Video

---

 This train is unusual for a variety of reasons. First if all, it's entirely military cargo, presumably headed for Europe. Second, the power is all BNSF. Third, and most uniquely, it only has one motor up front, yet two DPUs at the rear. 

 In my nearly twenty years of railroad photography, I can probably count on less than one hand the number of interactions that I have had with transients. Suffice to say that none have been anywhere near as cheerful or outgoing as this one. You'll find him at 05:29, many cars back from the crew of this very nice NS 192 manifest. 

 After a long journey from Amtrak's Ivy City Yards, near Washington Union Station,  The South Carolina Railroad Museum's newest acquisition, RRWX 2595 (ex-AMTK 2595, exx-AMTK 2611, nee-UP 1415), the Pacific Forest, arrived at the museum safe and sound.   Built for the Union Pacific by Budd in 1949 as a 10-6 sleeper and leased to The Pullman Company, it was transferred to Amtrak upon its startup in 1971, and converted from steam heat to HEP in November of 1977, and subsequently converted into a crew dorm/lounge in  March, 1998. After its retirement, Amtrak retained the car for use in company service and storing it in Ivy City Yard. 

 Friday is almost always an excellent train day around here. Friday, March 25th was no exception. One of my multiple catches was the CSX F779, with its usual mix of woodchip cars (including an ex-SP), manifest, and about half a train of autoracks. Oh, and freight car graffiti. Lots of freight car graffiti.  Not to mention a brief (but appreciated) horn salute from the engineer. Thank you for watching! 

 Since I started this channel, I had not seen any KCS foreign power moving through Columbia. So I was bummed when I missed it by mere minutes on Thursday's NS 18D. I had a feeling that it would be coming back through on the next morning's 237, and I was correct.
 

 On Friday night, I was staked out in one of my usual spots waiting for the NS 191 to depart Andrews Yard. All of a sudden,  the crossing gates started going down and the lights began flashing. No horn, though. I bolted out of my car car in time to see this special novement of, I guess it's some kind of electric generation equipment, gingerly making its way across Catawba, led be a wide vision caboose with two guys standing on its porch acting as lookout,  Definitely not something you see every day. Or every night, for that matter. 

 Back in January, the Nickel Plate Road heritage unit (NS 8100) spent a week or so ricocheting between Linwood and Macon, with frequent stopovers in Columbia. I was fortunate enough to capture it three or four times, including this daylight departure on the 12R. Also check out the rather interesting cargo on the flat about four or five cars back from the motors.
 

I received word around mid-morning that a pair of UP ACes would be powering today's NS 238 mixed intermodal/manifest. So I headed down to Catawba Street and staked out the crossing. At exactly high noon they came roaring around the bend, and I caught it all. Some pretty interesting tagging, too.
 

 This episode is a particular treat for me on multiple levels. First, the NS P75 local seems to be back on its usual, reliable lunchtime departure schedule. Second, and perhaps equally (more?) important is that its power so far this week has consisted of a pair of SD40-2s running elephant style. The lead unit is ex-SOU and the trailing unit is ex-N&W. What could be more perfect? And just wait until you check out that horn!  I caught two passes of the same day's train (one of each side) from both Flora Street and Gadsden Street, which are maybe a mile apart. (Praise be for having to wait at Assembly Street for TA!)  The remainder of the train is P75's usual eclectic mix of covered hoppers and well-tagged boxcars. If you stay tuned until the very end, you'll hear a really cool shout out from a car full of LGCTT fans. (Really!) 

 I was almost to Sumter Street when word came over the scanner that NS 12R had been given track authority. Time for a quick change of plans. So I made a right turn onto Pickens and quickly diverted to the next closest place to catch it: Wheat Street. Fortunately, the paranoid old codger was nowhere to be found, and I got a front row seat to the show.  Just over five minutes, and that includes a gleaming, brand new SD70ACe DPU at 4:42. Thank you for watching!