The NS Santa/Christmas Train in Decatur, IL (12-13-09)

[Watch in HD] The NS Christmas Train is a special that Norfolk Southern in Decatur, Illinois runs each year in December. The train features one of the Monticello Railway Museum's most popular locomotives, the Wabash 1189, the last F7A ordered by the Wabash Railroad. The unit was retired in 1979 and then sent to Decatur, IL in 1980 for scrapping. This plan was then cancelled as Norfolk & Western (before merging with Southern Railway to form Norfolk Southern) donated it to the Monticello Railway Museum in 1982. The unit was eventually restored and dedicated just 10 years later, and now is a full-time running unit at the museum, mostly running passenger trains. Today, we catch this beauty of a train at the WABIC (Former Wabash-Illinois Central, now Norfolk Southern and Canadian National) Interlocker-- which is near the Wabash Depot Antique Centre on Cerro Gordo Street in Decatur-- on its departure and return trips. Enjoy! Be sure to watch my other videos if you liked this one.

Shot #1 - 10:30 a.m.
Under train ID NS 951, the train gets orders from the dispatcher and is told autorack train NS 293 will be behind him and will be in the siding at Righter/Harristown when this train comes back to Decatur. As the train leaves for Illiopolis on Main 2, the engineer gives me and a lot of Chicago-area railfanners (that had came down for this train) a very awesome rendition of "Jingle Bells" with the M3 horn.
Wabash F7A 1189
CN FPA4 6789 (rear unit)

Shot #2 - 11:30 a.m.
As welders continue to chop up old gondolas and boxcars near WABIC, the train returns from Illiopolis with CN 6789 in the lead and shows off its incredible old-cast P5 horn as it takes Main 2 back to the drop-off point for the passengers. The train has one more trip out and back after this one, and then the train heads back to Monticello until next year... on a side note, I barely had enough battery for this shot.
CN FPA4 6789
Wabash F7A 1189 (rear unit)

©2009 IC1034 Productions

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• train
• trains
• railfanning
• railroad
• railroading
• NS
• Norfolk Southern
• Norfolk & Southern
• NS 951
• Central Illinois
• City of Decatur
• Decatur IL
• Decatur Illinois
• Christmas Train
• Santa Train
• Wabash 1189
• CN 6789
• manifest
• locomotive
• engine
• passenger
• M3
• P5
• horn
• IC1034

[ShrinehillRail]

Good job with the video from  Newman

[IC1034]

Thanks Newman.

[arrowguy173]

Nice video. Wabash had some of the sharpest looking F units and I'm glad to see this one running (and looking great too). Did the throttle time session a few years ago and it was more than worth it. Follow the Flag....

[IC1034]

Thanks!!! This one still runs like a charm. Hoping I can do the Throttle Time next year if my school schedule allows me to. LONG LIVE THE WABASH!

[DouglasP201]

It's 1950's all over again

[IC1034]

Oh yeah! No doubt...

[my05hammer]

If you want to pilot one of those locomotives contact the Monticello Railway museum and get signed up for some throttle time.

I did and it was well worth it. Got to pilot the Wabash 1189.

[IC1034]

Ah yeah, for sure.

[1869Joner]

reminds me of russian trains.. noisy, slow but they have their charm

[my05hammer]

@IC1034 It was well worth it. I went down there on the 4th of July in 2009. It was raining so there was hardly anybody there. Paid $125 donation and rode in the cab for about an hour then took the throttle for about 45 minutes.

[IC1034]

I've been meaning to do that but just haven't had the time yet.