Meridian Speedway intermodal trains w/ DPU's and a CSX SD70MAC on 16A!

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• published: 19 Mar 2016
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On March 9th and March 10th multiple rounds of heavy rain soaked the Southeast United States. As a result the KCS Meridian Speedway was flooded and out of service, so KCS & NS rerouted their intermodal trains via Memphis - Sheffield - Birmingham - Atlanta, normally they run via Shreveport - Meridian - Birmingham - Atlanta and vise versa. For a whole week 226, 225, and other Meridian Speedway trains were running by here. I heard a patched SP unit was on 226/225 but didn't catch it, but then on Wednesday evening I got my first rerouted train! A 28Q, with two UP's leading. No DPU's though, Meridian Speedway intermodal trains often have a DPU, something that we never see on intermodal trains on the Memphis West District. The next day I caught all sorts of trains....first a 76Z, which is a ECP Brake Test train, doesn't run too often. As usual 76Z had all NS ES44AC's for power & all NS hoppers......only then I accidentally hit the pause button as the DPU's were about to come by, so no video of the DPU's on 76Z :/ Later I saw 25Q with two NS D9's, 25Q runs once a week from Atlanta to Memphis. That evening I heard the dispatcher clearing 733's Smyth to Rossville track authority so I hurried trackside.....and nothing. Then suddenly my scanner came to life, "26Z, Clear Germantown, out" The 26Z had 3 UP's leading a Dash9 on the head end....and I was watching for a DPU....and then here comes the rear and there IS one! A UP ES44AC, in what sounded like Notch 2 or 3. First time I've caught a intermodal train with a DPU. The next day, which was Friday, I heard another 28Q was coming east, so I got set up at my usual spot and about 20 minutes later 28Q came blasting thru with a older UP SD70ACe leading a repainted SD70M. Pretty nice power IMO, and then there was a DPU! To make it even better it was one of UP's rare AC6044CW's, and he was blowing white smoke everywhere! :D Gotta be one of my favorite catches this month. Then almost 2 hours later along came 391, with 6 locomotives! A mix of NS and UP, all GE's though. :P 391 and 225 met 16A at White Siding and I happened to be driving Dad to Germantown Hardware so he suggested we head out to White Siding and see the 16A. I readily agreed with the idea so we started heading in that direction....but then Dad spotted 16A coming towards us.....he'd already left the siding! I pulled in on Riverdale Rd quickly, did a U turn and then Dad took over behind the wheel so I could get a video and we got back to the xing just in time! With the crossing lights and the car headlights the light was pretty good...but as 16A neared I couldn't quite make out what was behind the BNSF Dash9 leading....but then as they came thru the xing I saw it was a CSX SD70MAC and a BNSF GEVO! You can hear how surprised I was in the video. :P First time I've EVER seen a CSX unit on 16A, and first time in months I've seen BNSF power on 16A! So that was pretty awesome, a great way to end a great day of railfanning. Well I've done it again, another super long description. :P Enjoy the video! Recorded by Dan Hanna