Struggling Notch-8 and Rare Locomotive Chases

Incredible catches and chases, as well as Notch 8 throttle, is what railfanning is all about!

I selected 3 trains from this Spring that I think depicted this well, on May 22, 2010, train 19G (Oak Island, NJ - Conway, PA) transports 3 Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) GP40MC's to the JBS shops in Altoona for a rebuild and repaint. This train was chased starting on the Reading Line at Blandon, pulling into the Reading Yard before its work, and later on the Harrisburg Line with a much shorter train. Power for 19G is:

NS D9-40CW 9608
NS D9-40CW 9094
MBTA GP40MC 1130
MBTA GP40MC 1136
MBTA GP40MC 1132

On May 29, 2010, train 290 has a very rare leader for NS in PA, a tri-clops SD60M! 290 is a rare train by itself, being an overflow train for 212's auto racks. This is the only one that has ran in 3 years. We chase this train from the Harrisburg Line to the Reading Line, meeting 21M along the way, and getting a Notch-8 show on the "Low Grade". Power for 290 is:

UP SD60M 2368
NS D9-40CW 8918

On May 31, 2010, H2W makes a rare daylight run with even more rare power. The train was very long and VERY underpowered. H2W was in Notch-8 and struggling to maintain 25 MPH up the Buffalo Line. It then took the siding at Boyles to let the OCS past, which has been stuck behind this train. However, we were more interested in chasing this epic H2W than the OCS, and we made out a great chase. Sorry the pacing shot didn't turn out better, it was hard trying to film and drive 30 MPH at the same time. The power is:

NS SD38 3805 "Conrail Quality"
NS SD38 3818

Special thanks to J. B. Kerr for leading me on the chase of H2W in an area I had never been before.

Видео Struggling Notch-8 and Rare Locomotive Chases канала Central Penn Rail Productions