FL9

After the N&LG freight had finished its interchange in Gibsland on 05/14/77 and started back south towards Hodge, L&NW F7’s #46 and #45 put a small train together and left town heading north towards the interchange with the Cotton Belt in McNeil, AR.  The tracks were well away from the highway most of the time, but we managed to get ahead of him and set up at a rural crossing several miles south of Magnolia, AR.  Before long the two old but still viable locomotives rolled past us as their two EMD 567’s voiced their normal rythmic chant.

Instead of a FRED (flashing rear end device) as you typically see today on any train, thirty years ago a caboose bringing up the rear was still the normal subject of a going-away shot.

We had no problems beating the train to the town of Magnolia as he ran slowly through the piney woods.