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| Title: |
Rolling Through Docheno |
| Description: |
The Pickens has three cars headed down to the storage trackage in Honea Path as their first chore today. Likely the two head end hoppers are just off-spot for Tri-County Fertilizer. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 7:50:09 PM |
| Location: |
Docheno, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
43 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Rolling Through Docheno |
| Description: |
A bit more of a close-up of the PICK units as they push their train Southeast towards Honea Path |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 7:53:52 PM |
| Location: |
Docheno, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
43 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
At Grade |
| Description: |
A close up of PICK 9508 as she shoves cars down the ex-NS line to Honea Path and points Southeast |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 7:56:06 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
41 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Absolutely Filthy |
| Description: |
9507 hasnt seen the wash rack in a good long while. Fortunately its what on the inside that counts, and the FDL prime mover is still running strong |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 7:57:24 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Roster,Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
53 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
In the Shade |
| Description: |
Whats great for the summer is cool in the fall and downright freezing in the brief winter months as the Belton Job shoves towards Honea Path |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 7:58:47 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
49 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Spotting Cars |
| Description: |
The Belton Job has reached as far as they can on the line; everything past here is a massive cut of car storage. Theyll pull forward to spot these cars, then begin the trek back to Belton and a meeting with the GRLW. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:00:00 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
49 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Shining Brightly |
| Description: |
In contrast to sister 9507, 9508 still sparkles in the midday sun as they position the cars just so. Around these parts Orange is a favorite color, and youre likely going to hear someone shouting "Go Tigers!" if its a fall Saturday and youre wearing the right shade of it. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:01:46 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Roster,Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
47 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Under the Bridge |
| Description: |
Most of the streets are crossed at grade on the Honea Path branch, but US-178 gains elevation on both sides to let motorists keep right on flying, oblivious to the shoreline show taking place beneath their wheels. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:05:04 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
36 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Threes Company |
| Description: |
Originally starting with two units, the Belton job picked up sister U18B 9500 off the PCA spur while they were in Honea Path. Shes not running right now, and theyre going to eventually drop her in about 200 yards after working Docheno siding, where the PICK is unloading and staging ties for track work. Whether its for this branch or GRLWs new customer is unknown to me. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:07:15 PM |
| Location: |
Honea Path, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Roster,Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9500(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
41 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Untitled |
| Description: |
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| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:54:54 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
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| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
33 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Docheno Siding |
| Description: |
A center beam of ties sits off-spot, though not for long, at Docheno siding. Usually playing host to off-spot hopper cars of fertilizer, Pickens is currently unloading ties here. Whether its for track work on the Honea Path branch or for GRLWs new customer, Im not sure. I especially like using the battered Docheno station sign as a prop here, though Im not sure if there was ever an actual station to speak of. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:12:02 PM |
| Location: |
Docheno, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
RollingStock |
| Locomotives: |
|
| Views: |
45 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Spotting Up |
| Description: |
Having removed two empty center beams, the Belton job is spotting two more for unloading behind the bulkhead flat. That car will be pulled away and left off spot so the forklift can get to either side of the center beams and unload them evenly. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:13:35 PM |
| Location: |
Docheno, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
RollingStock,Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9500(U18B) |
| Views: |
50 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Left Behind |
| Description: |
The Belton Job has left PICK 9500 spotted on the main by Docheno siding after having retrieved her from the PCA spur earlier. My best guess is shell be used later on to swap the two center beams currently being unloaded for the bulkhead flat thats still empty. Ive heard that Pickens does also leave a unit down here in case they need to switch a customer when theres no interchange to run down from Anderson; even if fuel costs are coming down, a penny saved is a penny earned! |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:16:43 PM |
| Location: |
Docheno, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Roster |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9500(U18B) |
| Views: |
49 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Ive Got an Appointment to Keep |
| Description: |
Having finished their chores on the branch, Pickens Belton Job is headed to its namesake town for a meeting with the Greenville and Western to exchange cars. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:19:28 PM |
| Location: |
Docheno, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
42 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Rolling On |
| Description: |
You cant quite tell from this photo, but 9508 is the tail end of the train as the Belton Job shoves back to their cut of interchange bound for the CSX via Greenville and Western. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:20:50 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
35 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
A Look at What Was |
| Description: |
Trains were originally pulled by horses before the steam locomotive came along. Living the life of luxury, these horses are oblivious to the passage of the Belton Job. I'm sure a team of them could yank those two empty center beams no problem though! |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:23:24 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
53 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Greenville and Western |
| Description: |
Deserving of fan recognition in their own right, Greenville and Westerns 4204 and 3752 have pulled out of the yard and are waiting for Pickens Belton job to cross US-178 and pull into the yard. Theyll then couple up and pull the cut clear, then the crews will work together to get the rest of the Norfolk Southern bound cars out of the GRLWs cut and onto the Pickens train instead. GRLW 4204 is an ex-BNSF GP30u, while 3752 is an original GP9 that was built for the Baltimore & Ohio! Even older than the U18Bs, there are still more GP9s running than the U18Bs on the Pickens. EMD really knew what they were doing when they built them, huh? |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:29:09 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Roster |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
44 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Hello There |
| Description: |
The Belton job has crossed US178 and passed the sign demarcating between their trackage and that of the Greenville and Western. The Pickens connects to Norfolk Southern in Anderson to access the rest of the North American rail system, while the GRLW meets with CSX in Anderson. Working more as partners than competitors, the Pickens and Greenville and Western work together to provide their customers access to both major eastern Class 1s. The Pickens has a huge customer base, including First Quality Tissue (makers of paper towels, napkins, and other paper items of convenience, and a Michelin tire plant, among others, and provides a large amount of traffic to GRLW. Pretty soon GRLW will be serving a large wood products distributor thats currently being built, and will no doubt be depending on the Pickens to bring them traffic for their line as well. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:33:49 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GRLW 3752(GP9) PICK 9508(U18B) PICK 9507(U18B) |
| Views: |
37 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Coupling Up |
| Description: |
Having been passed by the Pickens, the Greenville and Western is now pulling down to tie onto the tail end of the train the Belton job brought from Anderson and gathered from Honea Path. Theyll pull all the cars back past the switch, while Pickens will go and get their cut of cars the GRLW brought to them from the CSX interchange in Pelzer. The Pickens will then pull back into the clear, allowing the GRLW to back down and cut off some cars bound for Norfolk Southern. The Pickens will then tie onto the cars, and finally head back to home rails, while the GRLW will back down to pick up their crewman. Eventually those cars will make their way to Pelzer and CSX, likely after this. I didn't stick around because my focus today was the Pickens and I wanted to get to my next spot. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:37:26 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GRLW 4204(GP30) GRLW 3752(GP9) |
| Views: |
51 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Pulling Clear |
| Description: |
GRLW has tied on and is pulling the entire Belton Job train forward so that Pickens can perform the next step of the interchange ballet. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:38:40 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GRLW 4204(GP30) GRLW 3752(GP9) |
| Views: |
46 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Interchange Acquired |
| Description: |
Having gathered their cars from the GRLWs Belton yard, Pickens now pulls onto the connecting track so GRLW can spot the cars from Belton Job that are bound for Norfolk Southern. You can see some of the cars from the Belton Job behind the locomotives. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:40:34 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
45 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Headed Back |
| Description: |
The GRLW having spotted the remainder of NS bound cars, the Pickens is highballing it over to their own tracks and eventually back to Anderson. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:45:28 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
55 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Headed Home |
| Description: |
Their chores in Belton done, the Belton Job is headed home to Anderson. Theyve already passed downtown Belton and are rolling by Veterans Memorial Park on the other side of town as they make their way home. At the base of those flags lie a granite monument honoring local veterans from WW1 and WW2. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:47:53 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
38 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Until Next Time |
| Description: |
One last departing shot of the Belton Job, as they head home to Anderson. |
| Photo Date: |
10/24/2025 Upload Date: 10/24/2025 8:48:45 PM |
| Location: |
Belton, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
PICK 9507(U18B) PICK 9508(U18B) |
| Views: |
27 Comments: 0 |
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