Drifting on a Memory.....




As I remember it it was a hot day in the summer of 1990, I was 9 years old and setting with my dad at the old Bunn restaurant on south street when I heard them blowing for the grade crossing a block away. I got up and dashed out the door out into the parking lot with my dad not to far behind just in time to witness two of the Akron Barberton Belt Switchers the 1501 and the 1502 pulling about 20 cars over to the Wheeling yard. Fast Forward 25 years sadly my dad, the restaurant, and the track are all gone. (The line was abandoned in 1997 for trackage rights on the CSX) While I was on a errand in Barberton I decided I would lurk around to see what I could catch. First one was by was a CSX Freight the Q276 with a standard cab leader followed by a K train with a CN mix in the power consist

CSX Q276 (note the yard lead for the ABC Rwy.)

CSX K train with the Canadian visitors
While the K train was rolling by I got a hold of my buddy Jeff and give him the heads up and he gave me the westbound line up including a UP lead Q015. While most of the westbound trains rolled by the UP crew ran out of time about a mile ahead of me so while waiting on them I heard the ABC Rwy. ( the former Akron Barberton Belt) Z640 with my buddy Chuck calling the I/O Dispatcher wanting to go back to the yard in Barberton. The dispatcher gave permission for them to move back on track two to  the yard at Barberton, I was happy enough to catch Chuck and one of the SW's shoving back into the yard but as I focused my camera I saw something familiar but one  I would never expect........The two of them together again.
The two sisters together
After they went by I began my chase knowing them going 5mph I could beat them back down to my other spot where I was earlier. Here I caught them again this time on the other side.

On the shove into the yard.
After they put the cars away my buddy stopped for a few seconds just to say hi and then the crew moved on to but the sisters to bed as the work was done for the day.

A final portrait of the two together 
While that day will always be one to remember I have to say I think even my dad was smiling down on me that day. As I close I would like to point out that I always had hoped to catch them two together again and I did not only together but on home rails as well. This just shows again how God works he has a million and one ways of doing something all he has to do is pick the one. With this I am gonna say see you the next time around and remember God is still in control, until next time take care.

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