New CP SD30C-ECO at Night!

During the early morning hours of August 27, I visited a favorite location at the ex-D&H Station in Plattsburgh, NY. I saw four trains pass by, and took FOUR night photos as a unit train of crude (608) had an AC4400 running in DPU mode at the rear. In New England, that is a great night! The highlight of the night was the appearance of the elusive (for me) SD30C-ECO 5010 leading empty ethanol train 643 back north!

The SD30C-ECO model are rebuilt for CP from aging SD 40-2s. Featuring flared radiators and a new paint job externally, only twenty have been completed at this time and are in use across the vast Canadian Pacific System. The paint appears to be a different “red” than CP ordered for the last batch of AC’s, ( at least I hope so....) as it appears to be “redder” than what we have seen in the past with new AC’s. In any event, the new paint job looks superb on the 5010. And, what better location to feature the new engine northbound than here going past the Plattsburgh Station! When I arrived here, I called friend Richard Wingler, who lives in nearby Cadyville with wife Bonnie, neither of whom I had seen since my operation and recovery, and I succeeded in rousting Richard out of bed to come down to meet. Richard is a videographer so we had a fine time shooting the busy railroad while staying out of each others views. We enjoyed visits from the local police, who pay attention to the area at night as it is a well worn pathway for college people (Pub Crawlers?) going to and from a lakefront bar. The first train to appear tonight was southbound 252, whose AC’s I happily watched pass by, knowing they were meeting 931 with NS power, and the star of the night 643, running behind 931 on the other side of town at Bluff Point. Perhaps thirty minutes after 252 got by us, 931s b&w diesels rolled around the curve above the station, and I took the opportunity to use the NS engines on 931 as a practice shot to check the manual focus. I busied myself cutting back the rag weed growth along the tracks, (I......think.....I made a difference....lol!) then Richard returned from his position near the crossing and we both joked about our good fortune knowing 643 was coming! The line “What can possibly go wrong?” was repeated a few times jokingly, both of us recalling instances in the past when, thinking we have “got ‘em cold” so to speak, we have in fact, ended up getting screwed by the dispatcher or..........”The Chief”. A potential wrench in the works appears with the arrival of 608 north of us at Rouses Point, and we listen in silence as the crew speaks with the D&H North End dispatcher, who informs the crew of his plan for them to wait for both 931 and 643 before heading south........WHEW! Then the dispatcher mentions to the 608 crew 643s location, which is maybe twenty minutes away from Richard and myself! We realize............yes! It is going to happen! We happily talk for fifteen minutes or so until our scanners puick up- the crews of 252 & 643 talking as 643 passes by at Bluff Point, then split up, Richard going back to the Dock St. crossing area, and I looking for the stepladder amongst the rag weed. With the lighting waiting and ready, life is great at times such as this! The minutes pass and then the distinctive sound of EMD SD 40-2s coming towards us can be heard, the Dock St. crossing gates and lights are activated above the station, and out from behind a building comes the 5010, gleaming even under the street lights! The engineer throttles back a notch as they roll into position for a portrait at Plattsburgh, the lights do their thing, capturing the moment with the 5D and lens, and they are gone, leaving a smiling Gary checking the lcd monitor as empty ethanol cars glide by. Shot on Aug. 27, 2013 at 02:25. Please enjoy! Comments are welcomed.

All The Best in 2013;

Gary