Since the best part of these outings is the time spent with other fans, I decided to focus first on the trains and leave the "human interest" type shots until I have a little more time to devote to them. So what I am sharing here are some of the train photos from that afternoon and evening. First up is a coal load that I caught as I left Wadena and decided to shoot at the Wing River sag, since the DPU was facing me. The sun was high and heat distortion was evident, but it's hard to pass by any opportunity for a train photo. I took the presence of a train as a good omen for the day, which I think it turned out to be.
Steve and Todd were both in Verndale when I arrived. We didn't have much time to make introductions before we were rudely interrupted by a westbound stack train led by-you guessed it-a set of GE's. Here's my shot of this train:
I believe this next train is the Laurel-bound intermodal that plies the Staples Sub. This short train would be the perfect prototype for a modeler who can't quite afford an intermodal fleet consisting of spine cars and well cars numbering in the dozens. (That would be me).
And here's another lovely scene for the model railroader-a pair of SD70MAC's in charge of an empty coal train that looks like it was put together by throwing every aluminum coal gon BN or BNSF ever owned into a bag and having a blindfolded person randomly select cars from the bag. I love these trains!
And finally, another coal load DPU, just like the photo I opened this post with. Only this time the pusher is a GE, and the loaded coal train is on Main One instead of Main Two, the dispatcher having crossed him over at Wadena. Since he's bound for the Brainerd Sub, the crossover had to happen relatively soon anyway.
Hopefully, I'll free up some time soon for the rest of the Verndale Rail shots I have. Until then, I've got a few more posts in the hopper that will hopefully help remind everyone I haven't completely been swallowed up into a black hole.
Jim
No comments:
Post a Comment