An interesting site

Today, I was sitting in my house, and watching the latest train to go past my house, when I noticed that one of the new, rebuilt NS trains, I think it was NS #5225 or something like that, running in the same fashion that both Southern and Norfolk and Western did...long hood forward.

When I saw that, I was shocked, because I live right by the railroad tracks, and see trains, go past all day long, but none of them long hood forward like this one. My thoughts after it went past? "What the heck was that?" LOL!

It was only that one unit, and the train itself was relatively short. But still, it got my attention.

Does anyone else still see NS running their trains long hood forward, or is it a practice that pretty much faded when Southern and Norfolk and Western merged?

 

I still run them that way on occasion. I've run lots of locals long-hood ahead when I've only had one unit and no place to turn it at the other end. Doesn't happen much on road trains because of the long mileage. The engine has to be set up to run LH foreward (ditch light equipped) also or else you have to do 20 mph over public crossings which kind of kills the day.

 

I knew that long hood forward couldn't be that common anymore, so that is why it definitely got my attention as I watched it go by.

Thanks for sharing that with us, Rule 281.

 

Welocme aboard, NSSRNW!

I have seen all kinds of things run long hood forward in the NS era.... The biggest thing lately is probably a D940-CW.

Harold

 

Thank you, Chessie!

Sadly, or not, I think it was a one-time occurance, because I haven't seen a train run long hood forward since...probably the last full Southern train I've seen, and I can't remember the last time I saw a real Southern train in Southern paint run by. Not even the remaining Southern and NW units in NS paint run long hood forward through my neck of the woods here.

 

They are definately out there! I will get some photos up (eventually)

Harold

 

Funny, my conductor and I were just talking about this subject the other day. He's of the same opinion as me...if the unit is set up to run LH, I'd almost rather run it that way than sit on the wrong side and run it as a 'sidewinder' with all the controls backwards, just to go short hood lead. The exhaust smoke is an issue if the wind is right or speed is low but at least the control stand is where it should be. Biggest problem is visibility. No line of sight at all to the left and if you're running a GE with those big radiator wings hanging out, there's no line of sight anywhere. Running at Restricted Speed where you have to be able to stop in half the distance you can see is kind of academic when you can't see at all.

 

Still see locals running long hood forward on ocassion in the Atlanta area on both NS and CSX.

 

Can't wait to see that, Chessie! There's nothing cooler than seeing lots of train photos, if I can't see them in person.

 

Here's one for you:


Harold

 

Beautiful pick, Chessie! Thank you so much for that.