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The final RoadRailer Train ever, NS Train 255, speeds west toward its terminus in Kansas City passing through the sweeping curve at Arnold Illinois. NS 9936 was likely the most photographed GE locomotive on this day as numerous chase vehicles and many people from across the country came out to document the final run of this unique train and staple of rail traffic in the Midwest.
The long rumored day has finally come and the Countdown to Extinction is in its final hours. Once this train arrives in Kansas City RoadRailer Trains will be a thing of the past. The day prior which was the last day that both the east and westbound trains ran was rumored to be a Symphony of Destruction with a couple of vehicle crashes, although I have yet to actually see any evidence of such destruction. But here on the final day with the final chase of the final RoadRailer train it was much different than the rumored chaos of the day prior. The day featured many staples of summer train chases in the Midwest, mainly High Speed Dirt road driving, and Sweating Bullets on this Mid 90s day in late August, but This Was [Our] Life on that day, and I don't think many who where there would've changed that. It was a great time with some great people and was a fitting send off to one of, if not the most unique trains operating in the Midwest.
Taken while hanging around at an AutoZone store, waiting for my truck to cool down enough to start. Turns out that a $60 sensor was the culprit for my problem, but I have to wait a week for it to ship.
Nothing worse than having your engine just stop running while you are driving down country roads that have no shoulder to pull off on. I made it home (10 miles away), only to have it die just as I turned into the driveway! Oh, lawdy!!!
btw...Kudos to AutoZone for their free diagnostic service. They plug their device into your vehicle computer to find out exactly what's wrong with your vehicle. Invaluable to a non-mechanic, like myself!!
Normally a nocturnal to early morning move, a very late Q131-29 attempts to make up for lost time after a lengthy delay in Walbridge this morning. Leading the way west at the elevated curve near De Graff are KCS 4168, KCSM 4711, and about 4500ft of hot autoparts for Mexico.
For this week's Macro Mondays subject "transportation".
I braved the heat yesterday and went to the auto parts store for 5 quarts of 5W-20 synthetic motor oil and a Wix oil filter for an upcoming oil change on the old Ford truck. Unboxing the ordinary filter I thought to myself, "What in the world could be interesting about an up close image of an oil filter?" The I turned the filter right-side up...
Happy Macro Mondays, Flickrites!
Money, the self-appointed guardian of a VW parts warehouse, keeping watch from the floor — his only crime is chewing holes in every cardboard box. Looks tough, but is actually a big scaredy-cat.
Sam pointed out this neat dwarf signal at the diamond, and since the RoadRailer had yet to gain speed, I ran across with the fisheye to get a shot. One of my favorites from the weekend.
A position light dwarf signal protects the diamond as the NS 255 RoadRailer passes westbound on the NS Springfield District past the former Chicago & Illinois Midland tower in Springfield, Illinois, April 7, 2024.
A short NS 181 autoparts train which just passed through Clymers, IN is filled out with general merchandise due to the Christmas shutdown period the automakers in KC are now experiencing.
CPKC LL77, the Rankin Turn, departs High Oak Yard with the usual string of Autoparts boxcars in tow for General Motors. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure since this was taken, the General Motors warehouse east of here no longer receives cars, so getting this job with the autoparts was a nice way to end the trip. 1-14-25
A surprise slow order through the Ivesdale area made catching up with NS 256 very possible all of a sudden. I hadn't even planned on getting another shot, but who was I to turn one down? Side shots of elevators was on the mind that day, so at Sloan Station, NS 4001 led our classic Triple Crown train eastwards. Even though the midwest is all about grain, not necessarily autoparts, the roadrailer feels right at home here. It's a real treat to be able to see it so easily here. I'll miss it when its gone.
CSX automobile train, Q241, heads south at KC Jct. Note the cut of autopart boxcars on the headend. These car are likely bound for the Ford Truck stamping plant in Louisville.
October 29, 2010.
In another episode of "Man, I really wish I had my camera with me right now," an unexpected turn of events lead from me driving to the city to see some friends to immediately whipping a 180° turn just past Hardin to intercept the Savannah and Atlanta heritage unit I just saw pushing on the rear of eastbound autoparts train NS 120 across a corn field. In some sort of twist of luck, my old Canon PowerShot SX540 HS just happened to be laying in the back seat, which ran out of battery right after I took this shot. I'll take what I can get, I suppose.
