Tim Stockwell
Mohawk Monday
Recently, my good friend Caleb Wentzell twisted my arm to spend a morning on CSX (and I'm glad he did!). The original plan was to head out to the Mohawk Subdivision around Amsterdam, NY but -- to make a long story short -- we ended up on the Selkirk Branch instead.
During our morning trackside, I lamented how -- in twenty-five years of doing railroad photography -- any time I decided to go to CSX I got widecabs more often than not. It's one of the things that kept me away from CSX and led me to gravitate more towards regionals and shortlines.
However, I DID remember one memorable, non-widecab catch on CSX, and it wasn't that long ago. On May 10, 2022, CSX ran their B&O-inspired OCS from Selkirk west in the afternoon. I just happened to have the full day off, and one of the surprises of the morning was a an eastbound Q626 with SD40-2 #8054 leading. I gave chase from St. Johnsville, NY to South Schenectady before heading back west to Little Falls to get into position for the OCS in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, word got out that the CSXT 8054 had turned at Selkirk and was going to lead Q627 back west behind the OCS. So, it was very much worth sticking around a little longer to catch the scene you see here!
CSX Train Q627
Little Falls, NY
May 10, 2022
Mohawk Monday
Recently, my good friend Caleb Wentzell twisted my arm to spend a morning on CSX (and I'm glad he did!). The original plan was to head out to the Mohawk Subdivision around Amsterdam, NY but -- to make a long story short -- we ended up on the Selkirk Branch instead.
During our morning trackside, I lamented how -- in twenty-five years of doing railroad photography -- any time I decided to go to CSX I got widecabs more often than not. It's one of the things that kept me away from CSX and led me to gravitate more towards regionals and shortlines.
However, I DID remember one memorable, non-widecab catch on CSX, and it wasn't that long ago. On May 10, 2022, CSX ran their B&O-inspired OCS from Selkirk west in the afternoon. I just happened to have the full day off, and one of the surprises of the morning was a an eastbound Q626 with SD40-2 #8054 leading. I gave chase from St. Johnsville, NY to South Schenectady before heading back west to Little Falls to get into position for the OCS in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, word got out that the CSXT 8054 had turned at Selkirk and was going to lead Q627 back west behind the OCS. So, it was very much worth sticking around a little longer to catch the scene you see here!
CSX Train Q627
Little Falls, NY
May 10, 2022