Oct 29, 0530, leave the park for the Heavener yard office, I'm told that there should be southbounders on the Ark river bridge after 0900. After breakfast I explore Heavener yard. #5 has just left for Rich Mt. A north boud waits to be called at the fuel rack. #6 is switching in the yard, and has KCS691 on the point in the white scheme with four other units in the consist. Not a cloud in the sky could be a good day. I deciede to head back towards Spiro. on the way up passing thru Poteau, notice gray line of clouds behind the mountain. Thinks now not looking so good as this line of low clouds is marching my way.In Panama, I here the detector on the north side of the bridge announce an OK to the southbound train. Well I am going to miss it at the bridge so I turn and go to Bonanza again. The work train is still here. #5 cruisie by just before the cloud line shades the area. No sense in heading south to Rich Mt, as the cloudy are low and grey. Listening to the scanner , tells that the steel gang working at Rich Mt. would not have a curfew today and the there would be a number of trains in the area. Alsa, the demon clouds strike again! Head for Van buren again hope for openin in sky. At Ft.Smith can see edge of the cloud line.it sits right over Ft.smith and Van Buren is in the sun. A south bound UP train bangs across the A&M diamond just as I reach the site. A northbound has recieved a track warrent to depart on it's arrival. Soon a ex CNW SD50 bangs across the diamond. Here the A&M give the passenger train a track warrent and know it is real late and still up north. I had'nt come to shoot the A&M that much, but the sun is out and I have to go north. I wait at the Hyway 252 underpass about 30" before I hear the horn around the curve.I hustle to the tree and up the ladder to my vantage point just in time as the 68 leads the four coaches south. The trains are usually packed in the fall season. The Ft.Smith Turn is still way north and I head for West Fork. It's after 2:00PM when the Turn gets a warrant to leave Fayetteville. The New York railfan arrives in West Fork a short time later. He tells me that the Monett turn got in late and had seven units which included the passenger trains power. After awhile the Turn pulls thru West Fork with three units. We head for Winslow as the Turn will meet the returning passenger train there.Another fan for Clarksville arrives also. I shoot the turn as it eases into Winslow and race to the top of the mountain and hack my way to the other side and the tunnel portal. I had previously decided that I neede to climb a tree for an unusal shoot at a famous location.The cycamore tress was easialy climed but I had the wrong lense so debated wether to climd down and get the other one. I did and then back up the tree and soon the Turn popped out of the tunnel. Any later and the area would have been in the shadows. Now to hack my way back to the car at the top of the hill. The A&M dispatcher told the Ft.Smith switcher that they were going to run an extra Turn that night to pick up the sand. I was wipped by the effort and when got back to Alma, deciede needed foo and a room. It was only 4:30 PM and still good light but I just quit for the day. Oct 30 Crappy grey clouds again , time to head home, cutting the trip a day short as the forecast was more of the same. stopped in at Springdale and asked about trains and they said regular turn to Ft. Smith plus Springdale switchers. Deciede to cut over to the KCS at Decatur and follow it north. Northbound helper power 635-634 just passing the F uint at the Decatur depot. Wasted a shot of the helpers passing the Noel,MO depot. Very senic area here. Grey skies persist. Northbound #6 is close behind with a five unit consist. Shot on the Elk River bridge north of Noel and again at the Anderson depot. At Neosho headed east along the BNSF (former Frisco) towards Springfield.Heard a northbound MNA train get a warrant tocome north from MP375. I was planning to stop at Aurora to see if the Mopac depot was still there. Ther depot was still on site and was being refurbished as it sportted new doors and windows and an electrition was installing new wireing. He said it was to be used as an exposion hall. Shorly the MNA extra came by . It is a UP empty coal trian froim Newark,AR.To alleve congestion, all the empty Newark coal trains (CNWNA) are detoring over the MNA to Kansas City. (The loads go via Coffeyville and Little Rock) This is one and sometimes two per day.In Springfield, the former Frisco hub was active, but the service area was almost vacant. Still heavy clouds and did not look around much. Went to the Frisco Museum which was nice and is in the oneime dispatchers building. there are SLSFtwo cabs and a Frisco passenger car on diplay. On the way home stopped at Ft. Lenard Wood, a big Army base in Missouri. I knew they had some locomotives but had never taken the time to stop. Those clouds let me tear myself away from the tracks to see things I usually wouln't. The diesel found was geep USA 4606 outside and was told the 4607 was inside the shop. Also saw a contractors diesel, ex CNW 4297, with the initials CIEX . The Army diesels operate over a long branch to the BNSF connection at Newbrug on a as needed basis. There is also a very nice Army Engineering Museum on the base, little covering railroads but very interesting . The trip did not live up past experiances in the region, account the cloud cover. I did very well on the A&M and almost zero on the KCS. The sun just did not shine on the KCS this trip. I guess I will have to head back next summer! --> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects
