| NS Westbound Vehicle Train 270 ( Birmingham to Lincoln, Al. Honda Plant ) passing through Leeds, Al. as they duck under the Alabama Division Central of Georgia District AKA P Line with an ultra rare pair of SD38Ps for power, Ive caught these SD38Ps more than once on transfer & yard jobs, but never on a road train til this day, these SD38Ps arent equipped with ditch lights so the 270 had to run 30 MPH over each crossing with the headend only, then can get back up to track speed, but if there are numerous crossings not far apart may as well just stay at 30 MPH til theres a long strecth of no crossings, also these SD38P's are equipped with Remote Control Equipment for yard service which are what these units were built for, for a long time these units were assigned to hump service within Tennessee Yard in Memphis & maybe other yards as well, BNSF must've had nothing to use for power on 270 this day so had to use these or nothing is the only reason I can come up with why they would use these units in road service non ditch light equipped, must've been aggrivating not being able to do track speed due to the 30 MPH rule with the headend through crossings with engines not equipped with ditch lights. |