(Drill the pic for full size)
You’re sitting in CSX’s Frontier Yard, just east of Buffalo at the Sloan town line. This is a popular spot for crews to change. Since crew changes require stopped trains, you can often get very impressive photos. Here, CSX 5386 on the near track is a new unit on it’s first revenue run. It’s headed east, with a load of auto racks. It’s an ES44DC, GE’s newest model. Both it, and the unit trailing it, have 4000 horsepower 12 cylinder Diesel engines. That’s the crew, standing behind that Chevy, getting ready to board.
The unit to the rear of the shot, CSX7734 is on what’s called a trailer van train, sometimes known as a piggyback train , and is the second of two GE C40-8W’s. The C40 is GE’s big model previous to the 44DC, and also develops around 4000 horsepower.
You can imagine the rumble of 16000 horsepower.
The crew changed, the train is underway, in the seemingly effortless task of getting back up to speed. The new units make for a colorful display.
Bright sunny days, displays of power most people only dream about… this was quite the day for us.
Tags: BitsBlog, Railfanning
