Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Norfolk Southern Office Car Special
Headed for Atlanta, Norfolk Southern's beautiful set of 1950's-era locomotives pulled their Office Car Special, train # 951, down the old Cincinnati Southern mainline to Chattanooga on this lovely fall day. I joined Mike Ray and a group of fellow train enthusiasts to follow its progress. Note: Click on each picture to bring up a larger view.
	It was still pretty foggy when I arrived at the foot of the Tennessee River bridge. The first train through, # 161, was barely visible in the deep mist. Local wildlife seem to have a "ho-hum" attitude about it all. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 10:05 AM
	Train 161 has four locomotives, led by the typical GE "catfish" techno-toaster. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 10:06 AM
	By the time train M77 arrived at 10:17, the fog had nearly cleared off. A few minutes later, intermodal train # 285 takes track 1 to pass the M77 on track 2. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 10:30 AM
	Looking for all the world like a foreign road reroute, unit grain train # 56M has all-CSX power today. The lead unit is a new GE Evolution lokie. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 10:51 AM
	At last the star of the show arrives, the reason for this convocation of railfans, this beautiful example of railroad restoration. Here's train 951 spread across TennBridge. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 11:15 AM
	Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 11:16 AM
	We got a few photos from Wilcox Street as the train disembarked its passengers. A new crew came aboard the motive power, and then headed south to turn the train on the wye near CT tower. This shot from the 3rd Street overpass. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 11:55 AM
	We set up at the Main Street underpass to catch 951 as she backed down into the wye. Theater Car "Buena Vista," NS 23, the eighth car in the train, is carrying the markers today. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:08 PM
	Super-dome "Delaware," NS 24, was just ahead of the Theater car. Must be a wonderful view from here. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:09 PM
	The "General William Mahone," NS 18, appears to be a dining car. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:09 PM
	The "Georgia" carries car # NS 13. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:09 PM
	The "Illinois," NS 11. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:09 PM
	The "Indiana," NS 12. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:09 PM
	NS 9, The "Alabama," is second out today. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:10 PM
	Observation car "Pennsylvania" carries NS 7 and is coupled, platform-forward, to the trailing locomotive. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:10 PM
	The third, trailing locomotive is NS 4270, an F-9A built by ElectroMotive Division (EMD) of General Motors. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:10 PM
	The second locomotive is NS 4276, an F-7B (B for Booster) also built by EMD. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:10 PM
	Lead locomotive on train 951 is NS 4271, another EMD F-9A. Go to The Diesel Shop for historic data on these locomotives. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:10 PM
	CT Tower standing mute guard as train 951 backs down toward the old Southern Depot, now part of the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel complex. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:10 PM
	Railfans watch from the Central Avenue bridge as the OCS train pulls out of the wye. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 12:14 PM
	The OCS pulls out of the wye at CT Tower. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:16 PM
	The old Southern Station, with its gaudy "Chattanooga Choo Choo" sign, is visible above the lead locomotive. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:17 PM
	Zoomed a bit... Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:17 PM
	A unit coal train comes into town soon after train 951 heads back to DeButts Yard. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:10 PM
	We headed down south along the line to Atlanta and hooked up with some other railfans between Collegedale and Cohutta. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:35 PM
	After a brief wait we heard 951 calling the signals and soon she appeared on the new double track main just north of Cohutta, Georgia. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:46 PM
	Making good time, Atlanta bound. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 1:46 PM
	The Georgia Local, bound for Rome, Georgia, arrives a short time later. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 2:08 PM
	We stopped by DeButts again, and caught this shot of the newly-painted caboose. The lettering had just been completed this morning, before the festivities. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 2:51 PM
	On to Soule Shops, at the East Chattanooga terminal of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. A back-lit shot of the shops with Consolidation 610 sitting in the sun. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 3:02 PM
	Another shot of 610 from the sun side... Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 2:51 PM
	Back at TennBridge, we watch train 283, a unit auto racker with two SD70M-2's on the point. Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 3:29 PM
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