Trackside Log for Thursday, August 9, 2007

I got a nice early start before the sun rose. My first destination was to be the Nebkota Railroad in Chadron, Nebraska. While on the way I ran across a parked BNSF empty coal train in Orin, Wyoming, just west of Shawnee Junction. The sun was just above the horizon which led to some interesting lighting.

• 0609 MDT Orin, Wyoming - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 9930-BNSF 9663 w/ DPU (photo)

I continued along and discovered the Union Pacific main into the coal fields. There were coal trains parked all over the place. One loaded train was just leaving Shawnee Junction when I passed so I drove out ahead of it.

• 0632 MDT Lost Springs, Wyoming - UP eastbound - UP 6580-UP 7071 w/ DPU UP 6766-UP 7392
• 0645 MDT Keeline, Wyoming - UP eastbound - UP 6580-UP 7071 w/ DPU UP 6766-UP 7392 (photo)

I drove on leaving that coal train behind only to find another coal train ahead of it. I chased it ahead and photographed it as well.

• 0720 MDT Lusk, Wyoming - UP eastbound - UP 5990-UP 6154 w/ DPU UP 6001-UP 6399
• 0739 MDT Van Tassell, Wyoming - UP eastbound - UP 5990-UP 6154 w/ DPU UP 6001-UP 6399

Before long I arrived at Chadron, Nebraska. I quickly found the engine facility and three locomotives parked outside.

• 0903 MDT Chadron, Nebraska - Nebkota power - NRI 613 (photo)
• 0903 MDT Chadron, Nebraska - Nebkota power - NRI 614-NRI 49 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3)

After photographing the engines I got some breakfast. While getting breakfast I noted that there were an inordinate number of motorcycles parked around town. I quickly came to the conclusion that I sure know how to pick a week to visit South Dakota. This was Bike Week in Sturgis. The next part of the day was purely sightseeing. First I drove to Mount Rushmore. I've never seen so many Harley Davidsons in my life. They were everywhere. I drove through Rapid City among the motorcycles and photographed a Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern SD40-2 parked by the shops.

• 1246 MDT Rapid City, South Dakota - DME power - DME 6082 (photo)

Next I departed down Interstate 90 for Chamberlain but not before first visiting the Wall Drug Store and Badlands National Park. Now that is a fascinating place. After a long drive I found Chamberlain and the variety of interesting power the Dakota Southern had lying around the grain elevator.

• 1840 CDT Chamberlain, South Dakota - Dakota Southern power - DSRC 719 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1843 CDT Chamberlain, South Dakota - Dakota Southern power - USS "70-1"-SSOR 75-SSOR 76-DSRC 512 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1849 CDT Chamberlain, South Dakota - Dakota Southern power - UP 6925 (photo)
• 1858 CDT Chamberlain, South Dakota - Dakota Southern power - SSOR 103 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1901 CDT Chamberlain, South Dakota - Dakota Southern power - DSRC 506-DSRC 522 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4)

After taking plenty of photographs I drove first to Mitchell, South Dakota to see the corn palace and then to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where I would spend the night at the Fairfield Inn. It turned out to be an awesome day and one I'll definitely remember.

Trackside Log for Monday, August 6, 2007

This morning I awoke in Ogallala, Nebraska to a thunder storm. That didn't really set a good tone. I set out by heading yet farther west. As I drove the weather gradually began to improve. The rain soon stopped and it was starting to get brighter. By the time I got to Sydney, Nebraska it was still overcast and not terribly bright, but at least it wasn't storming.

• 0754 MDT Sidney, Nebraska - UP eastbound - UP 6514-UP 6196 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 0755 MDT Sidney, Nebraska - UP power - UP 3422-UP 3420 (photo 1, photo 2)

While photographing the parked power, a westbound passed behind. I was unable to get a photograph. Oh well, I moved on. Just west of Sidney I caught up to another westbound. I drove ahead and photographed it. I looked behind me and noticed an eastbound approaching as well.

• 0823 MDT Sidney, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5493-UP 9550-UP 7624-UP 4310 (photo)
• 0824 MDT Sidney, Nebraska - UP eastbound - UP 8433-UP 4464 (photo)

I continued westward and stopped at various locations whenever I noticed a train approaching. The skies were clearing nicely and I was eventually back into sunshine.

• 0838 MDT Brownson, Nebraska - UP eastbound - UP 4980-UP 4563 (photo)
• 0851 MDT Potter, Nebraska - UP eastbound - UP 6591-UP 4225-UP 2186-UP 4529-UP 8438-UP 4040
• 0920 MDT between Bushnell and Kimball, Nebraska - UP eastbound - UP 4875-UP 5160

As I neared Bushnell, Nebraska the sun was out nicely and I could see a row of grain elevators. I had to stop and photograph some trains passing the elevators. The second westbound to arrive was the train I was unable to photograph in Sidney. It all worked out for the best since the weather was much nicer in Bushnell.

