Passenger Trains > BNSF passenger special enters Topeka Sub. at Holliday

A BNSF Railway 15-car company goodwill passenger train, known as the Turner Community Garden Special, operated Monday afternoon (June 3, 2019) for about 20 miles west of the Kansas City, Kan., yard and then traveled back east to the BNSF yard facility. The railroad reportedly was showing its appreciation to Turner Community Garden volunteers and leaders. Turner is a small suburban community at the southwest corner of the BNSF Railway's KCK yard. Many BNSF employees (and ex-ATSF) have usually  lived in the Turner area. 

A two-hour trip to Lawrence, Kan., and back had been planned but the train did not reach Lawrence because the special apparently got a late departure from KCK. The train only went to a location just east of K-7 highway, only a couple of miles west of Holliday.  I remained at Holliday and saw the train twice within a 34-minute period.

Locomotives on each end of the special were BNSF Nos. 6805 and 6733.  The attached video shows the special moving westbound, entering the Topeka Sub. To the right is the Emporia Sub. 

My footage of the train going east was considerably longer than that of the westbound special, so I decided to go with this shorter clip on
TO. .   The eastbounder was being operated at relatively slow speed, probably due to approaching such a busy junction. 

(Video by Larry Byers) 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/19 19:45 by JoCoLB.

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Nice!  Good to know some railroads still understand the value of good PR and public relations. 

Ok, I know BNSF likes to rebuild passenger cars, but what are those first 2 cars? Maybe ex RBBX cars? The business train is looking like a motley collection crazy rebuilds. 

In case you want to study their history, the first two cars observed in the video are "Glorieta Pass" and "Eagle Pass."

I believe the first two cars are former business cars that had open platforms, which look like they have been converted to room cars.
I have always thought railroads modified their equipment to suit their purposes rather than to please some railfans.
The cars do offer some interesting challenges to folks like me who like to kitbash...
I'm just thankful that BNSF and UP still spend the money to keep these trains of my younger days alive and running, whatever they look like.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

DPU or trainline (or manned helper or idling unoccupied)?

With this being a back and forth run between two points, I believe the rear unit was simply idling unoccupied on each move.. Crew had to switch to the opposite end for the run back to the yard.
 

The first two cars are former 11-bedroom ATSF sleepers rebuilt into crew sleepers with six "bedrooms" and a small lounge at the vestibule end in each car.

very good point, and thanks for posting.

Charles Rice
Saint Louis, MO