Rich Mountain in the rain

Thursday, October 22, 2009

I last visited Rich Mountain two years ago, following my California trip in October 2007. (See trip report here: http://whiskeytexas.blogspot.com/2007/11/escape-to-rich-mountain.html ) I enjoyed gorgeous weather on that trip, so I guess it was only fitting that this year's visit would feature less-than-ideal conditions (gray skies and scattered showers). I don't often venture out to shoot in that kind of weather, but I would certainly feel more experienced with it by the end of the day. And there wouldn't be much concern about beating trains to the next spot for "ideal sun"...

Southbound in the rain near Gilham, Ark.

KCS northbound with UP locomotives south of Wickes, Ark.

I stuck around DeQueen to photograph a couple of northbound coal empties, then followed them north toward Heavener. The railroad was busy; southbound trains were waiting for the northbounds at Gilham, Wickes, Rich Mountain, and Heavener.


It's hard to tell this is KCS... BNSF locomotives power coal loads and empties meeting at Wickes, Arkansas.

The first northbound - coal empties with BNSF power at Eagleton

The second northbound - coal empties with UP power.

A colorful trio of locomotives powers a southbound between Heavener and Page.

These weren't exactly the weather conditions I had hoped for, but the overcast skies made the fall colors appear even more dynamic. And the low clouds obscuring the hillsides around Page contributed a somber mood and surreal atmosphere. What a great day to be a photographer!

Mood lighting - a northbound KCS train departs Page, Oklahoma.

Two things in short supply in north Texas -- fall color and misty hillsides -- are represented here. It was worth the trip!

Graffiti by "Theory". One of the most interesting pieces I saw during the trip.

Held out of Heavener - KCS 4601 cools its heels, waiting for a spot to open up in Heavener yard.

After it got too dark to shoot anymore, I headed north to tie up for the night in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Friday's objective would be to photograph two trains on the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad. Stay tuned for that report... but coming next you'll see a second section of photos from Rich Mountain. Stay tuned...

WSC

np: Ray Wylie Hubbard - "The Lovers in your Dreams"

a Southern Belle in Cowtown

One of the biggest news items in US railroading this year is Kansas City Southern's latest order of locomotives, which began arriving a few months ago dressed in an updated version of the company's classic "Southern Belle" paint scheme. Complete with the railroad's 8-sided logo, the scheme features bold colors of red, yellow, and black, with the company's full name spelled out along both sides of the long hoods.

KCS 4047 at Hodge in Fort Worth - October 12, 2007

I had been wanting to get photos of these for a while, and even considered making a trip to KCS country (eastern Oklahoma / western Arkansas / northern Louisiana) last weekend, but a forecast for unfavorable weather forced me to stay home. As it turned out, I wouldn't need to go all the way to Arkansas to see my first Belle. On Friday morning, I was fortunate to learn that one of them was the lead unit on a Union Pacific train tied down at Hodge siding on the norht side of Fort Worth, about a 15-minute drive from my house. I was in the truck and out of the garage before I had even completed the phone call which provided me with this information. Of course, I would have preferred to see it on a moving train, but then again, a stationary locomotive is a lot easier to shoot, especially for detail shots...

the "Stop Sign" logo

builder's plate (a decal, actually)

I've always liked the looks of KCS locomotives in the gray paint scheme, and even their older "ghost" units in solid white. But these new Belles do look sharp. Chalk one up for the appeal of all things "retro"... it's cool to see new diesels dressed in a scheme that locomotives were wearing 50 years ago.

Southern Belles new and old

WSC

nr: John Steinbeck - Tortilla Flat

np: Jack Ingram - Biloxi