Midweek Photos 5/23/2012

The next place to catch the train, and a bit of lunch would be Barstow, CA.  There are a few preserved F45s in the railroad world, and this is one of them.  Faded by the sun, this unit is not disabled, and theoretically could be put into use.

Another neat piece on display here is the Baldwin-EMD hybrid unit known as a Beep. This switcher has a Baldwin cab, frame and other things, with a shortened Geep hood housing a 567 prime mover.  I think the trucks are Baldwin, but have not seen enough BLWs to know for certain.

The beautiful (and huge) Harvey House and Santa Fe station in Barstow.

The train arrives.  Watering and servicing is to be done here before the run to Parker.  

Around 2:30, and the train is on the move again, leaving Barstow and going through this dramatic rock cut.  It truly looks like "The West" out here

A telephoto shot taken from the car ( I wasn't driving) of the train getting close to Ludlow, CA.

And the bridges which span the Colorado River into Arizona.  It would be five more hours before the train would pull up for the night.  A freight train, long servicing in Cadiz and slow track conditions meant the train would show up after 11PM.

More photos in future Midweek Photo threads.  Now I hand over the thread to the rest of you.  Please add any pics you were able to snap up of the Real World of railroading.  Enjoy, and happy snapping over the Memorial Day weekend.

I've never seen that engine, let alone seen it run. What I really like are the dome cars.  Those are seriously cool!  My next steam fix will come from Scotland, next week.  We're riding the "Harry Potter" train and one other while there. This is something I've wanted to do for the past dozen years now.  Last weekend I slipped out to western South Dakota and spent the night in Kadoka.  I went exploring in the dark, looking for nearly abandoned towns along the old abandoned MILW line out that way. The weather turned nasty with heavy rain and blowing wind, and in the middle of it all I distinctly heard a train.  I couldn't figure out where it was though, since the nearest active tracks were the DME, 30 miles to the north.  Getting back to the motel in Kadoka, the guy at the desk asked me if I was OK.  I said, "Sure, why wouldn't I be?"  He said a tornado had just hit the town and came from the same direction I did.  Geepers, they really do sound like trains.  I must have been close!  While poking around the next day I found a pair of cattle cars.  Don't see them much any more.  These still had "Burlington" on the side, and journals on the axles.

Kent in SD

Some shots taken at Rochelle, Illinois last Monday.

This is the first tractor shipment I have seen through Berea, Ohio in a long long time.  Good sign.

And two new GE BNSF units on their way to be delivered.

Great photos everyone!

Reenactors, including General Patton in center, talk after riding the Military Armament Train at the Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot Saturday. Festivities continue today for the Memorial Day weekend.

Reenactors came from the local area, all over Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana to set up mock camps from various wars ranging from World War I, World War II, Civil War, Spanish American War, Vietnam War, etc. A mock Vietnam War battle was among the activities.

“We couldn’t do this without all of the volunteers and  reenactors,” Schranck said.

Train rides this weekend and today include the mock World War II battle to the “German Village of Rheinhausen.”

“The train ride and the battle make it very special,” Schranck said. “Germans come out of the bushes and block the train and then everyone onboard gets to see the battle. Of course, the U.S. wins. Plus, everyone gets a chance to see the train car we converted into General Patton’s office.”

http://palestineherald.com/loc...Memorial-Day-weekend

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Since it is not possible to find a photo of a train with Miss Liberty, well allow me to post this on a day like today. My wife and I always enjoy our ferry rides past her statue!

The tall ship Cisne Branco, a Brazilian Navy ship, passes the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor while arriving for the 25th annual Fleet.

More here if you wish to see images of her:

http://www.yummy-yum.com/tall-ships/cisne_branco.htm

Prairie