As it passed through Manville (NJ) at 11:47. It was scheduled for an early morning departure in Philadelphia but was detained for reasons unknown. Seen through the intermittent showers and downpours, here was what passed by my vantage point prior to the Blue Unit’s passage.
CSX 707 @ 7:10 had CSX 7504 as the leader along with an unknown second unit.
NS 212 (time not recorded) had NS 9673, NS 9163 and NS 7553 as power.
NS 11J @ 7:45 would have zero loads and 37 empties that weighed in at 1,970 tons and was 3,650 feet long. NS 2662 and NS 8423 provided the power.
NS 21M @ 8:05 had the trio of NS 8314, NS 7595 and NS 2749.
NS 214 (time not recorded) had NS 9784, NS 9663 and NS 9560 as power.
NS 19G (ditto on the time) had the quartet of NS 9559, NS 9447, NS 9795 and NS8771 for power.
NS (symbol unknown) @ 9:50 was a short intermodal (COFCs) that had NS 7679 and PRR 8401 as power.
CSX (symbol unknown) @ 10:12 would have CSX 5288 and CSX 5333 bringing a long train of empty well cars east.
NS 18G @ 10:56 had NS 9275 and NS 9137 for power on this general merchandise train.
CSX P916 @ 11:47 Finally the train I was waiting for finally showed up! The leader was CSX 5312 and an unrecorded second CSX unit. P916 would have 61 cars, weigh in at 4,490 tons and measure 5,409 feet for this 443 mile trip to Providence, RI. During its trip up the Trenton Line, a signal maintainer noticed that one of the tractor’s doors (3rd photo) had come open. The CSX crew would ask for permission to stop and have someone close this door near Bound Brook.
Despite the inclement weather, it was still a good day to be trackside to see the RB&BB Blue Unit circus train along with all these others.
