September 2021 Inaugural 10 Pack - September 1, 2021

To begin with, our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by Hurricane Ida.

Now, as September begins, so does this 10 pack, with what is typically a sign of the end, a caboose, in this case Aberdeen & Rockfish AR 303. I'm pretty sure this is no longer used by AR, I believe it's just a display piece in "downtown" Aberdeen, NC.

Next, most certainly still in service for AR, we have AR 205, an EMD GP7 built in October 1951 and bought new by the railroad.

Also, AR's headquarters are in Aberdeen, NC.

Moving on to the Aberdeen Carolina & Western, whose HQ is in Candor, NC, we have ACWR 6910.

Originally built in January 1971. as an SD40 for Canadian National as CN 5153, it was at some point sold to Asltom Canada as their GCFX 6040 and rebuilt as an SD40-3. It then moved on to Wisconsin Central as WC 6910 before ending up with ACWR.

Much like 6910, 6922 was also built for CN as an SD40, originally their 5236 when built in November 1971.

It also went to Alstom Canada, as their GCFX 6052, and was rebuilt by them to SD40-3 specs. It also went to WC, as their 6922, and then on to ACWR. I do believe it retains its Alstom paint scheme, or at least what's left of it.

Relegated to a display piece at the ACWR HQ in Candor, we have ACWR 896, an EMD GP7 originally built in May of 1950. Built new for Seaboard Air Line as SAL 1716, it then was rebadged as Seaboard Coast Line's SCL 896 after the Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic Coast Line merger. Then on to the now defunct Aberdeen & Briar Patch as their ABP 896, and onwards to ACWR.

An admittedly mediocre shot of ACWR 1476, an EMD MP15AC originally built in September 1975. I suppose that means this month would be its 46th "birthday". Anyway, it left the EMD factory 46 years ago as Southern Pacific SP 2748, then on to UPY ("Y" stands for yard service on the Union Pacific) 1476. And on to ACWR. Note the offset headlight, a spotting feature of ex SP units, as the space next to the headlight would have contained SP's signature light package.

A relic on a building in Hamlet, NC - an old SCL/L&N (Louisville & Nashville) "Family Lines" sign.

A classy embossed concrete encased steel stringer bridge originally built in 1938 for SAL. Also in Hamlet.

It just so happens that the day we made our expedition to South-Central NC the ACWR were just finishing up building a train and set off soon after we arrived. Very happy with that, as it was my first time railfanning the ACWR. Note the "Welcome to Abredeen, N.C." water tower in the background - a bit of inadvertent bonus scenery that I didn't notice until after I had chosen this spot.

And lastly, as something of a bonus, this old Bellsouth phone booth that we ran across on what I believe is an unused abandoned potion of the station platforms in Hamlet within the northeast corner of the Hamlet diamond. Amazing this thing is still there.

Thanks for looking!