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BNSF Marceline Subdivision
Hardin, Missouri, USA
June 14, 2025
Canon PowerShot SX540 HS
Oh the places you'll go!
© 2017 Skip Plitt Photography, All Rights Reserved.
This photo may not be used in any form without permission from the photographer.
Todos los derechos reservados. Esta foto no se puede utilizar en cualquier forma sin el permiso del fotógrafo.
CSX GP40 #6543 leads an eastbound with autoparts into Cumberland during the spring of 1989. The smaller cars usually carries transmissions or engine blocks when in autoparts service. No photographer listed, JL Sessa collection.
This sign has graced the now-closed Paul Del Grande auto parts store in Campbell for decades, but I drove by last week and it is gone. I am told that it was sold to a collector. A few years ago it was restored to perfect working order, I think by the family. I will miss seeing it as I drive that stretch of road.
As the sun gives us one last colorful spectacle for the day, eastbound autoparts train NS 181 slowly snakes through Birmingham Junction.
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NS Kansas City District
Birmingham Junction
Birmingham, Missouri, USA
November 10 2025
Canon EOS 77D
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS
Not the greatest at work shot, but the leader is now rebuilt into a C6M. I'm sure the engine I'm standing on had the same fate... Pretty sure I was with Mr. Crisp on our return trip to Decatur.
Spring/Summer of 2019 was full of surprises. Floods, time off work due to floods, time at work due to floods, etc... I know at one point I was forced to the east end relief XB out of Moberly covering trains to and from St. Louis. That included detoured roadrailers, autoparts trains, and the usual STL District traffic. The relief board was called in seniority order. I was the baby, so I got out twice, while the other two ahead of me went out fairly often when the Moberly - St. Louis Pool and regular Moberly East End XB was exhausted... Which was pretty often due to the mentioned flood detours.
1961 Chevy Impala.The Impala was restyled on the existing GM B platform for 1961. The new body styling was more trim and boxy than the 1958-60 models. Sport Coupe models featured a "bubbleback" roofline syle for '61, and a unique model, the 2-door pillared sedan, was available for 1961 only. It was rarely ordered and a scarce collectible today. The rare Super Sport (SS) option debuted for 1961.
The 1962 model featured new "C" pillar styling for all models except the 4-door hardtop "Sport Sedan." Sport Coupe models now featured the "convertible roof" styling, shared with other GM "B" full-size hardtop coupes. This style proved extremely popular, and contributed to the desireability of the '62-'64 Impalas as collectibles. The "overhang" roof style of the sedans was replaced with a more attractive, wider "C" pillar with wraparound rear window. Engine choices for '62 settled down, the 348 V8 discontinued and replaced by the 340-bhp 409, which could be ordered with any transmission. The small-block 283 was enlarged to 327 cubic inches, which added more engine choices for small-block fans. The Beach Boys produced a hit single, "409," referring to the Chevy, which became an iconic song for these cars. Impalas again featured premium interior appointments, plusher seats, and more chrome trim outside, including a full-width aluminum-and-chrome panel to house the triple-unit taillight assembly. Super Sport (SS) models featured that panel in a special engine-turned aluminum, which was also used to fill the side moldings, making the SS more distinctive in appearance. Due to reliability problems, the optional Turboglide automatic transmission was dicontinued, leaving Powerglide the only autobox available until 1965.
Many consider the 1963 model to be the best in terms of styling, although it was mechanically identical to the '62 in most ways. Crisper styling, with pointy front and rear fenders, emphasized the longer, lower look which was so popular at that time. Impalas again featured a rear taillight panel which was aluminum surrounded by a chrome border, which had the engine-turned surface on SS models. Engine choices was similar to '62, which the small-block 283 and 327 V8s the most popular choices. The Sport Sedan featured a new, creased roofline that proved popular. A new "coved" instrument panel was good-looking, but replaced the temperature gauge with "idiot lights" for hot and cold engine conditions. An optional factory tachometer was built into the dash, just above the steering wheel. It was rarely ordered, but gave the Super Sport models an extra feel of sportiness.
For 1964, the Impala was slightly restyled, reverting to a more rounded, softer look. Out back, the signature taillight assembly had an "upside-down U" shaped aluminum trim strip above the taillights, but the lights themselves were surrounded by a body-colored panel. The 409 returned as the big-block option, but the 4X2 carburetor setup was no longer on the option list. SS models continued to feature the engine-turned aluminum trim. Rooflines were carried over from '63 unchanged.
