9/19: Waterloo

[CSXIndyLine]

Had the day off yesterday so I decided to trek northwards to Waterloo on the NS Chicago Line. The clouds looked ominous on the way up until I got to Muncie where the skies decided to open up. Heavy rain ensued until north of Fort Wayne where light sprinkles and some fog took its place. Nonetheless, I continued to Waterloo, only to be greeted with dark skies and a slight mist. That did not last too long. Did not really bother shooting the first two trains because of the dark and wet conditions. CP 147 was the first shootable train and even then, I was pushing it. After 147 passed the skies somewhat cleared, giving way to lighter clouds and eventually some sunshine. Of note on 147 was one of five CP SD60M's.

0949- 23M: NS 8162/9195
0956- 24M: NS 9494/9279
1.) 1005- 147: CP 9652/6262
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301798
2.) CP 6262
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301805
3.) 1046- 21E: NS 7528/8771
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301810
4.) 1108- 20E: NS 9635/9123/9327
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301813
5.) 1115- 17M: NS 8004/8891
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301814

After 17M, a late morning lull occurred, making for two very quiet hours on the Chicago Line. Almost exactly two hours later, the ATCS revealed at least one eastbound and a slew of westbounds approaching town. Of interest here is train M5N, 3 NS units followed by 40 or so cars of company ballast.

6.) 1320- 11K: NS 9807/8460/7685
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301815
7.) 1339- 14N: NS 9426/9937/8373
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301817
8.) 1343- 65K: NS 7707/6910
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301818
9.) 1357- M5N: NS 6712/8994/7600
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301820

Another hour passed before the scanner crackled to life. After running to grab a drink and make a signal loop, nothing too exciting seemed to be happening. The ATCS did not show anything approaching except for a lone eastbound around Goshen, an hour away. The silence was broken when a CP conductor boldly called out " CP 2241 clear 364 westbound out." Sure enough, a red crusty beaver was barreling down the small hill to the east of town with a lengthy consist. He came and went (with a red CP SD60). As he called the signal for Waterloo, I heard an eastbound call out MP 371, four miles west of me. The eastbound was CP 244 with a CSX leader followed by one of a handful of CP Pacman SD40-2's in the trail position.

10.) 1450- 2-241: CP 8834/6249
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301822
11.) CP 6249
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301824
12.) 1454- 244: CSX 865/CP 6048
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301825
13.) CP 6048
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301827

244 held east of town for another NS train before continuing on its trip to Canada. It was held for 25N, which featured an OLS Dash 9 trailing. 23K continued not far behind 25N but was moving slowly due to problems with the second unit. As they cleared up, that eastbound from Elkhart appeared, concluding my day in Waterloo. I poked around Garrett/Auburn for a bit. Found a Q016 eastbound and a westbound unidentified empty ethanol with CSX 642. Nothing of note on those two. After that, I set out for home.

14.) 1502- 25N: NS 7535/9254
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301828
15.) NS 9254
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301829
16.) 1528- 23K: NS 9361/1014
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301830
17.) 1541- 20N: UP 8134
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4301831