FL9

IN the early 1990’s when I would travel to the east coast I would look forward to seeing the NS and CSX power that was so rare here at the time.  Now things have reversed in that foreign power is normal here, and half the trains on the east coast I see pictures of are powered by UP or BNSF locomotives.  Sunday afternoon was one of those cases in point when my wife and I decided to drive out to Weatherford to see what fresh produce we could find at the farmer’s market.

When we arrived in Weatherford, I saw something eastbound stopped short of the old T&P depot in the siding.  We drove down to investigate, and found this eastbound autorack train led by NS C40-9W #9657.

The lighting was perfect to get him meeting a westbound and I got into position, but my hopes were dashed when he got a yellow signal out of the siding and proceeded on towards Fort Worth.  Judy and I went on to the farmer’s market, and came away with a haul of fresh corn, melons, tomatoes, and of course Parker county peaches.  I took the “scenic route” home (translation: following the tracks), and was rewarded by catching the westbound ZNSLC passing the grain elevator in Aledo.

The lead unit was yet another NS C40-9W, this time #8895.  Two trains, both with an equal number of NS and UP units with NS leading, and I’m sure I probably missed a CSX leader somewhere local today.  Well, it does break the monotony of an endless number of UP SD70M’s on the point……

I was moving slowly this morning until I checked in with the FWWR dispatcher.  All three GP50’s were heading west out of Hodge with a Dublin Turn, and they would be followed shortly by a military train.  That got me motivated, so I got dressed and caught the FWDU train with the 2010 leading at Belt Junction as they moved out on to the Dublin Sub.

(Read on …)

While deciding what to do today, I remembered an email from friend MIke Gitlin that Amtrak #21 would have P32-8BWH #504 on the point today.  That was a rare enough occurrance in this era of shovel noses that I decided to go after it.  I followed #21’s late progress on the Amtrak website, and headed over to Ayres Avenue in east Fort Worth on the UP at the proper time.  Number 22 was late as well, and I heard on the radio that he would be backing out of the ITC and into the Ney bypass south of Tower 55 to meet #21.

I arrived at Ayres Avenue about 10 minutes ahead of #21, and to the west sat the reason for #22 having to hold back in the form of a dead eastbound UP freight with no crew on the south track.  Soon I heard the K5LA on #504 as it approached with a background of thunderstorms over Dallas.

(Read on …)

Sunrise and/or sunset shots are hard to beat sometimes for mood and color.  January 22nd in 2005 was no exception as I went train hunting on the Baird Sub near home towards the end of the day.  Before long I found this eastbound UP manifest holding the main at Iona until Centennial Yard was ready to take him.  The crew was apparently planning on a long wait, as they had turned out the lights and taken up the welcome mat.

The sun was dropping visibly every second until there was time for only one more glint shot down the side of the patiently waiting train.

Now all was dark, and I headed back to the house for dinner.  Later in the evening I heard later on the radio this crew died on the law where they sat, and a dog-catch crew was sent out later to bring the train on in the last few miles.