Sunday the 18th I heard from friend Scott Herring from Pennsylvania, who Troy Minnick and I had not seen in several years. We three agreed to meet at Saginaw to catch up on old times, so I gathered up my equipment and hit the door about 10:00am. I was trying to decide which route to take to Saginaw when the radio decided for me. A UP loaded coal train was getting a warrant onto the Midlothian Sub, and so far the only photo I had gotten at the newly opened up “S” curve at Campus Drive was of two Gensets. I had time to get there and be ready with the big telephoto when the UP 7098 came into view around the corner. The engines were barely working as momentum built up from the coal loads rolling downhill from Ney Yard to the creek bottom was now pushing the first half of the train up the steep grade into Forest Hill at around 25 mph.
In fine roller coaster fashion as more of the train transitioned to the uphill grade the momentum began to die off, and the engineer started to open the throttle as the train came closer.
Fifty yards closer and the two lead units were now in run 8 and pulling hard as they approached the Campus Drive crossing.
The speed continued to drop away as the train was now fully on the uphill grade. When the two DPU units finally passed by now working at full throttle themselves, the train was down to a slow walking speed.
This was a pattern that would be repeated several more times before the train would reach Ennis. For me though, it was on to Saginaw to meet an old friend.
