FL9

Yesterday I mentioned the caboose way back on the end of a loaded Burlington Northern coal train east of Childress, and so today’s slide was a natural when I pulled it out of the box.  Here is a scene that you no longer see on the Wichita Falls Subdivision.

Back in May of 1990 between Bowie and Decatur at the old east end of the siding at Fruitland before it was lengthened, the conductor of an eastbound loaded BN coal train that has just left the siding is on the ground lining the switch back for the main after meeting a westbound train.  Lining switches here is today done with the push of a button or by block occupancy, and caboose 10411 has long since been retired in favor of soulless end-of-train devices.