Steam & Excursion > UP 844 on the Beatrice Branch 1991

Achievement of the nearly impossible: photo of a steam excursion in a town with no people around. In this case, the townsfolk had come out to see the 844 (IIRC, there hadn't been passenger service on this branch since the 1930s and it's now been torn up). The train stopped, the passengers disembarked for a runby. After that they all got back on the train and the townsfolk went back to their lives. Only the guy without a life was left to record 844's departure. 

Pickrell, Nebraska
October 20, 1991

BobE



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/22 12:06 by BobE.

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Amazing! You have a better "People Filter" than I have seen before.
Bob

I was on that train. My first trip of many as a volunteer.
Also 844s last trip in Greyhound
The people were all in Beatrice. It was a mob.
Steve



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/22 10:52 by wpjones.

Used to drive by there on the way to Beatrice and wonder why they tore up a perfectly good branch line,
ah progress.

Out 

I rode that Camerail  excursion . Portions of the southern end of that line have been pulled up. 

Nothing left between Lincon and Beatrice, bit of BNSF left South of Beatrice.

Out 

Nice pic!!

If BobE or anyone else has shots of this trip they would like to share, please do.  This trip was pre-interweb and I had no connections with anyone in the loop so I had no idea ths was trip was happening.

refarkas Wrote:
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> Amazing! You have a better "People Filter" than I
> have seen before.
> Bob


I didn't bathe?

BobE

I was also on the trip, a great day with 844 to Marysville and a SD40-2 pulling us back to Omaha.  For those who may be interested, Camrail released a video of this excursion, it may have featured other excursions as well.  I don't know if it's still possible to get a copy or not but figured you can contact them and try.
I've attached my three shots from that day.  I was shooting video for the Camrail Club so only took my Nikon with a 50mm lens so they aren't all that good as I was trying to shoot video and stills at the same time.  Not very creative...
Photo 1 is the first runby, the exact location escapes me but if I remember correctly it was near Wahoo.
Photo 2 is in Pickrell.  Passengers were unloading for the runby.
Photo 3 is at the final runby location where the siding of Badger was located.  This was south of Wymore/Blue Springs.  I believe this was also as passengers were unloading.
The Beatrice Branch was abandoned from Lincoln all the way south to Marysville.  When we were there to get some goodbye photos of the rail train in October of 2000, the Foreman told me it was going to a portable welder in central Kansas to be used on the refurbished KP Line. 
Having grown up in Beatrice, getting to ride this excursion was one of my favorite railfan adventures of all time.  
Kirk
 

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A friend and I made the all night drive from Colorado to get the rail train in and around Beatrice.  The date of these three photos was October 6, 2000.
Photo 1 is the rail train passing the Pickrell station sign.  The train had just filled up and was now headed south toward Kansas.
Photo 2 shows a crossing scene north of Pickrell as rail is being pulled onto the rail train seen in the distance.
Photo 3 is looking the other way at the same crossing. 
I grew up watching U50's, U50C's, DD35's and DD35A's as well as most other UP models throughout the 1970's and to see the roadbed void of rails was a sad sight indeed.
Kirk

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