At Long Last
If you consider a railroad less than an hour from home to be in the backyard, it's high time I paid a visit to the St. Croix Valley RR. The last time I shot a moving train on this line it was still the BN Amber Sub. I've had the itch to shoot the SCXY since the Geeps got their NP-inspired paintjobs yet never made it up the Scally at the right time. With this past summer's arrival of the SD45-bodied rebuilds I could no longer ignore this gem next door. With the day off I looked forward to trying my luck out here for a couple months hoping the weather and RR would cooperate.
Starting off in North Branch I worked my way north finding the Geeps tied down in Rush City but no sign of the big motors. I figured they may be starting their day in Hinckley and coming south, so kept on following the line north but when I got there found no sign of the train and no cars waiting on the interchange track. The Hinckley Sub was just as quiet as the SCXY so I started to retrace my steps south down the Scally. There had been signs of life around the offices in Rush City, maybe the SDs were hiding out in the engine house, or stashed on a train in one of the few places where you can't see the tracks from old 61.
I hadn't gotten back as far as Pine City before the headlights of the 1325 could be seen penetrating a snow squall. I was in business. The new power didn't disappoint as this classy shortline keeps things pretty spic and span despite it being the dead of winter. Even my daughter, along for the day, was impressed "That's a really nice looking train dad". I couldn't agree more. It would be a fun day of following them up to Hinckley and back. January 19, 2015.
At Long Last
If you consider a railroad less than an hour from home to be in the backyard, it's high time I paid a visit to the St. Croix Valley RR. The last time I shot a moving train on this line it was still the BN Amber Sub. I've had the itch to shoot the SCXY since the Geeps got their NP-inspired paintjobs yet never made it up the Scally at the right time. With this past summer's arrival of the SD45-bodied rebuilds I could no longer ignore this gem next door. With the day off I looked forward to trying my luck out here for a couple months hoping the weather and RR would cooperate.
Starting off in North Branch I worked my way north finding the Geeps tied down in Rush City but no sign of the big motors. I figured they may be starting their day in Hinckley and coming south, so kept on following the line north but when I got there found no sign of the train and no cars waiting on the interchange track. The Hinckley Sub was just as quiet as the SCXY so I started to retrace my steps south down the Scally. There had been signs of life around the offices in Rush City, maybe the SDs were hiding out in the engine house, or stashed on a train in one of the few places where you can't see the tracks from old 61.
I hadn't gotten back as far as Pine City before the headlights of the 1325 could be seen penetrating a snow squall. I was in business. The new power didn't disappoint as this classy shortline keeps things pretty spic and span despite it being the dead of winter. Even my daughter, along for the day, was impressed "That's a really nice looking train dad". I couldn't agree more. It would be a fun day of following them up to Hinckley and back. January 19, 2015.