After my success two days earlier of capturing CPKC 1776 before it was released for delivery I was still feeling the urge to get out and about now that I was driving again. Walking was painful, so if I could not stand close to the car to get the desired photo then I had the drone to remedy that situation. I decided to head towards Cleburne and see what I could find in the way of trains.
Shortly after leaving home on the morning of March 22nd, I overheard the BNSF dispatcher giving out a warrant over the radio to a train heading east out of Cleburne on Wards Spur towards Midlothian. I drove down US 377 to Cresson and then east to Cleburne on Texas 171 without finding anything moving on the Fort Worth & Western. Not having many photos on Wards Spur I headed on east towards Midlothian.
I caught up with the BNSF train as it was passing through Alvarado and moved on ahead looking for an interesting scene to photograph it in. I made it all the way to the entrance of Gerdau Steel in western Midlothian where I stopped for this view.
Nothing else jumped out at me as I led the train on into Midlothian so I stopped for a bite to eat. Afterwards I heard the UP Midlothian Sub dispatcher extending the warrant for a train east of Mansfield. I parked just west of the BNSF/UP diamond and after twenty or so minutes caught this view as the train pulled the hill under North Eighth Street.
With these two trains in the memory card I decided to head back to Cleburne in time for Amtrak 21. Upon arrival I decided to launch the drone for a northbound intermodal train passing the depot.
This going away shot shows the old Cleburne Shops on the east side of the yard, now leased by Greenbrier Rail Services.
The intermodal train west to Joshua to meet southbound 21, and I launched the drone again for this aerial view of the train stopped at the station.
Nothing else appeared to be close and I was starting to get tired, but I was pleased with the day’s catches and headed home to put a cold pack on my left ankle.