Western Railroad Discussion > UP GSR DHQ tx msgs (& IOTD!)

First off, a very hearty congratulations goes to Mr. Brian Stevens (“SCKP87”) for his very first IOTD! He & “oklachaser” made the long drive up from Tulsa, OK just to chase this special UP train. Kudos Brian, a job well done!

Well, I guess that explains part of my alphabet soup thread title! UP should be a no-brainer for everyone & GSR is almost as easy to figure out. We railfans have gotta love today’s communication technology! Prior to this actual event I received multiple text messages **which I have seen shortened to: “tx msgs”** about this move down Rock Island’s former Golden State Route. Personally, I’m getting really spoiled. I’m trying to remember just HOW in blue [& armour yellow] blazes we ever shot any trains back in the 70s & 80s! I guess copying down an extended line-up of a given day’s train figures before trekking out into the field was good enough.

The final piece of the alphabet puzzle might be a little more obscure: DHQ. I’ve seen just a few RRs use this abbreviation, which stands for DeadHead eQuipment. In this latest round of tx msgs-turned-railfan-adventure quite a few of the Kansas Gang did very well in capturing Uncle Pete’s DHQ. This special movement was covered by numerous fans in several locations on the GSR between Kansas City & Liberal, KS. My original plan was to shoot this train east of Herington, KS most likely from the 77 highway overpass just NE of town. Then I could make use of the US 56/77 bypass around the east side of Herington to catch a country road that would take me to Rain Rd crossing, overlooking a scenic S-curve SE of town near the old Rock Island location of Rishel. It had been reported the this train would be running sans any official-type passengers. That meant it would quickly change crews & haul buns right on out of the crew-change terminal.

I arrived in the Herington arena well ahead of time so I could scout things out, and ended up shooting a few warm-up trains. Getting close to zero hour I was joined at the highway 77 overpass by Tulsa area TO members SCKP187 & oklachaser…

1. This is the view looking east from the US hwy 77 overpass. UP 8509 sits forlornly behind a red signal with a westbound manifest. This crew is only a mile (if that much) from entry into Herington Yard, their home terminal. They are no doubt anxious to get tied up and go home on this gorgeous day. But there is some severe indigestion going on up ahead in the yard. It looks like at least 1 eastbound movement will have to occur before the 8509 will be allowed to advance. Note the crossover switches are reversed and the signal is red-over-yellow, a favorable indication for an eastbound crossover movement. The time is 0919.

2. Three eastbound trains have now used this crossover, and a fourth train extended itself a long ways out of the yard in some switching moves. But that train finished its work and has backed into the clear. The crossover has just returned to its ‘normal’ position. One might expect that this long-suffering 8509 crew will finally get to proceed. (Okay, it’s been less than 2 hours. But still…) Does our homebound crew finally get to yard their train & go home? The time is 1103, and…

3. …at 1124 the answer becomes NO! UP 8822 appears on the 8509’s right flank with an 18-car westbound passenger movement. This was reported to be just a deadhead passenger equipment movement (DHQ) heading down the GSR.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/14 06:53 by santafe199.

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4. A crewman from the 8509 gives the equipment a roll-by inspection.

5. If my camera had Superman’s “X-ray Vision” it would be picturing TO members ‘SCKP187’ & ‘oklachaser’ behind the clump of evergreens over on the right…
This is the spot where Brian took his IOTD shot!

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6. 7. & 8. The DHQ is rolling smartly through this cut, gracefully slowing down for entry into Herington Yard.
(Photos 1-8 taken from the US hwy 177 overpass near Herington, KS)

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9. & 10. The empty special is now at restricted speed rolling over KS hwy 4. The yard is dead ahead. Once upon a time the Rock Island logo was painted on this bridge...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/14 06:59 by santafe199.

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At this point I altered my flight path and decided to buzz the yard and see if I could grab a quick shot of the crew change at the yard office. I drove down that way only to discover a switch cut had pulled clear down past the yard office, blocking any chance of a shot. So it was back to plan A and I made the dash down to that S-curve shot…

11. 12 & 13. I arrived at the Rain Rd. crossing to find SCKP & the chaser already there. We picked out our shooting spots and engaged in typical railfan chatter when awaiting some train movement. We didn’t have to wait all that long. I had my boomer on the tripod which resulted in these 3 shots (out of a sequence of 15).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/14 07:01 by santafe199.

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14. I then raised my other camera and squeezed off a few “wider’ shots. I had designs on trying for at least one more location so there was no time for any further pleasantries. I’m pretty sure SCKP & the chaser couldn’t see me waving goodbye through the cloud of road dust I was raising…
(photos 11-14 taken at Rishel, KS)

15. I spotted the train slowing down at Ramona, KS (track & time ahead?) and got this pure grab shot out my passenger window. A few minutes later oklachaser would take the (posted) shot she got at Ramona across that field of new green Kansas wheat on the opposite side of the train. By virtue of the special stopping here I got just the time I needed to make it down…

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16. 17. & 18. …to Durham for a series finale. The ex-Rock Island mainline takes a big sweeping curve that straightens out and slices over KS hwy 15. The special roared impressively through town at track speed and continued SW toward McPherson & Hutchinson where more Kansas Gangsters were waiting with cameras at the ready! (Photos 16-18 taken in Durham, KS)
All UP GSR DHQ photos taken April 22, 2014.

Thanks for all the tx msgs…
& super-kudos on the IOTD for Mr. Brian Stevens!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Wow! You made me laugh at your text (indigestion at the yard; how in Armour Yellow blazes, etc.) and swoon at those photos! Indeed an epic catch! And as for the GSR being a Rock Island property: why doesn't UP have a Rock Island heritage unit? Yes, the Rock was absolved by the Espee, which was then absolved by Uncle Pete, but by that logic, Union Pacific shouldn't have a Rio Grande heritage unit, because the DRG&W has the same story. Happy rails to you,

T@EUG

Great series of photos Lance. Brian & I were trying to get to Durham & get some final shots. We arrived in Durham just as the train was getting there. Here's my shot I took thru the windshield as the DHQ was blasting thru town.


Ronda Thomas

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Torisgod Wrote:
> why doesn't UP have a Rock Island heritage unit?

That's a great question, one I've never considered before. And your logic is impeccable! In the early 60's I remember hearing bits & pieces about a rumored UP/Rock Island merger. I even remember seeing some stationery with joint UP/CRI&P logos. So the Rock Island heritage is definitely there...

& oklachaser Wrote:
> ... Here's my shot I took thru the windshield as the DHQ was blasting thru town.

OUCH! Looks like you were just 88.22 cents short of making it to the "sunny side"...

;^)

All fantastic shots!

You all had a fun day, I can see. I also didn't read one complaint about the sun angle.