Foreign power invades Norfolk Southern

A splash of fresh color has swept across Norfolk Southern in recent weeks, as foreign power has invaded Virginia and West Virginia. Everything from old and new, and BNSF to Canadian power, is roaming rails of the former Norfolk & Western and Virginian.

Going trackside is nothing short of a guessing game; one never knows what might show up. Not only has foreign power made things interesting, but older NS power on mainline trains has made railfanning in the last month intriguing.

I've been amazed at the consists: new Canadian National GEVOs, solid BNSF consists, mixed BNSF and UP, etc. I can never remember a time when so much variety in motive power was as common as it is right now.

It is also really cool to get something like a new CN GEVO passing an N&W color position light signal, or a famous landmark, clearly denoting the locomotive is far from home-turf. These are pictures one will look back on with a smile and be thankful for capturing them.

Let's look at a few pictures:

After pausing for to await a track in Bluefield Yard, train No. 762 has just received clearance into town, as it wraps around a sweeping curve at Pinhook, Va., led by CP No. 8797 and BNSF No. 7816. The train of Hyco-bound coal will stop long enough for a quick crew change, before proceeding to Roanoke via the Christiansburg District.

The sun is beginning to set as it basks this scene at Big Four, W.Va., with beautiful light, as train No. 765 emerges from the first of two tunnels, with UP No. 5367 and BNSF No. 7030 in charge. The train is on a complete downhill descent to Williamson, as the train rolls toward the Ohio River Valley, where it will be loaded and return east with another heavy train of black diamonds.

With a heavy double-stack train in town, No. 217 tackles the steepest section of the climb to Christiansburg, while negotiating the S-curve at Shawsville, Va., led by newer CP No. 8900. This hot UPS train is destined for Chicago, Ill., and will travel tracks of the old N&W all the way to Columbus, passing through Bluefield and Portsmouth.

A trio of BNSF locomotives, Nos. 4845, 9868, and 7373, lead No. 15T across the New River at Radford, Va., as they lug their train of manifest toward Bristol across the Pulaski District. This line is known for scenery, as it passes through beautiful farmland and well-known towns, such as Rural Retreat and Seven Mile Ford made famous by O Winston Link, before reaching Bristol.

Possibly my favorite catch of January was these two brand new Canadian National GEVOs, Nos. 2850 and 2852, leading train No. 272 across West Virginia. They are pictured above passing the signals at Dean, just east of Prichard, W.Va., as they charge across the Kenova District en-route to Williamson and Bluefield.

In the very last light of the day, train No. 272 has received a fresh crew and departs the yard at Bluefield, W.Va., with darkness quickly falling in the hollows. Even in this low-light scene, the new CN units really stand out with their new paint glistening.

A close second to the CNs, was this 15T powered by CP Nos. 5946 and 9716. The train is pictured splitting the CPLs at Glade Spring, Va., as the move nears Bristol and the completion of its run across the Pulaski District. In my years of railfanning Virginia, I don't ever recall seeing a CP SD40-2 leading a train. This consist was a total surprise and a definite treat, as one never knows if another chance to shoot a consist like this going past an N&W CPL will occur.

As always, thanks for viewing and hope you enjoyed this post. Feel free to leave your comments in the section below.