Almost seven years ago to the day after chasing the 2003 Santa
Train we headed north along the former Clinchfield and found a
northbound sitting in Elkhorn City, KY. After I got down
by the yard I heard on the scanner that this train was waiting
on a southbound loaded coal drag. The engineer waved for
me to come over by him. After talking with him a while he let me
know that there was a coal drag heading our way. He
invited me up into the cab, looking back he probably thought
it'd be safer for me to be in the cab, after all it was cold
that day and it was sure warmer inside. After introducing
myself to him the southbound cleared the signal and I snapped a
shot of the pushers inside the cab. I knew he would be getting a
high green to head home to Shelby yard very soon so I took a
shot of him at the throttle. He asked me for my address,
he said he wanted to send my boys something. Shortly after I got
off the train and he headed out, I headed north and decided to
get one last shot along the rails and the sun was perfect at
Marrowbone, KY. After getting home I got a package in the mail,
come to find out the engineer was the Operation Lifesaver Inc. representative
and sent a bunch of OLI materials for the boys with a nice
letter. |
|
This year
I got the chance to see that same engineer again, M.J. Stirling
wanted the Santa Train to be his last train before he retired.
November 20, 2010 Mikey took his last assignment CSX #P928 which
was the 2010 Santa Train with CSX #8506 on the lead and he made
his final run. I had a great time chasing the train, seeing old
friends and making new ones along the former Clinchfield Railroad. |
L to R: Louie
Heaton (Brakeman), Mike Stirling (Engineer), Claude Couch (Road
Foreman of Engines) |
Photos taken by: Rob Wolshlager
|
|
|