Traincation in DFW

[pmpete]

A Cute little name a coworker shared with me about getting to come down to Dallas to our company's training center. Of course it has another meaning for me with the abundant free time. Time to head trackside with my traveling companion my SD14 and 18-200DCOS Jack of all, master of none lens.
Caught some sunset action behind the Convention Center south of the Reunion Ball.

Rock train snuck up on me while shooting skyline picts and fiddling with bracketing function.

No sooner than the rock trains power ducked under the convention center a empty well car train popped out.

One more with the great skyline at sunset.

Not enough light for trains but hey we can try out the tripod and do a skyline across the river.
More updates coming this week and next if I get something.
Pete

 

[AlcoFanRS27]

Nice shots!

 

[papio]

Nice shots!

What he said!

 

[brad_in_omaha]

Great Shots!

 

[Tower 55]

Still in town?

 

[pmpete]

Yes I am, I had a side trip to McAllen this weekend to visit my Winter Texan parents. I will be here until Friday Nite.
Pete

 

[pmpete]

Last Friday, late report.

Spent last the last week trying to process the shots I got on my last Friday in FW.
I arrived at Tower 55 after lunch and things were stacked up with the TX Eagle backing past the diamond to take the wye to head east.

The Eagle rolls with a northbound UP Manifest on the other main on his heels.

Hot on his heels another UP manifest rolls north on the other main while the signals show its being lined for a southbound BNSF that will be showing shortly.

BNSF Rolls on the scene with a shiny new GEVO unit on the front.

Chasing the birds another southbound BNSF coal train chases the birds off the diamond.

After all these years its great to see the Grinsteen Green units still out making money.

Thats all folks took the scenic route back to DFW to avoid that wonderful metroplex traffic.
TTFN,
Paul

 

[brad_in_omaha]

Great Shots. I really like that first one!

 

[pmpete]

Thanks Brad,
I was hesitant to share the first one due to the heat distortion of the long shot. It was getting pretty warm that day, it was close to 90 degrees that afternoon.
Pete

 

[njurgensen]

nice shots. I just passed through the metroplex for the first time ever the other day on my way to San Antonio. we chose the FW side instead of the Dallas way hoping to avoid as much traffic as possible. where is Tower 55 located at? looks like its under a big freeway junction...

 

[Tower 55]

Tower 55 is right underneath I35W(north-south) and I30(east-west). If you went to San Antone you went right by it.

PMPete, if you can make it out to DFW in May, we are having "24@Saginaw". Good presentations, good people, good trains.

 

[SDJeff]

Side trip to McAllen? That's a long side trip! Did you get to see any Rio Valley Switching action down there in McAllen?

Nice shots btw.

 

[pmpete]

Yes, I flew down to McAllen to visit my parents (snowbirds) saw lots of tracks but no trains.
Brian I am not sure when I will be returning to Dallas as soon as May or as late as August.
Thanks to all,
Pete

 

[Jon Bentz]

Nice shots Pete! Is shooting at Tower 55 easier these days? There were some railfan horror stories about UP Police arresting railfans there a few years ago. What a great spot!

 

[gohogs]

Yes Pete was wondering same thing about being so close to the tower...great photos btw.. Whenever I've been near the SW wye where you were a UP cop has told me to move..if you go a little bit south to the old SP Broadway Yard you don't get hassled.

 

[pmpete]

I have parked in the Morrison company lot and walked up the SW corner several times and have never been hassled. Either I am lucky or they have relented.
Pete

 

[Jon Bentz]

Thought I'd post this Google Earth image to show where things are at Tower 55.

 

[pmpete]

Thanks Jon,
As you can see parking lot next to the street and the viaduct makes for an easy place to slip in and grab some shots of the usually heavy action at T55.
Pete

 

[Tower 55]

I have parked in the Morrison company lot and walked up the SW corner several times and have never been hassled. Either I am lucky or they have relented.
Pete

This is the way to go. If anything, just tell the security guard for Morrison what your doing. He is a friendly guy. Park on the parking lot, and when a train is coming, walk up and take your shot, then walk back to your car.

In the morning you can park on the east side, on Arizona St. Thats where a bunch of old railfans congregate on most weekends. They call themselves the T55BSS which stands for the Tower 55 Bull Shit Society.

 

[Tower 55]

Nice shots Pete! Is shooting at Tower 55 easier these days? There were some railfan horror stories about UP Police arresting railfans there a few years ago. What a great spot!

Nuh-uh.

Only one railfan got into trouble, and got the silver bracelets, and thats because he did and said some things he shouldnt have. He was arrested by Fort Worth PD, not UPSAs. BTW, "that guy" still hasnt learned his lesson and has received citations from UP SAs.


The UP and BNSF SAs in the DFW area are actually pretty decent guys. Some of them are railfans themselves.

The problems with Tower 55 are many.

There are few Private Property signs there.

There's also alot of dirt roads around Tower 55, again without signage, that railfans either accidentally or "accidentally" use.

There is no legal way to photograph from the north end of the diamonds.

Tower 55 is also still in use, despite the many erroneous reports to the contrary. Its used by MoW and SAs. Some railfans disregard the Private Property signs and walk right up there, and promptly get chewed out.




To be honest, Tower 55 really isnt that great of a spot. Very few days out of the year is the light perfect there, and only for a few minutes each day. If you have a good enough camera/lens, going to the overpass just south of the Tower is better, and no hassle. Tower 60 is an underrated location that offers better shots, and plently of trains. Saginaw Interlocker is easy to photograph. Metro Jct(Dalton) is easy too. Dallas has some great locations, and is surprisingly less photographed than Ft Worth.