Ol’ Reliable: In the modern day of Pan Am Railways’ GE-dominant Districts 2 and 3, catching any of PAR’s original EMD fleet powering mainline freights has become a rarity. With all but four of their original 600-series SD40s having been withdrawn from service, getting a chance to see the remaining locomotives on the road has become ay treat. That brings us to MEC SD40 #604, one of the few 600-series survivors. Having recently been upgraded from “trail only” status to having the ability to lead once again, it would only be some time before #604 would make its first journey leading over Districts 2 and 3 in about three years. That time finally came on December 20th and 21st of 2019 as #604 led manifest train POED from Portland, ME to East Deerfield, MA, prior to trailing on road local ED-8 to Ayer, MA the following day. Here we see the #604 yet again in charge of a westbound to East Deerfield, this time being counterpart road local ED-9 as it rounds under Route 2 at Wendell Depot in Wendell, MA and into the pleasant afternoon light. An awesome locomotive to have back around and leading indeed!
