It Was Just One Messed Up Day

The 8025 on 11V at Hudson, Ohio, on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012.

I read Alex Bruchac’s report on the Norfolk Southern heritage locomotive no shows. That day was one messed up day. I was on duty from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

That afternoon I did some fast figuring on that 11V with the Monongahela unit leading as we were heading to Hudson to spin some stone power.

It seemed like it would be a close meet with us due to all the backed up westbound traffic.

Sure enough, no sooner did we report in the clear on the east leg of the wye at Hudson that a headlight appeared in the east.

I stepped out onto my “office veranda” and grabbed a quick photo. I wasn’t concerned about the 552 since both the Illinois Terminal and Southern heritage locomotives were buried in the consist.

One plan that was considered had the helper power cutting off and attaching to the head end. That would have put the Southern unit in the lead, but that plan was canceled.

The OCS was not “rerouted.” It was scheduled to go via Mansfield and was running ahead of the 11V out of Conway. That 11V with the MGA unit was the first train I’ve shot since returning home from vacation.

As it turned out, the first train I shot as I made my way west on vacation two weeks ago was the NS 205, also with the MGA leading.

Article and Photographs by Roger Durfee

The 8025 on No. 205 at MP 259 on the Chicago Line.

The 8025 at MP 311. Note the older New York Central milepost on the left.

The 8025 at Waterloo, Ind. We gave up the westward chase after taking this photo.

Tags: Norfolk Southern, NS 30th anniversary heritage locomotives, NS 8025, NS Monongahela heritage locomotive, NS Monongahela heritage unit, NS motive power