“Blue Down” A westbound manifest at Manila (Main Line Sub, mp 209.5), with CSXT GP40 6814, B&O/CSXT GP35 4383, and CSXT GP15T 1517, strains to reach the summit at Sand Patch on October 22, 1988. A healthy cut of loaded ballast cars on the head end made this train particularly heavy.
Fellow RailPictures.net contributor Mike Danneman, who happened to be shooting at Mance (about a mile east of my position) that day, recently reminded me that there were also four SDs as mid-train helpers. The tail end of this tonnage monster, including its three cabooses, is shown in photo 603764.
