Western Railroad Discussion > Toto Tuesday: Not what I was chasing!

My young compadre “mg8711” hit the nail right on the head the other day by calling this hobby weird. There are so many times when an intended photo target ends up taking a back seat to an unforeseen photo opportunity later in the day. And especially in Kansas, there can be so many times when deteriorating weather can surprise a photographer with a grand finale nobody could have planned for.

On the 17th just past I was the other half of a mobile railfan “tag-team” chase. In separate vehicles we were in search of fall color up on Uncle Pete’s Topeka ~ Marysville main line. But the day ended up being a bit underwhelming, if you know what I mean. Not even having modern cell phone communication & good old fashioned radio scanner technology helped us overcome a 3-mile-long-train/PSR mentality that caused trains to slow to molasses. We did find some fall color in isolated places. But getting trains & color together at the same time proved to be quite a chore. Then with a very long & awkward main line manifest having to stop at Aikins to pick up a couple of cars, the entire RR effectively ground to a halt…

Enter our heroic Topeka ~ Denver “KP” main line: We were both on the way back home to Manhattan when regular ‘over & back’, main line local TPTP departed Topeka for Junction City. And it was in the area at just the right time to come to our attention. Toss in another typical Kansas sunset and we rescued an otherwise dud of a day out on the chase. Let’s take a look at Wamego, KS>>v

1. UP 1141 leads local train TPTP over the east siding switch.

2. The 1141 has just come to a stop short of the Ash St crossing. A crew member is down on the ground getting a derail unlocked & flopped over for track use.

3. The 1141 has now pulled ahead with its train. The crew is making their pick up on the rear end, most likely because the cars will taken back to Topeka after all other switching & transfer work is completed in Junction City.
(3 photos taken in Wamego, KS)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/20 10:30 by santafe199.

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Just one more:

4. With very little expectation it would actually happen, I ran west and set up at one of my favorite KP locations for a final “last-gasp” shot in the boonies east of St George, KS. Note how Mother Nature has almost completely reclaimed the old Aermotor wind mill on the left! But the sunlight was quickly dying even as I took this shot. After just a few more minutes I gave up and headed home for supper…
(ALL photos taken October 17, 2010)

Weird but wonderful hobby, indeed!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/20 08:41 by santafe199.

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Nice shots, Lance!

RC Lundgren

Nice to see the older power and block signals in the low light.

Larry

Lance,
I like the composition in your second shot.  Not sure why you took the last shot of a gawd-awful looking Darth Vader signal though.

Kent in CArmel Valley

It's not that gawd-awful looking Darth Vader signal but the rails and the vine covered Aermotor in this Fall scene of Nature.  One of the best and beautiful seasons in Kansas.  
Thanks again Lance for this "weird" facet of our hobby!

Does the intermediate signal seem to be saying "follow the yellow psr brick railroad"?