Western Railroad Discussion > ALCOs Return to the A&M w/ Ozark Fall Color

Hi there,
I've got a three day weekend this week, and knowing that the Arkansas & Missouri has been forced to run as an all-ALCO property again, a friend and I decided that it was prime time to get down there, esp. given the beautiful fall color that's on display.

Photo 1: We arrived on Thursday night and before checking in at the hotel, we swung by the A&M shops in Springdale, AR to see what we could make happen. Sure enough, in addition to catching the next day's power laying over, we saw the Ft. Smith Turn leaving for points south.

Photo 2: After a few hours of sleep, we headed out to start our day, and after speaking with the passenger train crew in Springdale, we found that the Ft. Smith Turn had not yet made it back, which solidified our plans for the first stop of the day. After meeting the southbound passenger train at Cato Springs Rd. in Fayetteville, AR, Arkansas & Missouri's northbound Ft. Smith turn pulls past the University of Arkansas' Baum Stadium, the home of their baseball team. A&M's C420 #42 was formerly on the Ohio Central, and originally the Erie Mining RR.

Photo 3: After the nb Ft. Smith turn rolled by, the Passenger Special received its warrant to head south, and we caught it at Sunrise Mountain Rd. on the south side of Fayetteville led by A&M C420 #52, the same one seen in Photo #1.

- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/14 17:27 by bnsfsd70.

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Photo 4: The highlight of the trip? It was very likely this. Just north of the A&M shops, we see this ex-N&W ALCO T6 kicking cars in the Springdale, AR yard. While the road trains had the bigger power, this little guy had an amazing sound, chugging along, and smoking as only an ALCO can do. There's video of this guy as well that I'll surely post later.

Photo 5: The reason for the ALCOs' return is seen right here. This is 2/3 of the A&M's fleet of SD70ACe's, finally uprighted and mid-repair at the shops in Springdale. The #72 was there as well, along with a pile of their parts on the side of the shops building.

Photo 6: After grabbing lunch at Zaxby's in Fayetteville, we set out to shoot the northbound Monett Turn in the hills east of Avoca, AR with some beautiful fall color on display. This particular spot is just south of the Pea Ridge National Military Park near their crossing of the Little Sugar Creek, and they were SCREAMING down this hill.

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 19:20 by bnsfsd70.

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Second picture is freaking priceless, too bad that there aren't sound
stills!

Our

Photo 7: Continuing north out of the hills, this scenic ex-Frisco line pulls crosses into Missouri, with the town of Seligman literally hugging the border. Here it is pulling through a nice cut just north of Seligman.

Photo 8: A&M C420 #54 turns 50 next year, having been built for the Lehigh & Hudson River in 1965. For nearly 50 years old, the old ALCO looks awfully good as it blows through Butterfield, MO.

Photo 9: After working the elevator in Butterfield, we catch the set just north of town with some more beautiful color in the background. Of special note to me, was the second unit, A&M #34. This is one of 2 1/2 ex-Belt Railway of Chicago units I found down there, and the Chicagoan in me was thrilled to see it still running and looking great!

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 19:31 by bnsfsd70.

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callum_out Wrote:
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> Second picture is freaking priceless, too bad that
> there aren't sound
> stills!
>
> Our

Oh, there's video...

Just wait. ;-)

- Jeff

Photo 10: Just as the train was rolling into their northern terminus of Monett, MO, some light clouds started to roll in, but on a trip like this, that's certainly not going to deter us. At this point, the train is just about 1/2 a mile from rolling into the BNSF's ex-Frisco yard on their line to Tulsa.

Photo 11: While the Turn worked the yard in Monett, we grabbed some fantastic ice cream at Braum's, while quietly praying that the clouds would roll out. Sure enough, by the time they were ready to head home, the skies had cleared up quite nicely. This is one of THE seemingly obligatory A&M shots, at the big S-curve south of Monett. All I could have asked for would be a longer train, but I'll take what I can get.

Photo 12: While waiting for the Turn to work the Scoular plant in Butterfield again, we ended up having a conversation with a "spectacular" local resident, who was just curious about our intentions with these cows here. He was fine with what we were up to, and after a bit of a wait, we nabbed the southbound rolling by a pasture who's residents couldn't care less of the twice-daily distractions.

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 19:45 by bnsfsd70.

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Photo 13: Having crossed back into Arkansas, we see the train pulling out of the hills just south of the Pea Ridge National Military Park near Avoca. For quite some time, the nose of this ex-Seaboard Air Line C420 had been quite dented up, but it was a welcome surprise to see that it has been repaired at some point and looking good. Credit is certainly due to the Springdale shop forces for keeping the old brutes in great shape.

Photo 14-15: Just as the sun was setting, we set up for one last shot on the north side of Rogers, Ar, right alongside US 62. From here into Springdale, the roads make it awfully difficult to chase, do we decided to let the ALCOs run off into the proverbial (and literal) sunset. This was my first time getting to chase the A&M, and I was sure thrilled to get a chance to do it while the ALCOs had come back.

What. A. Railroad.

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 20:03 by bnsfsd70.

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SWEET!!

Photo 16: As the sun had gone down, we were on our way to a mediocre BBQ place in Rogers, AR for dinner when we saw that distinctive cloud of ALCO smoke down near one of the industrial tracks. Oh, the Railfan Gods want us to shoot more ALCOs? OK... Combine that with some really interesting light at the end of the day, and it was certainly a nice end to a great day of chasing.

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson

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It actually hurt to see those beautiful SD70ACe's all busted up.

Wow, Killer shots throughout! Great job.

Great job, great trip, great shots!
JB

Jeff,
Great series glad to see the "Alco's" return albeit for only a short time. Makes me wish I had more vacation time left as I would be half tempted to make a road trip.
Mark Mautner

Frontrunner Wrote:
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> It actually hurt to see those beautiful SD70ACe's
> all busted up.
yeah but if any engines were going to get wrecked, I'd much rather it be these new ones. EMD still makes these locomotives :0)

Posted from Android

Quite the trip report. Really nice shots all the way through Jeff. Thanks for showing these.
Brian Stevens

Really sweet pics!

Thanks for all of the kind words so far, everyone. While we're at it, here are two more shots from the day showcasing some of the line's incredible variety.

Photo 17: Sunrise. I was out railfanning at sunrise for the first time in a LOOOOOONNNNGGGG time, and I was rewarded with this everyday shot of the crew assembling the passenger train at the Springdale depot. The car seen here is an RCPX (I think...) Budd Diner that looks to be ex-SP. Unfortunately, I didn't get the car number, but it definitely wasn't down there when I was there two years ago.

Photo 18: A&M C420 #66 is an ex-Lehigh Valley unit that is currently in the process of being rebuilt into a road slug. They've already got a slug or two on the roster, but this will be the first with a cab.

- Jeff Carlson

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Just wanted to say those are some beautiful shots there Jeff! I bet you get image of the day and thanks for posting.

Posted from iPhone

Great photos and timing, something we are all interested in seeing.

Bob Jordan

Thank you for awesome pictures of ALCO's at work.
John