Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 50: April 24, 2006

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Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 50: April 24, 2006

  • The latest installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike is now live within the Railroading section on the Trains.com home page. Please read this week's column first then vote for your favorite photo below.
    Erik Bergstrom
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  • Woo-hoo! Thanks for the mention Bergie!!!
    QUOTE: originally posted in the Trackside with Erik and Mike Vol. 50 Recap

    To clear up some other speculation, that is not an SD45 as some forum members had guessed. It's a rebuilt GP38-2. While I could go into details, I think our friend "fuzzybroken" explains it well in his reply in the Trains.com reader forum.
    He also mentions the cool reflective decals used for the CP letters on the locomotive's tall hood. Below is a full-size version of the letters, which clearly shows that they're not only reflective, but that they also have a horizontal ridged pattern to help catch more light.

    [swg]
  • The composition of Photo #2 is far better than Photo #1.
    We should stop looking at the railroads involved and look at the photos for waht they are.
    DV
  • QUOTE: Originally posted by thefox

    FEC is less common anyway. I see it's in front of two UP locos so either UP locos aren't local or vice versa. I'm guessing that the shot was from Florida from Mike's trip out East or Southeast. I could easily be wrong, especially since I don't even know exactly where he went.

    For those of you that are interested, I found a trio of FEC shots on Railpictures.net:
    1ex-UP, 2 blue:
    http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=121137
    2 ex-UP, 1 blue:
    http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=121138
    3 ex-UP!
    http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=121139
    All three are very nice shots!
  • QUOTE: Originally posted by gunzel2

    Photo 1 for sure....
    Nothing beats looking down the full length of a long snout of an engine at high-speed in mainline service!

    DW - Locomotive engineer/Driver
    Pacific National R&B South Dynon. Melb, Australia.


    I don't know if we're looking at the same photo, but number 1 is a long way from 'high-speed in mainline service!"
  • #1 by a mile...it's so cool to look at and not an everyday sight
  • I picked #2. I like the uniqueness of the engine in #1, the draw-you-in shot, and that you can see the whole train. A short train like that begs to be photographed in full. I think there is a better shot of that train that would get my vote.
  • QUOTE: Originally posted by Rocket Man

    Congrats on #50 and thank you for this installment, it's weekly treat!

    Both great photos. Love the color of #1! Grabs your attention. Love the blend of color in #2, FEC must have picked out "Florida Storm is a Brewin' Gray" for their locomotives. Also love the more tropical background as a change of pace. My vote goes for #2 as it is a classical shot with no obvious photo faux pas. I wonder if #1 would have won if only the point of view would have been closer to the ground to portray the scale better. Some have mentioned UP locos in the back??? Looks like UP but not quite. Any Florida rail pros out there that can clarify for us?

    Keep them coming Mike and Erik!!!


    They are former UP SD40-2's that are now FEC SD40-2's but still wearing Armour yellow paint. The have FEC #'s and marks but no paint yet. These are the first 6 axel engines on the FEC but more are coming as they have ordered new SD70's due this fall. I did vote for #2. It's good to see photo's of the FEC.
  • I vote for photo #2 this week.
  • I vote for photo #2 this week.
  • Ok, both are sweet photos. However FEC units aren't as rare as the EMD flared CP unit. This particular unit used to be GP40X rebuilt into GP38-3. So yes I voted for a rarity this time ...
    "There is nothing in life that compares with running a locomotive at 80-plus mph with the windows open, the traction motors screaming, the air horns fighting the rush of incoming air to make any sound at all, automobiles on adjacent highways trying and failing to catch up with you, and the unmistakable presence of raw power. You ride with fear in the pit of your stomach knowing you do not really have control of this beast." - D.C. Battle [Trains 10/2002 issue, p74.]
  • Photo one seems to be a spur line and note the burned out ditch light.
  • FYI, CP did have SD45s! Almost. Two of their SD40M-2s were rebuilt from SD45s. And painted in Dual Flags paint.

    And I think that's SOO 91...
  • The CP bought them as GP40X's and then rebuilt them to GP38-2 specs. Heres a shot of one.


    Alec
    Check out my pics! [url="http://wctransfer.rrpicturearchives.net/"] http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=8714
  • #1
    Question, the unit looks like an SD45 but the CP roster says it's a GP38-2. What gives?

    On your 50th, congratulations