CF&E railroad

alittlevanwerty · Feb 13, 2013

Well I drove to Decatur yesterday and followed the line back to Ft Wayne. Made it just in time to follow 3880/4056 run down to the Bunge.

CF&E 3880 TP&W 4056 at Decatur Bunge by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

Independent Locomotive at the Bunge by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr
I drove around Ft Wayne after this for a few hours and didn't catch any trains but I made sure to get a video of 4056 leading before heading back east. Also I didn't see 3316 in Ft Wayne so looks like it has already been put into service on the FWCH!

Later back in Van Wert my wife heard the FWLI coming so I ran a few blocks to get my shot. I thought it would work out better but still pretty dark. Watch to the end to see the rail crane!

The image shimmers because sony products are a bunch of junk and their features are worthless!

Also Monday about 11:30 pm they ran a CSX grain train west into Indiana and also Tuesday around the same time another CSX grain train west into Indiana. So 2 unit trains on the line right now but the first should come back east today.

papio · Feb 16, 2013

Nice shots/videos, like that switcher at Bunge

April · Feb 16, 2013

Good catch with the GP40X. One of only 10 with the HT-B trucks.

April

Abilene Ks Railfan · Feb 16, 2013

April said:
Good catch with the GP40X. One of only 10 with the HT-B trucks.

April

Caught that same GP40X back in 2006 sitting in the BNSF yard here, wondered where it ended up. Ex UP

alittlevanwerty · Feb 17, 2013

They have 2 of those switchers at the Bunge but the other was too far in the plant.

I've been told that this was also the first GP40x made.

Caught this FWLI run Friday.

alittlevanwerty · Feb 27, 2013

I caught the LIVW yesterday. Unfourtunately my shot of 4024 leading north on the CN didn't record for some reason. My camera was acting up.

papio · Feb 27, 2013

Thanks for sharing these. Did you put your camera in time out for acting up?

ECIRailfan · Feb 27, 2013

Nice GP40X!

The unit was built for the SP as #7200. It was built with SP's elephant ears in February 1978. The elephant ears were later removed, in between 1980 and 1983. Unit went to NRE, then was later resold to RailAmerica, who gave it TPW reporting marks. However, it did go over a lot of RailAmerica's other railroads.

The CFE has some new power as well. They recently acquired a GW painted SD40T-2 (cab markings ID it as an SD40-2, but it has the tunnel motor radiator shutter arrangement) that was transferred to them from the Ohio Central.

Trainfanne54 · Feb 28, 2013

Nice shots.

alittlevanwerty · Feb 28, 2013

ECIRailfan said:
Nice GP40X!

The unit was built for the SP as #7200. It was built with SP's elephant ears in February 1978. The elephant ears were later removed, in between 1980 and 1983. Unit went to NRE, then was later resold to RailAmerica, who gave it TPW reporting marks. However, it did go over a lot of RailAmerica's other railroads.

The CFE has some new power as well. They recently acquired a GW painted SD40T-2 (cab markings ID it as an SD40-2, but it has the tunnel motor radiator shutter arrangement) that was transferred to them from the Ohio Central.

I've also been told that this was the first GP40x built.

Me and my wife followed the CF&E 3316, the new tunnel motor, when it was being hauled north on the I&O. A fine looking machine. The story, photos and one of my best videos to date is in the thread: Chasing the I&O, CFE 3316 G&W paint on its way, RJ Corman.

I still haven't caught it running but have seen it at the Piqua yard in Ft Wayne.

alittlevanwerty · Feb 28, 2013

papio said:
Thanks for sharing these. Did you put your camera in time out for acting up?

Lol, I wish I had another camera to cheat on it with! I spent 5 hours filming in 34 degree freezing rain and I think it was tired of that.

alittlevanwerty · Mar 3, 2013

This came through Friday...

alittlevanwerty · Mar 23, 2013

Thursday I got lucky and saw a CF&E crew getting a pair of CSX locos ready to pull a grain train out of the Cargill Plant in Lima. I heard it was 92 cars. It was a good opportunity to film some modern power next to the old Alco switcher! Brrr sure was cold, I stood out there for almost 2 hours filming this. After moving the locos in the conductor had to walk and inspect all the cars. After getting the first 25 coupled they had to wait for the LIFW to leave. They were going to pull out onto the track it was on so I was able to get both jobs. Some really nice horn action on 7633 and a freindly crew! Enjoy!

CF&E grain train at Lima Ohio Cargill with CSX locomotives by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

CF&E grain train at Lima Ohio Cargill with CSX locomotives by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

alittlevanwerty · Mar 30, 2013

I tried to post these earlier this week but the site was acting up on me.

CF&E 3316 IORY 4034 with the Bunge Grain by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

CF&E 3316 IORY 4034 rolling into Delphos Ohio by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

CF&E 3316 and its engineer by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

alittlevanwerty · May 20, 2013

G&W has been busy painting locomotives but with so many acquired at the same time it is a slow process. They are also doing a quality job on the repaints so they take a few weeks to finish. CF&E 3316 was a repainted Ohio Central loco repainted for the CF&E. The first loco that had been working on the CF&E and got repainted was SCRF (ex GTW DT&I ) 6412, renumbered CF&E 3023. They are doing this regions painting in Cincinnati. I heard 3023 was to come north on the Indiana and Ohio LSL last Thursday so off me and the wife drove to find the train as they made their way north. We located them north of Thackery and the chase was on!

CFE 3023 roster shot by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

IORY Southern pacific CF&E 3023 by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

IORY LSL with CF&E 3023 by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr

Lima IORY LSL CF&E 3023 by alittlevanwerty, on Flickr
We chased for about 30 miles til my wife made me stop for dinner lol. Can't complain because we shot the train in 7 locations!

Also caught a CF&E grain train in Lima Thursday, CSX SD40-3/SD50-2 power.