Flowers and trains at Brinkley, Arkansas Saturday, June 24, 2006. Some pictures were taken from inside looking out the windows of the old Rock Island baggage room (now a conference center in the restored depot). Locomotives today: BNSF 713 *** NS 9939, 8959, 6068 (Operation Lifesaver) *** UP 4014, 5090, 3259 *** CEFX 3146 *** Wisconsin Central 6002 *** CN 6140 *** CSX 8052, 8357, 8030. Yellow UP locomotives - 3, non-yellow leased, owned or trackage rights locomotives - 10 (at least of those I photographed today).



CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE. Or, to view all photos in a larger format, click on:
http://www.trainweather.com/flowers-trains-brinkley-june242006-broadband.html


LEFT-The 1921 brass bell was from the Farrell Locomotive Works (1898-1994) Brinkley, Arkansas. RIGHT-Closeup of signs.


LEFT-Flowers were at full bloom. The director of this Central Delta Depot Museum (Bill Sayger) loves flowers and gardening. (More flower shots at end of page). RIGHT-BNSF 713 10:59 a.m. just off the curve from the Memphis line.  Taken from inside the conference room, the former Rock Island baggage room.


LEFT-Crossing US Highway 70. RIGHT-NS 9939, 11:21 a.m. This train came from the north on former Cotton Belt tracks, now the directional-south main for UP.


LEFT-12:07 p.m., UP 4014.  RIGHT-CEFX 3146, 12:53 p.m. The old depot out the window is the Monroe, Arkansas Missouri Pacific depot moved to this spot from Monroe. Tracks no longer go through Monroe.


LEFT-Wisconsin Central 6002 on same train. I didn't get the number of the CN unit, but this was a colorful consist. RIGHT-NS 8959, 1:29 p.m. The Southern Pacific caboose (number 4746) is on a replacement track on the abandoned Rock Island, which has been taken up from this point westward to just outside North Little Rock. The former Rock is still quite active east of here toward Memphis used by the UP.


LEFT-IC SD-40-2R # 6068 Operation Lifesaver, and the one behind it in CN colors is also an Illinois Central SD-40-2R # 6140.  CN decided to put a few of these units
in their scheme (thanks to Mike Gitlin for information). RIGHT-CN 6140. 1:52 p.m.


LEFT-A train approaches from Memphis at 2:46 p.m. There was a family here touring the museum from Chicago that loved trains and they were all photographing this one. They saw the 'DEPOT MUSEUM' sign on Interstate 40 and paid us a visit. RIGHT-UP 5090.


LEFT-CSX 8052 and UP 3259 passes the depot and small flower patch at 3:20 p.m. Lighting in the afternoon is much better than in the morning. RIGHT-CSX 8357 and 8030, about 3:50 p.m.

More flower pictures at the depot: