Western Railroad Discussion > Pumpkins on the KP (again)

Last month we had a semi-rare pair of orange visitors running a coal empty westbound across the KP. Even in this age of foreign power everywhere I thought a short chase was in order. After all, this would be descendants of my beloved Santa Fe running over arch-rival Uncle Pete turf. Through my own home town, no less!

Turns out I was able to chase one of the few remaining SPatch units east over to the St Marys meeting point with the BNSF duo. Here’s how the afternoon chase went:

1. UP 6367 still has a bloody nose, leading an eastbound grain train along Rosencutter Rd in the SE corner of Manhattan, KS.

2. Here’s the old SP paint job crossing N 5th St in St Marys, KS. CTC begins at the siding on the east edge of town.

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3. I ran on down US hwy 24 (aka railfan highway) and intercepted BNSF 5984 + entourage just east of Rossville, KS. A remnant of the old pole line still bears 3 horizontal stripes, indicating ¾ of a mile past MP 83.

4. Picking up the chase, the 5984 passes over a rural farm crossing while slowing down to take the siding at St Marys.

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5. That eastbound SPatch grainer is holding the main at St Marys to meet our westbound pumpkins.

6. & 7. The 5984 passes by a graveyard of golf cart carcasses, which have definitely seen better days.
(Photos 5-7 taken from the N 1st St crossing in St Marys)

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8. With the SPatch meet now in the rear view mirror, the 5984 is approaching the US hwy 24 overpass just west of Belvue, KS.

9. Next scene is at Chapman, KS with the coal empty paralleling the original route of US hwy 40 through town.

10. Passing the former passenger depot & platform in Abilene, KS.

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11. Now crossing Willow St in Solomon, KS.

12. One last look at Solomon: The iconic Coop elevator still stands, but its day are numbered. “Get yer shots now, before it’s too late!”
(12 photos taken August 4, 2018)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Nice series with lots of Orange and liked the SP unit.

Larry

Great series!  I really like that softer light in 9, 10 & 11.

If it were me, I might have chased the other train though!

Is UP still providing rail service to all these pictured grain elevators, or have they pulled up the spurs?

BoostedFridge Wrote: > ... I might have chased the other train ...

(chuckling... a little... ;^)  Seriously?? 

BoostedFridge
>
> If it were me, I might have chased the other train
> though!

Nah -you picked correctly Lance. Chico says: Santa Fe (or its successors) all the way. 
Nice set of images. 

BB

Very nice series, Lance!   Of course, I LOVE the photos of the SP patched unit, especially the broadside view.  Ahhh...cannot get enough scarlet and grey these days, especially in action on any main line, and it is really special when a former SP unit still in scarlet and grey, albeit patched, actually gets to lead any train on any main line.  I'd certainly have chased the train led by the SP patched unit -- of course!!  What else would a dyed-in-the-wool SP fando?  < G > 

I LOVE the light on the Abilene depot.  I could gaze at that photo for a long, long time.....

And Kansas is so very green and pretty, a treat for these western eyes, who are used to seeing tan hillsides for well over half of every year.  And oh, the wide-ope spaces.... soooo wonderful.  Finally, room to expand and breathe!

Kansas' beauty is quiet, and comfortable, not spectacular, like the gorgeous scenery out here in teh West, woith our tall mountains and deep gorges and wide, rushing rivers, and very tall trees, some of whom are around 300 feet tall, and a few of whom are a thousand years old, or more.  (Bristlecone pines are small and scraggly., and would never be thought of as beautiful in the same way that a tall pne or fir or redwood tree is regarded -- but a few of those bristlecne pines are thousands of years old!  Really!

Thanks, again, Lance, for sharing your always excellent work with us.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/18 13:11 by Margaret_SP_fan.

Great series!

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
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> Very nice series, Lance!   Of course, I LOVE the
> photos of the SP patched unit, especially the
> broadside view.  Ahhh...cannot get enough scarlet
> and grey these days, especially in action on any
> main line, and it is really special when a former
> SP unit still in scarlet and grey, albeit patched,
> actually gets to lead any train on any main
> line.  I'd certainly have chased the train led by
> the SP patched unit -- of course!!  What else
> would a dyed-in-the-wool SP fando?  < G > 
>
> I LOVE the light on the Abilene depot.  I could
> gaze at that photo for a long, long time.....
>
> And Kansas is so very green and pretty, a treat
>
> Kansas' beauty is quiet, and comfortable, not spectacular, like the gorgeous scenery out here in (California)

Not the California taxes or traffic either. ;^)

BB

 

Nice weather day for the chase and nice photos yielded.  BNSF between Rossville and Chapman just seems wrong though.
Brian Stevens

Great shots!

SCKP187 Wrote:
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> Nice weather day for the chase and nice photos
> yielded.  BNSF between Rossville and Chapman just
> seems wrong though.

.....like Armour Yellow on the Transcon Marceline Sub.

BB