On Friday May 6th I needed to make a trip to see our CPA in Arlington. It was about 2:50 pm and while listening to BNSF DS22 on the radio I heard that Amtrak Trains 21 and 22 would be meeting at Birds siding on the southside of Fort Worth in about thirty minutes. I figured I could make it in time and would use the drone since I would not know exactly where to stand to try to get both trains in the same frame.
I arrived and launched in time to spot Train 21 in the siding stopping a few hundred yards north of my position before turning the drone south and lining up on Train 22 holding the main track with two P42’s leading five cars passing the south end of Birds at 3:21 pm.
I quickly turned and followed Train 22 north for these two photos featuring both trains together and the Fort Worth skyline in the distance.
With Train 22 now receding in the distance on its way to Fort Worth Central Station, I turned my exclusive attention to Train 21 with the skyline as it started moving south out of the siding.
My last two photos were of Train 21 with one P42 leading six cars approaching and leaving South Birds as the head end crossed West Biddison Street.
I landed and packed up the drone before heading on east towards Arlington. Sadly, a few minutes later I heard on the radio that Train 21 had gone into emergency when north of Crowley a female subject had started running up the middle of the track towards the train. Amtrak could not stop in time and the person was struck and killed in what apparently was a suicide by train. While I was sad for that person’s decision, I was even more sad for the crew and their having to deal with the aftermath and memories of this horrific event.