From: bulletbob53@webtv.net (bob smith) Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 00:08:41 -0500 (CDT) Sender: owner-railspot@mail.railspot.com No big backups or Dash 9s sitting at our neighborhood crossing this week on a Saturday night like last week. So my brother-in-law James and I headed north into Conroe to se if we could find any train action. Drove almost all the way thru town following UP tracks north. Following 1st Street almost all the way thru town we were within sight of North Loop 336 when we spotted 2 UP GP38s sitting on a small siding right next to the street. Siding appeared to be for an abandoned warehouse. Road #s 2168 and 1956. Appeared to be parked for the night. Too dark for pictures. While looking at the 38s a North bound small rock train came by at abot 20:15. UP 236 a B30-7A and UP 4309 a SD40-2 were pulling approximately 10 cars full of what could have been ballast. Last 3 cars were old Western Pacific. We then headed for the Conroe Yard of BNSF. Nothing moving. The 2 engines hidden Tuesday were right next to the rail crossing by the Yard office. BN 2124 a GP38 and Santa Fe (blue Yellow) 3423 a GP39. UP North- South and BNSF East-West cross just a few hundred yards west of yard just off main street in downtown Conroe. Bob

From: bulletbob53@webtv.net (Bob Smith) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 19:30:33 -0500 (CDT) Sender: owner-railspot@mail.railspot.com Caught 2 up trains Sun. evening. First passed UP-BNSF crossing in Conroe @ 17:45. Long chemical train with Up #s 7327 and 7330 as power GE AC6000CW. About 30 minutes later another Northbound mixed freight came thru. This one had 3 AC6000CW for power. UP#s 7302, 7318, 7322. Being new at this I found it interesting that an old, rusty NYC low sided gondola was among the cars and does anyone know where the "Marietta-Tomahawk-And Western Railway Company is? One of their old boxcars was also on this train. Bob

From: bulletbob53@webtv.net (Bob Smith) Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 23:15:58 -0500 (CDT) Sender: owner-railspot@mail.railspot.com UP local crossed San Jacinto River South of Conroe at approximately 8:35 with 7 cars from Spring. UP#2064 and # 2560 GP38-2's. (97 roster shows 2560 to be a Helm rebuilt GP40). At 10:50 saw train at Camp Strake Road crossing but Locomotive gone by time I reached crossing. Moments later heard on scanner that train was told to hold in Conroe for a Willis local to clear. I took a detour on my errand and found train stopped at MP193.(Where the 2 local GP38s kept in Conroe spent the weekend) SSW COTTONBELT#9643 GP60 was in the lead with SP#7830 B-30-7 behind. Mixed freight. It is only a little out of the way going to the bank to swing by MP 193 since I heard a train leaving Spring when I went to the Big K. At about 15:50 I was not disappointed. As I watched train coming Northbound I noticed it slowing until as it pulled up next to me it stopped. Cue photo op. Got nice picture of UP #7310 and #7334 (C6044ACs?). After 5 minutes they proceeded Northbound. Long chemical train. On the way back stopped at Conroe BNSF yard. Had BN 3111 GP50 and SF blue and yellow BNSF# 6728 SD40-2 waiting for a train to be made? @ locals were scurrying around yard. After a wonderful dinner at Vernon's Kuntry Katfish on the way to the lake came home via UP- BNSF crossing just in time to see BNSF# 800 Warbonnet Dash 8 Northbound on UP tracks leading BN 5132 C30-7 and SF blue and yellow BNSF # 8725 GP60 (old atsf#4025?) and a long string of mainly covered hoppers and tank cars. Spring just released a Northbound empty grain . Bob

From: bulletbob53@webtv.net (Bob Smith) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 22:13:49 -0500 (CDT) Sender: owner-railspot@mail.railspot.com At about 18:00 caught an Up mixed freight Northbound with UP# 7301 in the lead with UP# 7322 C6044ACs as I came home from work just South of Conroe. Made a quick trip up to the 193MP in Conroe to see if anything was movin'. The 2 UP local GP38's were at there weekend home at the 193MP. Stopped where UP and BNSF lines cross going back home and saw headlights coming from the South. It was about 19:00 and needed to get home to see the Horns' play! Long chemical train passed with UP 9207 on point C40-8W, UP 4251 SD40-2 behind, and SP 6822? SD45T-2R last.(This locomotive appeared to have been in a major fire! ??? Last 2 #s were hard to read and entire locomotive looked real rough. ) Does anyone know of UP building a big new yard in Houston to replace one closing in West Texas? Bob

From: bulletbob53@webtv.net (Bob Smith) Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 20:03:54 -0500 (CDT) Sender: owner-railspot@mail.railspot.com Took off AM to locate some spots I hear about on the new scanner I got. Wanted to se Lloyd yard where MP211 is at I hear dispatchers sending trains either towards Conroe on the Palestine line or towards Navasota. First wanted to see if anything was on the lines running South down the middle of the Hardy Toll Road. Sunday morning at 9:00am was slow, not a single train. Exited just before I610 to double back. Saw some Hoppers on the East side My brother in law James has a nose for trains. At intersection of on a surface street found that pointing Northbound were DRGW 5386 and SP 8312 both SD40t-2s. with no ne around. Northbound on Toll Road met Southbound UP 3612 SD40-2 and UP262 a B30-7. Mixed freight. Saw another boxcar in this train from the Marinette, Tomahawk, and Western Railroad Company like I saw last Sunday Northbound in Conroe.Small world. Found the famous Lloyd Yard and saw the apparent stable of yard engines. UP1662 a GP15-1, and 2269 and 1997 both GP38s. Getting ready to head home caught what was an apparent grain train coming Southbound off the Navasota main at Spring junction. It had UP4427 in the lead an SD40T-2, UP3209 a SD40-2, and a green locomotive RMGX 5035??? Great morning!! Even heard the dispatch give track time to 2 maintenance workers at MP211 and watched one get on the tracks headed for MP195 towards Conroe and the other towards Navasota. Bob

From: bulletbob53@webtv.net (Bob Smith) Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 22:29:21 -0500 (CDT) Cc: railspot@railspot.com Sender: owner-railspot@mail.railspot.com Chuck, At 9:59 PM the fastest chemical train I've ever seen entering Conroe passed MP 198. UP#7327 AC60/44 in the lead with SP# 300 AC4400CW, and running DPU was UP# 7320 AC60/44!! These things are great!!! Good Luck!! Bob Smith