Trying something different to incorporate the Minot railroad museum as northbound CP tonnage rolls by: The Minot Amtrak depot, from an unusual angle (minus from a stepladder), only available during winter. I was standing on a monster stow pile!
The depot shot is epic!! If it wasn't for the Dodge truck, and the Amtrak signage, you could be waiting for the GN Empire Builder!
I haven't been through there in about a year. Since then, they painted the fascia. Theres a ton a railroad books, posters, and photos. There's also a great N scale layout in the basement.
The T4 AC units with that steeper-sloping radiator line... Looks like a tent! I know that's not what the T stands for in the loco model, but still.....
So much different from days of 'E' and 'F' units. These look so "slab" like with the angular jointed flat laying surfaces.
Double knockdown at Soo Tower interlocking. A fast-moving empty oil can and following closely behind, a manifest knocks down double flashing approach signals at Soo Tower. Both trains arrived within about 15 sec of each other, and both FREDs marked their passage.
Kurt, That's the effect I was hoping for, and it's only possible with video or time exposure photos. One of these days, I hope to get a flashing approach that becomes a clear and then a knockdown to red in the same exposure... I figure that's nigh impossible to predict and pull off. The double knockdown was pretty hard to plan for; it just happened! The toughest part was guessing train speed, length and exposure time/aperture.
West of Gassman Coulee Trestle, two main track resumes. This control point is all red as a westbound frac sand train leaves Minot in the distance. The signals cast a red hue on the snow and an eastbound train sits just off camera waiting its turn to enter Minot.
At one time, state of the art and the latest in technology, now relegated to mostly local and yard status, the once common SD40-2 of EMD still gets a chance to get out on the main and stretch it's legs at Auburn, Wa SB yesterday. They still have that good old EMD sound in Notch 8!! In this pic, you can see the difference between a standard and a "Snoot-Nose" SD40-2..... Going, going........ Get your pics now, before they disappear all together.
Nothing too new to add. Just a shot of the BNSF MAC's sitting in town. A nice balmy 38-40 degrees today! Some snow recently. Most gone at this point. Gotta make a run south at some point! Palmer Lake area one day!
West of Minot about 15 miles lies the tiny town of Des Lacs, ND. Directly west of town is Des Lacs Reservoir; more of a glorified pond, but it does have a nice steel bridge to shoot. BNSF WB traffic charges across the Des Lacs Reservoir bridge. The train is crossing the old bridge, a new concrete bridge stands directly behind on main track 2.
