On September 3, 2002, I visited the Union Pacific Steam Shops and roundhouse in Cheyenne, Wyoming. These and others are on another page (this one has gotten too long), so click here:

http://www.trainweather.com/railmidwesttwo.html (Includes the UP Shops in Cheyenne)
 

South Kansas & Oklahoma (former Santa Fe?) tracks in Independence, Kansas August 21, 2002. This old wigwag signal was still on one of the city streets. Notice the old Santa Fe emblem on the overpass. Also in Indenpendence, Kansas was this old railroad freighthouse along the UP (which crossed the SK&O in this area).

The South Kansas & Oklahoma is getting ready to cross the UP line at Neodesha, Kansas at 1206 p.m. August 22, 2002. Notice the gates lowered across the busy UP line (there was a UP coal train on a siding just south of town waiting to go north). The Santa Fe caboose was on the city square in Burlington, Kansas.

BNSF 9776 hauls an empty coal train southbound through Dakoto City, Nebraska, 451 p.m. August 23, 2002.

Upper three shots are of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern's tracks at Arlington and De Smet, South Dakota, including a DME grain car. The one just above shows DM&E #6055 ready to leave Huron, South Dakota heading east with a long string of grain cars at 300 p.m. August 24, 2002, a Saturday.

The top two are closeups of the DME freight ready to leave Huron on August 24, 2002. The ones below were taken in the DME yard in Huron.

BNSF 9053 is going at least 70 mph as it passes a crossing outside Garryowen, Montana at 1220 p.m. Monday, August 26, 2002, hauling a loaded coal train. Notice the four matched EMD units. (I assumed this was a BNSF line - right?)

Upper left is a BNSF unit in Shelby, Montana, along with the Shelby Amtrak depot. Lower left has a green BNSF unit doing yard work (Shelby has a large BNSF intermodal facility and even has a special exit off Interstate 15 for that facility). A BNSF freight was heading westward just west of Shelby at 1043 a.m., Tuesday August 27, 2002.

An eastbound BNSF intermodal lead by #4624 passes the westbound train seen above. This was taken off US Highway 2, which runs nicely alongside the BNSF line all the way to Cut Bank, Montana. This shot was taken at 1047 a.m. August 27.

Famous Cut Bank, Montana, one of the coldest spots in the country (even today, Tuesday, August 27, 2002), it was cloudy, windy and cool - about 58 degrees. Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder arrived at 1155 a.m., one hour late. Notice the special car on the rear (sorry, but didn't get the name). The inside of the unmanned station is acceptable.

East Glacier, Montana at the Glacier Park Amtrak station on August 27. BNSF7131 leads a westbound freight past the station at 527 p.m.

The tracks past the Glacier Park station had concrete ties. We were staying at the Glacier Lodge, which is located just west of the station, within easy walking distance.

The westbound Empire Buiilder arrives at East Glacier at 643 p.m. August 27, departing on the advertised at 648 p.m. (it did this the following evening as well, perfectly on time - it's amazing that BNSF can run this train on time most of the time with all their other traffic on this line - why can't UP?  I know I don't know all there is to know about railroad operations and dispatching, but someone try to explain to me why Amtrak trains can't be run on time nationwide. Notice the large crowd getting off/on this train. Made me wonder how other Amtrak lines across the country would do if they were run this well.

The Glacier Lodge had a spot in the lobby for Amtrak passengers along with this schedule.

Amtrak's Empire Builder eastbound at Marias Pass (crossing the Continental Divide) at 930 a.m. on August 29, 2002, a Thursday. It was an accident that I saw it here...the bus tour we were taking just happened to have stopped at this pass as part of the tour. The Superliners sort of look like N-scale models against the mountains, right?

Amtrak passenger's luggage at Glacier Lodge for the eastbound Empire Builder, August 30, 2002, a Friday.

A BNSF freight heads east through East Glacier August 30, 2002.

A BNSF westbound freight passes behind the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex, Montana (this Inn is geared for railfans and is the only business at this place). The photos were taken August 30, 2002, Friday. The cabooses are across the tracks (there is a pedestrian walkway over the tracks) and rented for special hotel rooms.

These were taken August 30, 2002 at Whitefish, Montana. The same BNSF freight that went past the Izaak Walton Inn is stopped in front of the Amtrak Whitefish station. There were a field full of decorated bears in a park across from the station, being auctioned off for charity.

Amtrak's eastbound Empire Building at its station stop at Belton (West Glacier), Montana, Saturday, August 31, 2002 at 9 a.m. Notice the Vermonter baggage car.

A Montana Rail Line blue locomotive sits in the yards at Missoula, Montana, August 31, 2002, a Saturday. The station is the former Northern Pacific station and still has the NP emblem on the sides.

The Montana Rockies Rail Tours dinner train sat on a siding in Livingston, Montana, August 31, 2002. I assume they were getting ready to have a run since it was lit up and people were in the baggage car. There was no power, however. We were on a tight schedule to get to Billings, so we couldn't stop. Anyone know the origins of these nice-looking passenger cars?

The Montana Rail Link's yards at Livingstone, Montana. The wrecked KCS unit was on a flatcar in the yard. Why was it here?

A Montana Rail Link (MRL) short haul was going across a street in Downtown Billings, Montana at 854 a.m., Sunday, September 1, 2002.

For a continuation of this page, go to:

http://www.trainweather.com/railmidwesttwo.html (including the UP Shops in Cheyenne on September 3)

Email me if you want....