ZLAMN at the Cut

Leaving the west end of Davidson Yard I passed an autorack/intermodal train in the new bypass and a MFWWC in the yard getting ready to head out on the Baird Sub. The ZLAMN was eastbound between Preble and Weatherford, so either westbound train should have had time to make the siding at Iona, but the dispatcher was justifiably afraid the switches there would be snowed in and the “Z” train delayed. I drove to the cut in Boaz Park and set up to wait as a light snow continued to fall on my jacket’s hood. Before long the nearby westbound signal suddenly came to life with a red indication. Minutes later a glow appeared in the evening gloom, and quickly the UP 8370’s headlights outlined the snow falling in front of them as the ZLAMN bore down on me.

A quick zoom back to 24mm netted me this winter scene as the conductor gave a wave from his position of warmth.

Several UPS trailers that contibuted to this train having a “Z” rating flashed by.

Many more stacks silently rolled by and then two more engines rumbled past me in DPU mode.

Darkness was about to envelope me here at the cut, and unfortunately listening to the radio the two westbound trains had waited long enough that now the switches were going to have to be cleaned out again before they could leave. The best snow day I can remember in Fort Worth since Valentine’s Day in 2004 was done.