Railfan Trip Reports > Sunset Route Railfanning - Sat. Sept. 15

Well, since fall is almost here, summer heat is slipping away, and the dastardly "high sun" window in the middle of the day is disappearing, I figured it was time for me to return to "serious" railfanning in south TX (i.e. devote the whole day for trains) for only the third time since Memorial Day. I haven't been missing the trains this summer, but instead have been finding them in other locales (Dallas (might as well be in another state when coming all the way from SAT), Utah, Montana, Georgia, Kansas/Missouri). While this has been fun (and yielded some great photography), its not quite the same as simply rolling out of the drive way to your favorite local destinations.

In getting back to my roots, I decided to spend this past Saturday under partly sunny skies along the UP ex-SP Sunset Route between Seguin and Flatonia, TX and the UP Cuero Sub between Flatonia and Adel, TX.

Anyways, to the report, I started following the tracks along US90 at Seguin, TX and didn't find any trains on my drive to Flatonia. However, I did find two locomotives in good light. The first, UP SD70M #4090 was on a spur in Luling, TX. It looked like it had been in a crossing accident as the handrails were bent/missing, snowplow had a temporary weld, and the paint was all scraped up.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/up4090_luling.jpg

Next, in Harwood, TX, at the Gonzales & Northern interchange, I found a faded BNSF B40-8W #552 set out. I didn't see any obvious problems with the engine except for horrendous paint.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/bnsf552_harwood.jpg

As I got into Flatonia, I saw the signal was setup for a KCS trains to take the switch to go south on the Cuero Sub. I set up in town for a badly lit shot, but got cloud skunked. I then moved to Scotts School Rd (first crossing south of Flatonia) and got cloud-screwed again. I kept going south and got a sunny shot at Moulton.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/kcs689_moulton.jpg

Next, I got a sunny shot just north of Shiner, TX (BTW, great beer).

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/kcs689_shiner.jpg

I kept heading south and got a cloudy shot in downtown Shiner. Lastly, I got a sunny shot at Adel, TX, though it was nothing too awesome.

Heading back to Flatonia, it was time for lunch, but that was quickly interrupted by radio chatter of a WB with problems at MP 117 (just east of Flatonia). I went to investigate and found the conductor fixing an airhose. I headed back into town and set up for a nice shot near the post office.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/fxe4626_flatonia_post_office.jpg

The train was being led by a Ferromex ES44AC and had several UP AC60CWs and SD40-2s in the consist. Definitely the catch of the day... While shooting this guy, I missed a DALSA train, though it appeared to be led by another UP SD70M (yawn).

Next up was a WB UP freight led by a SD70ACe. This is the daily freight with the DPU power about 2/3s in the train.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/up8364_flatonia.jpg

An EB stack train passed, though I skipped a photo opportunity since it was coming right out of the sun. The next train to be photographed was a WB stack train led by a SD70M.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/up4877_flatonia.jpg

The last train of the day was a San Antonio coal train, and I caught him at Waelder, TX at the west end of the siding in town under a neat cloud formation.

http://members.trainorders.com/traingod/Trains/TX/up6769_waelder.jpg

Thanks for reading & looking,
Patrick

Very nice Patrick I myself was out and about on Sept 15, mostly hung out around Seguin-Luling. Caught mostly the same trains that you did maybe a couple more.

SP7615