Lady72nRob71

Great! We have a month to figger it out. Bring an Olds this time!

Would be fun if I had any vacation time. I also want to get the AC finished before going on anything very long near summer.

Do that! We like reading about others' trips - does not have to be too far. This Sulfur Springs trip was only 150 miles or so.

Fiddle sticks - we all start somewhere. Get out the camera and start experimenting. Digital makes it easy and free (aside from batteries of course...)

Lady72nRob71

So on Friday I get a call from Carl, (HAMM36 on this forum) saying that he is going out to his property in East Texas and he knew I wanted to make a road trip out there to check it out.
So on moment's notice, I decide to do it, as the weather was cool and all was dry. In fact it was so cool that it was almost too cool for tops down!
Strange - we actually get a spring season this year!
So after an hour of farm roads, I hit the town of Terrill, where I hit 80E, for another hour.
As I was turning on to 80E, I see a freight train speeding along the tracks on the other side.
I slogged through Terrell, the busiest town on this stretch of road I will be traveling.

It appears to have more history than I thought, so i need to explore this town more some time.

The road was lined with wild flowers of all colors. Here is a nice patch of yellows...


After a few more miles I met up with the train that passed me in Terrell!

And why no caboose? Engineer is definitely one car short of a whole train!

I soon decided to have a little fun with that train...
As I caught up to the last car (I was doing 60), he began picking up speed. At first he was on the south side, but soon 80 makes an S-curve and I went under the train and he was then to the north of me. I was doing 70 and stayed with him but not for long - that train was booken'!
At 75 I was inching past. As I caught up to the engine, I was doing 80.
I was ready to lean on the horn to try to get him to do the same, but he did before I did!

Below is a short video of it. It looks crappy but it had to be compressed to 2megs, site max. I was watching the road the whole time, just pointing the camera in different places. I did not realize how cool it was until i watched it at home...

Lady72nRob71

Next I pass through historic Wills Point. Lots of fun things to see here.
Here is the old railroad depot...


The downtown sector is way cool - I visited last year by motorcycle.


Next I pass through Grand Saline, "salt mine of Texas". Yes, the Morton salt factory is just nearby!
Here is a big salt chunk that sits at the town museum.


Here is typical Texas landscape in spring. Green, very flat, kinda boring when compared to the west coast.


And here is Mineola.


LOTS of antiques stores and the famous East Texas Burger joint. I ate there when on the way to Caddo Lake a couple years ago.

Lady72nRob71

So turned off 80E just before Hawkins on a small county road...


Made it over there in 2 hours flat, 101.5 miles. The time passed quickly!
Lady gets a rest under a canopy of trees...


Got a combination of prairie and woods and everything in between...


I got to try my first shot with an old Browning Auto-5 12gauge. (pun intended)

I was skeet shooting in no time and a box of shells went fast!
Need to stock up before they are banned...
Also dialed in the BB guns as best as I could, which is about +/- 2 feet.

We also shot the breeze, walked the property, burned some stumps, and roasted marshmallows over a campfire - had not done that for 25 years or so!
I enjoy being out in the country with peace, quiet, and so much more freedom. Some people just do not understand this...

I left at 10pm, stopped for gas in Mineola. Gas was 22 cents less here than anywhere else - 3.11 a gallon!
I got two cases of beer, too, for only 18 each - wow!
I got home at midnight, so it was a fun-filled day for sure.
Thanks Carl!!

Allan R

Cool video Rob
To answer your question about no caboose?

Tail-end devices mounted on the last car - called FREDs; Flashing Rear End Device, monitor brake pipe air pressure and can dump the emergency brakes from a control unit linked to the engineers station. FRED is also equipped with motion detectors. The engineer's station also usually has a DMD (distance measuring device) similar to a car odometer for measuring overall distances or between set points.

Wayside inspection systems have also replaced the need for visual inspections previously done by the brakeman and conductor in the caboose. At specified locations, these systems will scan the the bogey and frame assemblies for hot wheels, overheated bearings, shifted loads, or seized wheels. The information is then transmitted in real time via radio to the engineer and the train company communications center for any required action.

starfire

Yes, they went to FREDs. I don't think I've seen a caboose for 20 years. As I understand it, trains carrying hazardous waste still use them. Not sure though.

Lady72nRob71

Bummer - cabooses have gone the way of lighthouses on the shore for signalling ships...
Thanks for the explanations - it is neat to learn new things about transportation.

Jamesbo

Rob, Ya need to lean into the A-5 and get the stock down into your armpit so your cheek can rest on top of the stock.

Lady72nRob71

That picture was taken right after firing (note the smoke puff), so the recoil had pushed me back some. I cut it from a video that was taken of me.
One box of shells barely got me into the learning curve!
I really need a few cases.

Allan R

20 years? Up here the last one I remember was back in 84. They've been around since early 70's IIRC. FRED's are always in a state of tech improvement too. Now they have a Wilma that works with it to give the locomotive excellent feedback from the end unit.

In Canada the TDG Act covers transportation of these commodities and FRED is used on trains with Dangerous (hazardous) goods; which includes chemical waste products. The tank cars must display a UN placard to identify the contents. Most of the 'toxic' wastes I think you're referring to are transported by truck now to disposal/incineration sites.

Otherwise the only trains I know of that typically have a crummy (slang for caboose) would be the historic train ride units/museum display trains.

Pretty much everything in railroading is going the way of technology and job attrition. There are a lot of pro/con arguments to be made by both sides. Thing is, once tech is installed it's a serious uphill argument with about a 0% chance of winning. The initial cost of tech install is higher, but then install & mtce costs are recovered easily through reduced wages for smaller crew size and mtce for caboose rolling stock amongst other things.

Tedd Thompson

Rob I always enjoy your trip shots, I don't do Texas unless by airplane but I think your interests are a lot like mine, lots of historic towns and neat back roads. You will love the North Coast when you move up to this end of the world, something you already know, one can get lost in the beauty from your kitchen window.....Lost in the fifties....Tedd

2blu442

Thanks for sharing Rob. Looks like a great way to spend your free time. I've not noticed any recent posts from Carl. How's he doing?



John

Lady72nRob71

Yes, you know my interests quite well!
I could care less about our big cities. I always look forward to shopping, dining and exploring in old historic towns without the crowds. I am sick of the congestion.
I already love the west coast - I fell in love almost 10 years ago when i first went there. My neighbors there on the coast sent me pictures from my lot - it was gorgeous as usual!

Yes, it was a blast. For some reason I really liked racing that Union Pacific freight train - I did not know they could even go that fast!
Carl is doing well - he just does not post much. His daughter is growing up so quickly - she is bigger every time I see her!
I sure wish i could cruise the coast - that would be paradise...

oldcutlass

Great pic's and video Rob. Gotta love the small towns and back roads. Granbury is getting to big, in about 2 years I'm thinkin smaller.