I've always found EMD's GP59s and GP60s intriguing; unlike their six-axle brethren in the SD60 series, their styling is fairly distinctive from their preceding GP50/GP40 siblings, with the large rear radiators and squared-off dynamic brake housing. They were also the only four-axle units built new with the "original" 710 engine (as compared to the ECO series 8- and 12-cylindered rebuilds that sound different), . As such, it is always a treat to see one of Carload Express's two former NS units on the roster...let alone both on the same train!
To my knowledge, this was the first time that the GP59s were paired together on a consist; usually, for the AVR-1 and AVR-3 locals, they run solo or with (most commonly) GP40-3s...on the heavy AVR-6 interchange turn to NS, they usually ran between SD40M-3s, until the SD60Ms monopolized the train. On August 13th, for whatever reason, the crew had to use the two GPs and an SD60M, despite having three of the former Conrail motors in the yard (which the crew will pull off at the start of the video).
AVR operates out of the former Baltimore & Ohio yard in Glenwood, PA, upriver from the old J&L furnace site. The yard sits in what I believe is the Monongahela's floodplain, but the ex-B&O mainline rises on a constant grade as it heads toward Oakland, the Panther Hollow tunnel, and the NS connection. Hence, any westbound train out of Glenwood has to get started on an embankment built to pass over the former furnace site and the still-extant spur to MetalTech.
