[Scan-DC] circus train

[RICHARD ROWLAND]

I will outline my observation of the circus train movement
out of Richmond beginning at noon on Monday February 21,
2005 as it prepares for the trip to Norfolk.

12:30p.m.- Checked the animal cars, the ramps were down and
ready for loading.

5:00p.m.- Turned down Perry Street in South Richmond,
droppings in the street were a clue that the animals were
probably loaded. In the NS freight terminal the ramps were
up and the cars were secured.

5:15 p.m.-  A trip around the Coliseum showed a movement of
wagons being prepped to be towed to the Triple Crossing
area. This movement was on radio frequency 151.925 ctcss
167.9.

5:35 p.m.- Some movement around the Triple Crossing with
flat car loading and radio traffic on 151.625 ctcss 167.9.

Returned home, ate supper and picked up the better half who
had about all the railfanning she wanted after the first
half hour near the Triple Crossing.

Around 9:52 p.m. NS 5211  in the lead followed by Conrail
5421 arrived. The crew climbed down from the 5211 and walked
to the 5421 making it the lead motor.

10:53 AAR CH 7676 (161.250) began to get active and the call
to hook up was heard. I got confused with hearing  "046" and
"5421" during the switching in place and hooking up. I
suspected another motor someplace but could never see one.

11:57 - hooking up was nearing completion and 5421 stretched
the cars across 14th Street and sat for a few minutes for
the E.O.T.  to be armed. The cars were shoved back north and
then the call to go to South Richmond and pick up the animal
cars.

12:51a.m. - The animal cars were moving and hooked in front
of the flats.
12:56 a.m. - The Animals and Flats pulled out of the NS
freight terminal.

A little after one a.m. I drove into the parking area at the
Reedy Creek canoe
launch. Here I had the distinguished priviledge of meeting
Rhett Coates. We introduced ourselves and chatted. Rhett
enlightened me on the "046", it was the train number for
which I had suspicions. Some swiiitching movements at Reedy
Creek took place and finally the Circus Train was ready to
roll.

2:15 a.m. the crew got an order to switch radio channels "go
to 7272", (transmitting and receiving on 161.190). Reference
was made to channel 1 and lots of radio checks were taking
place.

2:22 a.m. the circus train was pulling away from Reedy Creek
and heading for
Burkeville/Crewe.

2:28 a.m. The flashing red of the E.O.T. on this 56 car,
4,968 ft long 4,065 ton train disappeared into the night
fog.

I was disappearing into the night, my wife got enough
railfanning in one night to last her a lifetime.

Richard Rowland
Chesterfield County