UP OCS to Pass Through NE Ohio Today

After much anticipation the Union Pacific office car special on the former Erie Railroad to Harriman, New York, and back on Sunday.

Akron Railroad Club member Jack Norris said the weather was crazy with rain and clouds, sun and rain. “None of the photo locations I wanted to do were really great for this due to the time of day and weather, so I ended up in WC Tower in Waldwick, New Jersey, for an operators view. Heck, anyone can shoot from a bridge.”

There was a big car show in Waldwick as the train came through. My girlfriend caught the train up near Tuxedo, New York, about a half hour later. Our wet winter and spring has made for some lush greenery.

The train is slated to leave New Jersey today. ARRC Vice President Todd Dillon said the tentative schedule is to leave New Jersey at 5 a.m. from Croxton Yard.

There is a crew called at Conway Yard near Pittsburgh for 4 p.m. and the estimated time at Berea is 8:45 p.m.

But this is the railroad so times are subject to change. If anyone wants to catch this in daylight for certain, you probably should head east to at least Pittsburgh and possibly even further east depending on the train’s progress.

As for why the train went east in the first place, there is speculation that it had to do with the bicentennial celebration of Brown Brothers Harriman Company Bank, which was established in 1818.

Henry Harriman was a UP President and his son, E. Roland Harriman, was a UP chairman years later, thus giving the family a connection to UP history.

The celebration may have been held at the Harriman Mansion in Arden, New York.

Photographs by Jack Norris

UP OCS Came Through at 0 Dark 30

That Union Pacific business train that we talked about at the May Akron Railroad Club meeting did, indeed, pass through Northeast Ohio on Norfolk Southern rails, but under the cover of darkness.

It was reported in Berea at 3:45 a.m. and in Macedonia at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday en route to New Jersey operating as NS symbol 066-30.

The train had originated in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Wednesday and arrived at UP’s Proviso Yard in Chicago about noon.

A report on the Trains magazine website indicated that the OCS had locomotives ES44AH No. 2752 and SD70AH’s Nos. 1943 and 9082 from Council Bluffs to Chicago. No. 2752 was removed at Chicago.

UP had equipped Nos. 1943 and 9082 in Council Bluffs with NS cab signal equipment so that No. 1943, which has a livery honoring the U.S. Armed Forces, could lead on NS rails.

No. 2752 led from Council Bluffs to Chicago because it had UP cab signals.

The OCS is expected to depart Croxton, New Jersey on June 4 to return to Council Bluffs.

NS OCS Passes through NE Ohio

On Wednesday the Norfolk Southern office car special came through Northeast Ohio. I caught it at Alliance. I was about to head home when I heard a report that the Central of New Jersey heritage unit was leading NS train 15V. This train takes the Fort Wayne line at Alliance. I went to Louisville where I got him at the MP94 signals which are still a Pennsylvania Railroad design.

Photographs by Todd Dillon

NS Executive Train Passes Through NE Ohio

This past Tuesday the Norfolk Southern office car special came through northeast Ohio on its way to the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. The railfan community was out in force to document this move.

The top photograph was made in Alliance. The weather wasn’t great so I did mine in black and white. Next is the special at Canton in a photograph made by Michael Punzalan.

The final photograph was made at Lucas by Matt Arnold.

Article by Todd Dillon