Before heading Home to NC after a week in Jacksonville, Fla

[BNSFwatcher]

I lived in the Jacksonville, FL environs for almost ten years ('85-'94), but did very little 'railfanning'.  I lived on the beach at Jacksonville Beach (COOL!) and had better things to look at than trains!  Aktch'ully, there is a lot of railroading going on in JAX:  FEC, CSX, AMTK, and a lot of dock/harbor trackage, which is being upgraded.  Did a couple of NS steam trips from JAX to Valdosta, GA behind the 611 and the big articulated.  Lots of abandoned R-O-Ws, too.  JAX Beach had a branch of the FEC, years ago, that turned north to Mayport.  R-O-W still extant, but the powers-that-be are not interested in using it for commuter rail.  They spent all the taxpayer's money on the silly "Skyway".  The old Jacksonville Union Passenger Depot is now a 'convention center', ironically named after Prime Osborne (sp?), mentor of the Atlantic Coast Line.  If the "East Coast" Amtraker ever gets operational, the JUPD will again be viable, allowing for the closing of the stupid Clifford Lane Station, which is 'way out' in the boonies!  Yar, the SAL, ACL, SOU, L&N, FEC, JUPT (the terminal switching road), etc., passenger trains are gone, but one can hope! 

[dstill]

I made a trip today over to Fernandina Beach. Did not see any action. Did see FCRD 501 at the north end of the yard with tarp over the hood between the cab and first exhaust pipe. Is it having mechanical problems. Down at the south end of the yard by the office 1810,1602 are parked. How is the ecomomy affecting FCRD. I then continues to US 17 and followed it down to the Bud Plant. I notice they keep at lot of power at the plant. I saw two trains switching with single units. CSX6038 on the sb. CSX 4302 on the nb. I did another train heading sb and switching, its power was PRLX3003 and CSX8351. I believe the PRLX may be one the enviromental unit? It had a nice clean coat of yellow paint. I first thought it was a UP sd70ace.  Not sure in anyone knows anything about the above.