This Time I Beat the Q-Train to the Grade Crossing!

No, not like this!

Or this. Art by Thomas Hart Benton.

It's now the season of bad midday light, but hey, 5 trains!
The Q-Train is on the left, sneaking in on South Three.

The Boeing 737 fuselages used to be carried on the "KICKSPO," Kansas City-Spokane, but now we see them handled on the Q-Train.

At the East switch of Austin. The second strait occurrence of a KCS unit makes me wonder if KCS is delivering a Birmingham section to Ft. Worth.

Your choice; Monochrome or Fabulous Color.

A small contingent of trailers bring up the rear.

Personal history; once went on a double date in Portland, and my friend's escort was the ex wife of Mr. Marten.

Passenger Train Like Crew Change for the Q-Train

Today's WB Q-Train uses the only available through track in Helena Yard, but gets a very quick crew change. Extra men indicate that they were probably deadheads. More on this train in a future post.

Southern Belles Take The Q Train to Seattle

The Fort Worth to Seattle/Portland Q Train gets underway at Helena.
Gotta wonder if the BNSF unit was added at Laurel.

The train is typically about 70% J.B. Hunt, with the remainder mostly being Schneider containers. This train also had two Boeing cars on the headend, and a small general fill on the rear. No helper was required for over Mullan.

An EB drifts down into Tobin for a meet with the Q Train.

As soon as the EB cleared, heard the whir of the switch machine and the train is off. No catching him at the Birdseye grade crossing, or any of the three crossings on Austin Road, just too speedy.

A rather poor grab shot out the window of my truck, but it does show how green it is up on Mullan right now.

BNSF map of the train's route: