Well, I just got done processing photos from today (Saturday) and since it's already 0230, I might as well stay up a while longer. Today was somewhat repetitive, since I went to St. Paul twice.
I woke up around 0800 and took a look at ATCS to see if the TCW had gotten onto the BN yet. I saw the signal come in and the train hit the distant signal. I debated for a while if I actually wanted to get up or go back to sleep. Looking out the window and seeing the sun shinning made my decision for me and I was off. The whole reason for watching the St. Paul Turn is because I knew they were going out to Dunn and I've never shot that before. Well, there is a considerable distance between Cedar Lake Jct. and Dunn, so I tried to figure out where to shoot them first.
I came up with the brilliant idea to try and shoot the train going through the new Twins stadium project. The train and I got there at the same time so I missed a shot, but not to worry, a phosphate empty was soon coming with two CSX units, or so I thought. I looked all over but could not find a suitable place to shoot an eastbound coming out of the construction. I gave up and as I was leaving light power was headed west to Cedar Lake Jct. for an ethanol train on the TCW. The phosphate train was held at Cedar Lake Jct.
With not much of a plan, I headed east towards Midway. I got the idea that I should shoot the phosphate train from the Snelling Ave. bridge with the skyline in the distant background. As I waited, I heard the TCW leaving the MNNR and beginning their descent down Shortline Hill. The CSX power finally arrived, but the light was absolutely horrible. It was about 5 mins before 1000 so the light was becoming harsh and it was shinning right down the middle of the track. I finally took my first photo of the day, but I'll spare you all the horror and not post it. I didn't even process it.
Heading straight for St. Paul I was really hoping the shots of the TCW going out to Dunn would work since I hadn't gotten anything worth my time yet. The crew called the yardmaster as they approached Hoffman, got permission on the industrial lead and a track at Dunn. I went looking for a shot and this is what I came up with:
Finally, a decent result! I ventured closer to Dunn and got one more shot.
Just before I was about to take this shot, a guy started yelling at me. He apparently ran out of a gas and wanted a ride to a gas station. I wanted to say no, but I could tell he was being sincere and when I saw him standing next to my car after I took the shot, I didn't really have much of a choice. I took the poor guy a mile to the gas station and back to his car. I did my good deed and even got $10 for it, but I still feel uneasy about giving strangers rides. I don't think I'll be doing it again.
By now the sun was dangerously high in the sky so I went to try to find an internet connection. A little birdie told me that the trio of MRLs on the INRD coke train were coming west this afternoon and I wanted to see where it was. I couldn't find a stable connection and decided to get out of the heat and just head for home.
Once home I finally was able to check on the location of the MRLs and saw that they were were still east of a LaCrosse. That wasn't good since it meant they would be arriving in St. Paul in the evening, which meant I would probably have to go. I mulled over it for a while and had some lunch. I decided that if there was a good train ahead of the MRLs I would go. I check AEI and 199 has the CEFX 116...crap, I'm going.
I gather my things and stop by the Wooddale Ave. crossing to check on the TCW unit ethanol train. The train was still sitting there awaiting a BN crew to go on duty (it was originally supposed to go to via Willmar but it was changed last minute and no crew was called). The light was horrible so I left and headed for the River Sub., a place I almost never go (I don't like venturing east of St. Paul).
199 was approaching Tower CK when I left and 891 was just out of Donehower. Doing the math, I figured I would get 199 around Red Wing. After a boring drive, I get to Vermillion and hear the dispatcher talking to 891 on the Frontenac radio. Figuring that 199 should be a fair distance ahead of it, I pull over to guarantee I don't miss it between Blackbird and Red Wing. After a long wait west of the Vermillion stub, the train finally arrives. I was expecting it to run on Main1, but of course they cross to Main2 and completely mess up the shot I had setup. I was forced to change my shot and this was the best I could come up with with the 90 seconds I had available:
Crappy light, but I like those SD9043MACs. With that train done, I wanted to speed over to Red Wing and get , but en route I heard the FRED channel come alive and decided to play it safe and turn around. I looked for a good shot and it went something like this:
I followed the train west and it of course stopped at Hastings for a dogcatch crew. The light was horrible so I couldn't even get a shot. I really wanted to know what track they were going to get on the BN so I parked my car and walked over to the bridge over the tracks. After a short wait and I see they are taking Main2...that's just great. As I'm walking back I somehow get a metal wire stuck into the back of my leg. It was quite strange since I never felt it go in, just felt some resistance when I tried to take a step. Shocked to have something stuck in my leg, I try to pull it out and get it after a few tries. I was hurting at first but after 20 minutes or so, the pain went down and I continued to worry about my next shot. Don't worry, I have my tetanus shot. Seeing as show Main2 is virtually inaccessible except for two crossings, I head towards Newport. I try to find a shot just east of Newport, but to no avail and I get on one of the pedestrian overpasses. I took an ugly shot that looked like this:
The train stopped at St. Paul Yard for a crew change, but I went to the Robert St. liftbridge. I waited and waited and tried to find a shot. The light wasn't going to give any decent nose light so I wanted to get a shot more off to the side rather than the traditional shot. There were boats docked making it hard to compose the shot but I finally figured something out. This is the best I could do:
It's not what I had in mind, but it's something. After this I was off towards home to take a shower and enjoy my Saturday night.
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) and then I spent a little time out and about. The picture of the day is below, but I didn't photograph much other than that.
