Western Railroad Discussion > Chasing UP 3027 SD70AH-T4 from Pine Bluffs to Speer

Yesterday's afternoon westbound UP SD70AH-T4 UP 3027 was proving its worth leading an IG2PD-12, here are some views of the chase from east of Pine Bluffs, WY barely in Nebraska, and Speer Junction, WY.

Photo 1 - Rounding a curve east of Pine Bluffs, WY.

Photo 2 - Curving through Pine Bluffs, WY.

Photo 3 -  East of Pine Bluffs at crossovers, with the namesake bluffs looming in the background.

There's mooore...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/18 06:55 by highgreengraphics.

---

---

---

Photo 4 - Farther east of Pine Bluffs.

Photo 5 - At the signal bridge at East Egbert, WY.

Photo 6 -  The entire train east of Barnett, WY at the dip at Dry Creek that clearly shows the path of the original 1868 grade, crossing the present-day grade at the low point. You can see it to the left of 3027 and continuing on the right side of the train.

There's mooore... 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/18 23:05 by highgreengraphics.

---

---

---

Photo 7 - The banked curve at Barnett is always good for dynamic-looking afternoon pictures.

Photo 8 - Meeting an eastbound between Barnett and East Cheyenne led by 3056, another identical SD70AH-T4, on a Colorado Springs CSUX coal empty heading for the Yoder Branch to get to South Morrill. Unfortunately, it will traverse the line and go through Albin Tunnel at dusk and later.

Photo 9 - Pulling into Cheyenne, WY at East Cheyenne.

One Mooore... 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/18 23:10 by highgreengraphics.

---

---

---

Photo 10 - Heading up into the highlands of Sherman Hill up Track 3 at Speer Junction, curving around the steam-era water tank and into the final rays of the setting sun.

Happy shiny-engine railfanning! === === = === JLH

---

Thanks for the posts and sharing the location
info!  Especially like # 3 and #6 ... nice looking
localities.  And # 10 is a winner too!

Thanks JLH

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO

Great series from a great Wyoming day!
BB

AWESOME CHASE! THANKS FOR SHARING!

Ed

I'm out of breath just looking at your pictures.  Thanks, Jim.  Gerry

Congrats Jim on a great chase. I once read in a thread on here that the thrill for one photographer was as much or more about the chase as it was the photo itself.
Well, you have accomplished that with this series. You captured photos on the district over which I held seniority (4th), Cheyenne to North Platte.
Your photo just west of Pine Bluffs with the hills in the background shows where in ages past they had used that geography for a Bison Kill site driving them over the cliff.
And finally you captured the ages as they rounded the curve at Speer with the old water tank in the background.
Good job my friend.
By the way, my living room window looks on (a) my neighbors garage and (b) Barnett where I can watch the trains pass.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Really great series of photos.

Ronda Thomas

Posted from Android

Thanks, everyone! The chase is fun, but after quite a few years of doing the same, it's more like an assignment. I don't like going east of Cheyenne, but it seems like I have to go out there a lot. I prefer west of Cheyenne. Mr. Bob 3985 - Remember, I know where you live, I used to live just a few houses away from you on Baldwin drive when we first moved to Cheyenne. College Drive was not built yet through Sun Valley, it was just an open field then. No bike path, and no thought of a Walmart. Not even a road paralleling the UP. I would walk Where College Drive is now and sometimes to the curve east of Barnett and walk to town on the tracks (gasp!) to go to the yard and downtown a couple times a month, nobody took exception then and I was never called in by anyone. And we used to dink around under the Burlington Sterling Line bridge underpass (I think it was 501.23) where Barnett is now as the UP trains roared by overhead. I was at the UP roundhouse so much that Foreman Marquardt gave me a white hardhat, saying "Since you're here all the time anyway, you might as well be safe!". I was a young railfan already from Michigan, Minnesota, almost a year in Omaha, and a year-and-a-half in northern Alabama, and the laid-back railroad access in Cheyenne only cemented the railfan in me. Aaah, childhood, and gee, I'm still around to talk about it ! === === = === JLH

Fine, fine photos there, Son. Such improvement above a standard flatland Wyoming 3/4 action wedgie. You really know your territory. Que the Music Man soundtrack.

If the T4 units are so clean why is there already a thick, black deposit around the exhaust stack?

Yeah, you wouldn't think they would be so nasty oily-dirty on top, would you? Thanks for the nice compliment, but Music Man? I'm more Moody Blues! === === = === JLH

highgreengraphics Wrote: > ... Music Man? I'm more Moody Blues!

Awesome pick! I have about 6 hours worth of music picked out in case I ever get the urge (read: editing & mixing talent) to put RR images to music. The vast majority of my "catalog" is made up of instrumentals. Like 98% or better. But I can visualize (audio-ize??) the day I can put the Moody Blues' "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" together with a few select images...

DJ Sir L

Music Man might have started on Broadway but I am familiar with the movie. I think it starred Robert Preston and Shirley Jones with little Opie Taylor. The opening scene is a cluster of white guys doing rap music while riding on a train. It is a chick flick so you can rent or stream it with the wife some winter night. Not a Hallmark channel feature.

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-att-us&source=android-browser&q=the+music+man

You know, "Yes, we've got trouble here in River City, it starts with T that rhymes with P that stands for pool! Yes, we've got trouble right here in River City!"

Rotten Tomatos gives 94%

I do Moody Blues myself but also have a healthy collection of Mr Armstrong and saw Herb Alpert live in Missoula last month.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/18 09:36 by fbe.

Very timely chase to fit in all those miles during sunlight. Nice catch with the bluffs.

Looks like all the snow has blown into Nebraska.

Nice work, Jim! Thanks for sharing!

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Great shot-submit to UP calendar for 2020

Thanks for the great chase with really NICE  and interesting shots. Used to stay overnight in Pine Bluffs, WY in the 1990's. I believe that motel is closed trackside. Was a great place to chase trains.

Larry

Awesome. Photo #10 gets my vote for IOTD.
Jonh



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/18 15:17 by jmbreitigan.