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hill the surroundings looked totally dif- ferent. One word described it for me — wilderness. Hillside after hillside cov- ered with virgin timber. As we crossed over the first of three high bridges, this one being 750 long and 125 feet high, I could only imagine that little had changed since the bridge had built back in 1882 for the Frisco. Other bridges were crossed, just as high but a little shorter in length. Plen- ty of rock cuts. Soon we were on an al- most three mile tangent, straightest section


on the railroad. It passed


through Chester where once there was a round house, repair facility, coaling chutes and timber yard. Today only a short siding remains.


Lightning flashes became more nu- merous as we got closer to Van Buren. “You’re in for a long night!” Then Chuck corrected himself, “We’re all in for a long night!” Mitch had been in contact with the office staff who gave him a corrected car count and tonnage that the Alcos would take north out of Van Buren. “51 loads, five empties, about 5500 tons.” I asked what the ton- nage rating was for a C420. “750 tons.” Times six C420s meant doubling the hill into Winslow! Rain wouldn’t help either.


TOP: Friday’s southbound Monett Turn passed by some of the results of heavy rains from the night before south of Washburn, Missouri. ROGER A. HOLMES RIGHT: Fresh from the factory in new Caterpillar yellow demonstrator colors, EMD SD70ACe 1201 rolls through East Peoria, Illinois, on the Bloomington Local before heading to the A&M for testing on October 24, 2012. BELOW: Brand new A&M locomotives 70-72 sit at Atwater, Illinois, wait- ing on a new crew on September 6, 2013. TIM HOLMES PHOTOS


38 NOVEMBER 2013 • RAILFAN.COM


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