Western Railroad Discussion > Excellent new railcam in Houston at T&NO Junction

I saw that Live Trains was teasing an upcoming new railcam last week; on Thursday, they launched their camera, accessible on You know where, in the southwest quadrant of the UP/BNSF diamond at T&NO Junction, also known as Tower 81, on the south side of Houston.  https://www.google.com/maps/@29.6952741,-95.3267226,186m/data=!3m1!1e3  UP's Harrisburg Sub, running northeast-southwest, crosses BNSF's Mykawa Sub at T&NO Jct.; the south end of BNSF's New South Yard is just north of the diamond.  The Mykawa Sub runs south from T&NO Junction to the BNSF Galveston Sub at Alvin.  UP's Houston West Belt Sub begins at the Junction and runs northward adjacent to the yard past the east side of downtown Houston and up to Belt Junction on the north side of town (near the intersection Hardy Toll Road and the north loop IH-610).  Much of the Harrisburg Sub consists in some of the oldest track on Union Pacific, and was the oldest stretch of mainline on the SP, having been built by the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railroad in early 1850's.  You may find more about the history of the trackage at T&NO Junction here: http://txrrhistory.com/towers/081/081.htm

BNSF, CPKC and Union Pacific trains can be found passing through the junction; BNSF trains run on the Mykawa Sub along with UP trains exercising trackage rights south from the Junction through Alvin to Algoa to access UP's Angleton Sub (which runs southward parallel to the Texas Gulf coast).  BNSF has trackage rights west from the Junction on the Harrisburg Sub; some BNSF trains run between the Junction and Rosenberg on the Harrisburg Sub; others go between the Junction and Rosenberg via Alvin.  CPKC trains are sometimes routed via T&NO Junction and may use UP's Houston West Belt Sub all the way to Belt Junction or get on the Houston East Belt Sub (north of New South Yard) and avoid Tower 26 (on the north side of downtown).  There is only one interchange track at the Junction; it is in the northwest quadrant.

Here are some screenshots:

1-3.  Today a UP southbound had CN SD70M-2 8917 on the point (8917 led one of the CN Gary, IN-Waterloo, IA M337's hauling retired CN and BC Rail Dash 8's towards Council Bluffs back on April 29th).  First, we have a close-up shot, followed by a wider-angle shot showing the Griggs Road crossing, the diamond and the cabinet for Union Pacific CP SA005 "T&NO Jct."  Going-away shot #3 looks across Long Road and along Mykawa Road.  That is the South Loop IH-610 in the background; BNSF's Mykawa Yard is several miles distant.  There are lots of poles, and some crazy street intersections, at T&NO Jct.

Matthew

(Edits re-worded description of the trackage and added a Google Maps link)
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/23 20:49 by Roadmaster.

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The rest of the screenshots are from Live Trains Rail Recap #89.

4-5.  A KCS westbound turns off the Houston West Belt Sub and heads towards West Junction to gain the Glidden Sub and proceed to Rosenberg.  Seeing the containers may lead one to think this is one of the MMX trains, but this is not a southbound MMX-180/I-180 train (or a disoriented I-181 for that matter).

6.  An Union Pacific train heads east on the Harrisburg Sub and will soon cross the diamond at T&NO Jct.

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7.  BNSF road engines and yard switchers work at the south end of New South Yard.  Here, a road consist with 676 on one end is backing cars into the yard on Thursday the 18th.  That Fakebonnet coupled to 676 is 797.  A different sequence on Rail Recap #89 shows H1 Dash 9 1016 leading 676 and 797 south across the diamond the following morning.

Matthew

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Surprised with all the Houston congestion this had not been double tracked.

That's a. Great intro. Thanks

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