ex-Conrail Quality, CSXT EMD SD40-2 #8850 is pumping up the air. She's the Framingham CP Yard switcher and is preparing to take a transfer of 53 auto racks west, to Westboro Auto Yard. ONE (1) SD40-2 hauling all 53 cars!
EMD SD40-2 #8850 is starting out for Westboro. She's at the west end of Nevins Yard, Framingham. This is a transfer run. She'll drop off these 53 loads and pick up empties for FRSE to return to Selkirk, NY. From there, it's south to Cleveland.
8850, an ex-Conrail EMD SD40-2 is working hard to move the 52 auto racks she's charged with in a westerly direction for Westboro. The CP Yard switcher is a busy job and makes frequent moves in and out of Nevins Yard as the hot-shots arrive and depart.
As she went by, the CP yard switcher went into the sunlight on this warm and sunny June 2000 afternoon. If someone can tell me what causes the red highlights in these pictures, I'll be a happy man! I'm using a metal bodied Canon AE-1 with a 50-70mm lens.
Sitting under the Fountain Street Bridge at CP22, Framingham, MA, CP yard switcher EMD SD40-2 #8850 awaits the crossover of the Boston Line main tracks to the CP Yard and the Auto unloading and distribution area 1/2 mile south. (Former GM assembly plant)
Here's a closer look at former Conrail Quality EMD SD40-2 #8850 as she awaits the restricting signal that will allow her to return to work at the CP yard. It's an overcast June, 2000 afternoon at CP22 on the CSX Boston Line, Framingham, MA. Lotsa work left to do today.
Light engines glide along the CSX Boston Line towards Beacon Park, Boston, Ma. They came east from Worcester. Apparently, Beacon Park enginehouse was power short this day. They'll be added to a westbound out of Boston at a later time. C39-8 #7481 and a CW40-8 sister.
CSXT EMD GP40-2 #6203 is resting between assignments on the enginehouse track at Readville's #1 yard, Dedham, MA. Normally, Readville is assigned four or five of these classic workhorses. They were once proud, top of the line road power. Now they're in semi-retirement, here.
CSXT, EMD GP40-2 6203 sits silent in Readville Yard #1 Engine House at sunrise. At her age, she probably enjoys the brief respit! In about an hour and a half, she'll be fired up and placed on WARE1 (L731) and heading for Norwood and Walpole with tonnage. August 2000.
CSXT, EMD GP40-2 6219 also is resting between jobs in the enginehouse at Yard #1, Readville, MA. It's sunrise and the colors are espescially warming in the CSX paint scheme. 6219 is still "spitting" air from her previous job on WARE2 (B732) which tied her down at 0500.
Also recently shut down from B732 (WARE2) and still faintly spitting air from her bleeder valve, CSXT, EMD GP40-2 #6241 takes a brief rest from her labors. Soon she'll be switching Yard #1 making up the train for L731 (WARE1). The cars for today's work just arrived at 0500hrs.
The early morning sun, bright and warm, obliterates the large CSX badge from vision on GP40-2 #6219. Nobody's here yet - just me. Yardmaster, Jesse DeMello and Car Inspector, (machinist) Dave Fasolino will be here soon as well as the crew of WARE1 (L731). It's 0615hrs.
CSXT B30-7R is a former GE 2250hp U23-B, originally built in Erie PA for Monongahelia. She was rebuilt at GE in Montreal to this magnificent Super Seven for Conrail. She takes her place in the number series with the GE B23-7's. Readville in September 2000.
Here's another view of CSXT B30-7R, 3185 idling at Readville #1 Yard. She's just one example of a massive in-kind rebuild of GE U23-Bs by their original manufacturer. They foretold the coming of the dash 8 series of that GE would build into the 21st Century!
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Tied together and shut down on the Framingham "short Wye" are CSXT GP40-2 6227, GE CW60AC 605 and a sister 60AC. These are power for train FRSE. |
Here's CSXT GP40-2 #6227 which is tied down and coupled to two GE CW60AC's on the Framingham Short Wye. She looks pretty forlorn in her rusting/fading CSX livery. BUT...Runs really well!
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CSXT B23-7 3175 and B30-7R 3185 arrive at Framingham on Train WARE1 (L731). |
CSXT EMD GP40-2 #6238 pulls into Nevins' Yard, Framingham, MA. It's crowded in here right now. WARE1 has dropped his empties and will pick up his loads for Readville.
CSXT EMD GP40-2 #6238 leads the Framingham North Yard switching consist as it enters Nevins Yard to deliver empties for train FRSE's AM run to Selkirk. Busy place today!
Second unit in the North Yard switching consist is the former Conrail Quality SD40-2 #8840. I love this Conrail Quality livery with the yellow numbers on the cab.
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