Ohio Trains Summer 1989-Winter 1990 (mostly Marion and Toledo) Railroad Media Archive 2026-09-25 | Ohio Trains Summer 1989-Winter 1990 (mostly Marion and Toledo)
CSX OCS Short Chase Railroad Media Archive 2023-03-17 | 3/15/2023: CSX ran an OCS (office car special) with officials onboard to and from Chicago via Fostoria-Toledo-Grand Rapids. These scenes are at Deshler and Lemoyne (just south of Walbridge yard outside of Toledo) in Ohio, and Carleton, Michigan.
Trains of Indiana Summer 1999 Railroad Media Archive 2023-03-13 | Frequently seen locations in this video include Alexandria, Marion, Wabash, and Muncie, along with a side trip to Waynoka and Curtis Hill in Oklahoma. Enjoy the colorful post-Conrail split colorful lashups. These videos were taken with a Mini DV Canon GL1 (or similar) and copied to VHS. There are a bunch of in-camera effects that I have nothing to do with. ---Locations---0:00 - Alexandria4:11 - Muncie10:55 - Alexandria14:55 - Marion20:11 - Alexandria22:03 - Marion37:28 - Alexandria40:00 - Not sure. Possibly around Wabash?43:03 - Wabash44:09 - Marion46:08 - Alexandria49:39 - Not sure. Somewhere on the Marion Branch.51:48 - Alexandria1:01:16 - Marion1:03:59 - Wabash1:06:56 - Marion1:09:11 - Alexandria1:12:46 - Waynoka, Oklahoma1:14:56 - Curtis Hill area1:19:47 - Marion1:27:21 - Definitely somewhere on the Marion Branch.1:28:22 - Wabash1:31:10 - I think this is Marion.1:34:55 - Not sure.1:36:08 - Wabash1:38:04 - Marion1:53:08 - Alexandria
NJ Transit Radio Audio Hoboken to Port Jervis (June 18th, 2017) Railroad Media Archive 2023-03-08 | Radio audio aboard Metro-North Train 45 from Hoboken to Port Jervis in 2017. There's some Conrail stuff heard at the beginning because the Oak Island hump channel is the same frequency as the Port Jervis line beyond Suffern, and I accidentally had the Conrail road channel unlocked on my radio as well. The image is a train on the impressive Moodna Viaduct in Salisbury Mills, NY.Creative Commons image link: commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moodna_Viaduct_Wikivoyage_banner_small.jpg
Radio Audio Aboard Amtrak Northeast Regional New York to Washington & Return (June 12, 2017) Railroad Media Archive 2023-03-07 | PayPal.me link: paypal.me/railroadmediaarchive?country.x=US&locale.x=en_USRadio audio aboard my only trip on the NEC, a day trip from NYP to Washington and return on trains 141 and 148. Also included is some NJ Transit radio at the beginning. The two remaining interlocking towers heard in this recording: Dock in Newark, and K in Washington, D.C. have since closed.Creative commons image used as overlay: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Regional#/media/File:Northeast_Regional_152_(12384532733).jpg
RK Silent 8mm Movies in the Northeast (1984-85) Railroad Media Archive 2023-01-26 | PayPal.me link: paypal.me/railroadmediaarchiveI don't know who took these other than their initials are "RK", and that they were still shooting silent standard 8mm movies in the mid 1980s. I converted the tape to the 18fps of Super 8mm film and the speed still looked off. The standard 8mm framerate of 16fps looked more natural. These films were copied to Hi8 tape in the 1990s I suspect with a Tobin transfer unit.These were mostly taken around Harrisburg, Allentown, Alexandria and Manassas, Virginia, and Potomac Yard. The excursion with 611 on the Southern W-Line was in 1984. The 2102 excursion from Harrisburg to Bethlehem, PA might have been 1985 (could use some clarification). Yes, this video is only 480p. Films copied to tape have a much lower quality ceiling and would have looked terrible upscaled further.
Conrail Local Freight Ride Northeast Ohio 1992 Railroad Media Archive 2023-01-15 | This is a DVD I bought on eBay many years ago simply labeled "Conrail Cab Ride N.E. Ohio 1992". I did not take this, that is not me in the video. I do not know who took this or who appears in the video. Honestly, the tape was digitized below my standards, but it's a neat ride showing much of the former Erie main toward the end of Conrail's ownership of some of this trackage.This is a ride on Conrail local WILO-01 (I think) from Kent on the former Erie-Lackawanna west through Ravenna, Leavittsburg, then Warren. At WAR (formerly the location of North Warren tower) they head south on the former PRR PY&A branch down to Niles where they appear to pick up some steel coils, head back north to Warren and this time head east on the former Erie main (the one-time 2nd subdivision) and the photographer gets off at Cortland. I am guessing on the local symbol. A Conrail freight schedule from this era showed WILO-01 as Lordstown to Kent and return, but said nothing about them going to Cortland (and likely Latimer and the Youngstown Line). The Erie main through Kent and Ravenna was sold to the Wheeling & Lake Erie in 1994. The line further east through Windham to Leavittsburg was abandoned, but the rails remain in place in many areas. The PY&A from Niles to Warren plus the Erie out to Leavittsburg was sold Ohio Central in 1996, and its subsidiary Youngstown Belt runs on it to the present day (at least around Warren and Niles...out to Leavittsburg appears to not be used). The Erie out through Cortland to Latimer stayed Conrail and NS past 1999 and is still technically NS, but as far as I'm aware hasn't seen service since a steel mill in Warren shut down in 2013. Conrail and later NS brought coke down from Ashtabula for the mill. Last I knew NS was storing cars on it. As an aside the old signals east and west of Warren on the Erie ("SB" and "MK", respectively) are still standing in 2023.---Locations---0:00 - Kent.4:52 - Starting east through the remnant of Kent yard and crossing over the CSX New Castle Sub (one time B&O main).13:07 - Crossing over the Conrail Cleveland Line and former PRR Brady tower (still standing in 2023).The next 25 minutes or so are spent switching industries in Ravenna.51:00 - Windham.57:53 - Leavittsburg a.k.a. SN...where the line to Cleveland through Youngstown used to connect (the 1st subdivision). The parallel line to the right is CSX Newton Falls Sub (rails now gone).1:01:40 - Home signal for CP-SB (signal and cantilever still stand in 2023).1:03:18 - Warren.1:07:21 - Crossing the one-time B&O Fairport Branch (crossing was also called North Warren). 1:10:20 - Going around the connection to the PY&A to head to Niles.1:13:02 - Going under the B&O Fairport Branch, then the Erie 1st Sub, followed by the Newton Falls Sub.1:20:24 - Coming into the "yard" at Niles, grabbing cars and heading back the same way.1:29:00 - Back at WAR and turning east on the former Erie 2nd Sub.1:30:37 - Ducking under the signals and cantilever of one-time CP-MK. (Both still remain in 2023).1:41:59 - Cortland.
Conrail Boston Line West End (May 1999) Railroad Media Archive 2023-01-12 | This video starts out at Becket with PWSE and FRSE, then both trains again at East Chatham, followed by SEPW starting out of the double track at CP 171. The pond scene is just east of State Line Tunnel along Route 22. SEPW is seen again at Chester. The next train with the quartet of big GEs wasn't identified, but I believe the location was the detector at Becket, followed by "downtown" Huntington.
Cleveland Transit System Rapid Transit And More (60s-70s) Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-20 | Cleveland Red Line and Shaker Heights Line (silent) films taken from the 50s until the late 70s past the renaming of the system from CTS (Cleveland Transit System) to RTA in 1975. In addition there are some New York Central and Nickel Plate passenger train runbys. 0:00 - Triskett0:44 - E 34th St.1:04 - E 55th St.4:21 - Somewhere near E 55th St.5:41 - Somewhere near University Circle where the Red Line, NKP and C.U.T./NYC all parallel.7:29 - Now onto the Shaker Heights Line. At the loop and the end of the Van Aiken Line.8:32 - Starting into the cut just east of Shaker Square.9:05 - I think this is the Lee Rd. station on the Green Road line. That's the only place where there's a curve like that.9:41 - Warrensville Loop (the end of the Green Line).10:35 - Back at the Lee Road curve.11:55 - Coventry station (obviously).12:58 - Shaker Square.14:32 - Going over the PRR (now NS's Cleveland Line) along McCurdy Ave.16:07 - Cut by St. Luke's Hospital.21:02 - Back in the spaghetti bowl of trackage just east of C.U.T.23:28 - NKP freights somewhere. 24:21 - NYC trains at the west of Berea.25:22 - Some kind of a fan trip/group outing along the Shaker Heights Lines in the late 70s during the CTS-RTA transition period. All the locations were previously seen.36:31 - Red Line "Airporter" cars at Puritas station.
Cleveland Streetcar and Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (Circa 1950) Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-15 | These films were on a VHS tape I've had in my collection for almost 30 years, and I've always wanted to know a.) Who filmed these (obviously it's the person narrating the tape), and b.) Do/Did they have more? Films of Cleveland's streetcar system are kind of rare. The last route was the #19 line (Public Square to Riverside Dr. in Lakewood via. Detroit Ave.-W 65th St.-Madison Ave.) whose last run was in January 1954.The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (now RTA's Blue/Green Lines) have been in operation in some form or another since 1913. Some of the PCC cars ran into the 1980s, and the Breda cars that replaced them are still running today.It's pretty obvious the narrator simply pointed a camera at a screen and ran the films on a projector while narrating, so the quality really isn't the best, but the films and his commentary are priceless.More info on Cleveland streetcars can be found here. http://www.tundria.com/trams/USA/Cleveland-1946.php
Conrail Around Palmer and Worcester Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-14 | Continuing the series on the Boston Line, here is video from around Palmer and Worcester. Unlike most of this collection the exact date is known: Tuesday, May 11th, 1999.
Trains at the Springfield Massachusetts Depot (Conrail/Amtrak/CSOR) Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-12 | Spring 1999.
Conrail Boston Line State Line Tunnel to Springfield Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-11 | Early spring 1999 in the Berkshires. It's interesting to note as you went further up in elevation the trees were barely budding, yet down lower trees were fully leaved. The tape in the camera ended on the train at the end with the big GEs switching at Springfield. The rest of that sequence will be in the next video.
Short Video of Clevelands RTA Rapid Transit Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-10 | I took advantage of a nice day off to get some video of Cleveland's RTA rapid transit lines. The red line scenes are along the Red Line Greenway trail in the vicinity of Fulton Rd and crossing under the NS B Line (former NKP main), then the impressive bridge over the Cuyahoga River and the Flats that was formerly C.U.T.'s approach to Tower City. The Shaker Heights Line scenes are at the Lynnfield and Warrensville stations. I will definitely have more on Cleveland's RTA rapid transit lines in the future.
Marion Ohio AC Tower Preservation Dedication (2000) Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-09 | For something a little different but still historically important, here is footage of the steps being installed at Marion, Ohio's AC Tower on January 14, 2000, followed by the official tower preservation ceremony inside the station and the official ribbon cutting of the moved interlocking tower on January 18th (the 5th anniversary of the tower's closure by Conrail). When Conrail announced the tower's closure late in 1994 they agreed to donate the tower to MUSA (Marion Union Station Association) on the condition the tower be moved off of railroad property. The funds for its movement were raised by railfans from all over the U.S. and Canada to the sum of approximately $45,000, and the move was completed in November 1999.The audio of the presentation isn't the best since there was no microphone other than the one on the camera. Speakers in order of appearance:MUSA President Charlie DunnMarion Area Chamber of Commerce President Pam HallMarion Mayor Jack KelloggKevin P. Keefe and Rob McGonigal from Kalmbach Publishing (TRAINS and Classic TRAINS magazines)Kevin and Rob presented MUSA with TRAINS Magazine's first preservation award of $10,000.
Northeast Ohio Miscellaneous NS/CSX/WLE Oct-Nov 2022 Railroad Media Archive 2022-12-04 | Videos from random daily outings in October and November of 2022 in and around Cleveland. 0:00 - NS in downtown Cleveland across from the Amtrak station and unused RTA North Coast Station. 3:36 - NS westbound at Huron.4:28 - Sequence at the River Road crossing in Vermilion.7:42 - Wheeling train #224 just east of Norwalk near the summit of Hartland hill.9:41 - FRA inspection train crossing Tiedeman Road in Brooklyn.9:55 - Sequence at Marcy Trestle in Cuyahoga Heights.17:23 - NS #315 coming off the Black River drawbridge in Lorain.19:19 - Sequence at Old Middle Ridge Road in Amherst.24:36 - Sequence at Grafton where the CSX Greenwich and CL&W Subdivisions intersect. The persevered tower is the last pure Big 4 tower-on-stilts in existence. Unfortunately, for the first train I couldn't get to the sunny side of the tracks quickly enough. The local seen coming south runs between Lester and Elyria. 27:24 - NS westbound at "Shawville" (where Route 83 crosses the Chicago Line near North Ridgeville).29:02 - NS #171 at Orrville crossing under the Wheeling.
Conrail Chicago Line Millbury to Amherst Railroad Media Archive 2022-11-29 | Second try at uploading this. For some reason my original lossless AVI upload was stuck in YouTube's "processing will begin shortly" stage. Anyway, dawn patrol at Millbury; followed by Clay Center, Graytown, Port Clinton, and Amherst in I'd say early spring 1999. The overpass that was the vantage point at Amherst has since been removed.
West End Willard Yard July 2000 Railroad Media Archive 2022-11-28 | 7/22/2000: Action from the then-new overpass at the west end of Willard Yard where J Tower used to be.
DMIR/CNW/GBW 1983 Remastered Railroad Media Archive 2022-11-23 | The 1983 Missabe and ALCOland films from that I already posted with the framerate corrected and some crude color work done.
Wheeling Passenger Car Ferry Move (And More) Railroad Media Archive 2022-11-22 | 11/21/2022: Wheeling & Lake Erie ferried passenger cars from Lima to Spencer, Ohio over CF&E's Ft. Wayne Line and CSX's Indianapolis Line for use in their annual employee appreciation specials during the holiday season. Some of the cars were borrowed from the Cincinnati Railroad Club. I'm not sure about the others.Locations are (in order): Bucyrus, North Robinson, and Crestline, plus a bonus Wheeling freight between Creston and Smithville. W&LE used their usual Brewster to Lima crew for this train, so I assumed (incorrectly as it turned out) that they were headed for Brewster. It's actually a faster drive from Crestline to areas west of Brewster rather than following the train on CSX from Crestline to New London, thence to Spencer, etc. It wasn't until I was near Orrville that I found out they had dropped the coaches off at Spencer and the power went to Hartland Yard (near Norwalk).
Morris & Essex Line Cab Ride Hoboken to Dover, NJ 1979 (Silent) Railroad Media Archive 2022-11-04 | Climb aboard U34CH #4161 for a head-end ride on train #959 from Hoboken to Dover. I only know this was taken in 1979. From the lack of foliage on the trees I would say this was winter or very early spring. This was taken by former Erie-Lackawanna (and at the time Conrail) tower operator Phil Albano, Jr., who was tracing the former Erie-Lackawanna mainline from his native Ohio. I was privileged to have digitized his several reels of silent Super 8mm films from the late 70s and early 80s using a RetroScan HD to scan the movies with some additional (visual) clean-up in Avisynth. In time, those will be uploaded to YouTube as well.Back then it was a little easier for railfans and employees to get in places they ordinarily wouldn't, and I'm guessing working for the railroad got you a "pass" to ride on the head end of a commuter train (I think it was a weekend).Since all of the trackage this video was taken on still exists, this is a nice time capsule to show the former DL&W mainline during the transition between Erie-Lackawanna, Conrail, and NJ Transit. The only major things I can think of that are gone today are the terminal tower at Hoboken that was replaced with a modern brick structure in the early 1980s, and the station at Denville that was torn down on Halloween 1992. In addition, this pre-dates the Meadows Maintenance Complex and the connections to the Northeast Corridor at Karney Jct by almost two decades.
Conrail Boston Line - Framingham, Palmer and Warren (Winter 1999) Railroad Media Archive 2022-10-29 | ...
Conrail Laporte to Elkhart Indiana (Winter 1999) Railroad Media Archive 2022-10-21 | Laporte, South Bend, Elkhart and Waterloo during Conrail final winter in 1999.
Conrails Final Month: Goshen and Ligonier, Indiana Railroad Media Archive 2022-10-04 | This a continuation of the last video showing the nearly constant parade of trains on Conrail's Chicago Line in May of 1999 in Goshen and around Ligonier. The vantage point at CP 395 is the abutment of a former road bridge that is now off-limits.
Conrail In Its Final Month Around Elkhart Indiana Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-28 | The first scene is an eastbound at Smilax Rd. between New Carlisle and Lydick, followed by a couple trains at CP 426, the west end of Elkhart yard. The next few scenes are at Elkhart by the depot. The conclusion is at Goshen, with a local working a plastics place, plus a couple of eastbounds on the mainline. These were taken late in May of 1999, just days/weeks before Conrail was split between NS and CSX.
Conrail Maumee, Port Clinton and Danbury Bridges in 1998 Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-21 | Visits to the three moveable bridges on Conrail's (now NS) Chicago Line in Ohio between Cleveland and Toledo. These scenes were taken around Halloween 1998 with permission of the respective operators/bridge tenders. Today, the Port Clinton and Danbury bridges are controlled remotely by the Maumee bridge tender.
Conrail Cleveland East and West Sides (May 1999) Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-18 | Conrail around Cleveland a few days before the split on June 1, 1999.0:00 - NS #145 and Conrail ML-403 at E 305th St. in Wickliffe3:57 - NLSE and ML-480Y (with NS power) departing Collinwood Yard at CP-171. Viewed from driveway off St. Clair Ave. 10:10 - Eastbound van train race at by the Olmsted Falls depot.
Marion March 8 1999 Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-15 | Re-edited version of Marion, Ohio Conrail and CSX trains during a developing snow storm on March 8, 1999.
Conrail Around Whiting Indiana (May 1999) Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-08 | Conrail and Amtrak running like streetcars at the Whiting/Hammond Amtrak station then South Chicago Crossing (I've also seen this location referred to as Rock Island Crossing), where Chicago Short Line (n.k.a. South Chicago & Indiana Harbor) and Belt Railway of Chicago connect. The final shot with the Santa Fe powered freight was adjacent to the Ogden Dunes South Shore station. This entire video was taken in the same morning.
Conrail OCS at Marion Ohio Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-05 | A few trains at Marion on what looked like a beautiful early fall morning with the Conrail OCS heading west as the grand finale. AC tower had been closed for several months by this point. Unsure on date. The two NS Dash-9s on the coal train mean this is 1997 at the earliest.
Short Clip at Delray Tower 1995 Railroad Media Archive 2022-09-05 | Three trains from three different railroads including some of the oldest and well as newer power CN was using in the mid 90s.
Marion Ohio Trains January 1995 Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-31 | Conrail INPI and PIHO pass while the local switches in the yard, then a westbound NS and CSX DEEX empties pass the tower at the same time, then we move to the Marion Industrial Center trackage on the east side of town where we rejoin the local.
