Western Railroad Discussion > UP 1943 again! (pt 2)

In part #1 we left our KYLE crew in the lurch. They were so close to getting their train yarded in Salina, but ended up having to wait a very long time to do so. Check out the last 3 images + dialogue here: ( UP 1943 again! (pt 1) (trainorders.com) ). In my years of train service experience I could see the handwriting on the wall. Those poor KYLE boys were just plain stuck there for an unknown duration. I’d already recorded everything I needed around Salina. So I decided to abandon ship and head back east. Starting with a routine snoop job at my former Santa Fe yard in Abilene>>v

13. Just the usual suspects here in Abilene, KS! BNSF 3122 has been a regular actor on the Newton ~ Abilene ~ Superior (NE) stage for quite a while now. Companion BNSF 1449 is tucked in behind. I sure do miss my old friend, the Cascade Green 1446. Last I saw, it was hanging around Wichita...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/24 08:11 by santafe199.

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14. Twist #1: With thoughts of making the 30” minute jog down to Herington I departed town on rural 2200 Avenue. For those ‘in the know’ from N to S this is a major railfan artery, nestled in between the UP (KP), the BNSF (ex-Santa Fe) and the Abilene & Smoky Valley (ex-Rock Island). I was only a couple miles down that road when I spotted another train up there on the KP, hauling buns westward. I concluded that the logjam over in Salina must have finally broken. So I flipped one of my patented, harum-scarum U-turns and gave chase back to the west. I got into position in time to bag UP 4743 leading train TPSI under the “Big X” just east of Buckeye Avenue in Abilene, KS.

15. I followed the TPSI on over to Ike (siding) and got creative with this patriotic tractor. The TPSI had to stop and reline the mainline switch here at the east end which gave me time to head further west.

16. The TPSI pulled up to a complete stop here at New Cambria, KS. I didn’t need a fortune-teller to let me know the logjam at Cozy (Salina) was still jamming...

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Twist #2: When I got back to the west end of Cozy I found not one, but two crew vans in attendance. Apparently both trains were preparing to depart?? I took up a position at the east end of the main yard in Salina to see what would happen next...

17. Turns out the crew on the grain empty was taking the power off and bringing it into Salina proper for an unknown reason. The former roundhouse facility had been a victim of Uncle Pete’s penny-pinchers. Those huge fuel tanks were removed and the old RH office is all locked up. They even tore out the turntable! So I knew I had to keep an eye on this consist. Coming off the train I got this shot at the private ADM crossing just east of the UP yard. Things were definitely stirring...

18. But first I wanted to confirm the 1943-led unit tanker was really leaving town. Sure enough, when I took this shot they were just starting to pull at Cozy. Look close behind the grain empty and you will see the headlight of our beleaguered KYLE boys still waiting for their turn. They would get it soon...

19. The crew on the grain empty consist backed around the west leg of the WYE just to get out of the way. Here’s lead unit UP 6710 in the afternoon sun. I never did find out what they ultimately were up to...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/24 08:10 by santafe199.

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20. & 21. From the shoulder of ‘Old 40 Hwy’ I managed to get the parked grain empty consist posed behind the departing UP 1943. I had time to move a bit further west for another shot with the ADM elevator in the background.
(shots 17 & 19-21 shot around the east side of Salina, KS)

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Daylight was now running really short. But I had an idea I could find some sunset color west of town. First stop...

22. ...Bavaria, KS. I shot a sequence of the Armed Forces heritage unit and intended to head further west. But when I got into the 55 MPH westbound lane of Old 40 Hwy I saw that the 1943 + train was leaving me behind, slightly. Them boogers were haulin’ assets! Well sports fans... I had to let the train go. I didn’t need to risk a speeding ticket on a paint job I’d just bagged a few dozen times in the last week or so...

23. On my way back through Salina I did some Mop-up shooting (Ooh, wee...... THAT was a terrible pun... ;^) UP 1982, the Mop Heritage unit was still in town, sitting in the evening sunlight which allowed me to do some artsy-fartsy shooting. I confess! I also did some HEAVY utility pole/wires deletion in Photoshop. UP 1447 & 502 are sitting here with the 1982.

24. While I was fooling around out west of town the KYLE boys were finally able to yard their fairly short train. That’s their lead unit, the 3341 getting run around by the TPSI (UP 4743) boys who were also able to yard their short train. This is Salina, KS @ 7:31 PM.
All photos taken March 18, 2024.

Thanks for the heads-up!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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1943 is presently in Helper working a manned DPU set helping coal trains up to Soldier Summit.

Nice series!

Great bunch, lots of other goodies there besides the 1943. First shot and second to last are esp. nice...

JG