Union Pacific Challenger #3985
Fall 2010 Run through Missouri.
All Photos/Video Copyright 2010, James Duncan.
I spent the morning of October 4th chasing the Challenger as it ran down the U.P. River Subdivision toward my hometown of Marshall where it was scheduled to make a service stop right next to the Municipal Park where I watched the MoPac fast freights as I played in the creek as a kid at church picnics.
About 10:35 #3985 swings around the curve into view and the shutterbugs started shooting from the Missouri Rte. 240 overpass. Note the little job north of the switch! I was hoping for a shot that might capture a little bit of the duplex motion...
AND I GOT IT!!! Look close and you'll see that the pilot is not exactly in line with the boiler...
Here's the whole 7-car consist. I didn't notice until the train pulled out by the U.P.'s "NMRA 75th Anniversary" car is in the consist today!
Here's one of those shots you look at and wish you could have shot it 10 seconds earlier... The conductor is in his full, traditional regalia visiting with a young family during the service stop at Marshall. The two kids were totally mesmerized by the conductor and he was clearly giving them quite a show! Two new railfans in the making here!!!
Finally.... 3985's engineer properly called in the rear flagman with four long blasts of the whistle. Then about 3 minutes in you'll hear two long blasts, the bell begins to ring and, almost imperceptably at first, 3985 gets a bite into the rail and a quick tug of the throttle sends a big plume of smoke and steam along with a blast of heavy chuffing sound... Watch close to catch the NMRA car which is the third car behind the tool car! Note the names of the cars pay tribute to famous rail photographers and artists including Howard Fogg!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment