 | While waiting others to show up for the day-long railfanning field trip on Friday, a northbound CSX train passes by with an old BN unit (now HLCX) for a leader. |
 | We move north out of Dalton along the NS main to a remote location north of Varnell, GA, and find northbound 284 waiting for southbound 347 (right) to pass before continuing towards Chattanooga. Shortly after this shot was taken, we were stopped by a Whitfield County Sheriff's deputy for suspicious activity. Turns out, a distant observer thought my monopod was the barrel of a high-powered rifle! |
 | I don't understand why I look so suspicious... (photo by Chris Starnes) |
 | A nice suprise came down the NS I line at Cohutta, GA - three blue ex-Conrail units lead 720, a loaded GA Power coal train, south towards Dalton and eventually onto the C line. |
 | Once the coal train passed, local G38 returned from DeButts Yard and briefly waited at the junction with the I line for a little space between it and 720 in front of it. |
 | As the train waits, my very sick and warped sense of humor kicks in... |
 | G38 gets an "Approach Distracting" and heads south. |
 | We follow the I line to Cleveland TN, and enter a land where high-hooded locomotives were not only at one time local and branchline power, but also the mainline mainstay. Alas, this GP50 sits quiet, awaiting switching - not intermodal - duties. |
 | ...and these SD40-2's sit quietly further up the line in Charleston, awaiting switching duties at the Bowater paper plant, not long-distance coal hauling from the Blue Ridge Mountains to other points across the system.
The field trip continued to Ooltewah and Chattanooga, before returning back to Dalton. |
 | The next morning, Chris Starnes and I catch a southbound CSX train about to dive into the tunnel at Tunnel Hill. |
 | We wait for one more southbound in the form of Q581 to pass by before we head to Dalton. |
 | Unfortunately, the Dalton Railfests are gaining a reputation for overcast and rainy weather. Unlike the one in November, however, the traffic level was excellent. A couple of 'fans video a northbound CSX intermodal passing by. |
 | Woody and Chris observe from atop the Gordon Street bridge an NS light power move as it heads north for DeButts Yard in Chattanooga. |
 | Later in the day I go onto the Gordon Street bridge myself to photograph a couple of trains. Southbound NS autorack train 275 approaches the diamond. The second unit is a Horsehead. |
 | Southbound CSX grain train G132 shakes the tables and windows at the Dalton Depot Restaurant (former NC&StL station). |
 | A high-hood SD40-2 hangs tightly onto a mainline assignment - on the lead of 294 no less - in a world of encroaching wide-cabs. I have altered the saturation for this "hand-colored" effect - the fully saturated image can be viewed here. |
 | Just after a nasty thunderstorm passes through the area, CSX train Q580 emerges from the tunnel at Tunnel Hill, GA, with the bright shining face of an ex-Conrail SD70MAC. |
