Western Pacific Visitor in Northeast Ohio

Early on Wednesday I saw that Union Pacific No. 1983, the Western Pacific heritage unit, was trailing on 14M, which operates from Conway Yard near Pittsburgh to Buffalo, New York.

Word was that it would lead the next day on 15M, a Buffalo-Conway train.

At 11 a.m. on Thursday I confirmed it had passed the North East, Pennsylvania, webcam at 10:51 a.m.

I left the house at 11:15 a.m. for Ashtabula. Just before noon I crossed State Road east of the Ashtabula River trestle.

A clear signal was showing for an eastbound, which I assumed would be 28B (formerly 206). I figured to head for Conneaut.

I scouted the south side of the yard and saw no activity. Based on that, my guess was that 15M would be in the siding east of Woodworth Road and the Conneaut Creek trestle to wait for 28B to pass.

I crossed the tracks east of the yard and my guess was confirmed as fact. I drove down Main Street to cross the former Bessemer & Lake Erie and, sure enough, there was a photo line for the Conneaut Creek trestle photo angle.

I went to the east side of the trestle on Woodworth Road where another group was waiting. Shortly before 12:30 p.m. I heard the 28B and it soon arrived crossing the trestle as in photo 1.

As soon as it passed the switch rolled over and the long-awaited show was ready to begin. Photo 2 at 12:42 p.m. shows UP 1983 coming out of the siding at Woodworth Road. 

Photo 3 shows the crew change just east of the yard at Chestnut Street. Photos 5 and 6 are the train crossing the Youngstown line diamond at 1:36 p.m.

Photo 7 is the backup move to the Youngstown line at 2 p.m. The remaining photos are 15M passing underneath Interstate 90 and passing through Carson yard just after 3 p.m.

Several fans continued the chase, but I was more than satisfied with my results.

Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Misny Made Then Pay

On Wednesday NS train 14N had the Katy, and Savannah & Atlanta heritage units, and the Union Pacific Pink Ribbon unit. It came through Cleveland in late evening and we had storms in the afternoon as well. I went west to Vermillion in order to catch it in daylight which I did but the photos were okay but not great.

I chased it to Brook Park across from Cleveland Hopkins Airport and caught it a second time just before sunset.  A Tim Misney “makes them pay” billboard was there and I framed it into the photo.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon

It Just Might Be My Photo of the Year

Over the years I’ve seen excellent photos at this location on Erie Street in Willoughby. It appears in one of the Morning Sun books featuring the photography of the late Dave McKay. I’m sure he had several shots at this spot.

I’m pretty sure others have had good luck here as did Roger Durfee. I’m hoping this entree will allow me entry into the club of great photos. My entree is of the Denver & Rio Grande Western heritage unit of Union Pacific on Norfolk Southern eastbound intermodal train 206 on Monday at 11:22 a.m.

Article and Photograph by Edward Ribinskas

Return of a Familiar Lashup

Norfolk Southern intermodal train 206 on Saturday had an attractive leader. It was the Denver & Rio Grande heritage unit making another appearance in Northeast Ohio. Union Pacific No. 1998 came past Madison Avenue in Painesville at 12:16 p.m. Later in the afternoon CSX intermodal train Q010 had No. 1776, the Spirit of Our Armed Forces, in its motive power consist although it was trailing.

Photograph by Edward Ribinskas

Some D&RGW Came to Me

I had planned a visit to Colorado last summer that would have been to Denver & Rio Grande Western territory. That got scrubbed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I still felt uneasy this year about making that trip.

Then on Tuesday the D&RGW heritage unit of Union Pacific passed through Painesville on the point of Norfolk Southern train 206.

Here is my catch passing over the Grand River at 11:45 a.m.

The same locomotive came back west Friday morning on the point of NS 205. A week earlier, the UP’s Missouri Pacific heritage unit led NS trains 22K and 23K through Northeast Ohio.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

2 For Tuesday Heritage Units in Alliance

It is not common to see Union Pacific heritage locomotives in Northeast Ohio.

Of course Norfolk Southern heritage units are regular visitors to the region given that it is served by one of the railroad’s busiest main lines.

