Recent Digital Photos
by Mike Condren

3/11/10
Van Buren, AR

This train has just left Van Buren, AR eastbound and is seen at the Bon Special crossing with a DPU on the end.

This consist sits in the engine terminal area of the Van Buren, AR yard.

A&M C420 #58 and T6 #18 are seen picking up cars in the UP Van Buren yard. Note that the engineer is in the cab of the T6.

Another view of the engine terminal area.

UP #6609, acting as the DPU, has started the push of this unit coal train eastbound out of Van Buren.

3/12/10
Tulsa, OK

This pair of engines is delivering a string of cars to a siding along side of former Tulsa Union Depot.

Tulsa Union Depot was once the destination of cars operating through from New York City on the Frisco Railroad. The building has undergone rennovation and is now used as the Jazz Depot.
The east end of Tulsa Union Depot.

This view is looking east along the BNSF (former Frisco) track, northeast of downtown Tulsa. The track leading to the left is the South Kansas and Oklahoma (former ATSF). The track leading to the right is the UP (former MKT). At one time the Midland Valley crossed here on its way from Muskogee (right) to Wichita (left).

This view of downtown Tulsa was taken from the location of the Santa Fe station, freight house of the 1960s. The tracks in the foreground are part of the BNSF mainline.

3/14/10
Sallisaw, OK

The former Missouri Pacific station in Sallisaw is used as the city library.

3/18/10
Turrel, AR

The top shot shows the BNSF (former Frisco) mainline towards Memphis. The second view shows the River line curving to the right while the Thayer Sub. heads straight toward Springfield, MO.

The top view shows the Thayer Sub disappearing into the distance and the new connection to the River Division is curving off to the right. The second shot showing the new connection heading toward the River Division through the woods.

These two views show the abandoned former connection, first toward the Thayer Sub and then the River Division.

Harvard Yard, AR

This string of units is stored in the former ATSF intermodal yard in the former Frisco Harvard Yard just north of Marion, AR.

Memphis, TN

When I arrived at Kentucky Street, a train was headed down the CN at CN Jct. Soon this BNSF empty unit coal train appeared.

The train continues to head down the CN. We will see that train again later. In the mean time a NS train cuts off the power and crosses over the BNSF to Track #1 and heads west to await a signal to return to their yard.

The train continues down the CN with this empty BNSF taconite train headed west.

The train on the CN was moving so slowly with frequent stops. So I decided to head down Florida Street. At the crossing of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley, I discovered a parked empty UP unit coal train in Mallory siding. This is the route south of the station for Amtrak's City of New Orleans.

I finally got ahead of the train on the CN. It turned out to be a CN train returning from the BNSF.

This BNSF train pulled up to the signal bridge at CN Jct. and parked. It would not move again for 2 hours.

The first shot shows the BNSF still sitting still with a UP switcher approaching on the "UP" track. A NS track inspector is backing down the "Southern westbound" track. We then see the switcher crossing over to the one track which crosses the CN. The switcher gets permission to cross over the BNSF so it can reach the track to President's Island. My camera battery died with the bottom shot. I had to make a quick trip home to get my spares that I forgot.

When I got back, the NS transfer was waiting for a signal to enter the CN.

A bare table train was stopped at the Kansa Ave. signal bidge on the BNSF. The UP switcher had returned and asked permission to cross over the BNSF to get to their own track. The BNSF first opened the switch for the UP. However, the NS transfer cleared Main #1 before the dispatcher gave the UP the signal to proceed. He closed the switch and cleared the route for the BNSF bare table train. The engine is still visible above the cars in the going away shot.

The BNSF dispatcher then opens the switch, clears the signal, and aligns the crossovers for the UP switcher.

This freight is proceeding again after waiting 2 hours for an opportunity to travel north of the yard at Harvard in an area where a mechanized gang was changing out ties.

The last train for the day was this westbound stack train which piccked a cloud to hide behind as it passed through the scene.

I then hear a message on the scanner giving "Track and Time" to something north to Central Station. It turns out to be a couple of pieces of track equipment.

This page was designed and is maintained by Mike Condren. If you have materials
that you would like to contribute, contact me at mcondren@cbu.edu