• 0934 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 7322-UP 5815-UP 6546
• 0955 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5472-CEFX 3181
• 1015 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5493-UP 9550-UP 7624-UP 4310
• 1024 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 4714-UP 4617 (photo)
• 1046 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 7691-UP 5037-UP 3910 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1059 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5464-UP 7667-UP 7706 (photo)
• 1106 MDT Bushnell, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5086-UP 9175 (photo)

For a while I was trying to figure out the onslaught of westbounds. Eventually the Union Pacific dispatcher talked to an eastbound out of Cheyenne about a break-down. Apparently all the westbounds piled up behind it. A-ha! Now I understand. I'd really been hoping for an eastbound at Bushnell because there was a really nice scene with one of the elevators. No such luck. It didn't seem that any eastbounds were imminent and the westbounds were done.

I continued my trek west. I decided on a whim to stop at Burns, Wyoming to see what was there. It turned out to be a good move since there was a decent looking grain elevator. I decided to try for an eastbound again here. Of course the first train was one of the westbounds I photographed earlier.

• 1154 MDT Burns, Wyoming - UP westbound - UP 5464-UP 7667-UP 7706

But wait! Just after the westbound slowly passed I could see eastbound headlights. At last!

• 1207 MDT Burns, Wyoming - UP eastbound - UP 4151-UP 2485

The skies were beginning to cloud up and look like rain again. I drove to Cheyenne but the skies didn't look inviting at all. I stopped for lunch but ultimately decided to forego Cheyenne for the time being. I vowed to try again on my return trip through Wyoming. So I headed south through Colorado. Unfortunately it was stormy for most of the day. One of the stops I wanted to make in Colorado was the Leadville, Colorado & Southern. Luckily the weather was improving on my way there. By the time I arrived the weather was good enough to yield some reasonable photographs.

• 1702 MDT Leadville, Colorado - Leadville, Colorado & Southern power - LCS 1918 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1720 MDT Leadville, Colorado - Leadville, Colorado & Southern power - LCS 1714 (photo 1, photo 2)

After chatting with the crew of the train and having a look inside their engine house I took my leave. I figured Grand Junction, Colorado would be my night's destination. The drive there was very nice. I had fun on some of the winding roads until I got back to Interstate 70. Interstate highways tend to be kind of boring.

Trackside Log for Sunday, August 5, 2007

I awoke to a nice sunny morning in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was already getting rather hot at 0800. It was going to be a hot one.

After getting my gear together I set out to see what was in town. I drove to the Omaha, Lincoln & Nebraska but their power is all stored indoors. However, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe eastbound was just coming into town.

• 0814 CDT Lincoln, Nebraska - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 9740-CEFX 1016 w/ DPU BNSF 9646

After the eastbound passed I started my westward trek. I found an interesting location near Seward, Nebraska where I waited for some action. Before long the coal trains started showing up.

• 0934 CDT Seward, Nebraska - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 5964-BNSF 9379 w/ DPU BNSF 9910-BNSF 5798
• 0941 CDT Seward, Nebraska - BNSF westbound - BNSF 9774-BNSF 5952 w/ DPU BNSF 5924-BNSF 8926
• 0952 CDT Seward, Nebraska - BNSF westbound - BNSF 6133-BNSF 9437 w/ DPU BNSF 9703-BNSF 5946
• 1006 CDT Seward, Nebraska - BNSF westbound - BNSF 8899-BNSF 8864

The last eastbound stopped in the distance and I figured it was a good opportunity to continue west. The next town west was Tamora where I ran across three locomotives at a grain elevator.

• 1032 CDT Tamora, Nebraska - elevator switcher - RE 1072 & UFC 1096-IBCX 7309 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5)

Parked in the distance was an eastbound that I couldn't get near. I hung around for a little while and was presented with a pair of westbound coal empties.

• 1036 CDT Tamora, Nebraska - BNSF westbound - BNSF 9787-BNSF 6060-BNSF 8974
• 1053 CDT Tamora, Nebraska - BNSF westbound - BNSF 8818-BNSF 5844 w/ DPU BNSF 5898

While driving westward out of Tamora I came to the conclusion that no eastbounds were getting through Lincoln. They were parked everywhere. Only a couple were accessible for photography.

• 1124 CDT Utica, Nebraska - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 6086 w/ DPU (photo)
• 1139 CDT Waco, Nebraska - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 9393 w/ DPU (photo)

When I arrived at Bradshaw, Nebraska I found a parked westbound rail train on the elevator track, a Cargill switcher and yet another parked eastbound coal train. In total I think I counted nine parked coal trains.

• 1209 CDT Bradshaw, Nebraska - BNSF westbound - BNSF 2324-EMDX 761 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1218 CDT Bradshaw, Nebraska - Cargill switcher - RE 807 (photo 1, photo 2)

On my continued travels westward I encountered some parked power in Aurora.

