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All photos © J. Henry Priebe Jr. unless otherwise noted.

Photos 1 through 21 of 21 total

1/21
This ACF cylindrical hopper was sitting at Con Agra and looked suspiciously like an ex-PC car.
Being a founding member of the PCHS I was honor bound to shoot it!
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 217mm, 1/500 sec f5.6, ISO 100
8/11/2002 12:39:17 - 950x412 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1199KB)
img_3270.jpg   73978 bytes
2/21
This is the eclectic roster at the Con Agra facility. The Dewitt Geep was a surprise to me. No doubt the rust kept me from noticing it when I had been by here at night!
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 63mm, 1/500 sec f7.1, ISO 100
8/11/2002 12:42:39 - 950x465 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1624KB)
img_3275.jpg   97649 bytes
3/21
Nothing was shaking in Huron so we decided to work our way into Vermillion signal by signal.
First stop was CP 228 at the Rt. 61 grade crossing where westbound 11E stormed through with Dash-9 Catfish 9196 and SD60 6697 heading up a nicely mixed manifest.
Three gons full of ties were sitting on a siding I hadn't even known existed.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 107mm, 1/500 sec f5.6, ISO 100
8/11/2002 12:50:21 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1508KB)
img_3279.jpg   148560 bytes
4/21
A cleaner shot of the 11E at the grade crossing.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 28mm, 1/500 sec f7.1, ISO 100
8/11/2002 12:50:27 - 950x634 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1779KB)
img_3282.jpg   130488 bytes
5/21
The CP 228 WB Track 1 signal shows the high green to the 11E in this going away shot.
The 11E is about 5 minutes away from the Huron River.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 149mm, 1/500 sec f5.6, ISO 100
8/11/2002 12:50:35 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1428KB)
img_3286.jpg   129385 bytes
6/21
Twelve minutes later this eastbound came by CP 226 at Frailey Rd.
I had been walking down the ballast to get the signals in the shot and wouldn't you know it, a freaking sheriff cruiser pulls up to the grade crossing and starts squawking at me through its PA:
"There's a train coming!"
Duh, yeah, why do you think I am trotting down the right of way with a camera?
I walked back to the grade crossing and shot it from there. The sheriff had pulled to the north side of the crossing and was still squawking unintelligibly at me while I pointed at the camera and then the train when the train came by between us and cut him off :)
I wasn't going to talk to him until AFTER I got the shot, he had already ruined the one I WANTED to get. He got bored waiting for the long intermodal and left!
We never did get the symbol of the train, the hogger was one of those fellas who refuses to call signals _into_ the microphone.
Well worn CR C40-8W 8348 leading an 8800 spartan cab Dash 9 and a CR SD60 made the shot worthwhile anyways.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 55mm, 1/500 sec f6.3, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:02:49 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1898KB)
img_3291.jpg   189908 bytes
7/21
We headed off to CP 224 at Barnes Road where the overpass is on a cool old stone arch bridge by a brook and the railroad obligingly provides stairs up to the tracks without any NO TRESSPASSING signs!
We knew eastbound 24M was hot on the heels of the last train so the wait was a short one.
CR C40-8W 8348 splits the CP 224 signals with two black EMD's trailing. I'm getting distracted by horns on the Nickel Plate off to my left...
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 55mm, 1/400 sec f5, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:15:42 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1878KB)
img_3295.jpg   196282 bytes
8/21
And this is why, eastbound 132 with a high nose Geep 38 leading is making its way to the Connection at GC, just two miles from here.
This was a total grab shot against the sun across a cornfield. We'll see more of the 132 in a bit.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 81mm, 1/400 sec f8, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:15:54 - 950x316 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1488KB)
img_3296.jpg   92649 bytes
9/21
Catfish 9241 leads two sisters on a westbound intermodal on Track 1 at CP 224 just three minutes later
I was just about to climb down the stairs from the elevated right of way when I saw its headlight in the distance! Never could make out the symbol for this one either. What's the sense of calling signals when they don't have any intention of being understandable?
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 71mm, 1/400 sec f6.3, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:18:33 - 950x745 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1726KB)
img_3300.jpg   185968 bytes
10/21
We knew that 132 was taking the connection from the NKP at GC to CP 222 on the NYC so we hot-footed it into Vermilion to catch it coming through.
NS high nose Geep 38 5205 leads UP SD70M on train 132 eastbound across the Vermilion River at NYC MP 220.
Note the width of the piers supporting the deck girder, were there 4 tracks here at one time?
The NYC crosses above the NKP and heads toward Berea less than a half mile from here. When the head end had just passed the overpass the 220.9 hotbox detector went off for the 30th axle on this side of the train. We didn't see anything and they didn't find anything which is lucky because an eastbound pig train is 10 minutes behind them and there are westbounds due on track 1 at any minute!
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 28mm, 1/400 sec f5, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:28:22 - 950x604 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1296KB)
img_3303.jpg   120445 bytes
11/21
And here's one of them, westbound RoadRailer 261 passed the 220.9 detector by the Grand Street grade crossing with Catfish 9211 leading Conrail Altoona-Built SD70 2580.
