the Great White South

In case you didn't hear about it, north Texas received a record snowfall back in February. We set a new record for snow on a calendar day when the D-FW Airport measured 11.2 inches on Thursday, February 11, and a separate record for a 24-hour total (12.5 inches fell between 4 a.m. on the 11th and 4 a.m. on the 12th). Wet and sloppy, it was a bitch to get around in, but fun to look at... and of course the first thing I thought about was getting out to snap a few train photos...

Meeting Steve G at "the spot" in Saginaw. He was on the phone with Dave to find out where the trains were.

The snow didn't slow down the southbound "Heartland Flyer" too much; it was close to on time when it passed through Saginaw.

snowy gensets - Saginaw, TX

By Friday morning, the snowfall had ended, but the skies remained overcast, and north Texas continued to resemble the set of a certain Coen Brothers movie...

Snow day # 2: UP Gensets in Roanoke

By Saturday, the skies had cleared, temperatures were warming, and life would begin returning to normal as the snow started to melt...

This southbound at Birds siding in south Fort Worth had just come to a stop and switched off its headlights and ditch lights when I snapped this photo.

a snowman in every yard...

Ironically, Mom was on a trip to Antarctica during our blizzard. She could have seen just as much snow and ice if she'd stayed here.

Coming next... introducing "Miss L" and a review of a Tim Barry performance in Dallas.

WSC

np: Ninja Gun - "Permanent Press"

Best of 2007 - non-railroad photos

A selection of a few of my favorite non-railroad photos from 2007. I took each of these with my Fuji Finepix "point & shoot" autofocus digital camera. It's perfect for taking quick, spur-of-the-moment snapshots, which are esentially what all of these photos are.

Self-portrait with bike: my reflection in the wheel of a fire truck in Keller

In May, I rode the 50 mile course in the Cross Timbers Classic, a bike ride which started at Texas Motor Speedway and included a lap around the race track. Here we are entering Turn 1...

Warning signs along the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. April 2007

Windblown tree. Island of Oahu, Hawaii. April 2007.

Driving Chain of Craters Rd., Pacific Ocean in background. Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. April 2007.

Barrel races, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. January 2007.

Texas flag. Fort Worth Stockyards. September 2007.

Hotel Texas. Fort Worth Stockyards. September 2007.

Dr. Pepper fading ad and fire escape shadow. Fort Worth Stockyards. September 2007.

WSC

np: Discovery Channel - Man Vs. Wild

nr: John Steinbeck - Grapes of Wrath

No time for the blog... (4)

... Just the photos. Please excuse my extended absence; I've been a bit preoccupied lately. Here is a selection of scenes from the past couple weeks in north Texas. Enjoy!

My reflection in the wheel of a fire truck at Keller, Tx.

May 17, 2007.

BNSF Z-train heads north, approaching Justin, TX. May 13, 2007.

Texas music billboard & suburban rooftops. Watauga, TX.

May 17, 2007.

No comment. Avondale, TX. May 14, 2007.


Southbound UP freight on BNSF. Haslet, TX. May 13, 2007.


BNSF loaded coal train north of Saginaw, TX. May 14, 2007.

Old coal hoppers rolling through Haslet, Tx. May 14, 2007.

Center-cab switch engine at Trinity Industries near Hicks Airport. May 14, 2007.

A cultural statement on the rear window of a pickup truck.

Watauga, Tx. May 17, 2007.

That's all for now... stay tuned for my next entry, "A tale of two bike rides" (my reviews of the May 12 North Texas Classic and the May 19 Cross Timbers Classic).

WSC

np: Hayes Carll - "Hey baby where you been" from the "Little Rock" album

nr: Ayn Rand - The Fountainhead