[Mipman25]

This is one huge update, as I got a total of nine trains today including the 261! I left for the Junction at about 4 with a new tripod and my younger brother, who was interested in seeing the 261 in action due to my clip from the previous day. We got stopped at a crossing by a fast intermodal with what looked like three Dash-9s on the point. I noticed another light while approaching the Junction, and we got there right on time as a three-unit autoracker blasted by. I had no time to set up the tripod, so this shot is by hand.

BNSF C44-9W #4882
BNSF C44-9W #4781
BNSF C44-9W #5440

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/Dash-9sonanautoracker_zps2b9284ed.jpg

We went up to our spot to see that there were several railfans, including one who was right near us. Shortly after, another autoracker hurtled toward us, this time an eastbound. The Coon Creek Junction is a great spot for shooting eastbounds, as the nearby curve provides a view of the following cars. An interesting thing about this place is that you can hear the eastbounds coming before you actually see them.

BNSF ES44C4 #6530
BNSF C44-9W #748

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/BNSF6530_zps4ed4c7d6.jpg

The Staples Sub was very busy today, as another train appeared right after! This one was a westbound manifest with a sweet lashup. The leader was wearing month-old H3 paint and had a horn-happy crew, and last in line was my very first SD40-2 on camera!

BNSF C44-9W #4509
BNSF C44-9W #966
BNSF ES44DC #7807
BNSF SD40-2 #1742

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/BNSF4509leadingasweetlashup_zps9538707c.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/BNSF1742_zpsecd08829.jpg

15 minutes passed and an eastbound ethanol train appeared with some NS power. I started recording as the ethanol train honked for the Coon Rapids Boulevard crossing. That was when the camera froze. I tried to shut it off, but it just stayed frozen. My only option was to remove the battery and put it back in. However, I couldn't unscrew the camera in time, and the unthinkable happened.

I missed my second train.

Luckily, I was able to memorize the numbers, and a preview of the train still existed. Just thank goodness there were no heritage units on this train...

NS ES44AC #8089
NS SD70ACe #1036

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/NS8089and1036_zps69acdbb7.jpg

A Hyrail appeared on the Hinckley Sub for a brief amount of time. I was able to snap a photo before it reversed back down the subdivision our destined train was on.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/P1060351_zps3294ef4e.jpg

As if that wasn't bad enough, the same thing happened with an eastbound ethanol train! No preview exists of the power, but it wasn't the best lashup anyway; just another pair of Dash-9s. I got the number of the leader in my head, but not the trailing H1 Dash-9. I also reunited with an old friend as the DPU; the unit known for the mysterious K5LLA on October 8th of 2012.

BNSF C44-9W #4852
BNSF C44-9W #???
BNSF SD70ACe #9283

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/ThereturnofBNSF9283_zps9c60fff6.jpg

This was the point where I started to worry. What if the camera froze on 261? I started playing around with the tripod, testing out a technique where I left the camera on the mount and attached it to the tripod after I began recording. The next train, a westbound Northstar, provided a good test subject for this technique. Sure enough, it worked!

MNRX MP36PH-3C #501
MNRX MP36PH-3C #502
MNRX Bombardier bi-level cab car #604

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/MRNX501and502_zps1238ed72.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/MNRX604rushingintothedistance_zps28520635.jpg

If you ever heard of my theory of the Staples Sub operating in hourly "blocks", this was the beginning of a dead block. Now, the wait for 261 began. Many times I looked toward the Hinckley Subdivision, and many times a hallucination of 261's 6-chime echoed in my ears.

After about 40 minutes, I heard it again. This time for real.

Continued in part 2...

[Mipman25]

At this time, my father thought it would be a "good" idea to start yelling over 261's fantastic AT&SF 6-chime as I was recording. This infuriated me, but I told him to be quiet and kept on recording. No yelling in the universe was going to stop me. Plus, watching the clip again revealed that I got quite a bit of 261's whistle without any background noise, save the wind. As 261 plodded toward us, I could hear that she had some nice stack talk going. She was going slower than she was last time due to speed restrictions near the Junction, but it was still 261.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/P1060363_zpsd887aa01.jpg

Finally, the decisive moment arrived as 261 plodded past us. Whoever was riding behind Steve gave us a good wave as 261 strutted toward Minneapolis Junction an hour late. I'd think that the crew would be making up for lost time, but it was still 261, and this would be the last time I would ever see her.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/261struttingherstuff_zpsdf76945f.jpg

At last, the final car clanked over the switch and into the distance. Farewell, 261.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/P1060365_zpse4d2d676.jpg

However, 261 wasn't the last train of the day. We got hit at the Hanson Boulevard crossing again, this time with what looked like a single GEVO leading a slow mix of autoracks and intermodal cars.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/AGEVObehindthetrees_zps8e29dfa9.jpg

What really made this train unique, though, was that there was an articulated car celebrating 125 years of the Kansas City Southern!

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/BNSF%20Staples%20Sub/5-12-13/125yearsofKCS_zpsebd8a70c.jpg

We headed for Subway as Celebration by Kool & the Gang played on the radio. Very fitting, as my brother pointed out. Overall, this was an excellent day, and very likely my best yet. Steam, a SD40-2, a Dash-9 fresh from Topeka, NS power, a reunion with an old friend, and some great conversations with fellow railfans.