Trains on the Norfolk Southern Harrisburg Line Fall 2012 Winter 2013

Railfan along the busy Norfolk Southern Harrisburg Line as you've never seen it before during the fall of 2012 and the winter into the new year. A variety of trains and locations are explored—including several angles never shown on this channel. The scenes were selected because of the location, lighting or motive power: the low winter sun provides some of the most crisp HD footage that can be obtained all year, not to mention the gorgeous sunsets that happen almost daily, some of which are featured in this video. There is, of course, a heritage unit in the mix! This video also celebrates the milestone of reaching 4000 subscribers, thanks very much for your support!

November 17, 2012
Eastbound ethanol tankers roll by the power station at Prescott after passing over the hump just east of the signals.
0:00 - 68Q - MP 83.0
NS SD70M 2605
NS ES40DC 7525

November 23, 2012
Autorack train I90 (late/extra 290) heads east through DORF with a Union Pacific leader on a sunny fall morning with some fall amber still clings to the trees.
3:00 - I90 - MP 73.4
UP AC45CCTE 7714
NS SD70 2580

Nothing special for power, but I wanted a shot of a train passing the Bayer plant. An abutment for the long-gone Race Street overpass can also be seen.
5:40 - 202 - MP 80.2
NS C40-9W 9633
NS C40-9W 9433
NS C40-9W 8894

December 19, 2012
A very low morning sun lights the rails just two days shy of the shortest day of the year, as one of the shortest CP trains of the year makes a speedy trek toward Philadelphia after leaving Binghamton, NY the evening before. This train generally heads past this location at 3 AM, but thanks to new instructions to do switching en route at Riverside and Sunbury, this train sometimes wakes up with the sun.
7:34 - CP 158 - MP 81.2
ICE SD40-2 6400
CP GP40-2 4651

Clouds roll in just as an oil train with a fakebonnet trailing shows up to Myerstown, unfortunately, not even the strong, rare Leslie RS-5T horn on the lead locomotive was enough to blow the clouds away. Regardless, I love this location for the red brick apartments and old wooden buildings—it has all the signs of a small railroad town. Yes, even the crossing is "Railroad Street." There is a defect detector here as well, but I left the scanner in the car.
8:40 - 64D - MP 79.8
NS C40-9W 9588
BNSF C44-9W 795
BNSF ES44DC 7860

That evening just before sunset, a break in the clouds caused an odd illumination. This was very hard light to battle to get any decent shot, but I tried to focus on the train using the crossovers from track 1 to 2. Of course, the main feature is the Wabash Heritage unit on the lead. Of course, 262 is a train that would run around 10 AM on any other day.
10:35 - 262 - MP 83.4
NS SD70ACe 1070
NS C40-9W 9869

December 28, 2012
H33 storms west with loaded hoppers for PACMA or Cargil. The train is heading up a long grade of about .5%, and causes a great doppler of horn and throttle as it passes a private crossing.
12:00 - H33 - MP 69.1
NS SD40-2 3338
NS SD40-2 3383

Puddles on the ground from the recently melted snow add a nice prop to the scene. I wasn't sure where to stand, but reflections always add effect.
13:15 - 16N - MP 70.5
NS SD70 2576
NS C40-9W 9322

January 3, 2013
Passing underneath the PA 419 overpass, 14G drops down to DORF just behind me around the curve. To my left out of view was once a giant brick plant that was a main industry during the Reading days—one of many large factories around there that have diminished either to warehouses or nothing to the point where no one would recognize the giant industrial history of these small towns.
14:50 - 14G - MP 74.3
NS C40-8W 8325
NS SD70M 2589
NS SD70M 2618

When I left for the tracks, 19G was almost at this location. 30 minutes went by and no train, just crisp, clean shiny 4 PM daylight fading away. Finally, the train came on the opposite track I anticipated and I was very disappointed at first. However, I think it turned out well with the freight cars and going away shot as the freight bangs across the crossover from 2 to 1 and I've come to love this shot more than a well-lit freight passing the power station. I stuck around for some shots of the signals, just as geese flew overhead.
17:05 - 19G - MP 83.2
NS SD60I 6738
UP AC44CW 6683
NS C40-9W 9309
NS C40-9W 9488
NS ES40DC 7536
NS C40-9W 9512

January 5, 2013
A loaded work train heads east, throttling hard with a single GP38-2 up the small hill at Sheridan, with a manure spreader working in the field across from the tracks.
20:05 - 91W - MP 74.7
NS GP38-2 5663

A dual pair of SD60M's whine in dynamics as it starts down a minor .33-.5% grade that lasts for about 3 miles.
21:15 - 18N - MP 70.5
NS SD60M 6801
NS SD60M 6774

The sun sets just as 33A crosses Prescott with a mix of power for Allentown.
22:40 - 33A - MP 83.4
NS C40-9W 9365
NS SD60I 6751
NS SD40-2 3410
NS GP38-2 5070
NS SD60 6713
NS GP38-2 5260

As always, thanks for watching and thanks for subscribing!