FL9

After a cell phone call from Brian Tindle up north, yesterday around 1:00pm John Briggs and I caught Amtrak Train 821 coming through the Trinity River bottoms during the last few minutes of its journey from Oklahoma City.

Due to the trailing P42 facing the wrong way and the BNSF SD40-2 on the rear, there must be story to tell.  Anyone know what it is?

“Forrest Gump” is on AMC right now as I type today’s entry, and this quote from the movie seems highly appropriate when applied to the photo here taken today in Forest Hill.  The UP MFWEW train with an old CSX SD40-2 leading was heading south on the Midlothian Sub when this car full of people risked their lives.

By driving around the down crossing gates to beat the train rather than wait a few minutes, do you think the quote is appropriate?

Today’s blog photo was taken just a little over one-half hour ago at 4:39pm on the way home from work in Boaz Park in Benbrook of a westbound UP merchandise train with a CSX GEVO leading.

I picked up a Canon Powershot SD870is at a close-out sale for CompUSA so as to have a small camera I could easily carry everywhere without risking damage or theft to the DSLR’s.  The train was already making around 50mph, but that was not a problem as the camera has practically zero shutter lag.  I think I made a good buy, but you be the judge.

After John Mallory’s comment on Tuesday’s blog entry, I could not resist this slide for him when I ran across it last night.  North Central Oklahoma Alco RS36 (DL701) 2873 is seen switching in Enid, OK during August of 1983.

Prior to arriving in Oklahoma, this 1800-hosepower unit was one of only forty of this model built by ALCO, and served as the Norfolk & Western 2873 after starting its life as the Nickel Plate 873.