Norfolk Southern Training Center

Friday, January 11, 2013

If you look hard enough you might be surprised to find that Atlanta is a haven for railroad and train enthusiasts. Not only is there a large organization dedicated to the building and maintaining of model train layouts in the metro area and a museum that allows visitors to climb aboard over 90 cars, engines and cabooses but there are also actual working railroad yards that move freight and passengers in and around the city as well as teach locomotive engineers how to operate the powerful engines. As part of a Three of a Kind photo feature for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution I photographed  the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough. Locomotive engineers from all over the country come to the training center to spend four weeks in an intensive training program to learn how to operate the engines. Between 300 and 700 engineers come to the facility each year.

Locomotive engineer trainee Mike Henry operates the controls of an engine simulator at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainee Mike Henry operates the controls of an engine simulator at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainee Dale Maier performs a safety inspection before climbing aboard an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainee Dale Maier performs a safety inspection before climbing aboard an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainees Bob Cesare (left) and Carlos King perform a safety inspection before climbing aboard an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainees Bob Cesare (left) and Carlos King perform a safety inspection before climbing aboard an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainee Mike Henry operates the controls of an engine simulator at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainee Mike Henry operates the controls of an engine simulator at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainees Carlos King (left) and Frank Geseck perform a safety inspection of an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainees Carlos King (left) and Frank Geseck perform a safety inspection of an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainee Dale Maier (right) talks with instructor Bob Woodruff as he sits at the controls of an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainee Dale Maier (right) talks with instructor Bob Woodruff as he sits at the controls of an engine at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainee Mike Henry operates the controls of an engine simulator at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainee Mike Henry operates the controls of an engine simulator at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

An engine sits on the tracks at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

An engine sits on the tracks at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Locomotive engineer trainees Frank Geseck (left), Dale Maier, Carlos King and Bob Cesare climb aboard an engine after performing a safety inspection at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Locomotive engineer trainees Frank Geseck (left), Dale Maier, Carlos King and Bob Cesare climb aboard an engine after performing a safety inspection at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

 

Dale Maier closes the cab to a locomotive engine after performing a safety inspection at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.

Dale Maier closes the cab to a locomotive engine after performing a safety inspection at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough on Friday, January 11, 2013.