All across the nation, there are record numbers of 90+ degree days with no real relief in sight. This makes it tough for railroads and railfans alike. So, find some water and take it with you just like real railroaders if you're out their "fanning". Speaking of real railroads, check out this report from Norfolk Southern which addresses efficiency. We all know that the railroads are an efficient form of land transportation, if not the most efficient, but efficiency takes all sorts of forms in the corporate world as you will see in this report. http://nssustainability.com/, Railroads are more than just a paint scheme!
Of course, the competition also has a lot more to crow about as CSX continues to grow its business in Lebanon, Indiana, The Lebanon Industrial Park received a CSX Select Site designation. To receive this designation, the location must meet a rigorous list of criteria, including infrastructure and utility availability, environmental reviews, appropriate zoning and entitlement, rail serviceability, proximity to highways or interstates, and other attributes. For more information see the following,
https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/media/press-releases/csx-select-site-designation-awarded-to-duke-realty-s-lebanon-business-park/
Finally, if you really want to escape the 90+ degree weather and watch trains at the same time I would suggest North Dakota. The daytime highs average in the 80s and nightime lows average in the mid 50s. While working in New Town ND I caught this Wabash Tribute locomotive coming from the oil fields and headed to the east coast with 100 cars in tow and a buffer on each end. Speaking of buffer cars, (shameless plug to follow) we received our new Tangent Models order and their buffer cars are really nice and mirror the protoype exactly.
By the way, for you rail historians, when the song Wabash Cannonball was originally published, the Wabash Railway did not have a "Cannonball" name train. The original music was published in 1882; the real train however did not appear until 1949, as a Detroit to St. Louis daytime express. The song, by the way, is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll...How about that.