Shot this stranger from the Great White North on the point of a rock train crossing the Red River north of Denison, TX: CN C44-9W leading a BNSF C44-9W (in Super FLeet Colors) on the point of a TXI empty unit rock train to a quarry north of Madill, OK. It's on UP (ex-Katy) trackage at this point, but about 25 yards north it'll hit the switch leading it back onto the ex-Frisco main line north. The majority of BNSF traffic here in Sherman is rock trains, with about 6 a day (3 each way); the rest is locals based out of Sherman and a long-distance local between Tulsa and Irving. Another shot of the motive power of the rock train, rolling north on the ex-Frisco over US Highways 69 & 75. 40 Ortner 100-ton hoppers with TXIX reporting marks are trailing this pair on a return to a quarry north of Madill, OK. [ November 07, 2005, 12:12 AM: Message edited by: friscobob ]
Lest ye forget, back in 1998 or 1999 BNSF and CN were talking merger. Had this happened, there woulda been a lot of Warpumpkins in the Prairie Provinces, and beaucoup Canuck Northerns down Texas way. As it is, the merger was called off. CN diesels are also found on UP freights (caught a few in Cheyenne whilst I wuz up there), and my guess is that they're interchanging at Chicago with Grand Trunk, or off the old IC line (now CN).
