Ten-engine CSX train in Utica

Recently I posted on my blog about an eleven-engine D&H train and mentioned that during the Conrail era is was a somewhat common occurrence. Well, I was in Utica visiting with family and as we drove west along the Thruway (I-90) between Albany and Utica I saw a CSX train also heading west. I struggled to count the engines while driving and conceded that I had to focus on the road. So, I asked my wife to check for me. She started counting: "one... two... three... four... FIVE... SIX... SEVEN... EIGHT!... NINE!... TEN!" In a bit of disbelief, I asked her if she was joking and she confirmed she wasn't.

Now, the race was on. Naturally, we stopped at the Utica train station and I went inside to check the status of any Amtrak trains which might be stopped soon. There were none, so I decided to go over to the northside of the tracks which would offer me better lighting to photograph the oncoming 10-engine train. As I started climbing the multiple stairways to the enclosed bridge over the tracks I saw the headlight. I was literally at the top when it came into view, and I had to run down all the stairs as fast as I could with the train getting closer to the station.

I would like to say I made it, but I didn't. In my haste to pull out and turn on my camera I accidently activated video mode. I managed to start a video as the train pulled through the station, but I caught my error and stopped the video. I never got the camera mode on before it was too late. I felt pretty dejected about this.

However, after the train was gone and I got back to the car my wife told me she took a movie of the train, which can be seen above. She is such a wonderful wife!