| Posted by Dana M. on December 16, 2022 | |
Mike - I can not express the emotions I am experiencing while looking at this photo. I want to say it's a really nice photo of an often overlooked locomotive model now combined with a "fallen flag" railroad. This photo suddenly brought back several good memories for me due to this locomotive. From the mid-1980's and well into 2007, I was a member of a local tourist railroad that operated out of Hebron, Ohio and ran an 11 - 12-mile round-trip excursion North to Newark, Ohio on the old Chesapeake & Ohio Shawnee Branch which was originally chartered by the Newark, Somerset & Straitesville Railroad on April 3, 1867. While I was with the Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad, the locomotive they operated was an EMD SW1 sister to this locomotive with the ex-PRR, ex-PC, ex-Conrail road number 8599. A really close friend of mine and I had several opportunities to operate/run that little locomotive, and we were both fond of that little brute. This photo also brings a little tear to my eye because I lost my dear friend to that nasty 'Rona Virus-19 in October of last year. We were in touch with each other online through Facebook, but then he suddenly stopped responding to my messages. It wasn't until May of this year (2022) that I was informed through another friend that he had passed away. It took me by shock, and surprise since I only found out only 5 months after his passing. So, that's why I'm commenting on this photo. Because of a little brute of a sister locomotive to CR 8429 pictured above, I will cherish the friend I have lost because of CR 8429's sister Buckeye Central Scenic EMD SW1 No. BCSR 8599. 8599 still exists, she escaped the scrapper's torch, but last information I had was she is now owned by the Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad. The Zanesville and Western Scenic Railroad is Mount Perry in Southeast Ohio, on an exceptionally scenic and historic rail line known as the Glass Rock Spur. At present, I understand No. 8599 is not used due to some weight restrictions on a few of the old railroad trestles and bridges on the line, so she is currently "parked" in an undisclosed storage location for the Zanesville & Western, hopefully to return to the rails again. If I had the means and opportunity, and a location to take her, I'd buy her, restore her and operate her myself. I miss those days, and I miss my friend. Thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts, and for a wonderful photo of a personally "beloved" locomotive model - the EMD SW1. I also love the EMD BL2.
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| Posted by Dana M. on December 18, 2022 | |
Mike - A "follow-up" comment to my previous post... Another bit of information about the friend I lost to illness last year is because he grew up in Union City, Ohio, and Conrail's Indianapolis Sub ran through Union City. He grew up on "Big Blue", and he was affectionately known as "The Conrail Kid". Again, this photo, as well as any photo, of a Conrail locomotive will always remind me of that cherished friend I have lost.
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