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| Title: |
The day begins |
| Description: |
I started back for home mid day on Dec 11, taking NM 47 to US 60. My first encounter was with a pair of trains at the NM 47 crossing, known as Sais. This westbound, with an eclectic mix of 60 freight, 39 stack platforms, 8 autoracks and two articulated racks, has just met a double move, a stack train with an oil train coupled up to the rear. I figured to catch him at the top of Abo Canyon. Not to be, I did get him at Mountainair, but othrwise, it was a futile chase. The Ferromex unit was a common sight on trains here. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 5:14:21 AM |
| Location: |
Sais, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 6133(ES44AC) FXE 4657(ES44AC) BNSF 6208(ES44AC) |
| Views: |
22 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Long trains meet |
| Description: |
The westbound in the previous shot approaches as the combined stack and oil train heads for Abo Canyon. Id hang a few minutes to shoot the westbound, but the eastbound, as big as it was, would beat me to the top of the canyon at Scholle. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 5:38:00 AM |
| Location: |
Sais, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 3777(ET44C4) |
| Views: |
15 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Meet in the sage |
| Description: |
Once at the top of the grade in Scholle, US 60 follows the Transcon essentially within sight all the way to Vaughn, though the trains have a way of showing up at difficult spots. I was driving a Winnebago, which limited my flexibility in being able to change directions, so sometimes had to take a shot Id not have done otherwise. This is the meet of the combined stack/oil train, with BNSF 6929 at right, and a westbound behind bnsf 5721. This was the closest I got to passing the eastbound. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 5:51:50 AM |
| Location: |
Scholle, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 5721(ES44AC) BNSF 3884(ET44C4) BNSF 8012(ES44C4) BNSF 6929(ES44C4) BNSF 5433(C44-9W) |
| Views: |
12 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Spent an hour here |
| Description: |
Next time, Ill stay longer. The station here is a Santa Fe classic, and is in good shape, as it is used by BNSF MOW crews as a base of operations. Its also a wonderful photo prop, as we see with this westbound stack train |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 5:56:47 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 7785(ES44DC) BNSF 5288(C44-9W) |
| Views: |
12 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Meet at the station |
| Description: |
The westbound stack in the previous photo is still passing the station as the mixed stack/oil train rolls east on the north track. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:01:33 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 6929(ES44C4) BNSF 5433(C44-9W) BNSF 4075(C44-9W) BNSF 4662(C44-9W) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Stacks and stacks |
| Description: |
The meeting stack trains make an interesting colorful scene as they pass the Mountainair station. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:04:51 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
RollingStock,Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
9 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Not exactly a DPU. |
| Description: |
This looks like a mid train DPU, but is actually the head end of the oil train coupled to the stacker. The first car is a buffer, then a long string of tanks. There are 117 stack platforms ahead of these two units, and 90 cars behind. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:14:33 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 4617(C44-9W) BNSF 5531(C44-9W) |
| Views: |
11 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Now a DPU |
| Description: |
The DPU on the combined train rolls under my perch on the NM 55 overpass, giving the long train a push east. This was the last time Id get this close. As I mentioned about one of the trains on the trip out, BNSF runs these trains like theyre being chased by a fire breathing dragon. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:20:23 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 3777(ET44C4) |
| Views: |
13 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
TOFC |
| Description: |
Despite the prevalence of stack trains, there are still a good number of TOFC/COFC moves on the Transon. One of them passes the station as it heads west with 62 cars in tow. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:24:44 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 5767(ES44AC) BNSF 5543(ES44C4) BNSF 8076(ES44C4) BNSF 6902(ES44C4) |
| Views: |
16 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Stack west |
| Description: |
A close up view of a westbound stack passing the station at Mountainair. The long lens brings in the mountains in the distance. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:28:31 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 5317(C44-9W) BNSF 4112(C44-9W) BNSF 7075(ES44C4) |
| Views: |
17 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Wide view |
| Description: |
The same train in a wider angle view, a much more panoramic look at the surrounding territory. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:33:52 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 5317(C44-9W) BNSF 4112(C44-9W) BNSF 7075(ES44C4) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Yet another meet |
| Description: |
An eastbound with 106 stack platforms passes the westbound on the north track. I left shortly after this, and never caught the eastbound, all the way to Vaughn. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:37:20 AM |
| Location: |
Mountainair, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Station,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 3267(ES44C4) BNSF 4160(C44-9W) BNSF 4736(C44-9W) |
| Views: |
10 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Westbound and folly |
| Description: |
I ran across this westbound stack at Lucy, pulling off mostly deserted US 60 to get the shot. You can go a long way out here and not see anyone for a long time, yet for some reason known only to God and NMDOT, the road is posted 55 MPH. Idiocy!! |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2023 Upload Date: 4/8/2024 6:47:34 AM |
| Location: |
Lucy, NM |
| Author: |
Tom Beckett |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Action |
| Locomotives: |
BNSF 9216(SD70ACe) BNSF 8023(ES44C4) CP 8831(ES44AC) BNSF 5471(C44-9W) |
| Views: |
11 Comments: 2 |
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