Sample of NW Indiana - 2/17/14

CSX 786 & 315 heading up its westbound container train have just crossed the CSX/IHB diamond that was protected by the IHB Calumet Tower unti it was torn down last year.

The film of road grime shows up as a brown shading in the bright winter afternoon sunlight.

Trialing behing CSX 786 is this unit still wearing the older gray/blue/yellow paint scheme.

NS 8934 and BNSF 4978 amble slowly eastward with their string of filled gondolas on this afternoon, a common sight in northwest Indiana.

Trailing behind NS 8934 is this sharp looking BNSF unit that stands out against the wintry blue sky.

Behind NS 8934 & BNSF 4978 is a long string of gondolas back to the west all carrying steel coils, a very common sight in northwest Indiana.

The gondola train slowly rolls eastward on the NS mainline, a very common sight in Whiting, IN. In the distance, westbouond NS 9077 pauses while NS 8934 passes by.

NS 9077 approaches Front Street near the Whiting beach area with its string of westbound gondolas. Chicago Short Line switcher #31 and its matching caboose, SCIH #4, wait on the former B&O mainline to the left before proceeding.

The massive face of NS 9077

The two westbound NS units are heading up a string of coil cars and gondolas on this bright winter day.

Trialing behind its bigger sister NS 9077, NS 3069 glides past with its string of coil cars and gondolas behind.

Both NS units have just crossed Front Street in Whiting, IN, that leads to the town's lakeside park.

The pair slowly start rolling forward on the former B&O mainline after the last NS gondola train has passed by Front Street in Whiting, IN. Barely evident in the foggy backgound are the steel mills like ArcelorMittal and refineries in East Chicago, IN.

Almost like a timid deer, this pair slows down and stops a distance away from me to wait for a clear signal to proceed west on the former B&O mainlilne.