In the 1990s on Conrail it was generally accepted that run-through Norfolk Southern units rarely led, if ever. This was reportedly due to union concerns with NS locomotives of that era having, shall we say, spartan toilet accommodations. Well, never say never...since it appeared this empty UCR coal train operated south from Roseton, NY with an NS leader. The fact that a former Southern Railway B23-7 did the honors running long hood forward was icing on the cake. I recorded the symbol as "UCR-23" but these trains could have also carried "XNS" symbols when running empty back to an NS-served mine.
