SOUTHEAST ALABAMA APRIL 2004 CSX Mobile and Montgomery Subdivision. Original plan was to take advantage of the beautiful weather to check
the action on the M&M. I mostly wanted to shoot in downtown Brewton.
I leave early in the morning to be in Flomaton around sunrise. At 630 RR
time, Q520 is done grabbing its loads, calls the dispatcher for a green
light and gets it almost immediately. The chase is on. I am a little bit
behind, so I decide to skip Pollard and go to Brewton. As I pull into town,
the power has already cleared the downtown crossings!!!!!
I decide to cut my losses and wait for my next train in Brewton. A
SBD 40' box car keeps me intrigued for a little while .......A long time
later, still nothing on the horizon, so change of plan. I head toward Mobile,
my eyes and ears wide open. Flomaton, Atmore, Nokomis and Bay Minette are
all quiet. I head toward Huricane when 606 clears the SE Huricane. I head
back to Nokomis where 631 is waiting in the siding. I set up at the creek
for this shot.
Brushy Creek, between Nokomis and Atmore AL. Q606: UP 3967 and UP9318.
With no other prospects from Mobile, I head back to Flomaton. Nothing
is coming out the PD either, so I head north back to Brewton, then Castleberry
where a hi railer gets track time to fix a malfunctionning gate. He releases
the track from Welka to Castleberry and the stop and flag at the crossing,
and then disappears into the sunset. I figure the flood of trains from
Montgomery is now due any minute.....
It is now lunch time and still nothing in sight. I head for Evergreen
for one last chance. I stop by the depot for a walk around and to keep
an eye on the light. I slowly eat lunch then sit in the car and consider
my options with the map. I decide to give up and head home the long way
through SE Alabama to visit the short lines. I check the light one more
time before leaving.... It is a total miracle, it has turned green. I park
the car at the bottom of the overpass, and run up. A few minutes later,
I catch Q145 with my first and last action shot of CSX power for the day
on the M&M.
US 84 overpass, Evergreen, AL. Q145: CSX 648 and CSX 86??
I chase it back to Brewton, but I get caught in traffic and miss it
there. In Flomaton, Q145 stops, and the crew detrains. P002 shows up around
2 o'clock and heads for the PD. With no other prospects in line, I head
for Andalusia. A grand total of 2 trains have gone through on the M&M
north of Flomaton in 8 hours. :( Are there still curfews on the line?
