The Intricate Detail of NS 9-1-1

NS 9-1-1 on display at Central Union Terminal in Toledo for National Train Day. 2016.

I had seen Norfolk Southern 9-1-1 once before. It was pulling a Safety Express train and fellow Akron Railroad Club member Peter Bowler and I chased it from Bellevue to Bedford.

Since then, the first responders tribute locomotive has been through Northeast Ohio several times, but never when I was able to go trackside.

Some might say that when a locomotive is on display as the NS 9-1-1 was in early May at Toledo National Train Day, it is an artificial environment because the train is not really working.

Maybe so, but such displays enable the photographer to hone in on details you might miss when it zooms past you at track speed.

Although not a heritage unit per se, the 9-1-1 is an honorary member of the heritage locomotive family because it doesn’t look like your run of the mill NS engine.

It’s nose is about as colorful as any locomotive snout gets on any railroad with its bright red accented with white stripes, which creates a striking appearance.

The red is so dominant that it is easy to overlook the fact that most of the unit is actually painted black and the nose and cab have as much white as they do red.

NS 9-1-1 is one of those rare locomotives that also must be seen from the top down as from a bridge in order to truly appreciate the all-encompassing nature of its livery.

Presented here are a series of images showing various facets of the NS 9-1-1, including detail that might otherwise escape a trackside viewer.

Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders

A view from the rear forward nicely shows the detail of the flanks.

Hundreds of images were made of NS 9-1-1 during the Toledo National Train Day festival.

A reminder of who is being honored with this locomotive.

A chance to see the rear of the unit uncovered.

Tags: National Train Day Toledo, Norfolk Southern, NS 9-1-1, NS first responders tribute locomotive, NS SD60Es, SD60Es, Toledo National Train Day