Right before Haloween, I wanted to head down to Uncle Warren’s pumpkin patch (AKA, the BNSF Southern Transcon) to catch some action. Let’s just say I was not disappointed.
I noticed the headlights of an oncoming westbound as soon as I hit the Louisiana Terrace crossing west of Ottawa. I had just enough time to park Amelia (my 2019 Subaru Impreza) and set up for the shot.
At 1221, BNSF 7424 leads a westbound intermodal.
Closeup of BNSF 7424 and 8320
I’m not sure who came up with the name “fakebonnet” to describe the Dash-9s that were ordered by and/or delivered to the BNSF post-merger in red and silver with BNSF replacing Santa Fe on the sides. There’s nothing fake about this paint job on BNSF 721. Note that this is one of the early post-merger warbonnets – the nose herald still reads “Santa Fe”
With my current SLR camera, I can copy my photos from my camera directly to my smartphone, a can upload my pictures for my fellow railfans (and anybody who is interested) to see. At 1232, I had just copied my photos to the phone, but didn’t have time to post them to social media, when a westbound “Z” rolls through on the heels of the previous intermodal. I know where my prorities lay 🙂
BNSF 5524, 5534, 6805, and 1030 (all in various states of orange) take point of this westbound.
Second Shot of the lead power.
I probably need to consider packing a weed-whacker in the back of my car. Here’s a closeup of BNSF ES44C4 6805.
1244: I was able to update Instagram and Facebook with trains 1 and 2 before train 3 arrived to finish the westbound intermodal parade.
Three Dash 9s in three different paint schemes are on the point of this “Z”
Heritage 2 paint scheme – BNSF 5457 (Hopefully, Warren Buffet’s check did not bounce)
Heritage 1 – BNSF 1122
Post-merger Warbonnet: BNSF 4707 (note that this later version, with a “BNSF” nose herald)
With YRC, FedEx, and UPS as customers on this train, I’d say this train’s likely a top-priority “Z” train
I actually got a 20 minute break to do my social media thing and listen to some Casey Kasem repeats before train 4 arrived at 1308.
BNSF 5124 and 8249 lead a set of ‘stacks and ‘racks.
Closeup of the power. It appears that 8249 has become a “painted pumpkin.”
Closeup of 8249
Away shot of the Power
Before the 4th train arrived, I swore I heard two distinct sets of train horns, so I stood ready to catch a meet.
The eastbound has cleared the crossing. Out in the distance is the headlights of a westbound
I turns out I was right, but I would miss the good shot of the meet by a mile, but now I know to get ready for train number 5.
A pair of ES44C4s lead this westbound grain train with a mix of brown and green hoppers.
Closeup of the matched pair of H3 pumpkins.
Away shot of the power heading past the weeds.
A different pumpkin from the lead power, H2 painted C44-9W 5402, is the train’s DPU.
Parting shot of 5402 among the weeds.
1317: Before I could completely update Social Media, here comes train number 6, an eastbound intermodal.
Four orange BNSF units lead this intermodal.
Closeup of lead C44-9W 4647.
A parting shot of the pumpkin power.
All of the above photos were taken October 26, 2019.
