The morning started off bouncing around between Harris Tower, Stell Avenue on the Port Road Branch and Enola Yard, trying to catch whatever moved. We decided to head west for Newport, PA and the surrounding area. Before we had the chance we got wind a loaded ore train, NS 406, coming east. We fueled up at Sheetz and headed for the 116 signal bridge at Cove. The resulting shot in stellar morning light is below. Once the 406 was by we decided to head straight west as there was nothing else in the area. We poked around Newport analyzing the various angles until we heard eastbound 20W coming. We went to the 131 signals to and shot him splitting them doing every bit of track speed.

We had heard from the guys back in the Harrisburg area that the westbound parade was beginning. Unfortunately the sun was still good for eastbound and no where close to turning for westbonds. We made do with what we had. The leader of the pack was 21G with ex-Conrail SD60M 5572 leading. We see her leading two SD60 sisters across Orange Stone Road, just east of Newport. Hot on her heels was NS 13G. We moved one half mile down to Leshville Road to shoot her rolling through the country side with a pair of NS C40-9Ws in charge.

No more than twenty minutes later NS 18N was cruising by. For him we moved down to the tracks as the light was solid for eastbounds. Unfortunately we did not have time to move for the next westbound, NS 21E, as he met 18N less than a mile down the tracks and was right on top of us. After moving back to Newport proper and catching the eastbound Pennsylvanian we bagged the next westbound in the fleet, NS 21J, at the famous well shot.

We elected to sit tight at the well as NS 23W was only about 15 minutes behind 21J. No sooner was 23W by then eastbound coal trian NS 590 was calling the 1311E signal. We walked about 500 feet up the road for this shot of him rounding the sweeping curve at Newport.

We had about 10 minutes to find out next shot as 21M was bearing down on us. We decided to move further around the curve where we would have some decent light for a westbound. After 21M was by we headed back to the park and the 131 signals to sit until we heard something else. It was long before the draggers to the west alerted us to a pair of eastbounds. First up was NS 10G seen splitting the signals at Newport.

Running on approaches directly behind 10G was NS 26T. I shot him with the long lens snaking through the reverse curves just before the 131 signals. With nothing else imminent and having exhausted many of the photo ops in Newport we decided to head east to Duncannon. With an empty grain train, NS 51V, about ready to depart the terminal we headed for this overlook shot of the 121 signals.

After the 51V went by we headed to Cove and Marysville for the last few trains of the day. For a complete run down of the trains, times, and engine numbers, check out the 2009 Train Log. Thanks for looking and please enjoy the rest of the site.

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