Today, December 31, 2023, I wanted to photograph at least one train to wrap up the year. I did not have the time to go out and spend all day at it as I would have liked due to fixing a water leak at home. BNSF and FWWR did not have much going on, but I got lucky while making a late afternoon run to Ace Hardware in Benbrook for some plumbing parts.
I decided to go by way of Iona on the UP Baird Sub, and I discovered an eastbound merchandise train sitting on the main that was occupying at least another 1000 feet of the just under 13,000-foot siding here. I stopped at the road crossing at the east end of the siding in hopes this train was waiting for a westbound to arrive which would have better lighting. After a few minutes the dispatcher called on the radio and identified this train as the MWCFW West Colton to Fort Worth manifest.
The dispatcher told the crew that Davidson Yard was ready for them now and he would be hanging a light for them to proceed. I set up on the south side of the crossing and at 4:12 pm and framed up this back lit photo with a signal mast on the left and a cloud bank on the right.
There were five units on the head end of the train, and I photographed the lead unit going away over the crossing.
The GP15-1 in fourth position looks like it has been in California for sure.
There was a single DPU about two-thirds of the way back in the train.
I missed an eastbound intermodal behind this train while I was at the hardware store, and it became apparent there would be no more trains before sunset. So, in the end I did catch at least one train to close out 2023; and later on, I successfully repaired the water leak. The train was backlit to a degree, but with a little help from Adobe Lightroom I made it more presentable. Now what will be my first train photographed in 2024?
