Wheeling Stone Train on CSX

Wheeling & Lake SD40-2 No. 6995 and its train of stone tool along westbound on the CSX New Castle Subdivision in Akron on July 10, 2021.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Another Wheeling 2 for Tuesday

Here are a pair of Wheeling & Lake Erie locomotives that each feature a touch of another railroad.

In the top image SD40-2 No. 6316 still wears is Wisconsin Central livery as it helps pull a westbound in Navarre on September 5, 2016.

In the bottom photo, GP35-3 No. 107 pays tribute to the Akron, Canton & Youngstown. It is shown in Canton on Nov. 4, 2011.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

So Who Was Bo Bo?

Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-2 No. 4003 is noteworthy for two reasons.

It was the first W&LE locomotive to be repainted into the railroad’s orange and black livery.

However, that livery had a slight variation from what became the standard. It had a different font for lettering, and its pilots and the area round the front number boards were black.

No. 4003 was repainted in 2002 to match the rest of the motive power fleet.

As for the name BoBo that appears on the short hood, it’s not clear who that is but it’s probably a W&LE employee or former employee.

In the top image No. 4002 is shown at Navarre on March 9, 2016.

The bottom image shows No. 4003 in January 2001 in Hartland Yard in its original W&LE livery.

Top Photograph by Robert Farkas

Working With What You Have

There are days when the forces are working against you. The light isn’t great. The train traffic is minimal or, worse, non existent.

Bob Farkas found himself having one of those days during a recent outing.

He didn’t have great light, with only enough side lighting from the back to provide illumination.

But this was the only train that he could photograph on this particular morning.

So here is Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-2 still wearing a FURX livery leading a westbound train.

Photograph by Robert Farkas