Random shots from the past few months

[ICG/SOU]

I've been using my 35mm SLR more lately, mainly because the viewfinder makes it easy to use outside (bright sun obscures the LCD of a digital camera).

Hot June day with UP on exx-IGN, ex-MP line at Milano, Texas (there is a BNSF crossing there)

KCS NSC Coil Car (didn't realize that other stuff was painted Southern Belle style)

Restored Pullman in GM&O paint at the Casey Jones museum in Jackson, TN

I thought the rust was interesting on this covered hopper (local UP freight, July, San Antonio)

The truck didn't see (and almost tried to beat) these SD60Ms on the local. The engineer really laid on the horn.

Austin and Texas Alco RSD15 (our local excursion line), August 2009

Restored L&N SW at Foley, AL (August)

We stayed down the road at Gulf Shores and passed this museum (where the L&N had a branchline years ago) but when we returned on a Wednesday, it was closed. It also had a O scale layout, but it was closed too.

Wheel detail on a PS1 boxcar at Foley

Wandered down to McDuffie Coal Terminal (Mobile) and took this one while driving (yes, dumb)

MP15s

IC/CN Dash 8-40CW

IC SD70

GM&O offices and terminal, Mobile

Southern's offices next door

 

[ICG/SOU]

The abandoned Union Station at Gulfport, MS

CSX put in 136lb rail there, if anyone wondered

Equipment rack

I'm guessing these are coupler parts and train line hoses

KCS SD50 at North Yard, Gulfport (exx-GSI, ex-IC)

Passing local NS freight at Hattiesburg

Stop signs protect the NS yard lead crossing and the ex-IC line

Thanks for looking. More photos can be found at: Railfanning

 

[UP2CSX]

Very nice selection of shots, Trey. Good thing you took the photos while in the car or you wouold have been pounced on by security. The Old GM&O main offices have certainly been restored to its original splendor. The Southern offices look pretty drab by comparison. The Gulfport station really got trashed by Katrina but I understand there's a community group that wants to restore the building if it's not used by the railroads again.

 

[Irongrave]

nice shots love and while driving thats not so bad untill you do a shot like this

about 50mph camera out the window and driving with the other eye

not an SD40 its a looks like a 60 to me

 

[ICG/SOU]

Irongrave,

Thanks for the correction on the SD60. I didn't even think to look for the porches or the radiator vents when labeling it before.

Jim,

Happening upon the coal terminal was a mistake. I was using my rail atlas and a Gazetteer simultaneously to find one of the IC tracks that lead to the station. I found the southwestern track that lead to the terminal, and ended up on the road leading to the terminal. Luckily the speed limit is low, and once I rounded the corner and saw the guard shack, I did a 3pt turn and headed back to where the IC locos were. Trucks with containers were pulling in and out, but blocked by these and the CSX locos nearby which dropped off some of the Bethgons. Since no one was going anywhere until the locos cleared the grade crossing, I jumped out, got a few pics, and then got back in the car. All the while my wife is on a work conference call.

I had hoped to run into more IC or GM&O stuff in Mobile, but it looks like the size of the GM&O yard has been vastly reduced. The NS yard had some neat stuff (Airslides, which I don't see any of anymore), but there was no place to stop. I had a feeling I wasn't in the best area of town anyway, and when trying to get farther up the yard, I ended up driving up to the gate at the Alabama State Docks. When I saw the "no photography" and "all vehicles subject to search," etc. I got permission to do a turnaround and called it a day for Mobile area railfanning.

I never found the L&N station, but it's probably been razed anyway. Otherwise, lots of stuff going on in Mobile, but not many places to do railfanning without having to look over my shoulder.

 

[UP2CSX]

Trey, L&N station was there until 2007. It was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrian and the CSX sold it to a developer in 2007. It was determined the building was too badly damaged to save and was razed.

The Alabama State Docks is about the most unfriendly place I've been to in terms of railfanning. Since 9/11, they have gotten paranoid about anyone being on their property and taking any pictures. I saw a BNSF train distantly from the fence line and then drove around to the guard shack and asked if I could get in to take one picture. I showed him my retired ID and gave him a patch from my old department, which will usually get me anywhere I want. He thanked me politely for the patch and then told me to get out! He was the kind of guy that, if I had been a police officer in Mobile, I would have followed him when he was off-duty and found something to write him up for.

 

[blownoutcylinder]

I love the shots you took--

Jim I've been doing some shots up here around some refineries and such near Sarnia--they are about getting that way up here The point that i was told by one guard is that as long as I got some kind of a permit I would not be "hassled"(his phrase). He watched as I took a few more shots and as we departed he gave me a few names to contact to get them---

 

[nordique72]

KCS 7009 is an ex-Conrail SD50-

857080-24 Built 2-86 as SD50 CR 6828 to NS (PRR) 5472, then NREX 5472, before going to KCS.

Nice shots Trey

 

[ICG/SOU]

Thanks for the correction on the KCS locomotive. Where the loco was parked was right off of HWY49, and I could have just walked up to it (but didn't want to look for trouble). It was parked on the wye that used to have a small G&SI spur that went eastward for a few blocks. I don't know what that spur serviced since it looks to be all residential through there.

My mistake at Mobile is that I didn't do any advance recon using Bing Maps or Google Earth. You can tell a lot about stuff from space, and found out (the hard way) that it isn't easy to get to anything around that you can take pictures of.

I was surprised at Frascati yard, since it looks to be a car shop of sorts now, with random boxcars, Bethgons, etc. of all roads. There was a building on the eastern side of the yard that made me curious, since it's design was something akin to a 1800s style army barrack, long and narrow with a front porch, multiple doors and rooms. I don't know if it was original to the yard or brought in.