[Mipman25]

My father really felt like going railfanning at the Staples Sub today. It seemed peculiar to me, but I decided to tag along, seeing that this would be my first railfanning trip ever. We biked over to the BNSF Staples Sub, but I didn't do too good of a job. This culminated in the point where I pulled out my brother's camera when I heard a MicroPrecision K5HL echoing in the distance. My father lectured me and took the camera due to this, but I convinced him that I was simply distracted. I understood that he didn't want me to die, but there was an ES44DC right behind him and I needed to act quickly. I quickly took the camera (which he seemed to actually give back), turned it on, and filmed the first train of the day. This mixed freight had the catch of the day for me; a patched SP AC44CW trailing. This was probably the first time I've ever seen a patched SP unit and was a rare sight for a BNSF train.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/Catchoftheday.jpg

My father, who I affectionately called "Foamer Simpson" for this trip, biked across the road and under a bridge. This was much closer to the tracks and allowed us to catch sight of incoming trains. After a while, a triangle of lights shone in the distance. As it got closer, I desperately tried to turn on the camera. When it did turn on, I started filming. This mixed freight had a C44-9W and an ES44DC on the point as well as some interesting loads and cars, such as a Caterpillar excavator and some C&NW covered hoppers. Only when the train passed did I find out that I had accidentally stopped filming a second or so in.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/Thesecondmixedfreight.jpg

The embarrassment soon faded, though, when I caught an unusual light in the distance seconds after the second train passed. The thought came to me that this could be an Empire Builder, which it was. This was the first Empire Builder I had ever seen in my life, complete with P40s #823 and #824 on the point. This was also most likely the fastest train on the trip, doing somewhere over 60 miles per hour.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/EmpireBuilder.jpg

After an indeterminate amount of time, another triangle of lights shone from the west. I made sure the camera was on and made sure not to accidentally stop. The filming for this ethanol train This train was probably my favorite of the day, due to some friendly honks on the Nathan K5HL from the lead unit, BNSF ES44AC #5885, and the fact that this was the only train of the day to blow my newly-aquired Union Pacific 150 hat off my head. Trailing behind the ES44AC were BNSF SD70MACs #9494 and #8987 in BN Executive and H3 paint respectively. Upon further research, this train seemed to have traversed the UP Chester Sub two days before it diverted onto the Staples. On the Chester run, another SD70MAC #8870 was a fourth unit on the train.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/Theethanoltrain.jpg

After the ethanol train passed, I heard a squeaky K5LA, which I identified as a Northstar cab car. The commuter had stopped for a while, and I assumed that it was loading at a platform. Sure enough, it crept out of the station and gained quite a bit of speed by the time it passed us. Bombardier cab car #603 was leading and MP36PH-3Cs #502 and #504 were providing power. An interesting thing to note is that the latter of the two units was featured on Dirty Jobs.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/TheNorthstarcommuter.png

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/TheDirtyJobsMP36.jpg

We stayed for a few more minutes, but nothing popped up and we biked home. For my first time, it was worth wearing a white half-bowling ball on my head and passing in the trail of a skunk. I'd really like to do this again soon.

[Mipman25]

As not to flood this forum, I will be using this thread for all my trips to the Staples. I have changed the topic title and description to match such. These shots will be coming out on Saturday as I'm going to be away next Sunday morning.

[Mipman25]

Part 1: The trains

This trip did not start like the last one. My father and I waited about 30 minutes to an hour waiting for a light to appear. During this time, I took a few photos, including this one of a track inspection vehicle.

The first thing I noticed was a rail inspection vehicle sitting in a siding.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/P1050160.jpg

Eventually, while taking a photo, I noticed a triangle of lights and got ready to film. This mixed freight had BNSF AC44CWs #5669 and #5612 on the front and back. This train also smelled like Lionel smoke pills, making me think that there was a hotbox on this train somewhere.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/One-unitwonder.png

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/Thehelper.png

Minutes after that train passed, another westbound appeared in the distance. Taking a close look with my father's camera, I made out an ethanol train approaching the bridge.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/P1050165.jpg

This train gave me the scare of my life when it blew a few friendly honks right next to me! Needless to say, the crew on this train was very friendly and knew how to use a K3LA. C44-9Ws #4887 and #1074 were on the point of this train, which turned out to actually be another mixed freight.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/Heritage1.png

The action was rather slow today, so we made a deal to go after the third train. This train was another Northstar commuter.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/P1050176.jpg

However, something my father said made my heart skip a beat.

"We got a double!"

Sure enough, a westbound intermodal train was coming to meet the Northstar, which would soon depart the Anoka platform. Of course, my father spoke while I was filming and drowned out a bit of the horn show the train gave me. A quartet of C44-9Ws were pulling this intermodal, all of them in H2 livery except for the second unit. These were numbered 4330, 736, 5280, and 4741.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/BNSFFakebonnet-1.png

After 20 seconds or so, the Northstar finally caught up and passed the intermodal. Definitely the catch of the day for me.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/BNSFandNorthstarmeet-1.png

After that, we left happy railfans as usual. I anticipate every visit to the Staples Sub now, as it has some great fast freight and passenger action. I think I'd like to visit the BNSF Northtown yard, though...

[Mipman25]

Part 2: Other sights


When we arrived, a train didn't arrive for 30 minutes or so. Because of this, my father and I walked around the bridge and found some interesting sights. I still wonder how this graffiti got up here...

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/P1050159.jpg

I encountered a few trespassers here. One just used the tracks as a shortcut and went perpendicular to them. He didn't seem to look both ways, though. However, there were these other trespassers who just stayed on the rails, no matter how much I yelled at them to get off. More and more piled onto the rails. As soon as I was about to take another photo of these pitiful fools, a train appeared and I got very angry. Did I mention that these trespassers were birds?

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/P1050162.jpg

We also found quite the lot of spikes. Here's a picture of my hand holding up all three of them.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/P1050173.jpg

[Mipman25]

Upon arriving, my father and I got another surprise like the first trip; a westbound was rapidly approaching and was almost under the Highway 10 bridge! I jumped off my bike, pulled out the camera, and started filming as fast as possible. I got a good horn show from the leading unit, BNSF C44-9W #4052, but its K3LA was very sick and sounded like some chord out of a horror movie. It seemed as though only two bells were sounding and somewhat overblowing.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/BNSF4052.jpg

There were some pretty interesting loads on the first three cars; some CAT construction vehicles and a coil car.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/CoilcarandCaterpillars.jpg

Again, this train had one unit in the front and one in the back, the latter being C44-9W #4999.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/BNSF4999.jpg

Minutes after the mixed freight hurtled passed, I spotted some trespassers on the tracks. They eventually got off and passed me, but I let them off easy this time. I really should've told them about what a train really is...

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/P1050213.jpg

While we were waiting for another train to come, my father took some pictures of the particularly beautiful sunset that took place. A good looking setting, but not the busiest. I guess I'll go back in the morning next time.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/P1050219.jpg

There are quite a few sidings with jointed rail that can be seen from under the bridge. I used a zoom on this shot as I wouldn't want to get too close to the tracks.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/P1050218.jpg

It was getting dark, so we decided to get going. Not the luckiest day, but at least I got a bit of time outside. I took this shot of Coon Rapids under a brilliant sunset from a sidewalk on a bridge.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/P1050224.jpg

[Mipman25]

Today was a rather early day at the Staples Sub, leaving at about 7:30 or so. As we rode up to the Staples Sub, we heard at least two trains in the distance (One was likely led by a GEVO due to the horn, the other had a K3LA and came in time for us to see the tail end of it in the distance; it was an ethanol train with a H2 DPU). It was a rather cold morning, and my hands were freezing by the time we arrived. An interesting surprise took place here, as behind the tracks was a brigade of track repair vehicles. They seemed to be using pairs of AA-2s as horns.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/P1050226.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/P1050239.jpg

Somebody had come around and was talking to my father while I looked around the bridge that held Highway 10. I found out that the milepost we railfan at was 26.0.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/P1050228.jpg

While I was poking around, a flicker of lights shone in the distance. The lights appeared again and stayed that way, signalling a train approaching from the east. As it approached, it gave a few honks on its somewhat out-of-tune K3LA. Although a bit off key, it had to be one of the most beautiful K3LAs I have ever heard up to that point. BNSF 4512 and 5675, a C44-9W and an AC44CW respectively, were on the point of this mixed freight mostly consisting of tankers and covered hoppers.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/BNSF4512.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/BNSF5675trailing.jpg

After the train passed, I got acquainted with the guy my father was talking to; Jerry, a security guard. We talked for about half an hour more before another sequence of lights shone. As this one approached, I noticed two things. One was that it was putting out more smoke than I had ever seen on my trips to the Staples Sub, and the other was that it wasn't anything that resembled a BNSF unit. I thought Cascade Green at first, but soon it became a black front with white stripes and a horse. Foreign power was approaching and I had to catch it quick. As it got closer, it gave a very long blast on its K5LA. This soon became a full-out crossing sequence with a perfect doppler effect, as well as both units (D9-40CWs 9555 and 9893) being NS and an ex-SOU boxcar being used as a buffer car for a rather short ethanol train. An ear-bleedingly beautiful horn show and probably the best I've ever gotten. By the way, that is my father in this screen capture.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/NS9555.png

It was getting long and we were thinking of leaving, but a light shone from the west just after the ethanol train passed. Thinking it was a Northstar commuter train, I zoomed in on it only to see a H2 widecab on the point. After waiting and listening to it blasting its K3LA for a crossing, it finally emerged. This was an intermodal with some early BNSF C44-9Ws 739 and 706 on the point.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/9-8-12/BNSF739.png

After that, we headed home and did a lap around Crooked Lake. This was probably one of the best trips I ever went on, and everything was filmed in HD to boot.

[Mipman25]

With our floors being sanded for the weekend, we had to be out of the house for most of the weekend. Because of this, the weekend was rather stressful and I was wondering how I could fit a bit of peace in the form of an hour or so railfanning into the weekend. There was an opening, though, on a Sunday evening. I had heard an RS-3L and a hybrid K5HL during the day, so it could've been better. However, I was very happy to get some peace.

The first train, a westbound mixed freight, came a bit early to say the least. I did catch a DPU, a Dash-9 or AC44CW, before we made it, and I think one or two were on the point. This was all I could get of it. Look very closely and you can see two boxcars between a crack in the scenery.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/P1050245.jpg

However, when we got there, something else was coming from the east. Using a 35.2X zoom, I saw an intermodal with a H2 engine on the point.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/5192takestotheeastboundtrack.jpg

After sounding two crossing sequences on the K3LA, it eventually approached. No horn show from this train, but I did get a wave from the crew. Nice to see crews still waving to railfans after all these years.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/BNSF5192and5420.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/Afriendlywave.jpg

Upon watching the clip of the first intermodal, I noticed that the trailing C44-9W had a patch of Warbonnet paint just next to the cab. A rather interesting catch, to say the least. With a bit of research on RRPictureArchives, I found out that this was a very recent change, happening some time after May 5th of 2012.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/ApieceofSantaFeheritage.jpg

This intermodal was going a bit slower than usual. It could've been a speed restriction, but the mixed freight we saw was going rather fast. After the intermodal went by, another one popped up right behind it!

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/Anotherintermodalapproaches.jpg

This one was almost exactly like the last one, complete with two Dash-9s, two crossing sequences on a K3LA, and going a bit slow.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/BNSF5186and4816.jpg

However, this one had a FEC well car in the mix!

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/FEConaBNSFintermodal.jpg

Nothing popped up after that, so we headed home. As we biked home for the day, we caught a beautiful sunset. The first shot was courtesy of my father.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/P1050258.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-16-12/P1050259.jpg

[D&RGW]

Hi'ya,

One quick question: what is an "H2"? I've seen the term used elsewhere but I've been unable to find a technical definition for it on the internet. As far as I can tell, it only refers to the relatively modern GE wide-cab design. Is this correct, or is there something I'm missing?

Thanks,
Eliot

[Mipman25]

BNSF has three paint schemes which aren't patched versions of past liveries; Heritage 1, 2, and 3; or H1, H2, and H3 for short. Heritage 1 is more very dark green than H2 and H3.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-25-12/Heritage1.png

Heritage 2 seems to be the most common livery for BNSF. This one has a Warbonnet-style logo on the front, yellow lettering, and more exposed orange than H1. It also has bigger yellow stripes between the orange and very dark green.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-2-12/BNSF4052.jpg

Heritage 3 swaps the very dark green present in the H1 and H2 paint schemes with black and gets a newer, more modern logo. The trailing unit is most definitely not wearing H3 paint.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/8-19-12/Catchoftheday.jpg

[Mipman25]

Today was a very chilly day, but I was burning with excitement to see what laid ahead at the Staples Sub. It was too cold to bike, so we took the car. I had gotten a tripod a few days before and was going to put it to the test.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/P1050260_zpsfb0732ee.jpg

I took some time to set up the tripod and stood around for a while. It was very cold and, thanks to a large pile of dirt, manure, and compost, very smelly. We had noticed some holes in the ground that were likely made by some sort of animal. After walking around for a while, I noticed something that looked like a muskrat plodding toward us. It had a stand-off with a crow (which I sadly didn't get on camera)...

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/P1050261_zpsfbc1d227.jpg

...Went under the car...

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/P1050262_zps7ba99aa1.jpg

...And tried to climb up the pile of manure!

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/P1050263_zps04c1a44d.jpg

It eventually walked around the pile and went off into the distance. I noticed that my father was sitting in the car, so I decided to see how it was. It was pretty warm, and we eventually positioned the car so that we could get a good view of the tracks. After sitting around thinking of how we could set up a buffet in our car and listening to a little Barry Manilow, I walked out to take a quick check. I noticed some new graffitti on the bridge.

...Whaaaat?

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/P1050264_zps8bbb2c17.jpg

I got back in the car and sat around when I noticed a light in the distance. This eventually seemed to split into three lights, signaling a train approaching from the west.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/Anapproachingintermodal_zpsb9eae40f.jpg

I had a strange feeling that a meet would occur.

It did.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/Anothertrainapproaches_zpsfe59334b.jpg

The westbound was the first to appear and, surprise of all surprises, this grain train had an ES44C4 on the point! Two Dash-9s were trailing.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/BNSF6699_zps696e6164.jpg

The eastbound, an intermodal, eventually rocketed past the slow grain train. Although some grain hoppers were in the way, I somehow captured the numbers on each unit as 5249 and 4715, the latter in H3 paint.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/5249_zps42e9f4fd.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/9-22-12/4715_zpse5ca6293.jpg

The battery almost ran out toward the end of the grain train, so I turned off the camera for a few cars and filmed the end. Since the battery was so low and we had been there for about an hour, the longest wait for a train as of now, we headed home. A very awkward trip, to say the least, and a great meet to boot. As for the tripod, it was a bit slanted and needed adjusting. I'll remember to bring a full battery and position the tripod right next time.