Union Pacific 844 in Iowa Last Week

[Agent]

Last week on Sunday, September 9, Union Pacific brought their steam engine UP 844 and the UP 150 Express to Ames, Iowa to celebrate the 150th anniversaries of both Union Pacific and railroads in Ames. I managed to get videos of it in a few different places. First

where I rode past the train on my bike. I think it turned out not too bad. But this was all lead up to what I thought of as the main event. After leaving Ames, 844 would take the Express back west over the Kate Shelley High Bridge, something I wanted to see as soon as I heard about this excursion months ago. I got to the bridge in time to join at least a dozen other people there and set up my camera exactly where I wanted it. But I wasn't lucky this time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Dz2hD9yPI

Another train came from the west on the near track at just the wrong time to block all of 844 and its train on the bridge. I suppose it was better having a container train than any other train since the spaces inbetween the containers are wider.

Has anyone else here planned a shot for months only to have it ruined at the very last second? How often does this happen? And is there a term for when the train you want to see is blocked by another train (since railroaders and railfans have invented so many terms for so many things)?

 

[WhoozOn1st]

I suppose it was better having a container train than any other train since the spaces inbetween the containers are wider.

First, you have my sympathy and condolences. There IS a better type of train in this situation: a "bare table" intermodal. That is, a container freight with no containers on the intermodal buckets - empties being hauled back whence they came.

Has anyone else here planned a shot for months only to have it ruined at the very last second? How often does this happen? And is there a term for when the train you want to see is blocked by another train (since railroaders and railfans have invented so many terms for so many things)?

I've been there, so believe me: I feel your pain. I think the only term for these occurrences that's printable here is "skunked." (I do believe I hear some muttering in that video) And while I can't put an exact number on it, how often it happens is TOO.

Though I've been skunked several times, the only one involving steam - so the only one that rises to the same tragic proportions as your misfortune, Agent - happened in May while shadowing the Grand Canyon Limited - led by Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 - over SoCal's Cajon Pass. Excerpt from the trip report, "South By Southwest Chief:"

"At last, however, it seemed the way was clear and that 3751 and company would be along directly.

"And it was! Unfortunately, also along directly, and at the same time, was one more intermodal stack train headed downhill westbound. Further, as bad luck would have it both trains passed the Team Whooz position at the same time. Now that wouldn't have been so bad, except that the freight train was running on the middle track, and was thereby obstructing the view of the Grand Canyon Limited working its way upgrade on the inside track. The outside track remained empty.

"Valued Readers might well imagine that the hue and cry from the Team Whooz post, and from other spots nearby, filled the already heated morning air with the sort of language that would make seasoned longshoremen blush, and they would be correct. While others threw up their hands in disgust, however, Team Whooz began shooting anyway and managed to get SOMETHING for its trouble, even if it wasn't what had been planned and hoped for. That's just the way railfanning goes sometimes."

_______________

And here's the video that resulted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9gLp88A59Y​

Intermodal Inferno: Steam Excursion Blocked At Cajon: Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 and the Grand Canyon Limited excursion train are blocked from view climbing eastbound up Cajon Pass by a westbound intermodal stack train drifting downhill. The steam locomotive can be spotted by following its smoke, and may be glimpsed at intervals between container stacks. A real disappointment following the long wait at a prime photo spot.

​

 

[Agent]

I don't know why I never thought of a bare table before, I saw two of them in the week before this.

Thank you for your sympathies WhoozOn1st, and allow me to express my own since while it's near certain that Union Pacific will bring back 844 over this route someday, the future of 3751 over the very busy Cajon Pass is more bleak.