Something Old, Something New...

I made a trip to Staples this morning as it looked like a pleasant day was in store. The scanner was quiet as I headed east, and I saw no traffic on the trip over. I was a little worried because I had heard a lot of horns very early in the morning before I left (departed about 0645) and I hoped I hadn't missed the day's traffic.

Last night Mrs L4T and myself had been out prowling for trains with very little luck. I heard an extensive discussion between a Conductor and Fort Worth mechanical regarding an SD75 that would not load past 150 amps, but no other traffic. It sounded like that eastbound might have trouble getting up the hill into Wadena as his only other unit was a GP60M, but when I headed west to intercept he was scooting right along and I heard him tell the dispatcher the unit was now working, although with some surging going on.

The point of the story is that the train was sitting in the Staples yard this morning with a Dash 9 tacked onto the head end as well. I stopped for a photo as I arrived in Staples.


I know it's a stretch, but with the H1 paint scheme on a three digit road number Dash 9, I'm calling this the "something old" part of the story. I guess we could also use the pioneer unit of the final GP model built as well for the something old part of the rhyme. Where's an SD40-2 when you need one?


Since nothing was moving but I could hear chatter on the radio about getting a FRED to talk to a loco, I decided to swing around the yard and see what else was there. Turns out, quite a bit.


A head on shot revealed the train that was fiddling with its FRED as well. Lots of trains tied down in Staples this AM.


When I heard a 9300 series clear a warrant in Wadena, I decided to try catching him near the depot. I didn't have to wait long for MERC coal loads to show up, and the something new part of the equation was in play. A second ACe was pushing, in real fresh and shiny paint. I only have video of the pusher on this 1x1 train, I will try and get it posted as well. Here are a couple of shots in Staples:




I decided to chase him a while, and got him between Staples and Motley, then again as he crossed Highway 10 on his trip to Superior.



While in Motley I spotted a ballast car sitting on a siding as well, with some unusual graffiti. I couldn't resist trying this:


Back to Staples, and the Becker loads were ready to leave. I shot them heading out of the yard onto Main 2 track, and now we have reached the something borrowed (I know, this is a real stretch) and something blue part of the rhyme. Oh well, three out of four isn't bad. Not often that I see a solid set of CITX units operating in this part of the country.



The last train that was leaving was the original merchandise train the wife and I had seen the night before. Shortly, the Dash 9 got a signal and was soon headed east as well.


I headed back to Wadena with a bunch of photos to process and some good memories. I was glad I made the decision to head east this morning and look 4 trains.

Jim