Railroaders' Nostalgia > The 'necessary' pit-stop

A few days ago I was on my way south rolling right down US highway 75. I was en route to my first visit to the “Heart of the Heartlands” Museum in Carona, KS. I had been invited down to give a Rock Island image presentation at one of the regular railfan gatherings. Since I was fortunate enough to have had a 3½ year window to shoot the Mighty Fine Line before it folded in 1980 I had ‘some stuff’ to show. I was eagerly looking forward to this visit. And I wasn’t disappointed in the least! They have built up quite a nice collection of rolling stock & structures outside and a first-rate collection of RR memorabilia inside. They also have a well-designed show room for traditional slide & digital image presentations. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, and my hat’s off to the Heartland gang! I look forward to many return engagements. I came away giving the Heart of the Heartlands a solid A+.

On my way down that morning I had to pull over and make one of those “necessary pit-stops”. It reminded me of a some humorous times amongst us 80s Kansas Gang railfans way back when. In those memorable days of yore, a pit-stop out on a photo location was often a great source of sharp and sometimes sarcastic hilarity. Especially amongst groups of chasing fans I’ve been a member of. It was dangerous business to be making personal relief when in the company of other playfully smart-asset photographers! (If ya know what I mean… ;^)

But on this occasion I was running solo, looking at a long 3+ hour drive. I wasn’t really on a railfan chase, but I sure wasn’t planning to pass up any photographic opportunities. As any and all railfan photographers know, it sometimes becomes necessary when on-the-run to pull over and make the quick routine pit-stop. Unfortunately this is a regular happenstance in the natural course of regular human physiological functions. And this can be particularly compounded when said railfan photographer is faithfully & regularly consuming a certain doctor-ordered prescription known as diuretics. For those younger fans out there who are happily unaware: diuretics are also known as water pills. And I’m here to tell ya THEY WORK… :^(

So… when it suddenly became necessary for me to pull over I got off the beaten path picked a private spot that just happened to be near to a rural RR crossing (go figure), which just happens to be on the busy BNSF main line down near Olivet, KS. Before commencing urgent business I prudently ascertained that the road was empty of motorists, therefore completely devoid of potential prying eyes. Sure enough, as business was blissfully concluding I could hear a familiar rumble in the west. I grabbed my camera in time to bag the first 2 images below. But oops... I was being watched after all. As I was making my way back to US 75 I became aware that a certain Mr Bird had been watching me the whole time. So much for privacy, eh…

1. & 2. BNSF 6676 crosses Lewelling Rd just east of Olivet, KS. That’s the US hwy 75 overpass a quarter mile away.

3. Apparently one of my fine-feathered-friends was keeping an “eagle-eye” on my business activities…
(3 photos taken November 19, 2016)

Thanks for looking [not] looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/16 10:56 by santafe199.

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Lance, Glad you got to visit Carona. I've ridden many Motorcar trips from there. A couple even on New Years eve.
I do need to get back there though as I have not yet seen the Steam Engine since it arrived and got spruced up.
I also want to visit near by Big Brutus.
Steve

Lance, the only thing worse would be, three cups of coffee, a bran muffin, AND the diuretics, stuck in Kansas City rush hour traffic.