I didn't count the trailers, but they seemed to crawl by forever as the 261 was at restricted speed to pass the stopped 132 which was being inspected.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 81mm, 1/400 sec f5.6, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:32:54 - 950x734 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1309KB)
img_3306.jpg   132513 bytes
12/21
Grab shot of the2580 as it rolls across Grand Street. Note the stylized PRR decal just above and to the left of the "SD70" under the cab.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 28mm, 1/400 sec f3.5, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:33:01 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1197KB)
img_3310.jpg   111312 bytes
13/21
A couple of Catfish lead CR SD60I 6727 past Perry Street at MP 221.6 on an unidentified intermodal, slowing for the stopped 132 who is just about to get back under way after having found no problems.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 28mm, 1/400 sec f6.3, ISO 100
8/11/2002 13:38:12 - 950x678 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1591KB)
img_3314.jpg   123072 bytes
14/21
We backtracked to Coen Rd as we knew westbound 145 was going to take the Connection at CP 222 and we figured we'd get it first going on and then coming off onto the NKP at GC.
Track Car 899570 rolled right up to 222 for the meet with 145, captured here at full zoom through the 90 degree haze.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 300mm, 1/500 sec f7.1, ISO 100
8/11/2002 14:04:04 - 950x754 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1004KB)
img_3329.jpg   80632 bytes
15/21
And here it is entering the NKP at GC. Surprise visitor is trailing unit CSX 54, an AC44. Conrail veteran SD50 5441 leads.
Note the brandy new looking signal and cabin, installed with the connection just a few of short years ago when Conrail was destroy...er split up.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 28mm, 1/500 sec f5.6, ISO 100
8/11/2002 14:05:28 - 950x537 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1420KB)
img_3339.jpg   88072 bytes
16/21
We hopped on to Rt. 2 to get to Baumhart Rd and CP 216. There really isn't any public access to the tracks at the underpass by CP 216 so we took Coper-Foster Park Rd W to the grade crossing between CP 216 and CP 214.
This is a very classic and cool multi-track NYC type spot! There are still 3 mains and a yard here to serve the nearby Ford plant. This photo doesn't do the location justice.
20 minutes after TC 899570 rolled by on Track 2, eastbound RoadRailer 262 blasted through on Main 1. The triple signaled CP 216 signal bridge is just visible above the end of the train.
Like its westbound counterpart, RR261 was very long. We had heard the 262 being made up 2-1/2 hours earlier as we crossed the yard at Sandusky on Rt. 2 shortly after heading out for the day.
If you drive Rt 2 past Vermilion, CP 216 is just north of the Baumhart Rd exit at the red, white and blue bridge, you can't miss it!
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 28mm, 1/500 sec f10, ISO 200
8/11/2002 14:41:50 - 950x708 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1861KB)
img_3354.jpg   188191 bytes
17/21
CR C40-8W 3828 leads an unidentified Catfish (does it really matter?) on RR262 into the haze under Rt. 2 at CP 214.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 300mm, 1/500 sec f5.6, ISO 200
8/11/2002 14:42:17 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1309KB)
img_3358.jpg   108316 bytes
18/21
After grabbing a quick lunch we worked our way back west to Adams Rd. in Vermilion which is about as close as you can get to CP 222.
Eastbound 20K, with yet another CR C40-8W leading, passes piles of ties for an upcoming maintenance blitz.
All the way through Vermilion there was loose ribbon rail buried in cuts across every grade crossing.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 81mm, 1/500 sec f8, ISO 200
8/11/2002 15:48:52 - 950x565 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1682KB)
img_3374.jpg   151089 bytes
19/21
This is another great spot for train watching. Back in Huron at CP 232 you can park just off Old River Rd. right by the tracks with a primo view down the S-curve through town.
Eastbound NS 206 with a ubiquitous Catfish leading, the 9428, snakes through a classic NYC signal bridge and across the Huron River past a classic NYC twin-head signal mast.
Just behind me is the line to the Con Agra facility which the W&LE serves a few times a week.
Just across the river past the signal bridge is the Main Street grade crossing where the Huron depot used to sit.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 149mm, 1/500 sec f7.1, ISO 200
8/11/2002 16:16:02 - 950x656 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1276KB)
img_3381.jpg   112703 bytes
20/21
Heading back into Sandusky we decided to track down CP 234. using an old USGS map we found the stub end of old Boos Rd which the map showed as crossing the tracks. It had long since been blocked off, but did provide access to the right of way through some brush.
I managed to stumble through just in time to lens spartan cab CR C40-8 8308 leading NS C39-8 8603 on a mixed freight under Rt. 2 just east of Rye Beach Rd at CP 234.
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 149mm, 1/500 sec f8, ISO 200
8/11/2002 16:35:02 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1456KB)
img_3383.jpg   114125 bytes
21/21
The 8308 has the high green at the CP 234 crossover. That's once again Rt. 2 as it swings back across the tracks yet another time. Rt. 2 crosses the NYC main 5 times bewteen Port Clinton and Amherst.
We end our adventure here for the day. With all the CR power we saw leading, a high nose Geep, a UP SD70M, a CSX AC44 and two Roadrailers on top of finding some locations I have been wondering about, I have to say that it was a very good day indeed!
Canon EOS D30 28-300mm at 107mm, 1/500 sec f9, ISO 200
8/11/2002 16:35:10 - 950x633 JPEG (Original 2160x1440 1467KB)
img_3385.jpg   131080 bytes