One of the best things about digital images is that you sometimes come across them in folder and get to enjoy a quick look at the past. They're buried on the PC somewhere, or in the cloud, or wherever and occasionally you just run into them while looking for something else.
There is always something in those folders that makes me smile. Here's NS 212, the Atlanta, GA-to-Croxton, NJ daily piggyback train on April 29, 2006. Back in that era, conventional cab leaders were fairly common on 212, and today's had NS C39-8 8655 leading. This was awesome back then and even more so looking back now.
This image was made very nearly 16 years to the day from my first experience trackside at Pattenburg, NJ. Pattenburg had quickly become a favorite place for me to spend time. Those 16 years seemed like a long time back then. Today I realize that April 29 2006 is 19 years from 2025! A lot has happened. Time plays tricks on us and making images of railroads is one of the portals where time can seem to bend in our minds.
This scene is similar today but the C39-8's are long gone from the NS locomotive roster. I am glad I made time to make this image, and glad to run across it today browsing for some documents at lunchtime.
Good thing there is plenty more to find!
