This Is Not 38, This Is Old 97

All of a sudden, I've been surrounded by Norfolk Southern heritage units. Until last Saturday, the only ones I'd seen were the Nickel Plate Road, Conrail, and Pennsylvania units, all with Nickel Plate Road 765 on fantrips; and one sighting of the Lackawanna unit when I didn't have my camera.

Well, all that changed after last Saturday. I happened to be heading home through Creighton, after hanging out at a friend's house. As I was headed towards the C. L. Schmitt Bridge (known to locals as just the 'New Ken bridge'), Norfolk Southern sent an oil train up the Conemaugh Line. I'm headed the opposite direction, and I take a peek at the power. At first, the two black-and-white locomotives didn't seem all that special...until I realized that the trailing unit was the Penn Central heritage unit. I swear I did a double-take, cartoon-style. So I banged a u-turn and did my best to follow the train. He was going fairly slowly for some reason. I tried to get a good picture, but it was too dark and I couldn't hang around.

Worst. Heritage unit picture. Ever. 

Next morning, after meeting my family for breakfast, my sister and I ran a quick errand and then took the scenic route home, up the Kiskiminetas River. We caught up with a train heading east (this is further east on the Conemaugh Line, for those wondering) and I decided to try a new photo spot on the Vandergrift Bridge. As the train came around the curve, I realized that the second loco in the consist was the NS 'Honoring Our Veterans' unit! I was so surprised, that Brie had to remind me to take pictures. I was hoping for a better picture, so we tried to chase to Apollo and Avonmore, but to no avail. He was moving like he was late for a hot date.

We salute you. 

And then, yesterday happened. I just wanted to go out for a little while and clear my head. As I was headed towards the city, I checked the heritageunits.com site. I discovered that the Southern Railway and Erie units were converging on the city! I had a moment where I thought I had missed the Erie unit, so I beat feet to Rochester, parked at the bowling alley, and got there just in time to catch the Southern unit on an intermodal train headed west. 

The Southern serves...southwestern Pennsylvania?

Figuring that I'd done well enough for the day, I took a brief cruise back up PA-65, and passed the Conway locomotive service terminal. And to my surprise, there was the Erie unit! It took a slight hike across busy, four-lane 65 to get a good photo, but here it is!

It's not easy being green.

As a bonus, while I was across the highway, I noticed the unit I'd been wanting to see the most - the Wabash! Unfortunately, it was dark enough I had trouble getting a good photo, and she wasn't well lit, as well as hidden behind that BNSF GEVO. But hey, it was there.

Follow That Flag!

I did previously get photos of the Nickel Plate Road, Pennsylvania, and Conrail units. Here's the NKP unit with 765 out by Leetsdale back in 2012.

Nickel Plate High Speed Freight Steam Locomotive On A Passenger Excursion Service

And here are the Pennsy and Conrail units, also with 765, on a chartered excursion over Horseshoe Curve. I got this photo from downtown Altoona.

Don't Stand Me Still? Or Keep It Moving With Conrail? How about both?

And that may not be the end of the story. Back in 2013, my friend Matt and I happened to catch the Lackawanna unit after hanging out at Primanti's in Harmarville; but that was in my pre-smartphone days and I didn't get a picture. However, as of three hours ago, she was due west out of Harrisburg on an oil train and I may have a chance at catching her today!

Also, there's the other 12 heritage units and a few other special locomotives to look out for. I'll just have to keep an eye out.

Also also, I signed up for a spotter account on heritageunits.com. If you see a spot listed by LL1060, that's me.