Well, I might have a few. Train traffic has picked up just a little. It's gone from virtually nothing to being a trickle. Two months ago we had $2.90 corn, but now it's nudged up to $3.20. Farmers can make a little money with that, and they've been selling some. That's what generates RR traffic around here. It's been cold the past week--not down below zero cold though. The temperatures have been just about right for snow, and snow is something we've had plenty of the last couple of days! When the daytime temp warms into the upper 20s, a bit of the snow will sublimate (fancy word for it going straight from being frozen to turning into vapor.) That creates snow fog that can last for several days. The visibility can be so bad that I can't even see the cross roads along the highway. You need to be VERY careful if you're going to be crossing railroad tracks in that stuff--I roll the window down and listen. Not only is visibility very poor, the stuff freezes on the road and is nearly invisible. That makes traveling the long distances I typically do very tedious and a notch or two more dangerous. I rarely mention any of that to my wife, of course. In spite of, or because of, the cold, the snow, the fog, the cutting north wind, and the scary roads, winter is my favorite time of year for photos! No other time has that much drama. A few shots:
1. Waubay, SD. Along the old MILW transcon. I didn't see a train all day, and then I saw the signal turn green. I drove back to Waubay as fast as I dared in the thick fog, and got there the same time the train did. Remembering that they have been running w/b trains in pairs, I went ahead and set up anyway, and waited. I knew there was no way I could outrun a train on those roads, so I just stayed put. I was rewarded with a second grain train (empty).
2. Sitting at home, I heard a warrant go out for the BNSF Canton sub (ex-MILW.) I jumped into my car headed to Canton, again in thick fog. I beat the train and set up a few flash. The fog turned into freezing drizzle and I had to put bags over my flash. (I've fried a few in the past due to them getting wet.) As the grain train (empty) rolled past the MILW depot, I popped a shot.
3. BNSF local w/b on Corson sub. Heading back to Sioux Falls, SD. I know the crew--engineer saw me and gave me a friendly toot on the horn.
4. BNSF tanker train (empty) heading to ethanol plant on the Mitchell Sub (ex-MILW.) This was the first train down the line after we had our 10 inch snowfall, and I was hoping for some drama when the train hit the snow piles along the sides of the grade crossing. Using the interstate I was able to put some distance between it & me, to buy some time. I found a crossing with a decent pile of snow over the rails, set up three flash, and waited. The north wind began to pick up, and it was vicious! I persevered. The train finally came after a LONG wait, and I realized it was crawling along at 10 mph instead of the usual 40. Train came and went through the grade with about as much drama as a snail crawling over a twig. Oh well. Sometimes this pays off.
Do run the little slide show below to see the larger versions, or you will miss a lot of the fine detail.
Kent in SD