KCS Trip - 5

H,  Both Dale and I felt this was our best day.  We were heading north today and would spend the night at the Quality Inn in Siloam Springs again.

However, first we would go to Heavener to see what was going on.  On the way we made our second stop at Howe in the sun.  This time it was early enough that No. 4061 had sun on the nose.

We continued on to Forest Hill where this northbound empty coal train was sitting.  Since there was no crew aboard we decided to check out the fuel pad and the south end of the yard.

At the south end of Heavener Yard we found a coal train and the prior day's HKCSH. 

Neither train could move until the HSHKC, which was sitting on single track just south of town could come in.  It was recrewed with a yard crew before entering the yard.  Once the HSHKC was in the yard the coal train left.  

We attempted to chase the coal train but, due to indecision on our part, it beat us to Page and we were unwilling to chase it up the mountain.  The HKCSH, with its to retro Belles was more interesting.  Our first shot was at Petros, OK.

We then headed for CP South Page, OK.  The dispatcher had set up a meet here and this light power set was brought in behind a train ahead.

We photographed the HKCSH here and then

again at Howard, AR.  The station sign was erected by the property owner and is not on railroad property.

A few miles upgrade from Howard there is another open spot and the foreground was covered with yellow flowers (Buttercups?).

We then proceeded to the top of the grade at Rich Mountain, AR.  No meet here today.

The train went into emergency just downgrade from Rich Mountain so we waited for a few minutes at Eagleton,AR until it got moving again.  The conductor was riding the rear car and the plan was for the train to back up the grade and pick him up.  However, we took him to the next grade crossing down the grade and he boarded the engines there.

It was time to head north.  However, first we headed to Spiro, OK and drove in to the south end of the Arkansas River Bridge.  There were a number of southbound trains in the picture and this manifest was first across the bridge.

Having gotten our bridge shot at the south end we decided to make the long trip around to the north end in the hopes of catching the HSHKC which we believed would be departing Heavener soon.  Just as we were driving away from the bridge we heard a south bound coal train call the signal on the north side of the river so we set up to shoot him on the south approach to the bridge.

We then went to the north end of the bridge at Redland, OK where we got this south bound grain train, and

the HSHKC.  Note that the gray KCS locomotive was added in Heavener.

It was a great day for Dale and me and I hope you enjoyed the photos.