Roanoke, VA Railfanning 7-26-17 (feat. NS 8098, UP SD70ACe, SD40-2, and more)

On the way home from Chattanooga, I unexpectedly got to stop by Roanoke, but it was worth the visit. I got my first UP SD70ACe leader and even NS 8098. Enjoy!
For the first clip, I take a shot of N&W 611 sitting at the museum. Since 611 isn't doing scheduled excursions at the moment, it sits at the VMT until it's needed.
Train #1: An NS intermodal train arrives in Roanoke with a UP SD70ACe leader. My first time to see one leading! I heard I got lucky with that train because someone told me that particular intermodal train goes by every day, but that day it was running 4 hours late. I suppose Lilie tried to block the track with her giant drill to delay it, but later got beat up by Lilie, Marie, and Angel Ace. And man, I must be getting luckier going to Roanoke. Last time I went, I got three UP leaders.
1. UP SD70ACe #8687
2. NS SD70ACU #7285
3. NS C44-9W #9905
Later, we take a bit of a look at some of the sitting engines in the yard, some of which were actually here back in April. We also see a bit of model train action.
Trains #2 and 3: NS grain train slowly going by Roanoke with NS 8098 leading. We drove next to the railyard where we could see various locomotives lined up, and also paced a grain train. Besides the leasers and older power, I swear I barely saw other unusual stuff, such as an old NKP GP9. Soon we catch up to it just outside the 24th Street Bridge where we can see the power better. It also meets a local going in the other direction with an SD40-2 and GP38-2. Well it's about time I got my second NS heritage unit leader, better yet it happened to be the Conrail heritage unit, which is one of my favorites. I also heard that the grain train was 55W.
NS 55W
1. NS ES44AC #8098 (Conrail heritage unit)
2. NS ES44DC #7621
3. NS C44-9W #8950
4. NS ES44AC #8012
5. NS C44-9W #8974
NS local
1. SD40-2 #6103
2. GP38-2 #5262
Then we follow the tracks back toward where we came from. Also 55W stopped short of the 24th Street Bridge.
Train #4: NS manifest slowly arriving in Roanoke. Not only was this freight train slow, but it was very long too.
1. C44-9W #9843
2. SD70M-2 #2770
3. C40-8W #8347
For the final clip from Roanoke, we get another glimpse of the railyard as well as the SD40-2s that were working the local that met 8098 earlier.

[@umitergul4618]

0:33 I love N&W 611. Because this is awesome.

[@TheACman42]

Awesome video Nicholas! Congrats with your first UP ACe leader as well as 8098!

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks!

[@JeffreyBowen-l1h]

I love N&W 611 and 1218. They are the best, and this museum is awesome.

[@VCUrailfan15productions]

Man quite the day here. Congrats on that UP leader! I do wish you didn't have to see it through the fence though. I'll tell ya, I didn't expect to see he Conrail Heritage, my heart skipped a beat!! Wish you got a better shot of him but still quite the catch!

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks! Agreed

[@east_carolina_rail_photos]

Good job putting out so many videos! I understand it must be a lot of work, and I think me and everyone else who watches appreciate your work.

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks! Yeah, most of these were delayed to 1-2 days after they were taken. It was a lot of work as you said, but besides that, the main purpose of my recent vacation wasn't railfanning. I had a family reunion.

[@ColeMHusky]

Oh wow! Awesome catches! Especially the UP ACe and 8098! 8098 is one of my personal favorites

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thank you!

[@ColeMHusky]

no problemo!

[@inewyorkcentralrr]

My mom's family lives about 20 min outside of Roanoke, and when I was 11 I saw 611 at the museum. Let me tell you top 5 days of my life

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Oh cool!

[@radforddivisionrailfan]

The intermodal was 201. The ACU was having issues according to Facebook. Cool that you got to see 611 and 8098. Conrail is one of the 6 remaining heritage units I need.

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Interesting.

[@southeasttexasrailproductions]

Awesome Video as always Nick! Happy to see you got NS 8098 leading! Also, at 20:31, GTFO NS Trash 9!!! The Dash 8 or the M-2 Should've led!

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks!

[@trainlover6540]

Nice Catches! I Am So Jealous That You Caught 8098, That's My Favorite NS Heritage Unit... And I Haven't Even Caught It Yet

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks! It's one of my favorites too. Maybe you'll get a chance to see it someday.

[@trainlover6540]

CottonBeltSD40T Yeah I Hope So, Out Of All The Heritage Units Out There I've Only Seen UP 1988, Which Is My Favorite UP Heritage Unit

[@TheNWClassA1218]

I see.

[@trainlover6540]

CottonBeltSD40T And NS Is Pretty Rare In Where I Live

[@Ferromexfan4081]

Nice video Nicholas!

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thank you!

[@newcastlerails1416]

Nice catches!

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks!

[@willberestartingthischanne9984]

Awesome Video

[@umitergul4618]

NS #8347's number 7 digit below Sportacus from ROHV and NS #8098 Conrail Heritage named The King from ROHV.

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Yup!

[@umitergul4618]

EdwardJSmithTitanic/ConrailFan76 I was talking about NS #8347's number and a NS #8098's name on the ROHV.

[@nw611J]

Hey man good video just was wondering if you could tell me how many gallons of water the auxiliary tender holds it looks like 25000 but I can not tell anyway good video.

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks man. I think that's about right.

[@nw611J]

Hey man thanks again I enjoyed watching it and by the way I enjoyed your video on trainz with the story did not knew you had houstain area rail productions as a Voice actor nice work again. Your friend Jeff aka NW611J.

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy it.

[@brucetharpe762]

611 is having her rest because she has worked all summer long!

[@danielmaloney128]

cool. did you know that there are DDA40X's that are in museums today

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Thanks and yes I did

[@danielmaloney128]

what if union pacific never retired the DDA40X locomotives? what do you think would happen? would they be retired in the early 2000's or would they be in service today?

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Who knows. They'd definitely be renumbered when the AC6000CWs start taking their number spaces.

[@danielmaloney128]

well that does make sense. union pacific would have more locomotives then they do now. infact what if amtrack never retired the SDP-40F locomotives? what do you think would happen? would they be retired in the early 2000's or would they be in service today? this question also includes the F-40PH's

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Who knows? More accidents I'd unfortunately have to guess. The SDP40Fs were retired early because they were unsafe :/

[@umitergul4618]

NS GP38-2 #5262's number 3 digit below Daliah's ROHV number and Dukey, Amber and Doris's TOSR numbers.

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Yep

[@jakedesnick3070]

If there's a Heritage unit is in Minnesota, please let me know

[@TheNWClassA1218]

K.

[@jakeraptorfan]

I saw an alco century locomotive

[@TheNWClassA1218]

Cool

[@jakeraptorfan]

Thanks

[@MPT_Productions]

How often does 611 run each year. (Like days)

[@TheNWClassA1218]

I'm not sure what the frequency is.

[@ericscheibe1076]

The 844

[@UP4014SteamTrainFan]

+Cottonbeltsd40T What Happend to 611? is it out of Service?

[@TheNWClassA1218]

No it's not out of service. The 611 just sits at the museum any time it's not assigned to an excursion.

[@UP4014SteamTrainFan]

+Cottonbeltsd40t k how's lines ?

[@ericscheibe1076]

611 or 844

[@TheNWClassA1218]

611

[@MPT_Productions]

Eric scheibe 844.

[@LiamManley2003]

should the steam engine be your profile picture?

[@TheNWClassA1218]

It was at one point.