On April 2nd I took the day off from work to run errands before leaving Friday morning for Flatonia to attend Saturday’s spring Railfan Pavilion Day. Early on I got a call that the BNSF 9647 was southbound on the UP Choctaw Sub with a loaded coal train and that the Katy Heritage Unit might be leading the southbound MMUFW train. Listening to the radio confirmed the UP 1988 was coming into North Yard at Tower 55, but then to my good fortune the train went into emergency. I parked and put on my Personal Protection Equipment before moving down to the train’s location. As the conductor walked the train I was able to set up for this well lit shot with the skyline in the background.
Next I moved in for a roster shot of the 1988.
Now fate really smiled on me as the BNSF loaded coal train pulled up alongside so I could get the 9647 and the 1988 together in the same frame.
Now it was the BNSF 9647’s turn for a roster shot as it pulled slowly past me. Rust patches are starting to show the age of this unit and its one-of-a-kind paint scheme that was ultimately rejected by the BNSF as a potential merger scheme.
The 1988 was cleared to head on around the big curve towards Davidson Yard, so I decided to head south and catch the 9647 leaving Fort Worth on the Midlothian Sub. Since I still had my PPE on I drove to the south end of the bridge near milepost 49 as the road is in good shape after bridge repairs following being hit by a train a few weeks back. The sun was behind a large cloud bank so I stayed on the inside of the curve, but it came out to light the other side just as the train arrived a few minutes later.
Can’t win ‘em all! The results were still acceptable, so I headed out to run a few errands and work around the house before getting out again in the afternoon.
