Western Railroad Discussion > on the road again . . .

.   .   .   a few from the last two days coming home from MS. I love following the now CPKC north out of Shreveport to Pittsburg, KS. There is just enough radio chatter to keep you appraised of whats happening and most trains still call out the signals. This trip I stayed in Texarkana following to Pittsburg where I overnighted then home yesterday. Here (top) a southbound grain load was passing through Cove, AR, then, hearing the hottest new train on the railroad was coming, 181, Mexico to Canada, I camped out at the nice Mena, AR, depot catching him passing it (middle) as well as descending Rich Mountain near Page, OK, (bottom) meeting northbounds at both Rich Mountain and Page. The Shreveport Sub was busy this day with six south and five north.
.   .   .   nine more to come   .   .   .

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.   .   .   as I said if you have a scanner, very helpful. Heard the Ft Smith local get a track warrant to return to Heavener from Ft Smith figured it SHOULD take about an hour. I was about an hour away. Hearing nothing from him and seeing nothing at the junction in Poteau, OK, headed a mile east to look down a long tangent. Nothing. Started to leave then decided, one more look, and, sure enough a head light shown approaching the junction both on the tangent and on one of the bridges near the junction (top and middle). After hearing a southbound near Salisaw and just missing another southbound at Stillwell heard the dectector go off near Westville, AR, and just beat a northbound grain empty coming into Watts, OK, before making a big curve away from the sun (bottom).
.   .   .   six more to come   .   .   .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/25 05:56 by 3rdswitch.

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.   .   .   awoke early yesterday in Pittsburg, KS, hoping to catch the Pittsburg Dodger which was blocked by a southbound making a pickup in Pittsburg, KS, but neither could leave as a northbound was coming (top) which turned out to be a double grain empty that was told to pick up a unit. IF it had been a normal hundred car empty both southbounds could have left immediately BUT it ended up taking almost an hour to pick up the unit before pulling north to clear the south end of the yard as well as two crossings in town. First out of town was the manifest followed by the PIttsburg to Neosho dodger (middle and bottom) which by the way would be meeting another northbound as Asbury, first siding south, which would have to be recrewed. Why the second train couldn't pick up the unit? Which would have kept thing fluid.
.   .   .   last three coming   .   .   .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/25 06:08 by 3rdswitch.

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.   .   .   while waiting for the southbound to leave I heard a horn to the north which meant SKOL was working. I THOUGHT it would be the single unit they keep here to switch local industry but was surprised to see the CPKC interchange train doing some switching (top) and parked nearby was the SKOL unit they keep here painted for the local Pitt State Gorilla team (middle) then after finally leaving noticed a possible train leaving the large SKOL (South Kansas and Oklahoma) yard and engine facility north of Cherryvale, KS (bottom). Funny, when I departed Pittsburg the GPS said I would be home at 1903 hrs, arrived home safe and sound at 1902 hrs.
JB



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/25 06:23 by 3rdswitch.

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Another Neat series, Thanks for sharing! Glad you made it back home safely.

Thanks for posting, JB.  It's nice to see the KCS hasn't totally ben swallowed up.  

Nick Tharalson
Marion, IA

Nice set, especially the trestle shot.  Good thing you gave it that last chance.  Nice to see the short lines too.  CP sure seems out of place down there.

Andy

Nice shooting Joe! Sure miss the KCS trips.

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> first siding south, which
> would have to be recrewed. Why the second train
> couldn't pick up the unit? Which would have kept
> thing fluid.

Sounds like typical Class One railroad management now days - TOTALLY INEPT!

Thank you for the awesome photo essay and trip report.

Great stuff..!!  Thanks for posting.

Great series and a very productive trip route JB.  Many great photos and info.
Brian Stevens