Amtrak Digital Photos Part 4
by Mike Condren

On Oct. 14, 2011, Amtrak #58, the northbound City of New Orleans, snuck up on us, and I almost missed it.

I wanted to see the progress on the Huey P. Long Bridge in NOLA so I drove to the sunny side of the bridge. I noticed a person taking pictures but I thought it was just the bridge. I then noticed that Amtrak was crossing.

At 1:55pm, #58, 10 minutes out of New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, is seen approaching and crossing Central Ave.

When the DGNO fright cleared, Amtrak "Texas Eagle" is waiting for a signal on the wrong track to enter the station.

While the Amtrak is disappearing to the east to then back into DUT, a Red Line train is entering the station.
A second Red Line train is seen entering the station as the Amtrak train continues to back into the station.

Feb. 29, 2012

We spent the night in Norman, OK with the purpose of catching Amtrak's "Heartland Flyer". We headed down Main Street toward the station. When we got to the business district, there was a sign denoting the street as the "James Garner Corridor". I found a parking about 1/2 block from station. The Amtrak station had 3 parking places, all taken. I discovered this statue to home town boy James Garner.

Here is the former ATSF station in Norman, OK, now the Amtrak station.

By the time I had walked to the station, I could hear the horn of the approaching Heartland Flyer.

While I watch through my telephoto lens, two cars and a truck cross at this crossing right in front of the train just east of Vinita.

In taking this sequence of photos, I was standing on the embankment of the former connection between the Frisco and the MKT used by the Texas Special and the Bluebonnet. Most of the embankment is long gone.

And now for the cars in the train.

When I got to White Oak on Old Route 66, I noted a stack train parked on the main line. I called a freind on the train and learned that they were passing this train on the siding so I found a spot to get some shots.

While waiting for the SW Explorer in Claremore, it became clear to me that my history as a railfan could be traced to my 6th grade trip on a chartered Missouri Pacific passenger train to tour the Will Rogers Museum there in Claremore. When I got off the train, I saw a very unusual Missouri Pacific locomotive. My junior and senior high school were along the Frisco in Van Buren where I watched many a train. Then in 1960 I bought a copy of Railroad magazine. The was a Missouri Pacific Locomotive Roster with a picture of a BL2. WOW! That's the locomotive that I had seen 6 years later.

Then our train appeared at the crossing of the former Missouri Pacific track of the Van Buren, AR to Coffeyville, KS line. After the train passed I was approached by a local wanting to know what this train was about.

After the meet the passenger train is seen heading for Tulsa and Cherokee Yard.

I barely beat the special to the 17th Street crossing in West Tulsa.
The passengers have already begun the first seating in the diner before reaching Cherokee Yard.
In the left window we see Chuck Weinstock and Rick Moser waving.

The train is then seen from the new Cherokee Yard Hot Spot.

After about 30 minutes of sitting at the entrance to the yard, I drove over to where the train was parked and watched the crew wash the windows of the train.

After visiting with friends on the train, I tried to get a shot without tripot of the rear of the train on the business car track in the engine terminal area of Cherokee Yard in west Tulsa.

The consist order is:
Amtrak engine(s)
Cimarron River
Pacific Sands (this replaces the Golden Mission that has been bad ordered) an ex-UP 10/6; now 8/6.
Colorado Pine
Sky View (ex-Santa Fe "Big" Dome)
NYC 448-48 seat diner
Caritas

Mike's Main Railroad Web Site

July 19, 2012
Amtrak from St. Louis, MO to Chicago

The northbound "Texas Eagle" is seen arriving on time.

A BNSF unit coal train is seen passing us and the Amtrak station as the "Texas Eagle" begins pushing back to couple us onto the rear.

The Amtrak conductor is seen directing his train towards cour car.

One of the Kansas City trains is seen passing tower which controlled all movements at St. Louis Union Station as seen from the vestibule end of the Cimarron River.

This Amtrak train is seen sitting in the yard west of the station as seen from the vestibule end of the Cimarron River, now part of the "Tesas Eagle".

The Cimarron River is seen on the reat of the "Texas Eagle" in the station. On eht next track is an annuled Chicago train. All trains to Chicago except the Eagle are annuled due to track work on the normal route. The Eagle detours over the C&EI, adding 1.5 hr minimum to the length of the trip.

We are finally on our way climbing the hill toward "Gratiot Tower" and the MacArthur Bridge over the Mississippi River.

Next we met the southbound Amtrak #21

We now see our train heading into Chicago.

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