Just to let you know, I have read that NS is retiring all but 2 of the SD9M's. There are 2 that are in captive service in Chattanooga as yard locos in remote control service or something similar. But if ya see them shoot them as there days are very numbered.
Hey i was looking at your pictures on RP.Net and you have a few from TVRM. Ive been there before in Chattanooga,TN and my dad bought a video from TVRM and he also recorder a video of them on the turntable. I rode that line when i was like 5 years old i rember a little bit of it but not alot. I also rode some incline train where you go up this big hill in a trolley looking thing.
Its called the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. Also known as a "funicular" railway. There are only 2 cars, counterbalanced by cable, both lifted and lowered by a mountain top machinery house. There's one station at the top, and another at the bottom. Only one car is ever in either staion at any time. Pretty cool. And well worth a visit. Here's a link: http://www.carta-bus.org/attractions/Incline_info.asp And a blurb from that site: "A ride unlike any other! The thrill of riding "America's Most Amazing Mile" has delighted guests for a more than a century. As the Incline climbs historic Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga's surrounding mountains and valleys come alive as the trolley-style railcars carry you cloud high. The breathtaking 72.7% grade of the track near the top gives the Incline the unique distinction of being the steepest passenger railway in the world." It is pretty amazing. The machinery house at the top is glass enclosed so you can see how it works. The last time I was there, they still used a Volkswagen engine for "backup power". The passing tracks halfway up are very interesting. Sort of a reversed gantlet. Enjoy.
Well thanks for looking at my pics. Glad that you liked them. Also I have read that 2 of the units are being used as remote things in Chattanooga as well. Hope that they maintain their looks and dont get cosmetic surgery.
As was mentioned, NS has recently ordered the retirement of its EMD SD9M locomotives. The units are being gathered and stored at Conway, PA. However, so far units 58 and 59 have remained in active service working the yard in Bellevue, Ohio. Eddie Durnwald forwarded me photos of both units that he managed to catch at Bellevue this past Thursday. I have uploaded the photos of them to my website: NS 58 http://www.nsdash9.com/images/NS58ed1.jpg NS 59 http://www.nsdash9.com/images/NS59ed2.jpg There is also some confusion on whether units 52 and 57 will be retired. These units were converted to remote control platforms last year and have been assigned to the Pavonia Yard at Camden, NJ since the conversion. So far, both units are still at Pavonia Yard. Chris Toth NSDash9.com http://www.nsdash9.com/
An additional update. NS 51, 58 and 59 are headed east today bound for storage in Conway, PA. Chris Toth NSDash9.com http://www.nsdash9.com/
