Well, I spent 5 hours in Rosenberg today at the museum and only saw one KCS train. It came up from Victoria and headed into Houston.
They have been running Schmooze Cruise specials the last few days. Tomorrow is the last one. They tie up at the intermodal yard in Kendleton at night and then each day they race down to Victoria and back. I caught it coming back right as it crossed the Colorado River coming into Wharton.
Sure is a beautiful sight. If only there were more such sleek consists running these days. Boxcab E50
Russ, I sure hope you waved back....vigorously! Those are great photos, especially the wavy one under the bridge.
Coincidently, the following was posted yesterday (7/17/09) on the Trains News Wire. (http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=5331) Nissan opens rail-truck terminal on new KCS line Published: Friday, July 17, 2009 BEASLEY, Texas - Nissan will begin shipping cars manufactured at a Mexican assembly plant through a new distribution center on Kansas City Southern, the Houston Chronicle has reported. The terminal opens on a 90-mile stretch of ex-Southern Pacific track KCS just completed renovating. Nissan intends to transport 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles through the terminal, which is located 45 miles from downtown Houston. Vehicles switching to trucks at the terminal are bound for dealerships in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The vehicles are manufactured at Nissan's Aguascalientes, Mexico, plant.
What a picture! Is there an overpass somewhere to get a picture like this? Not on an busy highway, I hope.Thanks.
Yes, it is right after the train has come off the Colorado River bridge outside Wharton. You can see the bridge at the top of the photo. Normally not too heavy of traffic but still not much shoulder to stand on. 29.304167,-96.105072 - Google Maps The photo was taken by another guy from the Museum.
I am waiting for traffic to increase also. Down here on the line between Laredo and Corpus Christi there would be at least 20 trains within a 24 hour period. Now that number has dropped to around 10. Most of the traffic on the line down here will find its way onto the new line except for the few that head in and out of Corpus Christi which is very few.
I wonder if KCS will now have trains consisting entirely of autoracks coming to and from Mexico or will the autoracks be mixed in on a manifest. I have been waiting for intermodal trains from Mexico also but all I see is a few on the back end of manifests. Just hope to see them down here. The only unit trains I see are grain but no intermodal or autorack yet.
Took a quick trip down the line yesterday from Rosenburg to Wharton. Things were pretty quiet, but it looks like the intermodal yard is starting to see more activity. I saw the schedule for the KCS Christmas train and it'll be down this way in December.
Caught these two going thru Sugarland, Tx, on a KCS train headed towards Rosenburg this morning, August 27th.
Here's a shot of the trackwork. Very nice job! I don't remember the name of this town, I believe it's Edna. That's the old SP depot on the right.
Kind of interesting to see a depot survived long enough that tracks came back! Who owns it? Looks to be in fair condition. Boxcab E50
I am not sure who owns it. It may be the city of Edna judging by the city owned vehicles that were parked in front of it.
Major; Small world!!In the Summer of'69,I lived down the road in Falfurrias so I passed through Premont quite a bit!! Also,when I lived in Flatonia,I was friends with a couple of retired SP Tower 3 Operators. Forrest"Tex"Lanmon was an agent in Premont in the 60's. He's gone now,but Tower 3 was saved!!