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Heads up Grand Rapids, CSX GP60
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:42 am
by csxt4617
Saw Q326 this morning, he had GP60 6899 in fresh YN3 paint in the consist. For those of you who don't know, CSX picked up 3 GP60's a few years back in a large locomotive swap with LLPX, and they're normally assigned to the Bone Valley area in Florida (I believe I saw 6899 there back in 2003). Kind of a rare visitor this far north. These GP60's are also part of the original 60 series EMD demo's, and they have the streamlined front, with a pointed windshield, and more rounded corners on the cab front/nose.
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:06 am
by AARR
Hope someone can get a photo. Thank you.
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:41 am
by ~Z~
I would have had Q326 not shown up in Grand Rapids at 5:30am... had some sweet sunlight this morning too, but alas, no trains...even took Chicago Dr this morning hoping to find something instead of the usual highway run.
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:41 pm
by J T
GP60
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:47 pm
by GP30M4216
Q326 had their power serviced at the Wyoming Yard engine house after bringing in the Chicago train before departing with a whopping 4 cars for Detroit. I caught them coming back from the House heading for their short train in the yard, and at that point 6899 was leading. Departing eastbound, the power was CSX 8027 (SD40-2) facing forward, CSX SD60 8706 facing forward, and CSX GP60 6899 facing backward, all in matching Scheme 7/YN3 paint.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:05 am
by Racer
Caught it this evening in Plymouth. It took 2 hours to pick-up the three cars in Plymouth; atleast X500 kept us entertained for alittle bit. Stitch and I had to battle with the sun to get a decent pic.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:08 am
by ~Z~
Chrisracer8903 wrote:Stitch and I had to battle with the sun to get a decent pic.
Sources say the sunlight appears to have been on the other side of the tracks...might have lit up that GP60 better.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:57 am
by Racer
railroadfan wrote:Chrisracer8903 wrote:Stitch and I had to battle with the sun to get a decent pic.
Sources say the sunlight appears to have been on the other side of the tracks...might have lit up that GP60 better.
We couldn't because the other side of the tracks is a house with a picket fence.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:13 am
by ~Z~
Chrisracer8903 wrote:We couldn't because the other side of the tracks is a house with a picket fence.
Ah, you know what that means then, right? Follow the tracks east or west until you find where the picket fence ends, and stand over there.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:15 am
by csxt4617
Glad to see someone caught it. Q326 inbound had the same power. Neat to see 3 YN3 units (been seeing alot of them lately), and neat to see 2 60 series units together (SD60/GP60). I was hoping 6899 would stay in GR and become local power (perhaps on D700), but I guess not
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:32 am
by CAT345C
What about the freight Depot chris? Anyone got a trace on it? :cough:Matt :cough:
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:15 pm
by sd70accsxt700
I got a trace on it all right Mike. It departed Rouge at 1:45 AM leading Q39915. It arrive Plymouth about 2:30 AM, and left about 8:15 AM, in perfect sunlight, then arrived Stanley yard at about 11:00 AM. How do you know I know all this you might ask? Hummmmm............................
First one to guess get a prize! By the way dont look for it to come back.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:52 pm
by patrick
ha ha.. you had it on your train in the lead or got photos of it ya lucky bum!!
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:53 pm
by GLC 392
did you use your Mario Kart powers Matt??
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:54 pm
by Racer
That's just not fair!!!!
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:18 pm
by sd70accsxt700
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:13 pm
by AARR
Wow, nice pictures Matt
How did you like operating it
Why do you think the v-shaped windshield didn't catch on with other EMD locomotives
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:02 pm
by csxt4617
I see they moved the horns. They were set back a little more against the A/C unit on the roof. Now they're right over the center where there's a bracket for a light that was removed. I also have a shot of it (on my harddrive) of it wrecked in Florida, with the rear bent loose away from the long hood, the whole pilot area bent down toward the ground. Don't know when that happened though, if it was repainted after that repair, or repaired and returned to service in LLPX paint.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:08 pm
by conrailmike
Chrisracer8903 wrote:railroadfan wrote:Chrisracer8903 wrote:Stitch and I had to battle with the sun to get a decent pic.
Sources say the sunlight appears to have been on the other side of the tracks...might have lit up that GP60 better.
We couldn't because the other side of the tracks is a house with a picket fence.
This is when fill flash comes in REAL handy.... or if it's not moving then you open up that shutter for just a bit longer.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:27 pm
by GP30M4216
Matt fantastic photos! Your sunlight was pretty much perfect. I caught them backing the power down to Q326 at Grand Rapids, so 6899 was leading then, too. The sun was out... front shaded a bit but I just saw the prints and they'll do for me. I'll post em soon. I also wonder from an engineer's perspective how it handled/how the slanted cab windows compare to standard EMD cabs.
