Trains and Christmas Eve



I caught Norfolk Southern local D49 in both directions on Christmas Eve 2019.

Around noon, the westbound train was led by NS 3375 (a SD40-2) and NS 5126 (a GP38-2) led 29 cars out of the train's Good Yard (Normal, Illinois) home for the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard.

I caught D49 at the Harding Road crossing near Morton and again off Veterans Road in the Farmdale area. Four stills in the video above show the train's activities in East Peoria, including a scene at Wesley after setting out NS 5126 on the Creve Coeur Team Track.

The eastbound train, led by solitary NS 3375, had 13 cars, all loads from Liberty Steel & Wire Co. (formerly Keystone Steel & Wire), is shown rolling under the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway's famous Farmdale Trestle, and again at the Harding Road crossing.

Despite Christmas Eve being recognized as a holiday by many businesses, railroads can operate like it was a normal. This was demonstrated by Tuesday's Norfolk Southern local.

- David P. Jordan

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