Western Railroad Discussion > Sunrise to Sunset - A KP Chase Pt. 1

Well, as most of you know by now, the second annual 2nd annual Kansas Gang Shootout in Salina, Kansas. I have found that having a train to chase east towards town always makes the trip that much better. So, yesterday, thanks to a heads up I intercepted an eastbound EMPTY coal train, running from Pueblo, CO to East St. Louis (CN). Around Hays, the sun finally rose and it was just an absolutely beautiful western Kansas morning. Little did I know at the time that I would start my morning with this train and also end my evening with this same train, but on the other side of Salina. Part 1 in a 3 Part series follows the train from Hays, Kansas to the super siding at Terra Cotta, the first siding west of Salina.

1) UP 7252 climbs away from the elevator at Toulon, leaving Hays, Kansas in the dust.
2) About half way between Victoria and Walker, the train drops down to cross a small creek.
3) Nearing Gorham now, the train negotiates a large swag. The elevator complex in the background is Walker, Kansas.

There's more!

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4) Approaching Balta, Kansas, 7252 rolls along through a large left hand curve, with the town of Gorham receding in the distance.
5) Anyone who has driven I-70 knows this spot, this is the closest the two transportation systems run together in the state of Kansas. This is just a few miles west of Bunker Hill, Kansas.
6) Rolling back under I-70, 7252 passes the distant signal for Dole siding, which is located around the curve and up a hill in the background.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/12 14:42 by nwkrailfan.

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7) Splitting the elevators, 7252 rolls right on through Wilson, Kansas, past the old depot site.
8) The farther east you head towards Salina, the harder it is to capture an essence of the high plains, but at Black Wolf, the tracks swing through a big curve and cross over head Old Highway 40. Here the train is seen making the big turn.
9) Coming through a slow order now, 7252 climbs a small hill and enters the western edge of Kanopolis, Kansas.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/12 14:46 by nwkrailfan.

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Final two for this part, I swear! I know it's just another GE leading another coal train, but hey, not very often can you get an eastbound in good light all the way to Salina!

10) Running on a Diverging Approach, the 7252 slides underneath the Kansas Highway 141 overpass just west of the west end of Terra Cotta siding. The train would head into the siding at Terra Cotta and wait over two hours on a westbound empty windmill train to come west. More on this in Part 2 to come later.
11) Proof that this was indeed an empty eastbound train, first time I have captured this and even known about one. All cars ran with an OFAX reporting mark.

Thanks for looking!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/12 14:52 by nwkrailfan.

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Keep mastering that golden hour light flatlander!

P.S. Gonna have SMW kidnap you on his way out here next month =)

You're right. You NAILED the Toulon shot! And you get an A+ at Gorham, as well. Kudos, pal!

Lance

Luke, do you know why this was a empty EB? upkpfan

It ain't fair that you were hogging the sun all day!

Simply AWESOME series Luke, WOW!!!! Not a bad picture in the whole lot:}

Great set of photos. The first of the bunch are golden!

Luke, I am confused. Why would a empty coal train be running from Pueblo on the KP?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/12 19:05 by tomstp.

Thanks for the kind words fellas! The cars looked like they were freshly relettered on the side, with new reporting marks. My guess is maybe they were bought by a new company, relettered in Pueblo, and are headed for CN coal service in Illinois. (Then again I may be completely wrong!)

All are great. Numbers 1, 3, and 4 stand out the most.

Russell Honey
Springfield, MO
My Flickr page

I always look forward to seeing your images from Kansas, but this series is especially well done. Thanks!

All great Luke. My first guess was the cars were brand new being delivered to owner before going into service. Just can't beat the photo ops on the KP. At least there was better light than what we were working with the following morning. Thanks for the look.
Brian Stevens

Look at the pic. that Luke took from 141 overpass looking down into the car. It looks like some coal is still in the bottom. upkpfan

NICE set of pics!!! Thanks for sharing.