Western Railroad Discussion > UP 1943 again! (pt 1)

Just when you think the KP is as slow as you’ve ever seen, it presents you a pair of interesting multi-train days inside 2 weeks! And it’s UP 1943, the Armed Forces heritage unit again. This time it came back through westbound on an empty unit tanker. And the other trains involved would help to tell quite a story>>v

1. UP 1943 makes an appearance at our go-to spot west of Manhattan. This is the 56th St overpass about 2 miles east of Ogden, KS. With non-stops to O’Hare & DFD that’s the Manhattan Regional Airport in the background.

2. 23 minutes later the 1943 is passing the site of the old depot in Junction City, KS. Not bad running time considering its run through Ft Riley.

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3. & 4. Now passing thru Abilene, KS, crossing Buckeye Avenue and passing the old passenger depot.

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5. At 240mm the 1943 is passing over the Willow St crossing in Solomon, KS.

6. In a standard railfan function leaving town, I “checked the slot” at west Solomon where the KYLE connects with the KP via the old UP branch running up to Beloit. Jackpot! Here’s KYLE 3341 with an old UTAH Ry paint job in the middle of the consist, waiting for the 1943-led oil train to pass.

7. Let’s catch up with the 1943. It’s passing the station signboard at New Cambria, KS.

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8. & 9. And now it’s entering the pass at Cozy in east Salina, KS. While the crew is taxied to the off-duty point their thirsty consist gets a drink. UP 6710 sits apparently inert on a 4x1 grain empty on the main.

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I hung around expecting one of these trains making a move. But it was to no avail. I decided to go back to Abilene to see if my good luck was as good on the BNSF. Oops...

10. ...here comes the KYLE outfit looking like they expect to make it to Salina. Here’s a 200mm, in your face view from the N Whitmore Rd crossing east of New Cambria, KS.

11. But then Mr KYLE pulls to a stop at the east switch at Cozy, and enters into one of those dreaded holding patterns. And the 2 UP trains just ahead are still there...

I drove back to the west end expecting to see a sign of life, but I got nothing! 32 years in train service does me no good, ‘cause I have no clue what Uncle Pete is up to! I can’t even hazard a logical guess... This situation (snafu) will eventually get resolved. But it will require my ‘part 2’ to describe it to you. (Don’t touch that dial... ;^)
(ALL photos taken March 18, 2024)

Thanks again for another timely tip!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Good series!  The standard cab shots are a nice bonus!  I quite like the angle you shot in #6.

"‘cause I have no clue what Uncle Pete is up to!" Pretty much sums up my feelings. And is part of why I do very little railfanning anymore.

Excellent chase scenes, I like #3, though. Thanks for sharing with us.

Tom

Great work , Lance. UP 1943 has one of my favorite paint schemes. Thanks. 

Good and interesting series of shots....glad you took the time to chase and post.

Thanks guys! Upcoming part 2 will have a couple of twists in it...

:^)

Great work. You and I had a quick meet at the overpass, and I see myself in shot 3. :-)

Lewis Marien
Manhattan, Kansas (since 2022)

IC1034 Wrote: > ...You and I had a quick meet at the overpass ...

AHA! I thought I saw your rig a couple of times further down the road. I was brought up with manners, and would have introduced myself up there on 56th St. But I was trying to be sensitive to the fact your were also recording audio up there. And according to Murphy's Railfan Laws the "thrill of the chase" (read: urgency) will often supersede a normal display of manners! At Abilene I saw your figure standing there at Buckeye Ave and made sure my sequence included you. At that point I thought for a second you might have been one of the local Abilene regulars. But when I got home and got my images up on the screen I knew you weren't any of the Abilene gang. Looks like you got a great shot with that iconic elevator "X" in the background! I hope your chase went well. And I'm quite sure we'll meet again... :^)

Lance/199

Very nice series. UP 1943 is one of the best theme schemes in the US. You've gotten some fine photos of it.

Great series!!

Nice shots!!