NRHS Convention - Quanah Zephyr

Saturday, June 21 was the final day of the NRHS Convention here in Fort Worth. NRHS had arranged for a "rare mileage" excursion (i.e., a passenger train operating on track that is normally freight-only) to operate between Fort Worth and Quanah. The train left downtown Fort Worth early on Saturday morning. I got a few photos as it headed north out of town...

With a BNSF locomotive leading an Amtrak unit, the 13-car Quanah Zephyr approaches Northside Drive north of downtown Fort Worth.

The Quanah Zephyr crosses Saginaw Interlocking...

Heading northwest on the BNSF Wichita Falls Sub just out of Saginaw. This would be the first scheduled passenger train to travel the former Fort Worth & Denver main line through Wichita Falls in more than 40 years.

Since the train was heading directly out of the morning sun northwest of Saginaw, I elected not to follow it any further. I wish I'd stuck with it as far as Dickworsham, a siding east of Wichita Falls. There, the Quanah Zephyr met an eastbound coal train, which was being alternately attacked / vandalized by a disturbed individual with an obvious "axe to grind". Zephyr crew members quickly locked down their cars, and the axe-wielding maniac was soon taken into custody and carted away. Passengers on board the train were treated to a great view -- and got some spectacular photos -- of a BNSF Special Agent drawing his sidearm on the lunatic. As I told my friend Steve, a New Jersey resident who attended the convention, "That's how we do things here in Texas."

Coming next... a San Angelo road trip.

WSC

np: Kris Kristofferson - "The show goes on"