Last Ride of the Roadrailers, August 2024

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The first catch of the weekend, Virginian 1069 as DPU on a mixed freight that was parked over every crossing in Decatur, IL when I arrived Friday evening
Early the next morning, a mixed freight approaches WABIC crossing from the St. Louis line
An Admiral Cab SD40-2 shuffles across the diamond with a switch job
The old Wabash Railroad station in Decatur, right next to the crossing over the Illinois Central. The station is now home to an antiques store.
The second mainline train of the day, a stack train from St. Louis
The first westbound of the day hits the crossing
The local crew runs parallel to the westbound to get the signal back to the NS yard after dropping off cars for the Decatur & Eastern Illinois (DREI)
A pair of ex-Wisconsin and Southern GP38-2s work the DREI yard
Shortline Ingenuity: A DIY mini-split installation keeps the DREI crews cool
An NS Westbound mixed freight slowly makes its way out of the yard
Articulated autoracks provide ample real estate for dramatic graffiti pieces
"Donut Hole"; one of many interesting car knocker tags that passed by
"Psst, hey kid, you want some timbits, eh?"; a Canadian National train sneaks up to the crossing while the NS westbound works Decatur Yard
With the westbound cleared up and the CN train awaiting clearance, the last eastbound Roadrailer approaches the gathering of railfans at WABIC crossing
The conductor waves from the cab of NKP 8100 as they thunder past
The train makes its last run past Decatur Yard
As the trailers clear WABIC, the chase begins
In the time it took to load my gear up, the CN train made it across the diamond and to the crossing on Eldorado Street
NS 256 glides past the elevator at Sloan Station, IL
256 crossing County Road 300 East
256 slows as it approaches the end of Sloan siding for a meet with a westbound
The now stopped 256 causes a critical mass of railfans to descend on the east end of the siding, just west of Sadorus, IL
A stopped train and open prairie make a good opportunity to fit the entire train in one shot
NKP 8100 basks in the summer sun amongst the soy and the wheat
A closeup of 256 showing the gentle rolling of the railroad before I left for the next chase location
An autoparts train heads west through Attica, IN. 256 was held in the next siding west for this train to pass.
The autoparts train rounds the bend towards the Wabash River
256 crosses Perry Street in Attica
256 heads on towards Lafayette, IN
The bend makes the train appear to go on forever
256 creeps ahead after being held for a local making pickups at West Point, IN
256 cruises over County Road 700 West
A closeup of the bogie and the coupling between trailers
256 clears West Point, IN. After about 12 hours of fanning and 136mi of chasing, I call the eastbounc chase done and head for Lafayette to end the day
Having passed it many times on the Cardinal, I had to get a shot of Lafayette station
The serenity of the Wabash River in Lafayette closes out Saturday
An accidental chase starts off Sunday. I saw this stack train go past while fueling up before leaving Lafayette, and caught it coming in for a crew change here at Peru, IN
An end cab switcher, presumably on a relocation move, rides behind the mainline power of the stack train
More farm fields line the railroad at Paw Paw Pike just east of Peru
The final run west rides high on the embankment
NS 9936 commands the last train 255 out of Detroit
The rubber doesn't meet the road here
The endless progression appears out of the trees
Another closeup of the bogie and coupling
Rounding the bend into Peru
255 cuts through Colburn, IN
Having passed an eastbound sitting on the main, 255 is about a carlength away from knocking down the signal at the west end of Colburn siding
Clear of the siding, 255 heads on to Lafayette and into history
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