Trip Report - O721 Chase - July 19

I may be blogging trip reports here for the future. Why? Well, this is a blog - a web log. Everything that tells a story, shares an experience, and brings a lesson (trips do that!) belongs here. Expect a few more blog adjustments soon to this site.

While for some trips a friend of mine, Paul does the write ups, I will form a version separate for entry to this blog. Yes, we tell the same story but our eyes may just see different things.

Anyway - time to cut to the chase here.

I don't fancy chasing O721 in the weekdays but today was the exception to the rule. For the first time this week, with my night owl sleeping (Hello Summer!) I woke up to see clear sunny skies. Well, I have woken up at 3pm (probably to uphold future trips with the SFRM Gang which entail all nighters) and of course been greeted by very happy thunderstorms. Yet I look outside, don't hear thunder... yes, it's going to be a hot one but at least the trains will look pretty! Pretty... they sure were.

My mother had expressed an interest in going to Dadeland for some shopping. I find it a cool mall but a great excuse to run around and chase O721 at times, and it has been done that way a few times. On this day I would continue that trend as I timed O721's departure to when I would leave.

Nonetheless at 6:08 PM the lights are given and it leaves 5 minutes later. I leave when it leaves and manage to bear the level of traffic needed to match it up on the dot at Flagler St.

Looking north as the gates activate when I cross, I noticed a YN2 leader. I expected engines 939 & 9014 to run, 939 pointing South, but it turned out that 636 and 593, the other pair was leading. A happy camper, I would finally be able to see pure AC power on a SFL freight haul that is not coal.

We managed to beat it across SW 16 ST and turn to a couple back streets to access the winding SW 75 AV. As the train picked up speed I found it imperative to hold on to the west side so that if any shot had to be taken in any case, it could be done beautifully. We turned on to SW 21 ST which gave the train its leeway to activate SW 21 ST once we got there.

I made almost last minute plans to film at SW 24 ST. This was my target when I passed it at Flagler. I got off as the engines were already in plain view, with almost no time to set up. I still managed to get the telephoto as the train was creeping, though.

636 led 593 with 1 Centerbeam Flatcar and about 50-60 empty hoppers of aggregate. Only 636 did any work.

636 up close.

An up close of 593.

Something that has increased in 2012 was centerbeam traffic to Probuild. A sign of hope in this economy.

The actual purpose was to shoot this train in Kendall, but to avoid waiting I wanted to get this very trademark Coral Way shot. We headed south on the 826/874 overtaking the train slowly but surely (25mph for them) and got out as planned. I had enough time to take pose at my favorite spot on the Homestead.

The wide open pasture of SW 88 ST makes for a beautiful shot in the late afternoons which is when Homestead Sub receives any traffic nowadays.

With this I finished my CSX safari. 3 sights, 3 bolts, 2 engines, 2 video shots, and 1 train in 1 hour.