NS train 181 coasts west along the NS Lafayette District through Philo, IL with C40-9 8792 on the point.
A puny westbound NS 181 autoparts train passes by an eastbound, not so puny, NS 24J baretable train this morning at Clymers, IN. The chip shortage is still affecting the production of automobiles.
256 sprints along at 60MPH on the old Wabash, on a hazy morning. Each little town gives away from open farm fields to grouping of trees that hug the railroad. In just a few days from this photo, these roadrailer's will be put into the history books. A lot said they were a failed way to transport on the railroad, but they lasted for 30 plus years on the NS. Fortunately, I have lots of shots of these over most of those 30 plus years.
Even here, in this old rusted automobile graveyard, there is beauty found beneath the forest canopy during this autumn season. (image 34a8514) Please also visit: www.acadiamagic.com/.
NOTE: All images are Copyrighted by Greg A. Hartford. No rights to use are given or implied to the viewer. All rights of ownership and use remain with the copyright owner.
C&O 489291 is a class B74 boxcar, one of 490 such cars built during 1967 at the B&O's DuBois shops. This unique car was fully repainted in it's as-built garb, likely the result of being repaired/repainted offline, making this a truly unique car.
Ray who was one of the proprietors of Pro Custom Hobbies in MD was also a Chessie official, and he recounted a story to me many years ago where a B&O autoparts car was wrecked on the SP. There was a disagreement between the SP who wanted to repair the car and the B&O who wanted to total the car and be paid it's value. He said eventually the car was repaired by the SP but it was repainted in the no-longer used "boxcar red" scheme that was nowhere near correct. Once the car came back to the Chessie, it was swiftly repainted into the then-current Chessie scheme. Perhaps that is similar to what happened here? Either way, it's a real conversation piece.
Slide taken in December 1984 in St. Louis, no photographer listed. JL Sessa collection.
Hotshot train 256 runs along at 60 MPH on the Springfield-Hannibal District. This is ex Wabash trackage and hosted the final service lane for NS's Triple Crown service. Seen here passing intermediate signal 3994 with relatively clean ES44AC, kicking up dust and pollen.
A recently emancipated SD80MAC leads the #145 autoparts train west on the Wabash line to KC back in 2016.
Driving around Somerville on a dreary day.
Thank you in advance for your views, comments, and faves. They are much appreciated!
I think that is the owner standing back over there because he never walked away. I patiently laid on the ground to photograph this, got in the way and had a little girl ask her Daddy if she could lay down like me.
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Conrail westbound STBN (Sterling, MI-BN Lindenwood Yard in St. Louis autoparts) races through Muncie, IN with 91 cars.
The SD60Fs and SD50Fs were always a welcome sight on the point of any CN train. Here a 60F leads an SD75I with a long train of autoracks and autoparts cars in tow through East Lansing on a sunny evening in October of 2007.
Interested in purchasing a high-quality digital download of this photo, suitable for printing and framing? Let me know and I will add it to my Etsy Shop, MittenRailandMarine! Follow this link to see what images are currently listed for sale: www.etsy.com/shop/MittenRailandMarine
If you are interested in specific locomotives, trains, or freighters, please contact me. I have been photographing trains and ships for over 15 years and have accumulated an extensive library!
We set up shot a little west of the searchlight to shoot the RoadRailer coming through the sag. The goose seemed to think the RoadRailer would be no match in a race. Needless to say, the goose was disappointed with the result.
BNSF ES44AC 6041 leads the NS 255 RoadRailer westbound on the NS Springfield District near Monroe City, Missouri, April 7, 2024.
Here is an old rusted Dodge automobile in a Guilford, Maine auto museum. (image 34a8508) Please also visit: www.acadiamagic.com/.
NOTE: All images are Copyrighted by Greg A. Hartford. No rights to use are given or implied to the viewer. All rights of ownership and use remain with the copyright owner.
Here is a very old Plymouth car sitting in an old auto junk yard during the autumn season. Please also visit: www.acadiamagic.com/.
NOTE: All images are Copyrighted by Greg A. Hartford. No rights to use are given or implied to the viewer. All rights of ownership and use remain with the copyright owner.
Financiarán dos centros de acopio y seis proveedurÃas de autopartes en todo el paÃs t.co/26zx84lhkn #acn (via Twitter twitter.com/AgenciaCN/status/799707816357339136)