Western Railroad Discussion > Turn the train ritual

It happens twice a day. The westbound Missouri River Runner has to be turned to face east for the return leg back to St Louis. The handy place to accomplish this chore is BN Crossing Interlocking west of Kansas City Union Station. Yes Virginia, Santa Fe Junction is right next door and often figures into the turning process. It all depends on turn routing and any conflicting train movements.

We fans can get a grandstand view of the turn off the W 27th St “Bridge to Nowhere”, depending on the mood of the local security types. I’ve had them drive up to check it out, and just leave with a wave. But I’ve also heard they will chase fans off the bridge now & then. Last August I caught the ritual:

1. With an employee manning the backup train air hose here comes the former train #311, soon to become train #316 going back to St Louis.

2. & 3. My first close-up look from overhead at one of Amtrak’s new beasts.

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4. AMTK 4618 sits waiting for a signal to head…

5. …through the interlocking plant…

6. …back to KC Union Station.

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Just one more:

7. Less than 5 minutes later BNSF 5142 comes rumbling down the flyover on its way past KC Union Station and eventual egress from Kansas City.
(7 photos taken August 11, 2018 at BN Crossing Interlocking in Kansas City, MO)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/18 09:14 by santafe199.

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Note that this consist has one of the diners made from a Clocker coach.  They sure did a good job making those cars look like as-built diners.  Shouldn't have to use it as an axle count car for too many more months.

Lance, it's good to know that 27th Street is still open, at least most of the time, depending on the mood of security. It was only a few years ago that I could spend half a day up there without anyone bothering me.

Carl Graves, Lawrence, KS

That is crazy, I just made a video of the River Runner being flipped around and uploaded it on YouTube this evening.  I took this footage in August as well.  Not even sure what possessed me to make the video tonight.  I got on TO here to post the video and saw your post.  I guess great minds think alike!

Your photos are outstanding as always Lance!

Doc

Good argument for cabbage cars...
Santa Fe turned their Golden Gate trains in Bakersfield. I had a next-door neighbor who was a switchman and had a booze problem.
One day he told me that the night before he almost guided the train he was turning into the SF Chief.
We had a long talk, he joined AA, and lived happily ever after.
With his job.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Topfuel Wrote:
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> Note that this consist has one of the diners made
> from a Clocker coach.  They sure did a good job
> making those cars look like as-built diners. 


Don't believe that any diners were made from Clocker coaches.  That's just an old diner.  The baggage car with a single center door was an old coach. I believe Amtrak converted most of its "Mail/Express" bags from ex-SP coaches, but someone on here probably knows better than I do.  The baggage car with 2 doors appears to be an as-built baggage car.

When I see these bags and diners running around as axle-count cars, it really makes me wonder how the River Runners (ex-Mules) and the Illinois trains and the Port Huron train managed to run with 3 or 4 cars on them for decades without failing to actuate the crossing protection.