Snowy Meet at Eighth Avenue

On the afternoon of Thursday the 11th I took a late lunch and headed out again to see what other trains I could catch running in the snow. I phoned the FWWR dispatcher and learned the Dublin Turn was called for 1:00pm and would be leaving Hodge Yard momentarily. John Briggs was already staked out in Forest Park at the Trinity River bridge, so I checked out the Rosedale overpass and then settled on Park Place for my photo. Once John let me know the train was coming through the park I made my way through the snow and composed this angle that belies the fact I am in the city.

Zooming back I got more of a broadside view with a hint of a building in the background.

The 103 job was finishing up switching west of Eighth Avenue and asked the Dublin Turn on the radio if they could start their train again if they stopped at the west switch to let the 103 Job get in the clear. The answer was affirmative, so John and I met up there for a meet sequence. The snow was falling a bit heavier as the Dublin Turn eased to a stop on the main just short of the west switch.

The conductor on the Dublin Turn walked up to the switch and lined it for the siding, and the snow was really coming down as the 103 Job came into view.

Panning to the right nailed the meet shot between the 2014 and the consecutively numbered 2015.

As soon as the switch was lined back for the main the Dublin Turn’s three SD40’s roared to life and quickly headed down along side Old Granbury Road.

Shortly after the last car of the Dublin Turn cleared the west end the 103 Job backed out to the main as engineer Richard Benton gave me a wave barely visible through the falling snow.

With perfect timing my phone now rang with an invitation from the UP to photograph the record snow from the Crest Tower, so I said goodbye to John and headed in that direction.