MFWSA Detouring on the Waco Sub

In a rare move, I caught the UP MFWSA (Ft Worth - San Antonio) train departing Taylor last week on the Waco sub.  There has been significant trackwork on the Austin Sub so the train departed to the South and took the Waco sub on its detour to San Antonio.  Not sure if it rerouted through Flatonia, or reversed the locomotives again at Smithville (not sure if the locos ran around the train at Taylor, or if they reversed it back into the yard like Amtrak the previous week) but I caught it at Coupland and crossing the Austin Western railroad in Elgin.  Video 1 is the train just south of Coupland along HWY 95 and video 2 is in Elgin.  

UP 5019 Leads Amtrak's Texas Eagle 3/12/2010 Taylor, Texas

UP 5019 led Amtrak's Northbound Texas Eagle into Taylor this morning with Amtrak 120 on the end.  The train made reverse move North onto the Waco Sub then backed South across the interlocker then back West into Taylor Yard to position 120 North and cut off the UP motor in the yard.  An Amtrak crew boarded and the train departed up the Waco Sub to Temple.

Part 1 : UP 5019 Leads Amtrak into Taylor


Part 2: Backing South Across the Austin Sub down the Waco Sub To Reposition the Amtrak Unit Facing Back North:



Part 3:  UP 5019 Bringing Amtrak Back Into the Taylor Yard to Cut off the UP Unit and Depart Back to the North with Amtrak 120 Leading

ex BN, BNSF SD40-2s on Austin Western

Finally made it over to McNeil this afternoon to check on the reported ex BN and BNSF SD40-2s that Watco is bringing in to replace the SD50 fleet.  As luck would have it, my camera died the second I got there so I salvaged what I could by using the video camera picture feature.  Below are pics of what I could get, the units are not very accessible.  Some were parked behind others in the engine bay and the others were on West down Howard Ln, where there is nowhere to pull over and grab shots.

A GRR Dump Train On Union Pacific at Hutto, Texas



A Northbound Rock Train In Round Rock that Originated on the Austin Western at McNeil

This old BN Caboose was in Teague on a MofW Rail Train on Jan 30, 2010

Ferromex Units Prepare to Depart With a Northbound UP Train at Taylor, TX on Jan 30, 2010

More of SP 8580

The SP 8580 Has Still Been Working the Smithville Local.  Here Are Some Pics From December 22, 2009 as the Local Departs Taylor  

Patched Cotton Belt Sits in the Taylor Yard

Unpatched SP 8580 In Central Texas

I went out yesterday afternoon trying to catch the UP 1982 as it was scheduled to be on the MSAFW coming through Round Rock.   An even bigger surprise was waiting when I pulled  into Taylor. The Smithville local was departing with unpatched SP 8580 leading. I followed him down HWY 95 to Elgin, shooting videos right south of Coupland and coming into Elgin.  This was the catch of the year, as I wasnt sure id ever see a true SP motor ever leading again, even if it was on a local.  Hopefully he'll stick around the area for a while and we can get some better shots and videos.