A Year Ago...Today

Passing through Staples a year ago today, I happened on a stopped empty coal train waiting to enter the Staples Sub. This train was just coming off the Brainerd, and at the time DPU was less common that it is now.

The weather was gourgeous (much like today) and the nose of the stopped ES44AC was nicely lit. As the tail end of the train was close to a crossing, I decided to try for an "artsy" shot with the power reflected in the shiny rail.


One thing that has intrigued me about this shot, and about DPU's in general, is how some of them will have a FRED hanging on the coupler, while others don't. I hardly believe this is affected by the age of the loco, as this GEVO was a fairly new unit at the time of the shot. I guess I will probably never have an answer to that mystery.

Jim