Hello Everyone,
Well after 25 hours of driving & 2 nights spent sleeping in the car, I'm
in Dallas, Tx. What a fun trip & it gave me alot of time to think about
things & railfan as well. After driving 11 hours thursday, I spent the
humid night in the car with the AC on the entire time:) in Lebanon, TN.
Which is 30 mles outside of Nashville, TN.
Friday was an adventure & I do mean an adventure.
After leaving Lebanon, TN I used the cb trucker's net (ch 19) to guide
myself around Nashville, TN. Just after Nashville I started chatting
with an M.S.CARRIERS trucker who gave me alot of great advice & guided
me fom Nashville to Memphis, TN. In Memphis he was due to depart the
highway, so he called on the CB for anyone going towards Shreavport, LA
( I was meeting a friend in Springhill, LA)
Sure enough there was a trucker going my way & would guide me to
Loiusiana. We (Trucker & me following) decided to pullover at a
truckstop to refuel & grab some grub. As we pulled in to the truck stop
( Exit 46??or 48 off I-40W in Arkansas) I noticed a railline next to it
& the lights just started to flash as I got out of the car.
No time to grab my camera, does a westbound Union Pacific Coal train
whip by. UP 96?? leading with a trailing SP unit. While eatting, also
got a glimpse of another wetbound UP train with helper power on the
rear. After dparting the truck stop we jumped back on I-40W threw
Arkansas. Now railfanning was not my only adventure. Along the highway,
I counted 20 brush fires across I-40. One right next to the highway.
Could anything get wlder you ask??? YES, On I-40 near Little Rock AR we
hit a thunderstorm. Just not any thunderstorm. A tornadic thunderstorm.
As we were crusing by at 65 or 70 mph I caught glimpse of what looked to
be a high version of a wall cloud. We are comng up the next big hill on
the highway, what starts 15 feet (15 FEET) (No joking) to the left
of us, a debris cloud on the ground. After seeing that, I never drove so
fast. LOL I love tornado's but I never ever want to be that close to
a devolping one.
In Prescott, Arkansas caught a glimpse of a south/west?? KCS Freight
train. On AR-29 we crossed a doubletrack east-west mainline ( UP OR
KCS??) After departing the truckers, I wnt south for my friend in
Springhill,LA.
Today: This morning while in Springhill/Cullen LA, my friend Jerry
Strahan gave me a guded tour of a great little louisiana town (THANKS
JERRY!!!) There was a railline that wnt threw town parrell to US-371.
Most of it was removed up to the International Paper plant in
Springhill.
I was told it was a Kansas City Southern (kcs) line & sure engugh I got
a shot of a local KCS freight interchanging with the IP plant.
After departing Springhill, I headed toward I-20W towards Dallas.
Getting into town I drive down to Steven's Transport to discover that my
eyesight most likely will prevent me from being a truck driver. 20/20
vision with glasses. grrrrrrr
I'll know a final word tomarrow:( Anyway, I remember from talking wih
Nick Pitsch (TrainFan's Moderator & friend) of a railyard near the hotel
& school.
On the way back from Steven's I noticed the rail bridge i passed under
had a very SLOW moving UP Pig train. After trying to get to the line & a
bout with Lucent Technology Security, I got to the line missing the darn
train. But what do I see to my right, but UP MOW trucks, cranes, etc.
What else was there, 3 jackknifed autoracks along the tracks. According
to a very nice MOW worker an Autorack train derailed.
Oh by the way, while watching the workings of the UP MOW workers what
should appear in the thunderstorms that were passing by????? Yep you
guessed it, a funnel cloud that was there & gone in minute.
I'm in Mesquite, Texasm a suburab of Dallas. I should be going home
according to what they told me tomarrow or monday. (I'm ticked)
Take care & see you all soon:)
Jason Breakiron
Dallas, Tx
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