Gallery: "Rarest" Catch

[Chase55671]

Well, everyone else is doing this, I mise well throw in a thread! Rarest paint scheme/locomotive that you were lucky enough to photograph. Something that is old and rare that you would generally not see on an average day of railfanning.

My number one shot would probably have to be this one..

A B36-7 idles at the C&O signals which were removed in service in April of '08. The B36-7 was retired in June of '09.

PhotoID: 227466 Photograph © Chase55671

Less than 10 C40-8's still reamain in Conrail paint..

PhotoID: 274654 Photograph © Chase55671

An SD80MAC on former C&O territory is rare enough, but one in Conrail paint was even better. As of July '09, not a single CSX 80MAC remains in Conrail paint.

PhotoID: 275027 Photograph © Chase55671

Chase

[jnohallman]

Supposedly the remaining NS ex-Conrail 80MACs have been put into storage . . .

Jon

[jnohallman]

Anyone can catch this engine if they head to the right place, but that doesn't mean there's a bunch of RS-3s out there in CNJ paint:

PhotoID: 256684 Photograph © Jonathan Hallman

I wish I'd been shooting in RAW when I took that shot - I could do alot more with the color.

I'm not sure how many standard cab leader Dash 8s are still roaming CSX rails in this scheme. I just know I don't see them often:

PhotoID: 280901 Photograph © Jonathan Hallman

And they weren't rare when I shot them, but times have changed on Mt. Washington:

PhotoID: 246174 Photograph © Jonathan Hallman

Jon

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

One of two remaining CR OLS engines.

PhotoID: 263937 Photograph © Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

Blue 80MAC...none left.

PhotoID: 257870 Photograph © Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

This one speaks for itself. Not gonna see that anytime soon.

PhotoID: 253631 Photograph © Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

[raider-15]

I haven't had many rare catches myself, but then again I don't have the chance to railfan often. Before Pacific Harbor Line replaced its entire fleet I did manage to grab a shot of this gem though. Not exactly a great photo, but I was happy to see it.

PhotoID: 177691 Photograph © raiderjp

PHL also had an SD18 in CNW colors, but the only time I saw it I was unable to get a clear shot due to several obstructing objects...

[JimThias]

One of my most favorite shots:

PhotoID: 188121 Photograph © Jim Thias

I feel pretty lucky that that I was even able to take this picture in the first place. Just a random day off from work and my friend and I just happened to be driving through the town they worked out of shortly after they went on duty. The trip to deliver this boxcar was one of the last times this line saw any traffic and that was over two years ago. As you can see, it was so scarcely used that they had to use a pick ax and shovel to loosen up the tightly packed dirt in some of the crossings. Today, this line lays neglected and nearly abandoned.

This is a common scene along the line:



So, in my part of the world...a VERY rare photo op and I consider myself lucky for being able to experience it before this line was lost.

[Chris Z]

I had the opportunity to chase the BN/Siemann SD60MAC's half way across Wyoming. There were only four built and one ended up having a fire. Here are three of them behind the UP SD60. Also the EMD dynamometer car is behind the consist.

PhotoID: 286928 Photograph © Chris Zygmunt

I also got an opportunity to see one of the EMD GP60 streamlined version at an EMD open house.

PhotoID: 288469 Photograph © Chris Zygmunt

Chris Z.

[Chris Z]

Originally Posted by JimThias

One of my most favorite shots:



I feel pretty lucky that that I was even able to take this picture in the first place.

Wow, and they have one carload of beer in tow.

Chris Z.

[Darryl Rule]

I'll thrown mine out there:

One of 2 blue Spartan Cab SD70s left supposedly:

PhotoID: 288888 Photograph © Darryl Rule

According to the last comment, this was a one of a kind loco for SEPTA:

PhotoID: 288346 Photograph © Darryl Rule

A pair of Blue Macs...no more:

PhotoID: 223465 Photograph © Darryl Rule

A Big Boy "under steam":

PhotoID: 210050 Photograph © Darryl Rule

United Way SD40 was just brought out of "retirement" a few days prior:

PhotoID: 193183 Photograph © Darryl Rule

Darryl

[Walter S]

A Cass Scenic Railroad steam engine in Elkins, on a rare offline trip.

PhotoID: 242440 Photograph © WalterS - www.scriptunasimages.smugmug.com

[travsirocz]

PhotoID: 281620 Photograph © Travis Dewitz

Last two lightning scheme CNW units with actual lightning.

