Diane's train shots

We were on our way west through Illinois, when Diane was intrigued by this coaling tower in Decatur. If I recall, its on the Wabash.

This is the Illinois Central station at Decatur, looking good for its age.

The Holiday Express rolls past the station at Noel to a stop as it arrives for the days festivities here. It was chilly, but sunny, making for a good day to tour the train.

We were at Missouri Valley IA when a UP stack train rolled by. While I am more focused on motive power and operating concerns, Diane takes a more artistic approach, capturing the boxes and a beautiful sky.

A darkside view of a UP stack train, again with a pretty sky.

An eastbound UP stack train rolls past under a Kodachrome sky.

We were out on this snowy day chasing-which we did in NY all the time, since it snowed A LOT there, so no big deal to go out in the little bit of snow we get in Arkansas. One of the prizes that day was this southbound we caught near Sulphur Springs behind a pair of new Belles, which was a big deal at the time.

In this case, the US 59 bridge over the Illinois River. Not to bad for a shot taken through the open car window while I was standing outside getting the shot looking over the wall. Two SD 70ACe's have 75 empty grain hoppers in tow.

The KCS main looking north from the Ark 59 overpass shows a pair of rails cutting through the snow along Butler Creek. Pretty shot, even in the gloom. All we need now is a train.

Close up of the herald Nebraska-Kansas-Colorado unit waiting out the weekend

If there are two things that better say "Nebraska" better than Union Pacific and chimney rock, I cant think of them. Here we have both, in a shot Diane caught of an empty coal train waiting to pass through a work zone.

A westbound coal train headed for Wyoming passes an automatic near Scottsbluff

The Watco unit painted for Pittburg State meets a much larger colleague at Pittsburg yard.

Alcos 34 and 46 sit on the dead line tracks as the bold new look of an SD70ACe sits ready for action.

At least a few of these Alcos have reached the end of the line, as seen at the Springdale shop

I had stopped on the shoulder of I 40 to get a shot of these MLWs on the Grand Canyon Ry-I dont recommend this on a 75 MPH highway-Diane took the smart way out, and shot from the RV.

She also was able to get the sun side of the power as I was pulling up.

We were rolling east on I 40, which is close enough most places west of Dalies to see some train action, and caught this westbound coal train near Gallup. Id driving, shes shooting.

Diane shot this westbound over the guard rail on I 40. Im doing 75 MPH, not the best time for me to be working a camera. Fortunately, she does a good job with me bouncing down the road.

Diane shot past me to get this eastbound out the window of the RV.

The eastbound wed been pacing now crosses over us. It will meet a westbound here very shortly.

On a trip to California in April 2015, we stopped to visit some old friends in Belen NM. It was decided wed go to dinner in Albuquerque, and took off in their car. We were riding in the back seat, when we caught up to this Rail Runner train at Los Lunas. Diane got it with her phone. Pretty good, Id say.

We had just left the KOA in Amarillo, which is close enough to the tracks you can see trains, when we encountered this westbound grain move near White Deer. View through the windshield as we rolled east on US 60.

We found these Trans Global Solutions units parked near Gallup.

A set of WATCO power works at Coffeyville Kan. Once a bustling railroad town, and a division point on the Mopac, it now has UP on the former MP, and WATCO running most of everything else thats left.

The dodger, L 102, works at Pipelife Jetstream. Diane shot this from the car window with her phone.

Most of the time, when we go out, Im driving, and Diane takes grab shots as Im passing someplace. This time it was Watts on a gloomy day. She got this grab shot of an H train leader as we went past the north end of town.

We caught a coal train, and had to cross the tracks to get the shot, then wait for it to pass. Diane got this shot of the crossbuck shadow on one of the coal cars.

Fortunately, not one that is shadowing the train, but it does make a nice effect in the sky. A westbound grain train rolls past an elevator along US 60.

Diane caught this shot of the coaling tower on the ATSF west of the station, standing starkly against the deep blue of a Kansas sky. Its been there since 1928, doesnt look like its going anywhere any time soon.

We were going from Quivira NWR to the wetlands at Cheyenne Bottoms to watch migratory bird, and passed through Great Bend. Diane got a shot of the ex ATSF station there in early light.

The Great Bend station is quiet on a Sunday morning, with the Watco power outside waiting for Mondays action.

An ex Belt Railway of Chicago geep sits at a grain elevator far from its original home in a second life.

We were headed for Amarillo recently, rolling along US 60 as the sun got lower and lower. Diane grabbed this out the window of our RV as we met this eastbound.

A southbound TXUX train rolls away from the Ark 59 overpass toward a green board through a canopy of foliage. Fall here is usually lackluster compared to the color we were used to in the northeast. This year was, by Ozark standards, stunning.

A southbound TXUX train rolls through the high car detector north of Goodman. Nothing on this train will set it off.

Southbound TXUX train rolling toward downtown Goodman, in a blast of orange.

Southbound TXUX coal train splits the signals at McElhany

This northbound empty TXUX train had seven units in a "we aint mad at nobody" consist as he approached us south of Anderson in late day sweet light.

This northbound empty TXUX train is rolling past some fall color down near Wolf Creek between Dorsey siding and Gravette.

The coal train had a visitor from afar in the form of these CSX units, one in "bright future," the other in "dark future." We dont see too many of these here.

And not just the power. The DPU on an empty TXUX train rolls toward some fall foliage south of Anderson.

The smpty trains DPUs roll toward the feed mill at Anderson.

Northbound empty TXUX trains DPU pulls away in a study of light and shadow at the feed mill just south of Anderson.

This TXUX coal train is rolling north at Mt Olive Rd, just north of Dorsey siding, the late day sun lighting up the south facing power.

The DPU on a southbound AEPX train throttles up as it approaches Sulphur Springs, and the grade up to Gravette, seen through a tunnel of trees.

As we rolled into Claremore, the train was on display along the road south of downtown. From the car, Diane caught the diesel protect engine, the canteens, and the 4014 herself. Quite an array, and the flags really make the scene.

The 4014 slowly rolls across the ex Frisco now BNSF Cherokee Sub, now headed for its next stop at Nowata

The 4014 draws by, and we got a closer look, even with the large crowd.

Wed been chasing a northbound empty grain train, two units up front, and these two as a DPU on the rear. He stopped at Gentry to meet a southbound, and I pulled in off Main St to get the shot, Diane got it with her phone from the car, a sparkling clean set of KCS and CP power.