Marion Ohio Trains on a Sunny Winters Day Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-29 | Taken in the last weeks/months of the tower being open likely in the late fall or early winter of 1994 into 1995. New signals have sprouted up for the "new" CP 101 and the container and other equipment are giveaways that this was taken when the tower's days as an interlocking station were numbered. AC tower did close on January 18th, 1995.
Marion, Ohio October 19th, 1994 with Lackawanna 1661 Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-26 | Some trains at Marion with the Milwaukee 261 as Lackawanna 1661 on its way to West Virginia for the 1994 New River Train.
Northern Ohio Short: Nova and Berea Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-25 | Some static shots plus a westbound passing the derelict "VN" tower at Nova, Ohio on the ex-B&O Chicago Line/New Castle Sub, followed by two Conrails at Berea (ELPI first, followed by BUCO). "VN" tower closed in the mid 80s and withered away until about ten years or so ago (as of August 2022) when it was finally torn down.
Marion Ohio Trains and Welding the Diamond in the Snow (Circa 1994) Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-23 | ...
Marion Ohio (Mostly) Nighttime Trains - Early 90s Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-20 | A video with minimal editing of train videos taken over a series of nights at the train watching capitol of Ohio, Marion. While I'm not normally a fan of nighttime videos, these were well done because they were taken with a broadcast quality camera (for the time) and thus aren't super grainy, and lights were used. Yes, the tower was still open at the time, which would put this around 1994.
Marion Ohio Conrail, CSX and NS (with some AC tower interior scenes) Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-09 | From likely the summer of 1994 a handful of nighttime scenes at AC tower in Marion. The interior scenes are likely what things looked like at the very end (ex-EL operator Phil Albano, Jr. worked the swing shift AC's last year). It's interesting to contrast the early 1900s interlocking machine with the "modern" ammenities such as the air conditioner, microwave and fridge.
Cloudy Common Marion Early 90s Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-07 | A typically cloudy grey Ohio winter's day in the early 90s at Ohio's train watching capitol. The "other" tower seen is MD Cabin on the former C&O side at Fairgrounds St. The final scene is actually Harpster.PS. MD Cabin still stands as a M.O.W. headquarters and actually looks better in 2022 than it did in this video. The model board from the tower is in the museum at Marion Union Station.
Trenton and Flat Rock Michigan (GTW/Conrail) Railroad Media Archive 2022-08-03 | Short clip of a GTW passenger GP9 switching at FN Tower in Trenton (n.k.a. CP-Rodney), plus a road train on the GTW Shore Line and a Conrail southbound. Then the video moves to nearby Flat Rock Yard.
TPW Short (with BN and Illinois Central) Railroad Media Archive 2022-07-25 | Circa 1995 during the Susquehanna/Delaware Otsego era: BN and TPW at Bushnell, East Peoria shops, IC at Gilman, then the chase of a westbound TPW from Sheldon. The diamond scene I believe is Watseka, crossing the Union Pacific.
Hayford and Blue Island 1993 (BRC/GTW/IAIS/CSX/Metra) Railroad Media Archive 2022-07-23 | A look back to when GTW still was running to Elsdon, and the Metra embankment at Blue Island was accessible (PSA to not trespass at that location).
Cabride Audio on Amtrak #31 west of Columbus - April 2, 1973 Railroad Media Archive 2022-07-05 | This audio was recorded by Paul Geiger, a Penn Central (and later Conrail) tower operator and dispatcher aboard the cab of Amtrak train #31, the "National Limited" from Columbus, Ohio to Effingham, Illinois on a Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder. The "They tore the daylights out of the siding, by golly!" comment at the beginning was reference to a recent derailment at CP Alton outside of Buckeye Yard. The train detoured through Springfield, Ohio (the usual route was through Xenia although it did not stop there) for reasons unknown, but a derailment or other calamity was a likely reason. For other unknown reasons they detoured on the former PRR alignment (the Greencastle Branch as PC called it) between the outskirts of Indianapolis and Terre Haute.The image used for this video was from this actual trip. It was taken while they were waiting for NY-6 to clear the "new" connection outside Terre Haute, Indiana ("Prairie" interlocking, to be specific).