• 1248 CDT Aurora, Nebraska - BNSF power - BNSF 1511-BNSF 2966 (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1249 CDT Aurora, Nebraska - BNSF caboose - BN 12121 (photo)

At Grand Island I left the Burlington Northern Santa Fe behind and began following the Union Pacific. Before I encountered any Union Pacific trains I discovered an SD40 elevator switcher in Wood River.

• 1343 CDT Wood River, Nebraska - Cargill switcher - CRGX 2002 (photo 1, photo 2)

Travelling farther west I noticed that the Cargill elevator in Shelton was loading corn into hoppers. Two switchers were at the elevator. One was parked, the other pulling the hoppers through the elevator.

• 1359 CDT Shelton, Nebraska - Cargill switcher - JTPX 62 "Ruth" (photo 1, photo 2)
• 1401 CDT Shelton, Nebraska - Cargill switcher - CRGX 9349 (photo 1, photo 2)

While photographing the switchers I saw the headlights of a westbound approaching.

• 1405 CDT Shelton, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 9672-UP 9096

I continued westward to Gibbon where I found another elevator switcher but before I could photograph it another Union Pacific westbound was approaching. It was starting to get busy.

• 1427 CDT Gibbon, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5947-UP 6206
• 1429 CDT Gibbon, Nebraska - elevator switcher - CRGX no # (photo)
• 1439 CDT Gibbon, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 4244-UP 9496

I travelled on in search of some more interesting scenery. The town of Odessa afforded me a somewhat better view so I stuck around for a few trains. The previous two westbounds caught up to me after an eastbound.

• 1524 CDT Odessa, Nebraska - UP eastbound - UP 5693-UP 6277 w/ DPU 6833
• 1534 CDT Odessa, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5947-UP 6206
• 1547 CDT Odessa, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 4244-UP 9496
• 1557 CDT Odessa, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5895-UP 7261 w/ DPU 6388

I missed a few other trains as well. The traffic was heavy but the day was getting on and it was stinking hot. I wanted to visit the Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railnet so I drove south to Holdrige. As I drove into town I could see a westbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe train pulling through town. My timing was a bit off but I photographed a Chicago, Burlington & Quincy caboose at the station.

• 1639 CDT Holdrege, Nebraska - display caboose - CB&Q 12274 (photo)

I found the NKCR tracks and immediately found the tail end of a pipe train parked on the mainline. I was surprised to find a pair of Canadian Pacific ES44ACs on the head end.

• 1650 CDT Holdrege, Nebraska - Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railnet westbound - CP 8835-CP 8812 (photo)

I started following the tracks west and discovered a former Indiana Railroad SD9 which is now an elevator switcher in Loomis.

• 1700 CDT Loomis, Nebraska - elevator switcher - DLCX 2000 (photo 1, photo 2)

I continued driving along the tracks through some amazing Nebraska scenery and eventually found another pipe train with Canadian Pacific locomotives. This time the train was empty in Maywood. At various places along my route I could see where a pipeline was being laid. Beyond the pipe train was another elevator switcher.

• 1831 CDT Maywood, Nebraska - Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railnet eastbound - CP 9629-CP 8742
• 1834 CDT Maywood, Nebraska - elevator switcher - AGV 7517 (photo)

My ultimate goal for the NKCR was Grant where the railway is headquartered. I was rewarded with three former Detroit Edison SD40s and a Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railnet GP40.

1956 CDT Grant, Nebraska - Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railnet power - HLCX 5004-HLCX 5001-DLCX 6410-HLCX 5005 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5, photo 6)

Wow, what a productive day. It was very hot, but I managed to photograph a wide variety of interesting locomotives. I headed north to the Super 8 Motel in Ogallala, Nebraska for the night. Nebraska was good to me.

Trackside Log for Monday, July 4, 2005

• Pacific Junction, Iowa - BNSF ???bound - (BNSF 9479) BNSF 9479-BNSF 9865
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - Iowa Interstate power - IAIS 468
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - Iowa Interstate power - IAIS 626-IAIS 717-IAIS 627-IAIS ???
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - Iowa Interstate power - IAIS 466 and cab from ICG 7976
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - BNSF northbound - BNSF 2406-BNSF 4221-BNSF 1356-BNSF 2401
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 6019-UP 7000
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 4183-UP 5378
• Fremont, Nebraska - BNSF northbound - BNSF 5625 w/ BNSF 9842 DPU
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 4223-CSXT 8633-EMDX 9035-CSXT 146
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 9776-UP 6259
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 5586-UP 6757 w/ UP 6011 DPU
• Fremont, Nebraska - elevator switcher - RSSX 5001
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 7041
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP westbound - UP 5476-UP 5477-UP 2002
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 5957-UP 6390
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 8238-UP 8009
• Fremont, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 7130-UP 5890
• Valley, Nebraska - UP ???bound - UP 7183-UP 8001