At the end of an early morning journey from northeast Tennessee, NS 131 (Knoxville,TN-Chattanooga,TN) is coasting down grade under the Wilder St. Bridge as the short manifest is lined to take the east-side lead to the receiving yard in Chattanooga, TN. It wasn't too long ago that you could go track side along the nearest Norfolk Southern right or way and see a pair of Dash 9's leading just about anything. Norfolk Southern had a total of 1,120 of the D9-40/44CW a durable piece of equipment that had a major presence of its time. It's hard to believe for some of us who been taking pictures for years that we're having a conversation about the most monotonous class of locomotives on NS disappearing into history. A vast majority of the Dash-9 series has been rebuilt or currently being sent off to be rebuilt into the now monotonous AC44C6M's, and the less desirable ones are scrapped.
