Western Railroad Discussion > Fuselage train makes good backdrop for 8 other BNSF trains

It was an interesting 2 hours and 20 minutes for me, beginning at noon today, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, at "Larry's Lookout" on the BNSF Emporia Sub. in Gardner, KS.

A eastbound BNSF Boeing fuselage was snagged by a red signal  as the noon hour was just beginning. I thought I'd stick around and watch and maybe even get some photos of the fuselages resuming their journey.  It's a good time I had plenty of spare time. The fuselages weren't gone by 1 p.m. They were still in the same spot at 2 p.m.At this point, I found myself playing a big waiting game. The show finally ended about 2:20 p.m.

During my long stakeout, there were a total of eight westbound trains that passed in what seemed like a nice sunny day parade. The temperature was in the mid-40s,. making for a pleasurable early afternoon. 

I haven't had a long illustrated post for awhile  so here goes... 

Photo One is the first picture I snapped. The train was waiting west of the Gardner signal bridge.

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At 12:19 p.m., four locomotives in a light power move past on Main Two.
 

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12:31 p.m. --- Showing up next was this westbound 1x1 BNSF auto rack train, whcih was somehwat unique with a load of pipe being hauled behind car No. 1.
 

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12:51 p.m. --- Third westbound train was a BNSF LPG tank train. 

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1:02 p.m. --- Under the law of averages, it was time for a westbound intermodal. This four-unit power consist had an aging silver and red warbonnet running in the No. 4 splot.

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1:16 p.m.  --- Sooner or later, I figured there would be some Norfolk Southern power show up. Sure enough, there were two NS units in the power consist on a westbound intermodal.

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1:26 p.m. --- A third straight indermodal train passed the stopped fuselage train.

 

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1:40 p.m. --- Showing up next was a westbound 2x2 BNSF solid consist of four-bay hoppers.
 

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2:13 p.m. --- The eighth westbound train was a manifest led by two units, including  CitiRail engine in the No. 2 spot.

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2:18 p.m. --- Time for the curtain to close on the Thursday afternoon show. The fuselage train continued on east toward Kansas City on its eventual long journey from Wichita, KS, to the state of Washington.

I'll  probably always be  left wondering what caused the holdup on the fuselage train at Gardner while everything seemed to be going well for BNSF trains in the opposite direction on this November day, 2018. 

(Photos, video by Larry Byers) 

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Surprise. An informed railfan in the area says MOW work was being handled on Main One between Gardner and Olathe. MOW people are  probably trying to outrace Old Main Winter before the winter season truly arrives. 

chester is a pretty cool cat

Nice shots!

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX
 

I noticed there were five 737 fuselages sitting in Argentine when I drove over the yard on S. 42nd Street This afternoon (Friday).  They must have been the three you saw in Gardner on Thursday, plus two additional ones that arrived today.

Bruce in KC

Great (photos) story by a good newspaper editor! Thanks, Larry. wag216

These must be very low priority trains.  Also, the crews have only to go a relatively few miles to Argentine, whereas the wb crews may have a long way to go before their recrew point.