Colorful NS Motive Power Duo

It wasn’t an all heritage locomotives consist, but Norfolk Southern train 64T had an unusual motive power consist when it passed through Northeast Ohio during the morning hours of Monday, Sept. 12.

Leading the train was the Erie Railroad heritage locomotive while the tailing unit was the DC to AC conversion No. 4000.

The same duo had led the train or tank cars westbound through the region last Saturday, but that was during early morning hours and NS 4000 had been leading.

Reports on HeritageUnits.com indicated that on Monday the 64T was reported at Alliance at 11:06 a.m.

No reports were made for the time that train passed through Cleveland.

Rich Thompson was able to get to Hines Hill Road near Macedonia to capture the 64T as it made its way east on the NS Cleveland Line.

Photographs by Richard Thompson

That Erie H Unit, DC-AC 4000 Conversion Unit Combination Made a Grand Sight in Pennsylvania

You mentioned on the Akron Railroad Club blog the Erie Heritage unit of Norfolk Southern and DC to AC conversion unit No. 4000. My girlfriend caught the two together on Sunday. An engine train must have made a power swap between you and Cresson, Pennsylvania. The ethanol train you photographed was now being led by the Erie unit with the 4000 trailing.

Article by Jack Norris, Photographs by Starlene Van Dunk

Seeing Blue in Northeast Ohio

On Monday, Aug. 22, Norfolk Southern DC to AC conversion locomotive No. 4000 made what is believed to have been its first visit to Northeast Ohio.

DC to AC conversion No. 4001 was in Ohio back in April leading a train to Bellevue on the Sandusky District on a day that featured heavy snow.

Nos. 4000 and 4001 have been paired at times, but of late seem to be working independently. They are the only conversion locomotives to thus far receive the blue nose treatment.

Railfans and their cameras were out in force as No. 4000 led manifest freight 11K on its journey from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Elkhart, Indiana.

Although numerous images of the 11K have been posted in various places online, here is what I was able to get in Bedford.

Photographs by Craig Sanders

 

An NS ‘Blues Brother’ Does N.E. Ohio

One of the “Blues Brothers” led Norfolk Southern train 11K through town on Monday afternoon.

AC44C6M No. 4000 looks sharp in the blue nose scheme. It’s one of only two painted this way (hence the Blues Brothers moniker).

The top photo shows No. 4000 rounding the curve near the Route 82 bridge in Macedonia. The middle image is a roster grab while the bottom image shows No. 4000 sitting at Milepost 101 waiting for eastbound traffic to clear around a single track work zone.

Article and Photographs by Roger Durfee

Be Watching for a Blue Nose NS Locomotive

If you see an approaching Norfolk Southern train and the lead unit appears to have a blue nose, there is nothing wrong with your eyes.

NS recently released two DC to AC conversion locomotives and both are painted in a blue and gray livery.

Nos. 4000 and 4001 wear a special paint scheme that is designed to designate the units as prototypes for the DC to AC conversion program.

Both units were built by GE in 1995 as standard-cab D9-40Cs, NS Nos. 8799 and 8879, respectively.

While being rebuilt this year, the locomotives were converted to AC traction, received wide cabs, and were re-designated as AC44C6Ms.

Both are slated to enter revenue service soon and will be available for duty anywhere in the NS system.