TOWN LIFE PT40; A COLD DAY

Like the rest of the Northeast, it's cold in Hillsdale...

A man waits outside the new cafe for his lunch partner. Given the 10 degree temperature, he won't be waiting outside for long!

A mother re-wraps up her son after the leave the comic shop. They may live only a block away down the street at the Bradley Building, but on a cold, windy day like today, they will still miss the warmth of the shop on the way home! At least the kid got several comic books to pass the time with while the schools are closed!

Brian Jacks stands outside Sully's Tavern. After a few drinks, he has warmed himself up for the cold weather. Hopefully, he WONT be getting behind the wheel for the trip home, but will instead call a cab (as of now there is still no UBER service in Hillsdale).

The wind gusts as two women meet at the Perfect Perk Cafe. They will spend a long time sipping expresso's trying to warm back up!

Jans is bundled up as he makes his way back to his car. The latest polar vortex got downright brutal in Southwestern Pennsylvania!

DALE CITY AND BACK PT2

DC11, the Dale City local has returned to Hillsdale...

The return trip from Wilson Steel Works brings both the previously seen steel coil cars and this "finger-rack" flatcar, with a load of rebar. Note GEX 2015, the original ET44AC, in the background.

Next, an empty tank car that was carrying hydrochloric acid. The contents were used to remove rust from to-be-recycled steel.

DC11 also stopped by Johnson Foods, and picked up a pair of empty reefers, for return back to Washington state for re-loading.

Cold Train ships alot of produce out of Washington. They also used to ship by container, but BNSF's inability to keep up with Cold Train's schedules ended that action.

The final freight car is another empty picked up from Johnson Foods; an empty vegetable oil tank car. Vegetable oil is heavily used in processed foods, and during busy periods it is not uncommon to see a string of vegetable tankers headed to -or from- Johnson Foods.

DALE CITY AND BACK PT1

Two weeks ago, we saw a string of cars loaded with scrap for Wilson Steel. Now it's time to send them on their way...

The gondolas roll out under the bridge as DC10 heads off to Dale City.

The local caboose brings up the rear. It seems that our photographer missed the head end of the train before it left the yard!

3163 returns from Dale City with DC11, and loaded coil steel cars in tow.

The US Steel cars roll past the Rocky Oil Co. tanker making its daily trip to Hillsdale Yard to fuel up the two yard engines. The tank trailer holds 3300 gallons of diesel fuel: 3163 has a 3000 gal fuel tank and genset 300 has a 2000 gal fuel tank, thus the need for a daily visit.

The long string of coil cars is followed by more cars, including several from Johnson Foods. Stay tuned for these cars next week!

IN THE YARDS PT40; PARKED

GECX 2015, GE's original ET44AC prototype, sits in Hillsdale Yard outside the shop. This is a rare photo, considering that 2015 rarely left the Erie test track. Too bad the demonstrator units weren't this colorful!

3163 suns itself on a warm morning in late spring. This view shows the rust at the top of the hood doors from the effects of the heat released by the dynamic brakes, as well as the rooftop exhaust soot, among other things.

Fellow SD40 3174 sits in the yard, circa 1990, shortly after she was rebuilt with a high short hood to accommodate a Head End Power unit for pulling the railroad's business fleet of passenger cars.

An old steamer sits outside the shop, awaiting transport west to the Charleston, W.Va. shops for work. In the steam era, she was based in West Virginia, hauling coal out of the mountains. Now, she's a museum piece, awaiting completion of cosmetic restoration efforts.

Another visitor to Hillsdale, NS 911 shows off her fancy paint scheme. Honoring First Responders, 911 is welcome break from NS' typical "black blob" locomotives!