Once the poor old 153 limped out of the way, NS 901 blasts off toward Atlanta. The geometry train was powered by ex. BN SD40-2 #3531 leading NS 36 and NS 32.

We are back in the Allegheny Mountains with what is our last major event of the trip: the WNY&P Driftwood Turn.

WNYP #638 ducks under the old North Eldred control point just short of the NY/PA border with five cars for Port Allegany. After that mission is complete, all three engines will return to Olean.

The former Buffalo Line was once a grand collection of first generation PRR CTC signals in its entirety between Harrisburg and Buffalo. West of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the CTC has been cut off, and the remaining active portions are undergoing PTC modernization.

CSX W225, a loaded coke train, departs Brewer Yard in Danville, Il. on its way south. The SD40-2 had been leading until the SD40-3 crapped out, thus the added the Gevo. Dangit.

Waiting to make their final shove before swapping out with a Yazoo Subdivision crew, A489 works Jackson's Mill Street Yard on the former IC mainline in Mississippi.

CSX Y122 is returning to North Yard by coming south from Bowen. The train will pull south at Junta tower before shoving up the inbound over the switching block into North Yard.

In addition to sending northbound trains in the morning, UP sends southbounds in the afternoon. There are a few spots where I can get side lighting in small doses, and this is one, at the north switch at Dougren, a little south of Springfield, Oregon. GEVO UP 8172 leads a southbound manifest past the siding.

NS GP60 #7130 leads a cut of coil loads that will become B09's train south past the old Inland Steel office at the East Chicago Works.

Meg is a stand-up comedian and a screen writer, founder of Foster the Laugh, 501c 3 non profit producing stand up comedy shows with proceeds benefitting kids in Foster Care. Franky is her dog, a sweet sweet boy

Brand new BNSF 7040, an ES44C4, leads all new engines eastt at Silverwood. This is the last control poimt (CP) before reaching Cajon Summit.

Rolling Prairie, Indiana

With the Autumnal Equinox only 2 days away, the sunset is nearly full west as #145 splits the Safetrans signals protecting the control point at Bates.

The D31 local is tucked away on the east end of the Pass awaiting #145's arrival and marking the end of a 5 train eastbound parade.

NS 7571

UP 5029

You may argue it should be "Mona Lisa."

Problem is, I am a native Italian speaker. And I know that, in Venetian dialect, "mona" means "jerk."

Having finished switching Commercial Metals located off the CP here at Tower 71, UP 701 starts heading south to Tower 26 to turn east back towards Settegast Yard.

This job is one of the few that runs its train with split power. Another GP38 can be seen at the other end of the train.

YHO50R 20

UP GP38-2 #701

UP GP38-2 #538

Houston, TX

April 20th, 2021

I was bitten, scratched and climbed on. It was worth it!

At the north switch of the Alford siding between Harrisburg and Halsey, Oregon. The signal indicates Amtrak 11 is on the way and will soon pass on the way south, but the light was gone by then.

You tell me

METX MP36PH #425 was recently painted into Rock Island colors (insert McDonald's reference here) to commemorate Metra CEO Don Orseno, a Rock Island veteran. Here it is on a weekend inbound past CP Pershing; I missed out the opportunity to get Root Street Tower in the shot, maybe next time.

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.

Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."

Groucho Marx

Bright overcast September day, perfect for a walk around Shirlington, VA

Northbound Amtrak #392 is about to take the clear signal at south Tolono.

February 29th, 2020

Minolta Rokkor X 50mm F1.7

With golden evening light shining upon it, this rust-covered CPL at North Ottawa still continues to stand guard day and night for trains on CSX's Toledo Sub.

On the B&O's unique signaling system, the upper center and upper left lamps allow the signal to display Clear and Approach Medium, respectively.

Ottawa, OH

January 16th, 2022

And I'm okay with that. SE Swan Lake is not in the big city, it's not even small town really. But the siding here is in service as CN L53671 gets back under way after meeting C703 on its way back north for more coal.

IC 9561, a GP40-2, has no trouble getting the small train back under way. Since this picture was taken both the signals and the crossings have received update equipment.

CSX train Q380 ducks under the Conrail Youngstown Line and is about to enter single track on the ex P&LE at CP40 in Wampum, PA on January 16, 1994.

CN road freight A489 comes through the Northend of Braxton siding on the Beaumont Subdivision sporting a rather high high horsepower to tonnage ratio. Not to mention a interesting crew.

M403. Ridgefield Park, NJ.

But the remote helps...

The close proximity of control points at the Tower 26 interlocking can lead to some up-close and personal views of signal sequences that would normally be miles apart.

Here, an eastbound train has an "Approach Diverging" across the diamonds and then a "Diverging Approach" to cross over from Main 2 to Main 1 at Carr St Jct in the distance. This is on UP's Houston Sub just north of Downtown.

Houston, TX

November 23rd, 2021

Check it on Black!