FL9

When our Bus Two arrived at the old Dolese crusher in Big Canyon along the Washita River, it marked the first visit to this rugged location by many of the SFRH&MS members; but for me it was a return to a place I have visited many times over the past 35 years.  The other two busses were there ahead of us, and Bus One was about to leave while the members from Bus Three were outside taking in the sights.  Everyone getting off a bus was required to wear a hard hat by OSHA rules, and there were only enough available for one bus at a time. We decided to hand out the lunch boxes on our bus until it was our turn to explore.  Being a part of the staff paid off for me, as I was able to shoot this northbound BNSF train while balancing six or more lunch boxes on my left arm.

I got a round of good-natured ribbing from the other photographers who missed the shot while stuck on the bus, but I survived.  Dolese Brothers had gone to the time and trouble to set up a very nice display for us under a tent.

Bus Three departed, and our group was able to disembark and don hard hats just in time for the arrival of the BNSF 6083 South which had been tied down in the siding at Dougherty.

Later on John Moore was nice enough to take this picture of me with Keith Masters, a friend I had not seen in many years.  Over 30 years ago when I was 19 and a student at the University of Oklahoma, I used to take Keith and convention organizer Greg Hall out railfanning before either had their driver’s licenses.  Strange, I remember him being a lot shorter back then, and I remember having hair too……

Soon we heard on the radio the BNSF 6083 South was meeting a northbound at Gene Autry.  Some of the members had walked south out of sight around the curve for a better view of the bluffs and the river, so I headed that way to let them know of the impending northbound.  When the two trains met the northbound was indentified as a “UP” train on the radio, and this disappointed some of the group around the curve while at the same time it started to rain.  We decided a UP train was better than no train at all since we would need to leave after its passage to stay on schedule.  Toughing it out with no umbrellas we soon heard a rumble from the south, and the UP 5807 North running on trackage rights from Fort Worth to Kansas City came into view alongside the rushing river.  Following now is the sequence of shots I took of the dirty, smoking, and steaming units passing our location.

As the FRED disappeared around the curve on the tail of the last car, we headed back to the bus to depart for Pauls Valley.  Here is one more picture for today, taken 32 years ago in almost the exact same location on the river side of the tracks as Train 2510 from Gainesville to Enid with four old Geeps pulls under the unchanging face of the bluffs.

I leave many memories behind here on every visit, hoping each time will not be my last.  Thanks to Dolese Brothers for being such gracious hosts!