Steam & Excursion > 4th of July at the Texas State Railroad (Day 2)

This is a continuation from my last posting which can be seen here. 
I started day two at Palestine again as I wanted a couple more shots of the 4 locomotives as well as to shoot the train leaving Palestine for the video I made of the weekend. I got to the property around 7:30 to and saw that they had already pulled out 610, oh well, always next time to see that. They had their F-unit, number 125, parked at the station facing towards the sun so after parking I made my way to it as I had yet to photograph it since they got it repainted and in revenue service. As I was photographing 125 I heard steam from #30 behind me and saw the impressive scene in the second photo. After spending time over there I returned to the line of steam locomotives to get more photos there.
1) TSRR FP9 #125 in the morning light in Palestine
2) TSRR #30 at the east end of the Palestine wye reversing towards the day's consist
3) With less cloud cover than the previous day, light on 316 and 30 was much better while 610 and 1316 were behind tree shadows most of the morning.

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1) After they got #30 in position, railfans started to get their own photos of the four locomotives before the day's trip to Rusk
2) Just before 9:15, #30 brings the train around the wye onto the mainline. Once the whole train clears the wye switch they then back into the platform.
3) At 11:00 sharp the engineer signalled their departure with two blasts on the whistle and the race was on

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Well done. Your photo two in black and white looks timeless!
Bob

My first spot after Palestine was County Road 2132 which is at the east end of a bridge over Stills Creek where there were already about 6-7 other people there before me. Thankfully I got there with time to spare and was able to set upinfront of someone else, on the ground to avoid being in their way, allowing me to get a shot of the train on the other side of the bridge. Just about everyone chasing was respectful of other photographers and would move without fuss if in another person's shot.
1) Looking across the bridge over Stills Creek
2) Now right ontop of us, #30 leads the train over the creek as the engineer has the whistle wide open for the crossing
3) My next location was the siding at Mewshaw where I was able to beat the train by about 15 minutes
 

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After Mewshaw I made my way to Maydelle where I wanted to frame the train within the depot window. This required shooting into the depot through one window with my lens pressed against the glass and my hand blocking any glare. I'm happy with what I got out of the effort though. After Mewshaw just about everyone chasing minus one or two cars ended up at the crossing for County Road 2103. Listening to the locomotive work as it pulled the train up the grade here is something I'll never forget. After 2103 I went into rusk to grab some lunch before going to the depot and shooting the departure from there.
1) Mewshaw
2&3) County Road 2103 just west of Rusk. This spot was a great example of everyone respecting each other, in the tight location there was lots of communication between us all making sure we were out of each other's way. I would also like to add, the train was going at a walking pace by the time it got to us and we all stepped back as the train passed.

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A little while after getting to Rusk the sound of #30 returning to the train filled the air. Shooting the locomotive being put back on the train isn't easy as you're shooting into the sun, in the middle of the day. Due to this I opted to get photos of the engineer and conductor during the process. The departure is easier to shoot as the sun is on the side of the locomotive nose, sort of. It is mid-day summer after all...
1) The engineer keeping a close eye on the tracks ahead and they move to clear the platform switch to back onto the train.
2) The day's conductor guides the engineer back onto the train
3) After coupling to the train they did a blowdown on the fireman's side, they'd leave just a few minutes later as by this point they were about 20 minutes behind schedule.

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After leaving Rusk I was able to beat the train to a crossing just west of Maydelle at the crossing for County Road 2112. From there I took several backroads and just barely beat the train to the crossing at County Road 2124. If the track speed wasn't slow in Maydelle, I wouldn't have been able to make it here. My next to final spot was at the crossing for County Road 2131
1) Passing 2112 just before Maydelle, off to the right is a field where the TSRR host several events throughout the year for families. It hasn't seen much use this year due to the pandemic.
2) County Road 2124
3) County Road 2131. The men on the other side of the tracks weren't railfans but people who lived along the line. Just after the train passed my at CR 2124 they came flying down the road and asked if the train had passed. After I told them it had I suggested going a little further towards Palestine and they could get ahead. Well off they went and I followed behind and we all beat the train here. They told me about how everytime the train passes it shakes their house and how they've grown up watching the train.

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My final spot before going back to Palestine was the crossing at Dean Wright, with the train leaving 20 minutes late from Rusk the engineer ran the train a little quicker coming back to Palestine and put up a good race. I got here with no time to spare and another railfan pulled up right as the train got to the location. Once the train passed me there I made my way back to Palestine at a leasurely rate knowing I couldn't beat it from Dean Wright, once there I shot all four locomotives in the afternoon light once more. After this it was time for them to put away 610
1) Passing the sign at Dean Wright
2) All four locomotives in Palestine
3) 610 shot through the cab of T&P 316

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A great set of photos Jadon, looks like a great weekend. I see the conductor was wearing a mask but at least the crew wasn't wearing neon green safety vests! In your third group of photos there is a shot showing a siding in the background with some tank cars. Does anyone know if they are leasing space for car storage or was this some revenue freight?
Charlie

It was a sight watching them push 610 back, unlike the day before, 30 struggled and had some wheelslippage due to the track being on an uphill into the building. It was a great way to end the day and weekend and I give major props to the Railroad for how well done everything was. They put on a great show and everyone on the train seemed to have a great trip. Never thought fun could be had in extremem heat and humidity but they made it possible.
1) Condutor watching the coupling between 30 and 610
1) 30 slipping as they push 610 back in, I couldn't open the shutter too much before over exposing as I had my apeture as high as I could at the focal length. Thankfully what I had was sufficient to catch the slip in motion.
3) 30 and 610 into the shop building

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refarkas Wrote:
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> Well done. Your photo two in black and white looks
> timeless!
> Bob

Thank you! I audibly gasped whenever I turned around and saw that.

1019X Wrote:
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> A great set of photos Jadon, looks like a great
> weekend. I see the conductor was wearing a mask
> but at least the crew wasn't wearing neon green
> safety vests! In your third group of photos there
> is a shot showing a siding in the background with
> some tank cars. Does anyone know if they are
> leasing space for car storage or was this some
> revenue freight?
> Charlie

Thanks! Due to being in the passenger cars the conductor was indeed wearing a mask, the engineer crew also had masks when not in the locomotive. I can agree with you on the vests as well. About the tank cars, I do know they have one business in Palestine they serve but to my understanding these tank cars are storage. There are several being stored in Rusk as well

Thanks for sharing your fine gallery of images from the Texas State RR. 

Is that a TSR star logo on the tender?

Ricky
Austin, Texas

Nice pics!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/20 13:42 by ns1000.