Western Railroad Discussion > Three in the Gooseneck

Metropolitan Kansas City has a great many places where KCT’s multiple main tracks can be recorded with one click of a shutter release. But quite often we’ll only see 1 train at a time in a given area. Seeing and shooting 2 at a time is a semi-regular treat. But I have to say capturing 3 trains in one shot can be an event. Especially if all 3 are moving at the same time! With this shot I came close, getting 2 out of the 3 trains while in motion. No cigar, but I’ll take it…

1. Action in the Gooseneck in Kansas City, MO: BNSF 4830 is leading the manifest on the right away from the camera. The tank train in the middle is stopped. These 2 trains will cross the Missouri River, possibly toward Murray Yard in North Kansas City. The train at the upper left is taking the lower level through the Gooseneck and will end up in the Knoche Yard or Neff Yard area.
Photo date: August 11, 2018.

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Nice catch Lance - you must have been standing on the Forrester Rd bridge, and since there's tracks directly below you, I'm guessing you shot through the anti-suicide fence.

BB

Yeah, that stack train with the pink "ONE" containers definitely isn't headed to Knoche.  That's a UP train for sure.

- Jeff Carlson

santafe199 Wrote:
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> The train at the upper left is taking the
> lower level through the Gooseneck and will end up
> in the Knoche Yard or Neff Yard area.
> Photo date: August 11, 2018.
>
> Thanks for looking!
> Lance Garrels
> santafe199

bnsfsd70 Wrote: > ... UP train for sure ...

I rarely spend any amount of time at all in that part of KC. So is that a train inbound from North Platte that will terminate at Neff? Or did it originate in KCKS and is passing through the Knoche/Neff area of KC on its way further east?

Lance

I'd assume that it's one of the eastbounds off of the Golden State that's headed for Dupo or Global 4.

- Jeff Carlson

santafe199 Wrote:
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> bnsfsd70 Wrote: > ... UP train for sure ...
>
> I rarely spend any amount of time at all in that
> part of KC. So is that a train inbound from
> North Platte that will terminate at Neff? Or did
> it originate in KCKS and is passing through the
> Knoche/Neff area of KC on its way further east?
>
> Lance

An alternate route for an east-west [or vice-versa] UP thru train is directly on the KCT, between Armourdale and Sheffield, which stays clear of any possible issues around Neff.


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/18 17:39 by JGFuller.

JGFuller Wrote: > ...  alternate route ... which stays clear of any possible issues around Neff ...

And I assume you're referring to the elevated line running through SFe Jct and past KCUS. I would think this is the preferred routing. The difference in mileage looks minimal in Google Maps, but higher train speeds by KCUS must be a big advantage in running times. I don't recall ever seeing a train over 10 MPH through the Gooseneck...

This is why I had the question about the train's origin and destination. I briefly considered stack trains coming into KC off the GSR west of Topeka. But I think of North Platte first, because old railfanning perceptions (read: habits) die hard. I guess I'll never get used to "Uncle Pete the Octopus" radiating out in eleventy-seven different directions in this post mega-merger world. I know KCS has intermodal traffic over the old GM&O, through gateway east at Louisiana, MO, because I've seen & shot them in person. I am assuming some, if not most of that traffic is run-through. Which means it has to come from somewhere. And of course, it's logical to assume that any interchange between UP & KCS (Knoche) would pass through the Gooseneck...

Interesting, no matter how you slice it!

Lance/199

Might that container train possibly a ISEDU or what ever the westbound equivalent to that might be now that the IDUSE doesn't run any more?  I'm sure those trains work at Neff.

spwolfmtn Wrote: > ...  Might that container train possibly a ISEDU ...

Don't have a clue. I used to be very aggressive at getting train number info for freight & intermodal trains until the trend to go to all letters started coming into play as early as the 80s. A conglomerated alphabet soup menu of letters loses much of the RR flavor & appeal in train identity for me. If someone gives me a train symbol(s) I'll sure attach it/them to an image(s), but I rarely seek this info like I should be doing...

Lance/199

Haven't seen one since summer (I don't live in the PNW anymore) but I don't think those light-blue SM containers show up on the SEDUs, at least not in big numbers. Maybe a train from Long Beach?

spwolfmtn Wrote:
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> Might that container train possibly a ISEDU or
> what ever the westbound equivalent to that might
> be now that the IDUSE doesn't run any more?  I'm
> sure those trains work at Neff.

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> spwolfmtn Wrote: > ...  Might that container
> train possibly a ISEDU ...
>
> Don't have a clue. I used to be very aggressive at
> getting train number info for freight &
> intermodal trains until the trend to go to all
> letters started coming into play as early as
> the 80s. A conglomerated alphabet soup menu of
> letters loses much of the RR flavor & appeal in
> train identity for me. If someone gives me a train
> symbol(s) I'll sure attach it/them to an image(s),
> but I rarely seek this info like I should be
> doing...
>
> Lance/199

I don't really know what the big deal in having this alphabet of letters for train symbols now any ways.  Even with UP's new "PSR" plan where any train can handle any type of freight (except maybe the Z-trains), train symbols are just a waste of time.  Might as well just call it by it's lead locomotive number...

BNSF's often change repeatedly, but essentially, the train stays the same.

From the perspective of the Terminal, a correct train symbol serves as a shorthand as to the handling of the train. At say West Colton, an MNPWC symbol is a pretty good indicator that the train will terminate. Yes, one should check the consist to be sure, but not everyone involved with the train need do so. For example, the Roundhouse may establish their action based on the symbol, and assume that a MxxWC is in fact a terminator.

The Friendly Southern Pacific had an occasionally nasty habit of designating a train, say from Eugene to Houston as MEUHO, when a review of the consist indicated that the train was 80% West Colton cars, with 20% thru. If one just looked at the symbol, many cars got sent the wrong way. Train should have been symboled MEUWC.

No kidding. I remember that in that old Fred Frailey Trains article about 24 hours spent at Supai Summit on the late ATSF/early BNSF, there was a discussion of a "Denver-Barstow" train that was, in actuality, only about 10% or 20% cars that were going the full length of that trip. Everything else was picked up / set out at intermediate points.

Other examples come to mind. Heck, that ISEDU symbol mentioned above: that train drops off mixed freight (and picks up intermodal) at Portland; probably switches at KC at the very least and I'm sure plenty of the traffic continues on past Dupo, to Memphis and points beyond. It's not like everything on the train is heading from Seattle to the St. Louis area... probably not much of it is, actually.

JGFuller Wrote:
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> The Friendly Southern Pacific had an occasionally
> nasty habit of designating a train, say from
> Eugene to Houston as MEUHO, when a review of the
> consist indicated that the train was 80% West
> Colton cars, with 20% thru. If one just looked at
> the symbol, many cars got sent the wrong way.
> Train should have been symboled MEUWC.