Western Railroad Discussion > Toto Tuesday: Chasing Heritage

I found some time and got around to working up a few more shots of a recent UP Heritage chase. Several days ago Union Pacific’s Rio Grande 1989 passed through my neck-o-the-woods with empty autorack train ARLNSR-21. My plan was to intercept & shoot as many locations as possible west of Salina, KS in the morning sunshine. Later in this sequence I met up with old pal Bob Helling, aka ‘PRose’ and we got the train together just outside of Salina at the Burma Road crossing. The dinner bell was ringing so we went into town for some really good south-of-the-border fare at La Casita on W Crawford St. Afterward Bob & I parted ways. Expecting the 1989 & train to be long gone I had no particular agenda.

But as I crossed 12th St east of Salina Union Station there the train sat. The trailing unit had been set out at the roundhouse and the train was just getting underway eastward again. I knew the train still had to stop at Cozy on the east side for its 1000 mile inspection, so I buzzed over toward Abilene hoping to find something of interest to kill the time. On the way over I saw the Junction City local waiting at Solomon to meet the 1989. By my calculation their wait was at least 3 hours long.

Once in Abilene I spent time looking at old friend, the Abilene & Smoky Valley. I also caught a Nebraska-bound BNSF grain empty rolling through town & a CREX-led work train that had recently concluded dumping several 1000s of ties up & down the Strong City Sub. Keeping an eye on the time I doubled back west to look for the 1989. I found it just in time to grab a meet shot through the trees on the west side of Solomon. More shots came at Abilene & Chapman. I figured the train would be passing through Manhattan after 4 PM where my frequent chase partner would be off work. We arranged a meeting point and ‘mg8711’ accompanied me for the rest of the afternoon. Here are the day’s results:

1. UP 1989, the D&RGW Heritage unit leads train ARLNSR-21 through Brookville, KS.

2. Here it is at Bavaria, KS…

3. …and again at Burma Road crossing west of Salina.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 10:36 by santafe199.

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4. After lunch with Mr ‘PRose’ I was surprised to see the train still in town. Here it is at 12th St, having set out its trailing unit.

5. With time to kill I found a variety of extra action: Here is GMTX 2293 stuck at Solomon, KS. It is returning to Salina with the Junction City local, but will suffer a lengthy meet with the 1989 here.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 10:38 by santafe199.

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6. & 7. Over in Abilene, KS I found CREX 1204 on a tie-dumping work train parked for disposition. As I was shooting this outfit a westbound grain empty led by BNSF 4297 came through Abilene.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 10:39 by santafe199.

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8. Doubling back west I found the GMTX at the west end of Solomon siding meeting 1989. Back to the chase…

9. A back-lit depot shot in Abilene, KS was followed by…

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10. & 11. …a couple more shots rolling through Chapman, KS.

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12. & 13. I picked up my partner ‘mg8711’ at Rosencutter Rd where we bagged a sequence of shots of 1989 making the 30 MPH square corner between Stagg Hill & the Kansas River on the SW side of Manhattan.

14. Last shot of the day came at Wamego a block or so west of the old UP depot location.
(14 photos taken April 22, 2016)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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great catches!

I like 'em all.  Glad they aren't contest entries. I'd have a hard time picking the winner.

Nice pics!!

Very NICE series!!

Larry

Thanks guys! Your kind words mean a lot. I forgot to mention in my caption for images #6 & #7 that yellow gunky lookin' stuff is residue from recent weed spraying activity...

Lance/199

Great chase & photos.

Ronda Thomas

Nice series, Lance!

Randy Lundgren