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| Title: |
40Tonner |
| Description: |
Last year during the Fall, I paid my first ever visit to the Ashland RR and chased their local job between Ashland and Mansfield, finding some of the best color I had the entire year. Roughly a year later, I paid another visit to the area, but this time with the job to Willard on my mind. I set out early in the morning and when I arrived into Mansfield I realized that I had just missed a NS train in town. I decided to go grab some breakfast and once I was done doing that I could hear the Ashland switching on their frequency. The Ashland yard is pretty hidden and you cant really see anything switching in there, so I decided not to really waste my time with that and just sit and wait for the train to come to me. I did notice, however, that the 40Tonner at the big grain elevator in town was working some cars around, which was a pretty great way to begin the morning! |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 12:56:28 PM |
| Location: |
Mansfield, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
22 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 3215 |
| Description: |
A few years back the Ashland purchased two SD40-2 locomotives from Norfolk Southern to add to their fleet of geeps. Time and time again I kept hearing "3-step 3215" which happens to be the ex-NMRA unit from NS and I thought I was in good hands and that was the leader for the Willard train. Time kept passing and I began getting more and more antsy as I figured the train would have already left by this point. Sure enough, right before I decided to head to the other side of town, out popped AH1, the Ashland job, running with the ASRY 3215. Apparently this train has been going on duty much later than it did the year prior, as by this time last year it was almost back to Mansfield. While this wasnt the train I was looking for, it did make for a good subject by the CP WEST MANS position light along the NS Fort Wayne Line. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:00:35 PM |
| Location: |
Mansfield, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 3215(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
22 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 2023 |
| Description: |
Well, now I was beginning to worry. There definitely were no more Ashland crews working in the yard or around town. I did happen to hear something about "Willard" over the radio though, so I decided to begin zigzagging the line up. All I found between Mansfield and Willard was a MOW truck working its way north. But, the blink of an EOT greeted me in Willard, and sure enough, there was my train about ready to key up CSX and head into their yard. Apparently the 2nd shift job had brought the train up the night before. No idea why. A corporate painted geep, and the other ex-NS SD40-2 were the power for todays train. After about a 5 minute wait, they got access into CSXs yard and pulled through town. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:03:25 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 2023(GP38) |
| Views: |
24 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 2023 |
| Description: |
In order to fully access the CSX yard, the Ashland must pull into the yard, then reverse their whole train to CP East Willard on the CSX main, and pull into the yard. This gave me several chances to photograph the train on CSX tracks. First shot was coming by the "CSX Willard Yard" sign. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:05:21 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 2023(GP38) |
| Views: |
14 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 2023 |
| Description: |
The Ashland shoves underneath the signal bridge at EAS East Willard. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:06:31 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 2023(GP38) |
| Views: |
14 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 2023 |
| Description: |
Now on the other main, the train pulls forward and into CSXs Willard Yard. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:07:04 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 2023(GP38) |
| Views: |
11 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CSX 406 |
| Description: |
With the Ashland in the yard and time to kill before they left, CSX would be the supplier of action. Willard Yard usually has something going on in it all hours of the day, and today was no exception. CSX M566 was doubling up with a YN2 leader and would soon depart after this photo was taken. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:08:30 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CSX 406(AC44CW) |
| Views: |
8 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CSX 3237 |
| Description: |
CSX I135 was up next with 1x1 GEVOs. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:10:48 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CSX 3237(ES44AC-H) |
| Views: |
9 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CSX 5323 |
| Description: |
CSX 5323 brings up the rear of CSX I135. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:11:56 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CSX 5323(ES40DC) |
| Views: |
12 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CSX 3293 |
| Description: |
CSX I118 was up next at East Willard with a pair of GEVOs. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:13:07 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CSX 3293(ET44AH) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 3505 |
| Description: |
The Ashland made relatively quick work of their time in the CSX Yard and came right back out with a healthy cut of cars for Mansfield. The train did the same maneuver they did entering the CSX yard, but now exiting and in reverse. I went up to the OH 99 overpass and grabbed a shot of it there. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:14:42 PM |
| Location: |
Willard, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 3505(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
25 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
ASRY 3505 |
| Description: |