But to get two heritage locomotives of different railroads in the same place on the same day is quite a feat.

In the top image, the Norfolk Southern H unit of NS is shown headed westbound through Alliance on Nov. 16, 2015.

On that same day another NS westbound had the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (a.k.a. as the Katy) heritage locomotive in the motive power consist.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

A Good Catch Even Though Its Not the Big Boy

On the evening of Monday, Aug. 12, I saw on HeritageUnits.com that the Union Pacific 1995 was leading K602 on CSX through Garrett, Indiana, and and Deshler, Ohio.

Not knowing if it would continue on the former Baltimore & Ohio or come up the Big Four to head east by me on the former New York Central, I went to bed hoping for positive news in the morning.

On Tuesday, Aug. 13, UP 1995 was reported by Berea at 8:22 a.m. Then silence. I went about household chores then checked HU at 1:30 p.m. and two minutes earlier it had been reported at Willoughby.

I grabbed my camera and headed to my spot in Perry where I was able to get it.

Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Katy Red 37 Years Apart

Missouri-Kansas-Texas No. 106 in Kansas City, Kan., in July 1978.

Union Pacific’s MKT heritage locomotive at Vermilion, Ohio, last week.

NS 7629 was added to the motive power consist so that the train had a leader with cab signal capability on the Cleveland Line. The unit was added at Vermilion.

I was able to catch Union Pacific No. 1988, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas heritage unit last week after it had stopped to add a cab signal leader.

I never would have thought that back in July 1978 on a trip to Kansas City that I would be seeing a tribute to Miss Katy sitting in front of me in Ohio in 2015.

In 1978 I was just happy to catch a few units still in the older red scheme as the “John Deere” green and yellow had pretty much covered most of the MKT roster.

Ten years after making my original photo, the MKT was merged into the UP and Armour yellow or the cutting torch ended seeing any more Katy

Then the UP Heritage program happened. Although not faithful to the original scheme, I’ll take it. The two tone reds and the large The Katy lettering added a splash of color to an otherwise dull day.

Historical correctness aside, we railfans have had it pretty nice out here with all the nods to railroad history, both by the UP, my company (Norfolk Southern) and other carriers. It is truly a golden age for these kinds of tributes.

Article and Photographs by Roger Durfee

UP Heritage Unit Action in NE Ohio on Sunday

UP 1996 leads a westbound CSX train into Wellington on Sunday where it had to set off a car.

On Sunday the Southern Pacific heritage unit of Union Pacific led a CSX westbound empty hopper train.

I had to work that day, but after getting word that it had just passed Berea at 1:30 p.m. I figured there was a slim chance I could catch it near Greenwich or Willard.

As it turned out the defect detector at LaGrange nailed a car and it had to be set out. I first intercepted the UP 1996 at Wellington as it was pulling up to make the set out.

It was still overcast then but I did like the shot by the old mill.

I then went to Greenwich to wait on it with hopes of more sun down there. Just as Q352 cleared at GN Tower the 1996 came around the corner, but the clouds didn’t clear.

Two more locations did yield some sun though, Boughtonville and Peru Center.

Article and Photographs by Roger Durfee

Passing GN Tower in Greenwich.

Coming around the curve in Boughtonville.

Close up at Peru Center.

Also at Peru Center.

SP Heritage Unit Does the Mon Valley

On Friday night the Southern Pacific heritage locomotive of Union Pacific came through Cleveland. Saturday morning found it sitting at Shire Oaks, Pa., waiting to take its train to Bailey Mine.

We burned rubber to Pittsburgh and looked for the NS Interstate heritage unit which was reportedly sitting at Conway.

Not finding anything there, we continued to Shire Oaks. At the south end of the yard was the SP heritage unit trailing a four-unit consist.

After an hour, he was rolling south to Bailey Mine with NS train N22. After getting some decent sunlight shots we proceeded to West Brownsville. A northbound CSX train then a southbound NS went through before our train showed up.

No less than three cars cut in front of the train on the street running trackage there, with one of them cutting it very close. We chased further south, catching him again at Clarksville in some sweet light. We caught him once again before the light started to give out and we headed for home.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon