Sunday Evening Trifecta

Mrs. L4T and I ventured out on a beautiful evening last Sunday around suppertime. I knew there were a couple of westbounds in the pipeline.

The first one was passing Wadena as we made it uptown, so plans were changed from the Staples DQ to the Perham DQ. Ya gotta be flexible when it comes to chasing trains.

I passed him at New York Mills, and set up for a shot east of Perham near the "big woods". A couple of EMD's in this consist, including a warbonnet SD75.


After dinner, next up was a coal empty. I think this one was a COLX train. Once again, back to the woodsy spot. I like the background of oak trees in this location.


We figured that was it, but ATCS clued me in on a Superior empty coming off the Brainerd. I shot him at the CR 75 crossing just west of Wadena. Sweet set of power on this train. Seems like the BNSF has again reverted to running some of the MERC trains with two units up front and no DPU. Maybe it's just random chance on what I see.


And that was it. Thought I should share something, as this has been a quiet blog for a few days. I've got a couple more posts in the hopper-one from DME land and another from NE MN, with some unique action that we seldom get a chance to see. I'll try and get them up over the long weekend sometime.

Jim

BNSF 9303 East-"You have a defect"

To continue from our last installment, Ian (Trainspotter USA) and I are now at the Highway 32 overpass near Hawley, with a loaded coal train headed toward Lake Park. Here's another shot from that location, just to set the stage.


We knew there was a westbound out there somewhere as well, from dispatcher chatter with a foreman who wanted track and time near Detroit Lakes. It sounded like he would have to wait about half an hour, so we had a decision to make. Given the overcast, the fact that we didn't know if there were any more eastbounders near, and wanting to have something to chase back east, we elected to turn around.

First stop was to be the S-curve at Lake Park. I was pretty confident that I would make it in time to catch this train come through, even though we waited a couple of minutes before giving chase. As we pulled up near the curves, though, there was no time to waste, as the train was working his way through. As a result, this is a less than perfectly composed grab shot:


Well, then, let's blast of for Frazee. I know we can beat him there. So off we went, arriving in good time with little traffic light delay in DL. We set up, with the skies clearing to the east but the sun still obscured. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. One time, when I wandered back to the Escape for a slurp of Diet Coke, I heard a reference to "bearing...crayon...melting...hot", and waved Ian over. It turned out our target was stopped somewhere to the west with a hot bearing, and a lengthy discussion was taking place about what to do next.

After more back and forth, it was finally decided that the car would be safe to take to Perham and drop in a siding. Of course, the conductor still had to walk up to the head end and the train had to get started. The bright spot in all of this (literally) was that the delay had given the clouds time to break up. This train would finally be in the sun when he passed us. As the train passed the detector near MP 203, we picked up that the train had a defect on axle 285, right side, Main Track Two. The dispatcher confirmed that this was the same axle and they continued on.

Which didn't help me that much, as all the shots I have from that location are slightly out of focus. You'll have to wait for Ian to post some of his, along with the video. I have to say, this was a mighty freindly crew, and they gave us a short toot on the horn more than once when they passed us.

Ian shot some video at the curve west of Staples again, and the train began to slow as he approached town. We had no problem getting in position for some shots as he jockeyed around in town, blocking some crossings in the process, while setting out the BO car. Here he creeps past the Tuffy's dog food factory.


Since he had stopped in Perham, we had more photo ops as well. Ian chose more of a broadside as the train crossed the Otter Tail River, but I got him head on. Usually trains are moving fast here, but this one was slowing to a stop to pick up his conductor after clearing all the blocked crossings. I got a chance to tell the engineer "good luck on the rest of your trip" while he waited.


One last shot to share from my camera-this is shot near the Bluffton curve just west of Wadena. I think it's a unique perspective I've shared once before. I'm curious to see what Ian got here as well.


All in all, a great trip. The weather turned around for us, and we got a chance to closely study a coal train. The crew of the 9303 probably has us memorized, given the number of locations where we managed to shoot them. And thanks, Ian for the company.

Jim

What Does SWA Stand For?

When you hear these letters, most of you probably think of an iconic, in-control-yet-laid-back, BNSF dispatcher. That's one of the things I think of, too. But in this case, the acronym has a different meaning.

Staples West Adventure.

