View allAll Photos Tagged FEC716,
On a sunny Winter afternoon, FEC 210 passes through St Augustine in a scene that has Florida written all over it.
The heavily overcast skies above North Miami didn’t make seem like it was 07:46 on the morning of June 18, 2021, yet the trains along the Florida East Coast mainline seemed to indicate it was. With Brightline service still suspended at the time, freight ruled the rails (as it should).
FEC 335-18, the weekday southbound limerock shuttle between CEMEX’s City Point Plant and the Medley Rinker Mine, shoots south through the MP 357.4 intermediate signals with 154 empty rock hoppers headed for Medley Yard. At the time, FEC SD40-2s were guaranteed power for the Cocoa limerock trains; that’s not to say they aren’t used on the trains these days, as they usually are… #FEC716, one of the railroads three active former Union Pacific “Snoot” SD40-2’s, leads another sister EMD and the empties south on the West Main down the light grade through town.
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North Miami, FL
FEC Mainline
Date: 06/18/2021 | 07:46
ID: FEC 335-18
Type: Empty Rock/IM
Direction: Southbound
Car Count: 154
1. FEC SD40-2 #716
2. FEC SD40-2 #713
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© Vicente Alonso 2021
On the last leg of the run north, 226 has a matched pair of former UP SD40-2s for power on a dreary winter morning as they zip past the searchlights at North Bayard. FEC did a nice job of tastefully patching these units, but still I never considered these to be a major attraction while they were the only big power on the railroad. Now the ones that are currently painted in the classic FEC scheme, that's a different story!
For as successful as the long trip to the FEC over the 4th of July was, there were still a couple of summer shots didn't get a chance to check off during it so in mid-August made a little quick weekend trip back south. Starting off on a flawless Saturday morning, 204 with a usual pair of vintage EMDs zips across the Tomoka River at Ormond Beach.
Easing by the tidal marsh at St. Augustine, a sharp-looking retro paint SD40-2 leads manifest 204 north towards Jacksonville. Off to the left in the background are the former FEC general office buildings, now part of Flagler College.
Shear dumb luck will due any day in my book, and with a little patience (which is not my strong suit) FEC 117 departs Bowden Yard, Jacksonville southbound behind a, what I am told is, rare trio of EMDs.
204's nice pair of vintage EMDs wakes up some seagulls as they ease along the marsh at St. Augustine. Once they clear the slow curves through town, it will be a quick run north the rest of the way to Bowden Yard in Jacksonville.
Tim Squires told me prior to this day about 4 Florida East Coast Railway locomotives leading this train the following day. They look a little lost here as 708, 720, 713LHF & 716 are seen leading a fairly short train of Florida Rock hoppers. It's amazing to see these locomotives SOMEWHERE but as I myself live near the SFRC & FEC, best of both world are here as opportunities are endless.
Southbound with a CITX SD70M-2 leading a FEC SD40-2. The days of the Florida East Coast being an all EMD railroad is numbered as they have GEVO's on order from GE.
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!
Photograph © copyright 2014 photo2c aka Eric Johnson All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use Prohibited!