More Northeast Rails Mid 70s (American Freedom Train/D&H) Railroad Media Archive 2022-07-01 | One last batch of Robert Wilt super 8 sound movies taken approximately 1975-78 transferred to Hi8 tape in the 90s. This part is mostly Reading 2101 in American Freedom Train livery around Easton, PA and more D&H action. Locations sought, as usual. 2101 is seen again in Chessie Steam Special livery.
Kansas City Union Station with ATSF 5704 On Display Railroad Media Archive 2022-06-27 | A hot Saturday of trains through the KC Union Station complex with SD45-2 5704 (donated by BNSF to the Southern California Rail Museum and recently restored by Mid-America Car and Locomotive) on display. The previous evening there was a derailment on UP's Marysville Sub in Kansas, so UP trains through here were fewer and further between than normal.
MRL Helena to Greycliff Railroad Media Archive 2022-06-24 | Second and final video of along the MRL during a week in June 2022. This part focuses on the lines east of Helena. Recording MRL powered trains and helpers took priority over shooting "regular" BNSF trains.0:00 - On a very windy afternoon, M-MISLAU is seen just out of Helena.1:01 - Helena East local on the Montana City Branch (12th Subdivision) in East Helena. At the time of my visit 355 was the only active MRL SD45.1:48 - Backing into a concrete supplier in Montana City.1:59 - Switching a customer in East Helena.3:50 - On the move east on the main line passing the endangered Northern Pacific era searchlight signals at the west end of Winston siding.4:09 - Arriving at Townsend, where the power will run around the train (not seen).4:37 - On the move back to Helena crossing the Missouri River just out of Townsend.4:51 - Accelerating from a stop out of the siding at Winston after meeting an eastbound BNSF (not seen).5:42 - A morning westbound starts up Bozeman Pass just outside of Livingston.7:51-9:56 - Logan Local in the Jefferson River Canyon between Sappington and Cardwell. This line (MRL calls it the 5th Subdivision) is the former route through Homestake Pass to Butte used by Northern Pacific's main passenger train, the "North Coast Limited". Currently, MRL only goes as far as Pipestone.9:56 - Arriving at Whitehall, where they will switch a concrete place. 10:31 - On the move back to Logan, re-entering the canyon near Cardwell.13:04 - Sappington.13:17 - Coming into Logan. 14:00 - Back over to Livingston...the Bozeman Local navigates a short portion of the Yellowstone Branch to switch a lumber facility (R-Y Timber, Inc.).17:46 - Back out on the main line climbing Bozeman Pass outside of Livingston.19:21 - Exiting the west portal of Bozeman tunnel.19:55 - Back at the previous location (just up on the hillside), the Livingston helper shoves the H-LAUPAS (yes, that is an SDP40). 22:08 - Three way meet at Greycliff between a westbound BNSF grain train, the MRL M-LAUMIS, and an eastbound ballast train. 26:42 - M-LAUMIS at Big Timber. I'm not sure if there was a problem with the 250 or if the engineer was showing off (on sunny days most all MRL powered trains attracted a small crowd).