On Saturday morning, August 29, two Staples Sub bloggers met up in the Subdivision's namesake town with the intent of heading west on a mission of discovery. I was joined by Ian Holmes, the infamous "Trainspotter USA", for a reprise of last year's outing. Ian came over to Staples from a weekend retreat near Deerwood. And even though he travelled about twice as far as I did this morning (heck, he runs further on some days than I drove to get to Staples), he still managed to beat me to the depot and was waiting when I pulled up about 7:20 AM. As luck would have it, an eastbound manifest had stopped to work the yard and he was taking in the action. The power for the train soon worked its way down the yard lead and backed up to the remaining train. While they pumped up the air, we walked east to get some shots in the morning sun. This is one of my first shots of the day, as a pair of Dash 9's (we saw only one GEVO all day, an AC leading coal empties) start their train east approaching the 6th Street crossing in Staples.


It was time to develop a strategy for the remainder of the trip. We soon settled on pushing west until we found a train, with an ultimate goal of making it to the Lake Park/Hawley area and working back east chasing a train. We were off.

Near the Oink Joint Road, just east of Wadena, we met a stack train. After a u-turn, we set up at the curve near Aldrich. Ian unlimbered his video camera and I grabbed a couple of still shots as the rounded the curve behind another pair of Dash 9's, this time led by an H1 but with the trailer in the warbonnet scheme. Per our plan, we let him go at this point and pushed on west.


We were between Perham and Frazee when we encountered an eastbound Z train. When we had passed through Perham, Ian had noticed the sweeping curve near the west exit to town and said it would make for a nice video location. So off we went, barely beating the train. I shot him twice, as he entered the curve, and then a dark side shot a bit later the better to document the two SD75's that were trailing the Dash 9 leading this train. It was nice to see EMD power on an intermodal train.




As you can see, we were beginning to fight the clouds that had unexpectedly built in by this time. Still, as adventurers, were persevered. Continuing west, we inspected the Frazee S-curve for photo opportunities, then passed through Detroit Lakes. As this was uncharted territory for Ian, I tried to point out spots I thought were likely photo locations. Ian has an eye for photography and pointed out places I had passed by dozens of times where good photos could be made.

After Audubon, we made it to Lake Park, and headed straight for the S-curve. Nothing was evident train-wise, so the next stop was Mt. Muller. A look at the ATCS told us there was an eastbound approaching Hawley. Ian had earlier heard a rail grinder was working in the Lincoln area, and we speculated that any eastbound at this time was likely a coal train bound for Superior. Coal loads would be working hard up the grade so we made a run to the Highway 32 overpass to shoot them from there. We made it with about 5 minutes to spare.


With that, we had accompished the first half of our mission, to reach the Lake Park/Hawley area. And, we had a train to chase back east. But this post is long enough for now. You'll have to wait for the story of the return trip. I've got a pair of ideas for what to call it-either "BNSF 9303 East" or "You Have a Defect". Check back tomorrow to find out.

Thanks for the good times and the companionship, Ian. I hope you enjoyed the day as much as me. I've said before that one of the things I most enjoy about this hobby is the contact with others who share your interest, and today just reinforced that.

Jim

Wadena Local Action

Tuesday evenings are famous throughout Wadena as the night of competing burger specials. Since we were three this week, with Granny L4T spending her last night for this visit, we decided to hit the Boondocks for the buck burger special, which now costs $1.25 (but I digress).

After finishing off our vittles, and being only a couple of blocks from the tracks, we swung by only to find headlights galore to the east. The local was working the Drywall Supply spur and a coal empty was headed back for another load. The local was hiding behind the equipment bungalow by the time I touched off this shot.


Since the local was at work, I headed down to watch him. He ran around his train on the spur, and backed out onto the main. Here comes the power, stepping lightly on 100 year old rail as it prepares to get on the "right" end of its train for the run back west.


Since the light was so nice, it seemed a waste to not run back uptown and get one more of the local as he departed for Dilworth. After a short wait, surprisingly, it was off to the west on Main 2. It's fairly unusual to see a train head west from Wadena wrong main, given the lack of CTC between Wadena and Richards Spur.


It was a nice little treat for the evening, and the crew was friendly. A family with three small kids came out to watch them switch, and the crew waved and tooted the horn for the excited young ones.

The burgers were good, too.

Jim

BNSF 4062 West

The clouds finally moved out Saturday afternoon. Granny L4T, who is visiting at our house this week, was given the choice between watching a Twins game in HD and accompanying Mrs. L4T and I out on a train hunting expedition. After a moment's thought, she chose the trains over the Twins. Smart lady.

ATCS said there was a westbound in Staples, and it passed Dower Lake as we left town. I stopped at the Verndale Sag, and after a few minutes wait and another look at the display, I developed the theory that the train was doing some switching. So, off we went to Staples.


This first shot is from the Dower Lake crossing, looking east as he pulls out of the yard and prepares to back up to couple onto the rear of his train.

Also in play was a second westbound, around Philbrook as we began to watch the switching operations where the 4062 was dropping a cut of grain cars in Staples. 4062 was working off Main 2 so I figured the second train would run by him on Main 1. Sure enough that is how it played out. Some more Dash 9's on a stacker:


At this time I was faced with chasing the stack train west, or waiting for the 4062 to head out. Since he had a matched set of H2's I decided on the 4062. The wait was no more than 10 minutes before he worked his way through the crossover and headed out of town. A third shot from the Dower Lake crossing:


Next stop: Verndale. I was losing sun pretty fast by this time, and the light stays pretty good on the east side of town. But as soon as I got to the tracks I noticed a westbound bearing down. What to do? I made a snap decision to stick it out, and shot the coal loads as they approached.


I wasn't sure if I would get another shot of the 4062, but managed to, by the skin of my teeth.


I figured I was done, but opportune green lights in Wadena left me not far behind the power on the manifest, so I headed for Bluffton. The sun angle offered a chance at a shot I haven't tried before. Not perfect, but something different.



Out of light and out of trains, we headed back to home base with good memories.

Jim

Range Report-Missing the Maroon

After work Monday evening, I managed to sneak in an hour or so of railfanning in the Virginia area. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I head out to Iron Junction as that seems to be the most likely place to intercept a train without any inside info to direct you.

I hadn't even finished changing clthes when the strong west wind carried the sound of a locomotive horn across Silver Lake to my hotel. It was off to the races. I found the junction of CR 7 and CR 101 blocked by a southbound manifest. After it cleared, I raced to the Highway 37 overpass to shoot this train as he headed south. While there was a great sucker hole as I heard him approach, the sun snuggled in behind a cloud as soon as the train came into sight.





I haven't shot this location before, but I like it. It's a bit sidelit, but should get better later in the year. The old code line poles add to the shot.

This train was moving fairly slowly, and the sun was darting in and out, so the chase south began. This next shot is from Townline Road, south of Keenan Yard. The sun had peeked out again. Sidelit, but nice anyway. And, the second unit is a Draper! I like them, they remind me of the years I spent in Ranier watching the DWP and CN.


I left him off here, and headed back north. Wanting to catch something in good light, I investigated the line to Fayal, but found nothing. The RTC (Dispatcher in CN lingo, I guess) soon was talking to someone and 909 crept into the conversation. Knowing this was probably the BLE 909, I swung back to Iron Junction just in time to catch a northbound T-bird led by an ex-IC SD40-2. The 909 was trailing, so I don't know why I heard him mentioned on the radio.



By now the clouds were really starting to build in from the west, and I wanted something to eat. There was also work to do, so it was off to the hotel. It ended up being an entertaining little outing, but I think this is the first time I have been to Iron Junction and not seen a maroon unit. That seemed a little sad, and reminded me of the changes on other railroads. Another good reminder to shoot them while we can.

Jim

Lake Crystal

Last week found me down in the New Ulm area. Tuesday evening was hot but sunny so I decided to take a ride and see if I could find a train.

I headed over to Mankato in hopes of catching something DM&E had sent my way along the river bottom. There are some scenic locations on that line, but no luck this evening. In Mankato I found an IRSS switcher working, but he tied up just as I arrived and the light was against me getting any decent shots. So off I went, to check the southbound UP main.

As luck would have it a southbound manifest was waiting to leave, and within minutes I was chasing him out of town. I shot him in about 5 locations, as the 4 lane allowed me to keep pace with this rapidly moving train. I think the best shots were these, just west of Lake Crystal as he ran west-southwest in nice light.


There sure are a lot of tall structures down in that country. You would think they handled a lot of grain or something.


One thing I noticed was how ratty these early AC motors are starting to look up close. Rust gets all of us in the end, and locomotives are no exception.

I got one more shot as he passed the elevator in Madelia, but I wasn't real happy with it. Then it was off to New Ulm once again, for another evening in a hotel room. Kind of like tonight. I'm sitting in a hotel in Virginia, and if I find time, may post a couple of shots from former DMIR tracks that I got tonight. So at least you have something to wonder about, until I find time to post again.

Jim