While running errands in Fort Worth on the morning of May 25th, 2024, I caught sight of a southbound BNSF freight with ten locomotives pulling down to Tower 55. The lead two units were the head end power, and the next eight locomotives had GECX reporting marks sprayed on them and were dead in transit. I had time to drive to the south end of Birds Siding and set up on the sunny east side for this sequence.
First up were the two head end BNSF units, C44-9W’s 5342 and 5270.
Next came eight more C44-9W’s, 4559, 4579, 4522, 4929, 4478, 4938, 4523, and 4472. I believe these were units that at the end of their long-term lease were turned back to General Electric Financial. Further research showed they were on their way to Mexico where they were to be leased to Ferromex to be used south of the border.
Shoving hard on the rear of the train was BNSF SD70ACe number 9066.
That afternoon found me on the preferably lit side of the tracks at the ex-SP Kosse depot now in Saginaw where I caught three trains in short order, A northbound UP MFWWT train called BNSF Dispatcher DS22 and asked to be lined through the double crossovers to get over the BNSF and head up the Duncan Sub to Wichita, Kansas. The dispatcher told him would have to wait for two BNSF south bounds – a loaded coal train and a military train off the CPKC.
The loaded coal came past the depot at 3:56 pm using the new connection off the Wichita Falls Sub onto the Fort Worth Sub.
Right behind the coal train was the military train southbound from the CPKC at Metro on the Fort Worth Sub.
It was good to catch one of the remaining “grey ghosts” of KCS long time past.
There was quite an array of equipment behind the units.
At 4:17 pm after the military train had cleared down the main line, the northbound UP was lined across the diverging route to cross both BNSF mains and start around the sharp curve onto the UP Duncan Sub.
The trailing unit on the head end was recently rebuilt by Wabtec in nearby Haslet into a C44ACM in UP’s current official paint scheme.
Three trains in 30 minutes!
