Post your Train shots!

Originally Posted by Needa

What are the advantages or disadvantages of this, other than maybe in a head on collision?

I think it was perceived to be safer. My thought is since it makes visibility worse making it less safe.

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› See More: Post your Train shots!

Originally Posted by Needa

What are the advantages or disadvantages of this, other than maybe in a head on collision?

I'm thinking that highway grade crossing protection is the primary reason. Disadvantages are reduced visibility for the crew.

The N&W preferred long hood forward too. NS no longer recognizes the long hood end as the front, as confirmed by the little F by the nose of the 1111. Modern locomotives are far better engineered to survive damage and protect the crew.

Fun Fact: The 1111 is called the "Barcode Unit" by fans. (A good shot of it has eluded my viewfinder; this shot is the only one I have of it.)

A Santa Fe piggyback train climbs west at Dalies, NM on 10/23/1996 [Nikon N 2020, Kodachrome]

What a fine war-bonnet that is. The ones that survive now have faded to pink & look pretty rough.

From July 1976 at Hudson, OH, an Alco C-425 digs in. Conrail is just over three months old.

Back to current times, caught a coal train today with my trusty D5100. Had a friend tell me that the gray colored section behind the cab of the lead unit houses dynamic braking equipment. Looks like a swap was made before paint could be applied.

Nice catch Sandpatch. I'd guess in your neck of the woods dynamic braking is a must have.

A fine way to start the weekend, catching a late-running combined Silver Star/Silver Meteor this morning. This train normally passes through in darkness.

What a great catch sandpatch! Did you know it was running late or was it a lucky catch?

Originally Posted by crashton

What a great catch sandpatch! Did you know it was running late or was it a lucky catch?

Thank you. I highjacked my wife's social media account and learned of it from an area railfan group this morning. Amtrak has a train tracking feature on their website and I was able to use it to get updates. The weather was heavy overcast, but a bit of sun briefly appeared on the locomotive's nose at train time and greatly helped.

Some months ago Amtrak combined the Star and Meteor on the Star's route, so the train is more impressive than it used to be, now with two locomotives and more cars. Amtrak is taking delivery of new locomotives, but I have no idea when this train will receive them.

Hard to believe that we'll someday look wistfully at GE P42s. No wait, I don't think I'll ever do that.