And so it was that time again for the once-a-year event at the end of January, the Big E Train show. Again, the normal routine was to watch some trains along the CSX B&A Line, then go to the show (at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA, more commonly known as "The Big E"), have dinner at the Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer, MA afterwards, and maybe coming back the next day to the B&A Line for some train action. Since the show was more about model railroading, one day was all I needed to take a look at the layouts and models and hopefully buy a few things or two.
On Saturday morning, instead of starting at double crossings in West Springfield, MA, I went a bit further west to the Williams Riding Way crossing in Westfield, MA, unsure of how crowded the double crossings could get. I stayed for two intermodals, Q012 and Q019 before heading over to the double crossings (it wasn't as crowded as I thought) and met up with Mike (6000csx) and Josh (CSXYN4), which I will be walking with during the show plus a few others. The only train that went through was intermodal Q022 and with no indication when Q425 was leaving, we headed to the show.
Note: I just have a short coverage of the models and layouts for this video, as I have done a more detailed video coverage in 2013. The link to that video is in the description, as well as the Big E videos from subsequent years (2014 & 2015).
2013 videos of the models & layouts at the Big E Train Show
https://youtu.be/ur1wIMmLCNs
2014 Big E weekend video
https://youtu.be/tMZ3Dhe7Nys
2015 Big E weekend video
https://youtu.be/3OXHTBoR6i0
There is no video from Palmer, MA this time. Due to a derailment in West Springfield Yard on Saturday afternoon, there was no train action while Mike, Josh, Pat (conrail4129), Jeff J., Nate (Conrail Rail Videos), Mike (Aliceinchains243) and myself were waiting for our table at the Steaming Tender. the only train that went through was a westbound CSX local but then westbound mixed freights Q423 and Q437 pulled up but didn't went past CP-83 for the moment (the trains went through plus eastbound Lakeshore P448 and westbound intermodal L017 while we were inside dining).
The next day, I stopped at the double crossings and met Mike and his friend Johnnie Mac. I missed Q426 going through, but right behind it was intermodal Q012. All trains were doing restricted speed through the West Springfield area due to the derailment aforementioned, and they have to use a section of the yard track to get through there. We went separate ways as I made my way to the west end of the double tracks at CP-109, waited for hours for intermodal Q022. Finally, I stopped at Chester, MA for westbound autorack Q293 preparing to scale the upcoming grade. Great ending to a great weekend!