Hopper Train Bigs, Years in the Making
WNYP originally eyed up some of the Cartier 636 fleet over fifteen years ago for moving runthrough NS coal trains, before the northern part of the Buffalo Line was forsaken by NS. Although I'm not sure offhand how it all went down chronologically, it was decided that NS power would be used for the hopper trains, and Walter Rich ended up getting the Bigs for the NYSW. When the NYSW had it with them, WNYP brought what potentially operable units remained to Olean for the purpose of the Driftwood Turns and also the MEHN/398s, all of which were much heavier back then due to bridge traffic. Fast forward and a few months after their presence has significantly diminished, the story came full circle, and a pair of Bigs were taken to Meadville (to perhaps unnecessarily) assist two C430s in moving empty hoppers east for storage. The off color repainted cabs and noses are looking pretty rough on these two, and the shooting conditions were not that spectacular, but having been after the Bigs for ten years now it was a unique experience that I much enjoyed.
Hopper Train Bigs, Years in the Making
WNYP originally eyed up some of the Cartier 636 fleet over fifteen years ago for moving runthrough NS coal trains, before the northern part of the Buffalo Line was forsaken by NS. Although I'm not sure offhand how it all went down chronologically, it was decided that NS power would be used for the hopper trains, and Walter Rich ended up getting the Bigs for the NYSW. When the NYSW had it with them, WNYP brought what potentially operable units remained to Olean for the purpose of the Driftwood Turns and also the MEHN/398s, all of which were much heavier back then due to bridge traffic. Fast forward and a few months after their presence has significantly diminished, the story came full circle, and a pair of Bigs were taken to Meadville (to perhaps unnecessarily) assist two C430s in moving empty hoppers east for storage. The off color repainted cabs and noses are looking pretty rough on these two, and the shooting conditions were not that spectacular, but having been after the Bigs for ten years now it was a unique experience that I much enjoyed.