It's a beautiful fall morning on the Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh Line as NS train 65T (Philadelphia, PA-Decatur IL empty ethanol) rolls through the small borough of Lilly, Pennsylvania.

Norfolk Southern train 20X (Chicago, IL-Croxton, NJ intermodal) is moments from passing under the Route 53 bridge just outside of Cresson, Pennsylvania eastbound on the NS Pittsburgh Line.

Yet another generic freight rolls west thru open country west of the “bustling metropolis”. Probably 127 but it doesn’t really matter with all the “precision”. Newspeak.

During the first snow storm of 2022, NS 188 climbs the small grade at Bowen as it heads toward Danville Yard for a crew change