On a cool early September evening, CSX Z360-10 (NS 23N) is making the descent down Raccoon Mountain on the main 2 track on the CSX Chattanooga Sub at Whiteside, TN. The NS Haulage rights track has a little bit of color on the head end range from the UP motor at the lead to the surprising Central New Jersey Heritage unit running third on this 9,000+ foot long intermodal train. Once the train get to the bottom of the mountain it will follow the contours of the Tennessee River for a few miles, than dart its way northbound to Stevenson, AL where the train will get back on NS trackage heading for Memphis, TN.
The EMD SD (special duty) series are a strong and reliable kind of locomotive which still serve America's rails today. They have proved themselves reliable by clocking in several million miles of freight service over several decades.
