Western Railroad Discussion > UP 1996 SP Heritage leads MRVNP in Wyoming today

This afternoon, UP ran a 58 load, 105 empty, car MRVNP (Roseville, CA to North Platte) manifest eastbound into Laramie and up Sherman Hill with SP Heritage 1996 in the lead. The train was delayed by trackwork and several other trains, but two of us teamed up to chase it for several miles although the clouds gathered and it rained on us a little. 1996 looks like it has been maintained well, it still looks quite good, having come from Roseville, the heart of the ex-SP.

​Photo 1 - Nose shot of 1996 rounding the great curve west of Wilcox, WY which is west of Rock River.

Photo 2 - Closer rounding the big curve west of Wilcox.

Photo 3 - 1989 in the distance being passed by a fast stacker crossing over in front of it at Wilcox, WY.

There's mooore...

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Photo 4 - Departing Rock River, WY with landmark Elk Mountain framed in the background. 

Photo 5 - Splitting the signals at Lookout, WY, and lookout for the message (look closely!).

​Photo 6 - At speed through Center Laramie past the old downtown district.

There's mooore...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/16 08:38 by highgreengraphics.

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Photo 7 - Climbing the west side of Sherman Hill and negotiating the reverse curve at Heard, WY, west of Hermosa, the end of our chase as it was becoming too dark.

​Photo 8 - While waiting for 1996 to show up at the great curve west of Wilcox, first this westbound stacker showed up.

Photo 9 - Ahead of the MRVNP 19 was this eastbound stacker as we waited for the first contact with 1996.

Happy railfanning with a friend! === === = === JLH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/16 22:39 by highgreengraphics.

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Thanks JLH for posting the great images ...

BTW for those who may not know, Wilcox WY is one of those classic train robbery sites back in the day ... aka the Wild Bunch and the start of the Pinkerton et al chase of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid plus numerous other characters ... there be a bunch of history there!  Either Google it or check out Wikipedia ... the UP has been there a looooong time.

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO
 

True, but not sure if Wilcox was where it is at now - check out the sizeable line relocation from about 3 miles east of Rock River to within a half mile of Medicine Bow. You can spot its meandering ways on Google Earth, the original route is plainly there. This is a Harriman-era line relocation improvement from around 1901, So again I do not know if there may have been another location named Wilcox on the old alignment. === === = === JLH

Nice photos and nice job chasing 96! Well done. 

Really Great photos.

Ronda Thomas

As Jim stated, the original area of "Wilcox" was miles from the present location. Find "Lookout" on Google earth. Follow the present tracks and then you will see the old grade that makes a sharp right hand curve. That will take you (eventually) to the east side of Medicine Bow. The entire route was WAY to the east, and ran along buffs and a creek. In the second link is a map where you can see where the railroad ran. Now its (essentially) a straighter line between Lookout and Medicine Bow via Rock River. Even with the new alignment, UP went back and straightened out the alignment (currently known as "Ridge") where it made a sweeping curve downhill. Now its a fill straight downhill into Medicine Bow.

To complicate things more, along US30 near MedBow is a sign that states "Robbers Roost", which was a common name for the hideouts. Somewhere else along there is a similar sign. I am not sure if its the same ranch, or whatnot.

http://www.historynet.com/the-wilcox-train-robbery.htm
http://wyomingplaces.pbworks.com/w/page/12716695/Wilcox
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/16 12:42 by MW810.

Nice series. I like the wide open S curves

PQM

First shot is eye-catching.

Very nice, I'd say it was a good day for sure, despite the less than ideal weather. That 7th shot is most excellent. Thanks for sharing,

Ryan

Photo 2 is awesome, great shot.

-Ryan N.

Great scenes HGG! Next time let's ask for a little more Sun:}

Beyond excellent work with the conditions you were dealt !!