I was already pretty disgruntled that I had missed the chase north, but in the long run it would have been pretty backlit to begin with. I was hoping for a great southbound chase despite the NS unit being on the front. There was plenty of great color when I followed the tracks north. But, of course, the train stopped again and worked the siding just south of Willard. And they didnt just work. They worked for a loooong time. Over an hour actually. And during this time, because I was too afraid to leave, I missed four trains I could have easily caught on CSX, including I166 with 4 LTEX junkers and a KCS ACe on the rear. Finally. the train began to head south, but they were notified over the radio that they would be tying the train down 2 miles south of here on the north side of Plymouth. Just my luck. I grabbed one shot of the train at the US 224 crossing west of New Haven, and followed the train to Plymouth where I got to watch the crew get off and be deadheaded back to Mansfield. Driving this far for everything to go wrong is never a great feeling, but its the risk a railfan takes. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:20:20 PM |
| Location: |
New Haven, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
ASRY 3505(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
12 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
WE 7025 |
| Description: |
With genuinely no idea what to do now, I decided that I was going to grab CSX trains west of Willard and get as far as I could before dark. That was before I heard the Wheeling Dispatch give a track warrant to WE 228 leaving Bellevue eastbound. It was a risk to drive that far, but thanks to the helpful aid of Matt Arnold, I took the risk, and ended up beating the train to the Laylin Road crossing east of Norwalk. I met Matt there as well, and we began chasing the train east. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:23:52 PM |
| Location: |
Norwalk, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
WE 7025(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
13 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
WE 7025 |
| Description: |
The crew was instructed to take the train to Brighton siding north of Wellington instead of tying it down in Hartland, which gave us a chance to shoot the train under the massive grain elevator at West Clarksfield, a bucket list shot I have been wanting for some time. Due to slow orders, the train would have been easy to continue chasing, but I decided against it and parted ways with Matt and began heading back west. At least there was one upside to this day. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:25:37 PM |
| Location: |
West Clarksfield, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
WE 7025(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
11 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
WE 7024 |
| Description: |
But, the day STILL wasnt over, as when I arrived back in Willard, Wheeling 238 keyed up CSX and told them they were ready to make a dash to the New London connection. I backtracked a little further to the east again, but ended up finding no color that really suited my interest until right outside of Greenwich (a place I had kept telling myself I wouldnt go to today). The train creeped around the curve and ended up stopping for two trains on the B-Line ahead, one of which was already crossing when I made it there. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:27:46 PM |
| Location: |
Greenwich, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
WE 7024(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CSX 4746 |
| Description: |
With one more still to cross on CSX, I decided to go into town, and Im glad I did. Next up was CSX M363 with a duo of fairly brand new rebuilt SD70MACs on the head end, and not only that, but the trees downtown looked great. This was the win I needed all day and I finally got it. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:31:12 PM |
| Location: |
Greenwich, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CSX 4746(SD70MAC) |
| Views: |
6 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CSX 4763 |
| Description: |
CSX 4763 brings up the middle of CSX M363. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:32:00 PM |
| Location: |
Greenwich, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CSX 4763(SD70MAC) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
WE 7024 |
| Description: |
I was hoping to get 238 splitting the trilights, but it was too quick for me. So, a shot of it slinging around the curve will do. After this, I bid goodbye to CSX and began making my way towards home. I did, however, decide to stop in Plymouth to see if a crew had come to retrieve the Ashland. Sure enough, the train was gone. Go figure. |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:33:25 PM |
| Location: |
Greenwich, OH |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
WE 7024(SD40-2) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CFE 2132 |
| Description: |
It was still a little to early to get supper at any of the stops along US 30 on the way home, so I decided to go home via Decatur, something I usually dont do when I come home from this direction. Man, am I glad I did though. The closer I approached Decatur I could hear the CFE Decatur Local working. Bunge builds CFEs entire train now, so I knew there was a slight chance if I was hearing this much switching going on that they might be down at Tenki-Plex on the west side of town on a small stretch of the former Erie Lackawanna. I went down there and didnt find them, and I almost gave up, but I looked to my right along US 27 and noticed lights blinking at the Adams Street crossing. I dashed for the tracks and sure enough the train consisting of two geeps and a single car from Tenki-Plex were getting ready to shove back toward Bunge. I quick attached my flash on my D610 and ran toward the depot, and prayed I would be able to get a good shot of the train passing the depot. And, sure enough, I did. In all my life living in this area, there has only been one other time Ive seen a train pass the depot, which was already over five years ago. This day was beyond disappointing, but the small wins scattered in it here and there were so welcome! |
| Photo Date: |
10/17/2024 Upload Date: 12/25/2024 1:39:11 PM |
| Location: |
Decatur, IN |
| Author: |
Jacob Werling |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
CFE 2132(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
15 Comments: 0 |
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