Item #T-103: Susquehanna 2006-2007: Invasion of the Yellow Jackets

Run time: 134 Minutes

 

This title focuses on daily and local operations, and the transformation of a large percentage of the NYS&W motive power fleet from predecessor paint jobs to a make-over in yellow and black! Yellow and black painted units became few and far between after the B40-8s were returned to CSX when their lease expired in 2003. All of the newly acquired road power was in a myriad of paint schemes, leaving only the three unit local fleet and the two un-retired SD-45s in yellow and black. This title spans two years of footage due to a catastrophic loss of all video clips prior to July 2006 in a computer hard drive failure. This title begins in late 2006, when only two of the four SD40T-2 "tunnel motors" wore yellow and black colors. As the chapters progress, you'll slowly see the repainting spree that occurred on most of the motive fleet. By the last scene, filmed in August 2007, you'll notice that most of the motive power again wears yellow and black colors!

 

My clips usually show the complete passage of the train, from the first engine, to the last car. Some chapters document the same train in multiple locations; a true "chase".

 

 

Highlights include:

1. A reverse movement of train Su-99 back to Little Ferry Yard after being stranded on the CNY Southern Tier for nearly a week due to catastrophic flooding.

2. A rare detour movement of CP train #258 down the NYS&W Southern Division due to a derailment at Bridge 60 near Taylor Yard in Pennsylvania.

3. The installation of the Southern Division's first defect detector outside of yard limits at MP 63.6

4. A two week long CSX detour spree as the result of a major hazmat derailment near Oneida NY, in March 12, 2007 on the Chicago Line.

5. The gradual repainting and rebuilding of most of the railroad's motive fleet.