PhotoID: 282366 Photograph © Travis Dewitz

PhotoID: 202338 Photograph © Travis Dewitz

[Ween]

Get in your time machine (or just go to Cheyenne):

PhotoID: 289903 Photograph © Chris Paulhamus

The BNSF Greenface:

PhotoID: 148204 Photograph © Chris Paulhamus

Unique nose-herald'd Oakway:

PhotoID: 145416 Photograph © Chris Paulhamus

A white-face/striped nose ex-BN unit:

PhotoID: 207988 Photograph © Chris Paulhamus

[John Fladung]

One of the remaining two CNW units:

PhotoID: 231501 Photograph © John Fladung

The UP 3985:

PhotoID: 252478 Photograph © John Fladung

The CP 2816:

PhotoID: 201537 Photograph © John Fladung

The SP 4449:

PhotoID: 290169 Photograph © John Fladung

[Doug Wolfe]

CSX unit in original Seaboard paint. This was the last one before it was repainted:

PhotoID: 290162 Photograph © Doug Wolfe

Only one or two of these spartan cab SD70's still left in Conrail paint:

PhotoID: 289590 Photograph © Doug Wolfe

[Darryl Rule]

Hmmmmm Doug, the power in your Conrail shot looks familiar to me for some reason....

[Watain]

Essentially just a roster shot, but two BNSF units on a NS coal only route is pretty rare around here.

PhotoID: 234066 Photograph © Wayne Stumbo

[ottergoose]

GP7 w/ torpedo tubes on a Class I in 2008:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

Vomit Bonnet:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

Second Oldest RS1:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

The only yellow/black SLSF locomotive in the DB:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

Anything in Hawaii:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

GE 35 Tonner:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

Night photo shoot with one other photographer:

PhotoID: Photograph ©

[Doug Wolfe]

Originally Posted by Darryl Rule

Hmmmmm Doug, the power in your Conrail shot looks familiar to me for some reason....

Yes Darryl....You shot your version in PA and then I picked him up the next night over in Illinois!

[ssw9662]

PhotoID: Photograph ©

While this is not a great photo and would almost definitely be rejected today, it still represents my rarest catch that I have on RP. This was the last remaining UP SD40-2 in the old late 70s-early 80s paint scheme with "Union Pacific" lettering on the nose instead of the shield. Simply seeing this engine on UP would be rare enough, but catching it leading a train on NS in New Jersey was even more incredible. Last I heard this engine was on the deadline in Hinkle, I wouldn't be surprised if it's retired now.

PhotoID: Photograph ©

While NS SD45-2s are frequently shuttled on road trains between Oak Island and Altoona, they are almost always shipped dead in tow and in the trailing position. For some reason they decided to send one out in the lead on this day. Additionally, they put another widecab in front of the SD45-2 once this train reached Allentown, making this an even rarer shot.

PhotoID: Photograph ©

After CSX piled up a train in Ohio two years ago, they sent a few detour trains over NS from North Jersey to Cleveland. One of these trains ran west in perfect afternoon light, allowing me to catch it going past one of the more familiar landmarks in Pennsylvania.

PhotoID: Photograph ©

In November 2007 an excursion with private cars ran between Philadelphia and Scranton behind Bennett Levin's PRR E8's. I opted to chase the train heading up the NS Portland Secondary as it is one of the more scenic and undershot lines in eastern PA. While the lighting for the head end was poor for most of the chase, this well lit shot of the trailing private car was a nice consolation prize.

[lock4244]

Mine would have to be St. Maries River RR. Being in Ontario, Canada, I don't get out there often

PhotoID: 245766 Photograph © Mike Lockwood

[Jer712]

Not very often, but when the situation arises, Amtrak needs a BNSF unit to limp its train to its destination.

PhotoID: 275781 Photograph © Jeremiah Rindahl

Old SOO bandit leading a tech train.

PhotoID: 278391 Photograph © Jeremiah Rindahl

After hearing BNSF 8220 call out approach to Becker, Mn, i assumed another coal train. Not the case.

PhotoID: 248895 Photograph © Jeremiah Rindahl

Jer

[Joe the Photog]

Anything other than CSX or NS in Columbia is rare for Columbia, but maybe not in the grand scheme of things. The Ferromex leader on NS was a nice surprise that I got as was the unpatched SP SD40M-2 on CSX. Rare, but obviously not improbable. So in going through my shots in the database, I think I have to say that my rarest catch is an Illinois Midland unit on the NS in Rock Hill --

PhotoID: Photograph ©

[woody_k]

I think this is a rare catch. Well, there are quite a few 38-2's but onlye one in the weight and power for the U.P.

PhotoID: 268131 Photograph © Ken Woodford

[norfolksouthern]

Here of my photos without photos into RP photos...










- David

[TheRoadForeman]

That rail is shiny and you're deaf, correct? Anyone else see the impending issue here?!