Western Railroad Discussion > Rail fanning in Texas

My son has just been stationed Randolph Air Force Base and has just earned his wings. He knows that there is a UP line that runs by the base. He would like to know how many and when trains will run on this UP line. I realize that there is not set schedule but any info that you can give to me so I can pass it on is appreciated.

That is the UP Glidden Sub was that runs from Kirby to Houston. Very busy trains running at all hours from both UP and BNSF and also tri weekly Amtrak Sunset Limited.

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I am a UP engineer and I was sent down to San Antonio this year to work there for a manpower shortage over the winter.  Presently I am back at my normal home terminal of Pocatello, Idaho, but I can give you some relevant information.  The subdivision that runs next to Randolf AFB is the former SP Glidden sub that runs from Kirby to Houston.  Just a few miles west of this is the former north/south MKT (Katy) that is now the present day UP Austin Sub Main 2, which runs north from San Antonio to San Marcos where it splits and heads off towards Smithville and beyond.  Just a few miles west of that is the former Mopac (Missouri Pacific/Austin Sub main 1), which runs north from San Antonio Sosan Yard (just across from Kelly AFB) northboud to New Braunfels where it crosses the MKT/Austin Sub main 2, then beyond to Austin, Round Rock, Taylor (where it crosses the MKT/ UP Waco sub) and on to Hearne, TX.  The MKT line is mostly northbound directional.  There are lots of trains on the Glidden Sub next to Randolf and also a siding there by the same name.  The trains to and from Houston run on the Glidden sub, as well as the many of the southbound trains from Hearne to San Antonio.  They run south from Hearne on the old SP/SA&AP to Flatonia where they turn onto the Glidden sub and run West/South to Kirby/San Antonio/Del Rio/Laredo/Eagle Pass.  The line running passed the Randolf AFB recieves Easts/West sunset line traffic, as well as Southbound traffic from Hearne, as well as BNSF traffic which comes off the BNSF main at Caldwell and stays pretty busy.  Once you get to Kirby the line becomes the former SP Del Rio sub which runs to Del Rio and on to California via El Paso/Tucson/Yuma.  Definately check out tower 105 in San Antonio, which is where the former SP Suset line and the Mopac lines to Laredo/Hearne cross.  It is located at 29.408690, -98.513295 on google maps.  Lots of traffic.  

Some other notable locations are:
SOSAN yard (former MOPAC)  Inbound manifest trains for San Antonio arrive here and a distributed accordingly. Yard crews switch and build trains. Road crews for Corpus Christi go on duty here.29.378473, -98.555489
Kelly Yard (Former SP)  Some departing trains built in Sosan leave from here.
29.378473, -98.555489

BNSF Cadet Yard - Google maps still does not show this yard on satellite, but it is located at:
29.422396, -98.506590

San Antonio Intermodal Terminal (SAIT)  Intermodal trains are built and do setouts and pickups here, including BNSF trains. 
29.310727, -98.640724

San Fernando Yard (Former MOPAC) 
29.422396, -98.506590

East Yard (Former SP)  Most of the San Antonio locals are built and origionate here.
29.422396, -98.506590

Kirby Yard (Former SP)  Road crews go on duty here for Laredo, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Houston and Hearne.  There is also an auto unloading facility here.
29.422396, -98.506590

Remount Crew Change (Former Katy) for crews working out of Kirby going north towards Hearne. Crews van from Kirby here to get on trains heading northbound
29.422396, -98.506590

New Braunfels - This is where the Austin Sub Main 1 (former MOPAC) and the Austin Sub Main 2 (Former Katy) cross and is a very busy location. 
29.422396, -98.506590

San Marcos - This is where the parallel Austin Sub Main 1 (forme MOPAC) and Austin Sub Main 2 (former Katy) split from eachother and go their separate ways.  The MOPAC goes north towards Austin, Round Rock, Taylor and Hearne and the Katy goes on the Lockheart sub towards Smithville, where the Waco Sub goes north towards Waco and the Smithville sub goes towards Katy, TX.  Lots of trains at this location.
29.422396, -98.506590


Flatonia - This is where the Glidden Sub (Sunset Line) and the Cuero sub cross at an interlocking.  Southbound traffic from Hearne Enters the Glidden sub here to head west to Kirby and southbound trains to the gulf continue straight to the Brownsville Sub.
29.422396, -98.506590

Westpoint - This is where the former MKT crossed the former SP.  Some of the southbound traffic from Hearne, including the trains bound form SOSAN turn onto the MKT here and head to San Marcos where they head south on the Austin Sub Main 1 toward SOSAN where they yard and get distributed around the area.
29.422396, -98.506590

Caldwell - this is where the BNSF crosses over the UP on a flyover.  BNSF trackage rights trains turn off here towards Flatonia and the Glidden Sub to San Antonio.  This is how all of the BNSF trains to/from San Antonio and Eagle Pass return to home rails and end up traveling anywhere else on the BNSF system.
29.422396, -98.506590

Rosenberg - A very busy location, this is where the UP Glidden Sub crosses the BNSF Galveston Sub.  The Kansas City Southern also comes in from the Southwest and has trackage rights on the UP into Houston.
29.422396, -98.506590





 

HogheadMike, thanks for very well written and informative post about rr operations in southern Texas.

There a couple of good Texas Time Tables that are useful. First www.altamont.com. Texas TT No 1.  Has some errors, but for mainlines, it's good.  Next www.djcooley.com. Publishes RR Maps, Texas among them.  For radio freqs, www.FL9.com. 

This part of TX isn't really great, scenerywise.  A Suggestion or two.  New Braunfels Faust St Bridge.  It's Ped only.  Exit IH35 N at FM 725. Turn North. Turn Right at Faust and go to the end.  Nice RR bridge and small dam.  Coffee and a donut.   Take US90 to Hondo. Park at HEB. Morning eastbounds by the Welsome to Hondo sign.  Further at Sabinal look for the Waiting place or maybe the Weighing Place.  Historic Bldg best AM East bound. Downtown at the Sunset Station w/Alamodome as a background prop.

Please have you son e-mail me if he needs more info or a tour.  I retired as a civilian from HQ AETC in '03. 

Norm

jmc80mac7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My son has just been stationed Randolph Air Force
> Base and has just earned his wings. He knows that
> there is a UP line that runs by the base. He would
> like to know how many and when trains will run on
> this UP line. I realize that there is not set
> schedule but any info that you can give to me so I
> can pass it on is appreciated.

Talking about trains sounds like a great way to keep in touch with your son, but.....
might I suggest a gift of a Trainorders membership? 

Temple is only an hour north of Austin and it is a very busy railroad town. The BNSF's former Santa Fe lines from Fort Worth and Brownsville meet here and head south towards Houston. There is a large yard and engine facility there. Temple has a nicely restored depot which is a museum and an Amtrak station where the Texas Eagle comes twice a day (North and South bound. Next to the Temple Depot is the restored Moody Depot that houses several layouts owned Centra Mod Model Train Club. They are open and running on the weekends and you can watch trains come through the Temple Yard. On the Southeast side of Temple the Santa Fe crossed the MKT's Waco Sub. The MKT Depot in Temple is where Adam's Street goes over the MKT line. This is north of the the Santa Fe Crossing. East of the crossing with the MKT the Santa Fe has a set of Fueling Tracks on the southeast edge of town. From there you can follow the Santa Fe line south to Milano where the Santa Fe cross the Mopac Austin Sub.

Ricky
Austin, Texas