Something I forgot I had...Pt.1218

Maybe going to meet the Huckleberry and drop off cadets.

did they have the 2nd main closed off, or was just everyone going crazy?

Kevin

Early in 1218's second career based on the tool car still in CN paint and the first two cars still lettered "Southern". I'm guessing...April 25, 1987? First public excursion with 1218 - a Roanoke to Bluefield round trip. 

Kevin,

I thought they were nuts myself. There is an east bound double bracket signal that is out of the picture to the right that was coded "Stop" and I was keeping my eye on it just in case the eastbound main wasn't shut down. There had been a track inspector Hi-Rail car that preceded the 1218 by a fair amount, so, I guess he had relayed what was going on back to the Radford Div. dispatcher. Still, it wasn't a very safe environment!

 

Jeff,

I can't remember what year this was. There is no date on the back of my photos. I do know that this was not the inaugural trip of the 1218 as it was pouring down rain on that trip. 

Okay, how about this: Sunday, April 26, 1987. It ran Roanoke, VA - Lynchburg, VA - Walton, VA - Roanoke, VA. It was definitely spring of 1987 based on the passenger equipment and the trees in your pictures.

 

I'm also basing this on the schedule found here: http://www.steamcentral.com/archive/dates1987.html and the pictures taken on that date here: http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...icture.aspx?id=23228

Jeff,

I believe you are correct. I was out of town for the first run to Bluefield in the rain. I went out to Montgomery the next day in good weather and remember someone commenting about how spectacular the 1218 looked as it exited the tunnel in the rain and vast amount of steam & smoke.

Jim, great photos of the A.   It's hard to believe that was almost 28 years ago. ...yikes!  And a great location also.