It’s been a while since I went out train watching, so I decided to head out to the BNSF main line south of Baldwin near the town of LeLoup (Ohio Terrace)
I arrived at Ohio Terrace around 930. Unfortunately, there was no activity (an eastbound had just passed when I got there) I found out why around 1040: A hi-rail SUV with BN markings pased the crossing. I was listening in as there was conversation with the dispacther, requesting more track and time. Agigular (sp?) requested track and time between Wellsville and Gardner. As I was heading east, I heard the dispacther request a modification to the track and time to allow a couple of trains to come through.
Upon hearing the fact that a couple of trains were being lined through, I made it over to the city lake at Edgerton. I also found out why these trains were lined through: they were two sections of an intermodal train containing trailers for UPS. Knowing that UPS is a demanding customer, the “brown trains” are perhaps one of the hottest comodities on the railroad. The first section carried units from CN and CSX, the second contained a “unpatched” Santa Fe unit.
I stayed at the park a while longer. Since there were still Work Limits where the derailment ocured, I heared a westbound request permission to enter the work zone. It was a grain train. It also had a CN unit in its consist.
I also observed some apparent students hanging out at a nearby picnic shelter. I observed some of them head to the shelter by crossing the tracks where there is no crossing. Perhaps a visit from a BNSF Operation Lifesaver rep should be in order.
While compiing these notes, three more trains came through — an westbound “brown” intermodal, and a eastbound train of empty hoppers led by an SD40-2. Probably a work train, since there was a CAT in one of the gondolas. The third train was an eastbound intermodal, led by two “green” SD40-2s