Kansas City Southern System
Digital Photos
4100-Series

by Mike Condren

At the former Frisco West Shops in Springfield, MO, I discovered this KCS "Retro Belle".

When I arrived at Heavener, this DPU unit was blocked by the truck refueling the units.

In an attempt to shoot the Santa Train, I drove to Heavener, OK after church on a very cold day. There was not a cloud in the sky. I found the DPUs of an empty grain train getting refueled by taking old US59 along the north end of the yard, alongside the former Howe Coal Co. balloon track.

On our way from Tahlequah, OK to Van Buren, AR, we ran into this KCS empty unit grain train was north bound at Stillwell, OK.

As we crossed the BNSF tracks at Railfan Park, the westbound signal for the main was "Clear" so I headed to my favorite spot west of the the diamonds for this sequence. As the third unit passed, I felt that "Southern" unit "shiver" in the cold of this day in the "teens". The "going away shot" was again blocked by piles of that "northern white stuff". Did I hear someone say Christmas Card 2010?

A northbound grain train is seen pulling through the fueling facility.

The mid-train DPUs were KCS SD70ACes in different paint schemes. Note that the "warrenty" ran out on the gray unit in 10/09. Also note the "stop sign" herald on the black covered hopper on the "near still born" Howe Coal Co. balloon loop.

When I got to Stilweel, OK, a northbound empty grain train was pulling into town. It stopped in the clear on the siding between the main grade crossings.

In then headed back toward the head-end of the empty grain train and missed the loaded grain train moving at track speed through town. I could not even shoot it through the front window as the auto-focus kept focusing on stuff on the inside of the car. I ended up going to the crossing that leads to the Tyson plant and set up.

Rev. Condren wanted to visit a woman in a nursing home in Stilwell so I drove her there. While she was visiting with the woman, I headed to the KCS depot. After a short period, I heard a southbound on the radio and moved from the south parking lot to the north parking lot of the depot. The train was on the passing track with a short train.

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