MRL Helena to Thompson Falls Railroad Media Archive 2022-06-23 | The first of two videos taken along Montana Rail Link over the course of a week in June 2022. This video focuses on trackage from the state capitol of Helena west to Thompson Falls, which is the western limit of where MRL powered trains run. MRL powered trains or helpers took priority over shooting "regular" BNSF trains.Even if MRL disappears the amazing scenery, canyons, and mountain passes won't go away. ---Locations---0:00 - BNSF coal train starts up Mullen Pass at Birdseye (with the city of Helena in the distance).1:37 - Continuing its climb up Mullen Pass, the same BNSF coal train at the east end of Austin siding.5:06 - Same BNSF coal train one last time crossing Austin Creek trestle (or Skyline trestle, if you prefer).6:58 - MRL M-MISLAU (Missoula to Laurel road freight) at Jens.7:43 - BNSF Q train with Boeing fuselages at Bearmouth.8:24-9:30 - Chase of afternoon gas local* on the 10th subdivision around Arlee.9:30 - Westbound ballast train followed the afternoon gas. Locations are around Arlee and Perma.10:57 - Arriving at Paradise.12:25 - Same BNSF Q train with the Boeing fuselages heads into the fading light at Weeksville. 13:57 - Morning gas local returning to Missoula the following morning. This location is near Eddy.14:54 - Exiting the siding at Plains after meeting a westbound BNSF (not seen here).15:52 - Meeting yet another BNSF at Paradise.17:06 - Along the Flathead River on the 10th Subdivision near Paradise.18:00-20:05 - The same ballast train shot the previous evening followed the gas local, dumping ballast on the 10th Sub as far as Dixon. 20:05 - Afternoon gas local on the 4th Subdivision climbing the grade out of Missoula. 20:34 - Superior.20:59 - Crossing the Clark Fork River between St. Regis and Paradise.21:25 - Coming to a stop at Paradise account bad signals.22:42 - The following morning an eastbound BNSF oil train slowly descends the grade on the 10th Subdivision into Missoula.24:13 - That same oil train meeting the MRL M-LAUMIS at Drummond.25:49 - BNSF grain train ascending Mullen Pass the following morning.27:37 - BNSF H-PASLAU (Pasco, WA to Laurel, MT) near the east end of Austin siding in outstanding storm light.30:01 - The H-LAUPAS was next. Seen from roughly the same location (and hole in the cloud cover).33:14 - The MRL M-MISLAU descending the grade at Austin with our favorite ballast train (and power) in tow, then back east a few miles where the sun was out. It was very windy this day, and tough to keep the camera steady.*While a Google search will yield a result...since I know people will not read the description and ask...the gas local runs twice daily from Missoula to Thompson Falls to bridge a gap in a ConocoPhillips pipeline.
Northern Ohio CSX and W&LE April 2022 Railroad Media Archive 2022-06-09 | A nice surprise on this phenomenal spring day was the CSX veterans unit on Q560. While my original plan of shooting them south of Deshler fell through, I was able to catch up to them at Tiffin (with I010 blasting by on track #1). While they were pulling into the yard at Willard Wheeling train #238, the eastbound leg of their Brewster-Willard turn was departing. As it turned out, Rio Grande painted #5413 was on the point. I was able to beat them to Greenwich, then I followed them to Spencer where they would work. It was getting late in the afternoon, and I wasn't really wanting to chase their eastbound trip further due to the poor light, so I headed to nearby Wellington, where the Wheeling line to Bellevue crosses CSX's busy Cleveland-Indianapolis line to get whatever I could of their parade, plus possibly Wheeling train #221 (Brewster to Hartland) that is a reliable afternoon run out of Brewster even on Saturdays. Close to sunset I heard an eastbound on the Wheeling from Carey get track from Hiles (what they call New London) to Spencer. That shot with the setting sun as a backdrop is just east of where they get off CSX near New London. While I was driving from Wellington to New London Wheeling #221 showed up. They got permission through Spencer yard limits and track from Spencer to Hartland just before the stone train got to Spencer. I made a beeline to Brighton (about 15 minutes drive time from New London) to get #221 roaring up Hartland hill just after sunset.CSX trains at Wellington:Q560 again (I wasn't really planning on getting them again, it just happened)I017Q565I165I009Enjoy!
Central Ohio Miscellaneous Autumn 1998 (CSX/WLE/CR) Railroad Media Archive 2022-06-06 | Acton (near Marion on the CSX to Toledo), Upper Sandusky, Greenwich, New London and Columbus. The connections at Greenwich and New London used by WLE were brand new at the time.
