Mike McGrattan (frequently known as Puddington online) was a great guy. He recently lost his battle with cancer, and the Railwire forum embarked on a great project to memorialize him. A special train was created and it has traveled around the continent, visiting various members layouts, giving Mike one last great trip. It just visited my NCR layout.

For more photos, and history of where the train has been, make sure to visit this thread on The Railwire forum.

Before it came to me, the train was on my friend Adam’s CSX Hanover Sub layout. It only made sense that the Maryland Midland handle the duty of moving it from his layout to mine.

The MMID train got onto the NCR for the short run into the Windsor St yard, where Conrail power would take over. From there, a pair of Conrail’s GP40-2s handled wying the train, and taking it north to Harrisburg, for a tour of the city. It then returned south with an SD40-2 for it’s trip off the line onto its next destination.

The memorial train is waiting for a signal off the Hanover IT and onto the NCR Line.
The memorial train is waiting for a signal off the Hanover IT and onto the NCR Line.

mmmt-02-tail-car-at-hanover-jct

The MMID's SD24s pull the memorial train past the yard office and into Windsor St Yard.
The MMID’s SD24s pull the memorial train past the yard office and into Windsor St Yard.

mmmt-04-tail-car-entering-yard

mmmt-06-tail-car-in-yard-from-83

The Railwire Express Agency car arrived a few days ahead of time and has been sitting under guard on the pit track outside the yard office.
The Railwire Express Agency car arrived a few days ahead of time and has been sitting under guard on the pit track outside the yard office.
mmmt-08-cr-gp40-2s-get-rea
A pair of Conrail GP40-2s were assigned to power the train for this leg of the tour. Here they’re coupled up with the REA car and are doing their air test.
mmmt-09-windsor-st-wyed
The now northbound train passing a coal train tied down, waiting for a crew to split it up and take it to the paper mill in Spring Grove.
The Michael McGrattan passing through Windsor St Yard heading north.
The Michael McGrattan passing through Windsor St Yard heading north.
Crossing Black Bridge Road in Emigsville, north of York.
Crossing Black Bridge Road in Emigsville, north of York.
In the woods north of York.
In the woods north of York.
The northbound special approaching Hanover Junction.
The northbound special approaching Hanover Junction.
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Full of hooch and smoked pig.
The special coming south of Hanover Junction with 6366 on the point.
The special coming south of Hanover Junction with 6366 on the point.

mmmt-16-tail-car-mainline

mmmt-17-cr-sd40-2-train-approaching-bridge-810After the train had a chance to travel around a bit, I got one last view of it while it was visiting the BANTRAK layout setup at the B&O museum.

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