one point to go check the signals on CSX, which runs parallel to NS through the area. Nothing was lined through at that time, however on the horizon to the east there was suddenly a headlight on NS. I had jokingly said a little while prior "watch 15M stop next to us." Sure enough it was all red going west on the main near the interchange track switch. It seems D&H dispatch allowed 15M the courtesy of being able to stop and enjoy the show. Watch parties could be heard in the surrounding neighborhoods as people blew on horns and set fireworks off in the afternoon twilight. The coolest part to me was the horizon, that warm glow all around us in one big ring. It was comparable to storm lighting, but not quite the same coloration. Approaching THE moment, there were some patches of clouds making their way towards the sun, but thankfully they were thin enough not to affect the visibility. Totality was estimated to be close to four minutes up here in the northeast. I've had smaller windows of time to work with for industry shots, but in this case four minutes didn't feel like nearly enough. Three minutes and 43 seconds actually to be precise. Going super wide and low to the ground, managing to frame the NS logo with the sky, I was entirely satisfied with what we came away with, although initially I had wished the engine was facing east to get the nose. Aidan managed a bonus shot of the reflection of the sky in the cab window, while I was afew seconds too late to jump on it, as that's when the eclipse started to let off. To think for a full hour cities across the U.S. got to experience this phenomenon one by one, it's something I truly won't forget. Further west in central Ohio I know some people managed shots with the old B&O signals as props under the eclipse, but I wouldn't trade this shot for anything. As sunlight flooded back onto the ground, 15M was granted their light to continue west. A local videographer back near Buffalo managed to catch a few CSX trains carrying on with business as usual during the course of totality. I feel for anyone on an eastbound that day who didn't get to pause and enjoy this. Immediately after, I set out for Cleveland to go find C46, having confirmed they were on duty first. Figuring I was already halfway there, and being Monday meant it was a Silverplate Branch day, I said what the hey and continued the day trip. With plenty of daylight left, why let it go to waste? Carpé diem.